EDUCATION / WIN COMMITTEE
MEN & WOMEN WORKING TEAMS

For several years the WIN Committee has thought about having a Men & Women Teams luncheon. Our idea was to invite a panel of men and women who work as part of a team in somewhat risky but rewarding professions such as: firefighters, police officers, EMT, etc. We wanted to hear first-hand what makes a team work.

The idea became a reality on February 25, 2004 when Soroptimist International of Sequim hosted the Men & Women Teams Luncheon, held at the Sequim High School Library. Invitations were mailed to WIN students/parents, Sequim High School administrators, School Board members and local service organizations. WIN students picked up tickets at Mitzi Sanders’ office and were encouraged to invite a male classmate to attend.



The panel of speakers included:

From the Coast Guard Senior Air Crew Team:
Lieutenant Terri Kindness and
Petty Officer 1st Class Scott Welch  



           
From the Nat’l Guard Helicopter Air Crew Team:
Sergeant Heidi Rota,
67 Uniform Aircraft Crew Chief and
Sergeant Nathaniel Thompsen,
68 Foxtrot Aircraft Electrician

Firefighters From:
Sea-Tac Fire Dept Janet Williams and
Federal Way Fire Dept, Todd Williams


     
From Sequim Police Department:
Officer Kori Keegan and
Officer Dave Campbell

Before a standing room only crowd (over 100 students: 75% girls / 25% boys plus community members), Mitzi Sanders started things off by introducing the panel of speakers. Leah Tuttle, co-coordinator of the Education/WIN Committee, briefly spoke about Soroptimist International of Sequim, highlighting our funding of scholarships and explaining the WIN Program.

One at a time the teams were invited to speak about their professions and their experiences. A question and answer period followed each team. It is impossible to cover in detail all that was shared during those two hours. However, one of the important things each team stressed was trust. They don’t think about whether their partner is a man or a woman. They rely on one another; they know they have the training, trust, and respect for one another. Each team also mentioned the importance of education.

It is interesting to note that it was very quiet in the library while the speakers were talking. Although students were sitting next to friends, there wasn’t any chatting, fidgeting, or fiddling with backpacks. The speakers had the audience’s undivided attention. This says a lot about the speakers – they had interesting information to share. This also says a lot about the students – they were respectful of the speakers.


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