Alumni
Once a Tarrier, Always a Tarrier!
Dear Charles Wright Academy Alumni,
Sam and Nathalie Brown founded Charles Wright Academy in 1957 on Peach Acres. In the spring of 1964, our first graduating class, all 14 of them, assembled in the Brick Gym for their commencement ceremony. As we reflect on over 70 years of graduating classes of Tarriers, we are filled with pride and gratitude for the incredible community that has emerged from Charles Wright Academy. We cherish the memories of spirited gatherings, athletic events, and the countless moments that have woven the fabric of our Tarrier experience.
Throughout the decades, Charles Wright Academy has been a place of learning, growth, and connection that nurtures and challenges our students to develop the character, creativity, and skills to successfully navigate the future with confidence. As one of the premier schools in the Pacific Northwest, Charles Wright is an inclusive community serving more than 550 students in preschool through grade 12.
As we look forward, our goal and focus is on reconnecting and strengthening our relationships with our alumni. Whether you graduated last year or decades ago, we invite you to engage with the Charles Wright community. We have numerous opportunities to connect through our Regional Tarrier Tours, Homecoming, Alumni Pub Night, Class Reunions, and more.
We believe that your experiences, insights, and relationships are invaluable to our CWA community. Together, we can continue to foster a vibrant alumni network that celebrates our achievements and supports all of our Tarrier alumni for generations to come.
We invite you to stay connected with us through our website, Bleed Green newsletters, CWA social media, or visiting campus. Thank you for being an essential part of our journey. We look forward to celebrating our shared history and bright future together.
Once a Tarrier, Always a Tarrier!
De’Andre Jones, M.Ed.
Director of Development & Alumni Relations
2025-2026 Events
Saturday, August 2, 2025 | 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM | Class of 1985 – 40th Reunion
Event Location: Seattle, WA
Join us as we celebrate our CWA 40th Class Reunion! This will be a weekend of reconnection, reflection, and fun! Whether you’ve stayed close or life has taken you far, this is one event you won’t want to miss! Let’s honor our past, embrace the present, and toast to the future – together!
Please contact Debbie (Steiner) Hall to RSVP or with any questions.
Email: giglls@yahoo.com
Phone: 253-273-1728
Friday, October 24 & Saturday, October 25, 2025 | Homecoming & Alumni Weekend
Throw on your green and white and join us for an unforgettable weekend of Homecoming and the return of Alumni Weekend! Whether you graduated five years ago or 45 years ago, Homecoming is a great opportunity to return to your alma mater and reconnect with classmates and some of your favorite faculty. Join us on Friday to celebrate the accomplishments of our alumni while enjoying some festive music and delicious food, and then finish off the night around the warm bonfire while cheering our Tarrier athletes on to victory!
Then on Saturday, we will have a brunch to kick off our Alumni Weekend festivities with remarks from both the Head of School and the Director of Development & Alumni Relations. We’ll offer campus tours before breaking off into some clustered class reunions across campus.
Wednesday, November 26, 2025 | Alumni Pub Night
It’s time to come together for our annual Alumni Pub Night! Let’s reconnect, share stories, and create new memories. Join us at Narrows Brewing owned by CWA Alum, Parker Rush ’12! We’ll have the Pacific Taproom reserved just for us, and your first drink is on the house! Don’t miss out on this chance to catch up with your fellow alumni and faculty and we look forward to seeing you there! Must be 21+ to attend.
Tuesday, December 2, 2025 | Online Giving Day
Make your best gift to the Fund for CWA as part of our online giving day to help us reach our fundraising goals for the year!
Saturday, March 21, 2026 | Spirit Auction
The annual Spirit Auction is a lively and highly anticipated event held every year to support CWA’s programs and initiatives. The auction brings together the school community, including parents, alumni, faculty, and friends, in an evening filled with excitement and camaraderie. The event features an online, silent, and live auction with a variety of unique items and experiences up for bid including student art pieces!
Friday, April 17, 2026 | Founders’ Day
Join us for this beloved tradition! We will be offering a community breakfast, hosting an all-school assembly where we will present our Alumni of the Year and Inspirational Faculty Awards and honor our Society of Elders, followed by cake and an afternoon reception! We hope you will consider joining us as we celebrate the incredible achievements of our Charles Wright Community. Learn more about Founders’ Day.
Ways to Connect
Update Your Contact Information
The CWA Alumni community welcomes you! Please complete this brief questionnaire to help us ensure we have up-to-date contact information for you in our system. Once a Tarrier, Always a Tarrier!
Keep up to date with your fellow alumni by submitting a Class Note! Class Notes are shared annually in CWA’s TIES Magazine.
Make a Gift towards the Fund for CWA
When you make a gift to CWA, you invest in our students & faculty. The Fund for CWA is essential to our school, supporting current-year operating expenses not covered by tuition. We rely on our school community to contribute meaningfully to ensure we can provide an outstanding education for every student so that they may develop the skills to successfully navigate the future with confidence. Consider making your best gift today!
Follow CWA on Social Media
We love to stay connected with you in many forms, the best way to stay up-to-date on campus happenings is to follow CWA on Instagram and Facebook.
2025-2026 Regional Tarrier Tour
Calling all Tarriers! The Development & Alumni Relations Team will be coming to a city near you as part of our Regional Tarrier Tour! We hope you will consider joining us!
July 14, 2025 | Philadelphia, PA | 6:00-8:00 PM EDT
Society Commons Greatroom Bar
Marriott Philadelphia Old City
One Dock Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
January 21, 2026 | Seattle, WA | 6:30pm-8:30 PM PST
El Sueñito Brewing Company (Fremont)
106 N 36th Street, Ste. 102
Seattle, WA 98103
February 3, 2026 | Bellevue, WA | 6:30 PM PST
Bellevue Brewing Company – Spring District Brewpub
12190 NE District Way
Bellevue, WA 98005
Alumni of the Year
We are excited to announce that we are bringing back one of the many historic traditions – Founder’s Day! As a part of the Founder’s Day programming, we will be honoring our 2025 Alumni of the Year award recipient. The Alumni of the Year Award recognizes a graduate of Charles Wright Academy’s accomplishments and service to their community.
Nominations for the 2025 Alumni of the Year have closed.
Bleed Green Alumni Newsletter Archive
Our goal with the alumni newsletter is to keep CWA alumni up-to-date about what is happening at CWA, and secondly to highlight, celebrate, and share what CWA alums are doing in the community.
Alumni News
