By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Chehalis police are investigating the possible theft of money from an account meant to cover expenses for the W.F. West High School class of 2013’s all-night party after commencement.
Tonya Burk, a Chehalis woman whose son is a senior, said some of the other parents recently asked her to audit the group’s records.
Burk said parents were surprised a few months ago to learn there was less than $8,000 saved up, when they thought it would be closer to $16,000.
A big red flag was raised when Security State Bank closed the account and contacted one of the parents in January, she said. Police were contacted shortly after that, she said.
Chehalis Police Department detective Sgt. Gary Wilson declined to offer much detail: “It’s an ongoing investigation,” Wilson said this morning.
Chehalis School District Superintendent Ed Rothlin said the school is not involved in the finances; it’s a privately held account that comes from a tradition of parents who collectively begin fundraising during their children’s freshman year to pay for graduation-related activities.
Burk said the efforts for her son’s class began when he was in eighth grade. Some parents paid “dues” each year, and they also held car washes and spaghetti feeds, conducted flower sales, put on haunted houses and did fireworks sales, she said.
She admitted it was somewhat of a loose-knit group, until recently. Since January, parents have pulled together and raised $7,000, she said.
“We don’t have enough totally, but we’re coming close, which is phenomenal,” Burk said.
The money this year is expected to pay for a mother-father barbecue, the baccalaureate gathering and the senior trip.
There are almost 270 seniors this year, according to Burk.
After graduation on June 8, the plan is to put them on charter busses and take them to a place called Bullwinkle’s near Portland, a venue with indoor laser tag, bowling, music and an arcade, she said.
Then they’ll travel to a trampoline park and return in the morning to a breakfast at the school, according to Burk.
“This is supposed to be a fun, safe trip where they can act like kids one last time,” she said.
Burk said the account wasn’t set up with a requirement of having two signers for withdrawals, which she called a mistake.
A one-time local volunteer of the year will be trying to work with school officials to find ways to pass along guidelines to the parents of future graduating classes, in hopes of preventing reoccurrences, she said.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
I was a member of a previous class in W. F. West, towards the later 90’s. As I recall, a very similar situation happened. Well, only in some regards. The school had the parents place the funds in a general account. The parents had total control of the funds and account, until the funds were reallocated by the school… So I am not completely trusting of the school in their statements. I don’t even recall what the plan was going to be for the Senior Event, but I do remember that for our reunion, we ended up in a small, cramped venue where nothing was actually provided from our ‘saved class funds’ which were emptied out.
If these yuppie dope smoking hippies being churned out of WF West can afford pill addictions and new cars im sure they can afford a trip to bullwinkles out of pocket without a ‘group fund!!!!’ nuff said.
A sign of the times. The golden age of corporate fraud. This is no different than what Obama is doing to our tax dollars. If the president isnt above picking pockets why should we respect other peoples money? The lady from the historical society. Teachers, Cops, School Admistrators, Doctors all over paid for basic nessasaties for modern life. Driving the cost up for everyone else almost to the point of a full (poverty) ride or working poor just to keep up with the services their welfare neighbors get for the their kids for free. Put a cap on what doctors and teachers make. They get raises every year. Whens the last time a mill worker or farmer got a raise? They are truely the ones keeping the economy from collapse. The school system does nothing but turn kids into pot smoking liberal art drones. Doctors get sued so much they to buy millions in insurance just keep them working. When will the craziness stop.
“Why would anybody be critical of parents raising money to celebrate and honor a child’s graduation from high school? It is a huge accomplishment and is the end of what we hope has been one of the best times of their lives. Why not make it as memorable and special as possible?”
Because high school is retarded. High school was and probably is the biggest waste of time.
Why not raise money to help them go to college and then throw a real party? Graduating high school is a non-accomplishment. Even after a few years of leaving high school, most of the kids who were “real smart” slowly begin to learn this little fact.
What possible rite of passage could high school provide except to prepare a young adult for nothing?
And no, I didn’t graduate high school. In fact I failed miserably. Quite frankly, most of my ‘instructors” and “couselors” just took it for granted that I would end up in prison.
After failing out of high school, I got my diploma at community centralia college and transfered out of state. And the only celebration I did was to get drunk on my 21st birthday while at Harvard.
$16000/270=$59.26
$60 a kid??
That just doesn’t look right, after all the dinners and car washes…. Plus the fee to get into the party, ride the bus, jump around… ???
