Bearcat Alumni Connections

Bearcatconnect.com is a tool created by the Chehalis School District using an online networking platform called Graduway where we continue to support and celebrate our students, even after they graduate. 

The effort is in response to a 2022 study of W.F. West High School alumni by the BERC Group that identified a problem referred to as the “Summer Melt.” This refers to students who have been accepted to college and intend to enroll, but fail to make it to class in the fall. The BERC Group report identified:

• • Some did not go to college because they needed to work

• • Some did not go because they did not know what they wanted to study

• • About 1/3 shared that they did not think college was important or did not understand the application process

At Bearcatconnect.com alumni can find classmates, be in the know about upcoming alumni events and stay in touch with the community of Bearcat alumni. This site also encourages alumni to give back to their community by employing fellow Bearcats or acting as a mentors to graduating students.