On Thursday, I was in Half Price Books picking up a hold (the Hunger Games prequel because I am trying to use books for kids and teens to break up the doomscrolling),. I had an exchange with some young shoppers about a viral video they had playing on their phone (they for sure don’t call it that, right?) that we all thought was funny and the interaction, though masked and brief, was frankly thrilling. This is a part of life, albeit a small part, that I miss. I know that even from kid to kid at my house, what they miss and need varies, though both of them could use a little more sleep and definitely more movement. This week we have options for high school athletes, youth artists, writers and actors, and adults.

There are now options for some Edmonds School District High School athletes to participate in conditioning in-person. The 45-minute sessions were originally offered to all “HS students interested in participating or trying out for a sport this year.” However on Wednesday, Mountlake Terrace High School Athletic Director Sharalee Burr sent a message to MTHS families saying the school would be not be participating “until they feel it is completely safe for coaches, athletes, families and the community at large,” adding they will be reviewing new data to pick a time to participate.

During the sessions, pods of five athletes will be wearing masks and spaced 6 feet apart with each pod being 30 feet away from the next. If you or your student is concerned about starting after a long time in quarantine, Edmonds School District Athletic Director Julie Stroncek said this during the Jan. 12 school board meeting: “Our trainers are working closely with our coaches to remind them that we need to meet kids with where they are and not where we think they might be, because a lot of these kids might not have done anything since last March.” There will also be amended rules for academic eligibility — grades from the first semester of the 2020-21 school year won’t impact a student’s ability to play sports and the WIAA has reduced the academic probation time for students with failing grades.

To start, interested students must fill out an Athlete Conditioning Interest Form, which will also link to the Rank One eligibility form, and a COVID-19 Waiver. The deadline to register for the first week has passed, however interested students who sign-up before 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 20 will be able to start the week of Jan. 25. For more information, you can use the ESD high school athletics slideshow, which also includes information on possible sport seasons or walk through the information with Meadowdale High School’s Athletic Director Beth Marriott in this video posted on their Athletics page.

The winter edition of The Craze is out with some virtual options for kids. The link to the online issue of The Craze was easy to read and navigate on my Chromebook and I was able to access it HERE. A quick look through showed that there are some virtual options for both writing and drama classes. The virtual writing classes are offered to kids in the age range of 6 to 15 and include Creative Writing, Monster Club, a focus on funny stories and “Making Magic.” The Drama Kid virtual options have classes from kids starting at age 3.5 and go all the way to 17 years old. Both options and the latest information on the Frances Anderson Center can be found at EdmondsWA.gov.

The Snohomish Conservation District is holding its 4th Annual Youth Conservation Art Contest.  Kids from pre-K through high school who live in Snohomish County or Camano Island can “show off their skill” with this year’s theme of Nature Journaling. Submissions are accepted until Feb. 10 with winners announced by the 2021 Annual Plant Sale to be held on Saturday, Feb. 27 and Sunday, Feb. 28, at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe. Entries will be displayed online and there will be three winners announced in each category, plus one “People’s Choice” will be voted on by plant sale fans and the local community. For more information, including the entry from, you can visit SnohomishCD.org or call 425-335-5634.

Girls on the Run Snohomish County is offering a free Community Conversations webinar series starting Thursday, Feb. 4. Each of the four parts will feature a key topic each quarter of 2021 focusing on “racial equity, diversity, and inclusion.” with the goal of holding “open dialogues, provid[ing] education and mov[ing] forward with specific action items for our community members.”

Part One: Through Our Eyes, on Feb. 4 from 7 to 8:30 pm, is a “ virtual panel discussion around life as a woman of color.” Speakers for this installment include community members Rochelle Lubbers, Lena Khalaf Tuffaha, Dr. Anupama Vijay and Alicia Crank “sharing stories from growing up that highlight their unique experience and what their lives are like in the current environment.” I checked in with Megan Wolfe, executive director of Girls on the Run of Snohomish County, and she said that while the panel is set up as an adult event, there is no reason kids couldn’t also tune in. You can register for the webinar HERE and a link will be sent to you on the 4th.

Girls on the Run of Snohomish County, “a physical activity-based, positive youth development program that inspires girls in 3rd through 8th grades to be joyful, healthy, and confident,” is looking for co-coaches for their spring season. The season runs from April 19 through June 12 with twice-a-week meetings, both in-person and online. Wolfe explained that they “normally have a high percentage of teachers volunteering to coach for our school-based teams, but with their workload and our practice locations moving to community sites, we are hoping to see more community members, college students, and local business members step into this important role for girls across our county.”

You don’t need to be an athlete to volunteer, but you need to be a minimum of 18 years old and complete a background check and virtual training session. If you are interested in coaching or have more questions ,you can visit GirlsontheRunSnoCo.org.

— By Jennifer Marx

Jen Marx, an Edmonds mom of two boys, is always looking for a fun place to take the kids that makes them tired enough to go to bed on time.