JZ, Dalton and Disgusted, the point you seem to be missing is that it doesn’t matter what the money was for. If the students and parents raised 16K to by 8,000 cans of silly string for graduation night, or raised it to send them to Chuck E Cheese, what possible business is it of yours? Its not your money. I suspect you didn’t donate any of it. Your opinion on what they spend the money on has absolutely zero value. As does mine. The only issue here is the theft. If someone stole money from you, should we all decide if you were going to use the money for something we feel is worthwhile. This isn’t public money and they don’t have to answer to you as to what they spend it on. The thieves are known and they will be brought to justice.
glad to see we agree on the fact it doesnt get much lower then stealing from kids, and as its been pointed out all of the $16,000 is not for the senior trip and surely you can acknowledge that not all of these functions are a waste of money even you if cant see the fun or benefit by the senior trip, these students are closing a huge chapter of their lives, is there really harm in providing them an entertaining and safe trip as a final good bye to this carefree time of life……..if there is no purpose in trips to entertainment establishments for peope of all ages how does disney do so well? the only negative that should come from this story is the actions that created it……lets not talk down about those trying to good things for other people and instead stick with point of the article
weezer, sandy, and Julie…We’ll have to agree to disagree on some things. I just think that by the time you graduate high school, arcades and trampolines might seem a bit ‘kiddie’. Maybe I’m wrong, who knows? And no matter if it’s age appropriate or not, $16,000 seems pretty steep.
What we do agree on, is that whoever stole the money is beneath contempt. The money was meant for young people to have one last party as kids. Stealing money from kids is pretty damn low. I just don’t know how some people live with themselves.
how sad i feel for those so shallow that all have gotten from this tragedy is its a waste of alot of money for graduation party….you obviously have no clue or possibly werent fortunate enough to have parents that cared enough to put in the time and effort to offer a safe environment to celebrate this event. keep in mind you fail mention these funds are also used for things like prom, mother father bbq, and baccalaureate…….i suppose you find these a waste of money too and something to laugh your ass off at? Lets hope the wf west class of 2013 walks with pride and respect and some day is there for their owns kids as these parents are today. As for the parents that are responsible for stealing the funds….i feel sorry for your children, through no fault of theirs they must live with this embarassment as standing next to their classmates that you have stolen from………i would think the bank records make it pretty clear, therefore this crime surely shouldnt go unpunished hopefully sooner and not later, afterall so many are already aware of who you are…..do the right thing and step up to your actions
Julie…Calm down. I never said I approved of the theft. Whoever stole the money should be caught, made to pay it back, and go to jail.
My point, and I hold to it no matter how much it bugs you, is that $16,000 seems like a lot of money for pizza and lazer tag. Especially for a bunch of young adults whose parents still insist on seeing them as little kids who wants cake and ice cream.
The kids raised the money also not just the parents, I don’t know where you guys attended school but we did something like this in 71 as far as I know it has been going on forever. Boo Hoo on the kids and parents for wanting to do something fun and hurray for the thief that stole the money. Yah real cool.
J.Z., Dalton & Disgusted…First of all, you are missing the point. The point is not to criticize for what the funds are being used; the point is that the money has been stolen. I am not sure where you went to high school, but this tradition has been around for as long as I can remember. I attended a much smaller high school than W.F. West, but we had that tradition 30 years ago when I graduated. My parents and other parents fundraised and organized a similar event for my class. The tradition continues today. Both of my own kids graduated from the same high school and we parents fundraised to provide them with a SAFE after-graduation party. As a matter of fact, both of those parties took place at Bullwinkles and every single student loved it. It is nothing close to a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant. There was something for everybody…including laser tag, go-karts, climbing wall, bumper boats, mini golf, movies, karaoke, video games, all you can eat pizza, pop, ice cream, candy, etc. The kids were busy the entire time and loved every minute of it. I chaperoned both times and was witness to that fact. One of the other things you are missing is that the funds are not just for the all night party. There are graduation costs for which the class is responsible, along with other senior year activities that lead up to graduation. Why would anybody be critical of parents raising money to celebrate and honor a child’s graduation from high school? It is a huge accomplishment and is the end of what we hope has been one of the best times of their lives. Why not make it as memorable and special as possible? I still remember my after graduation party and have wonderful memories of it, as do many of my classmates. As a parent of two children who have already graduated, I personally know how hard we parents work to raise funds for, organize and finalize these plans for our kids. What has happened to this graduating class is a tragedy and I hope whoever is responsible is brought to justice. Please don’t make light of this by only addressing how ridiculous you think these fundraising efforts and graduation/party plans are. You obviously have no idea what you are talking about. To the W.F. West Class of 2013…don’t let the actions and dishonesty of another take away the joy and celebration of your graduation. You have earned this honor..enjoy and treasure every second of it.
i agree.. j.z smh
J.Z. thank you for your comments, which I wholeheartedly agree with. You left me laughing my ass off.
Parents raising funds for years, so their 17 and 18-year-old high schoolers can spend all night at an arcade and trampoline park?
I hardly know where to begin.
When did this ‘tradition’ start? I don’t remember an organized event put on by parents like this back when I was in high school.
Bullwinkle’s? For high schoolers about to graduate? Do they realize that Bullwinkle’s is a Chuck-E-Cheese type place? I’m sure every high school graduate wants to party like a fifth grader.
$16,000? To pay for BBQs, lazer tag, and trampolines? Wow. Just…wow.
Are they hoping that providing the kids with these parent-approved activities will cut down on unofficial grad parties, which traditionally include booze and drugs? Good luck with that.