Whitko boys basketball team members junior Ethan Yates, left, and senior Grady Branning sign a game ball as part of a prize basket during the 2025 Jarrod Day auction Thursday, March 27. This year’s event raised more than $8,000 for a family in need. Photo provided by Whitko Community Schools.

News Release

SOUTH WHITLEY — Whitko Junior/Senior High School recently wrapped up its annual Jarrod Day activities, planned by National Honor Society students led by Robin Coffman, with record results.

Festivities this year started with a schoolwide rock-paper-scissors contest on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, March 24-26, before the first official event — student playoffs. Seniors faced the freshmen and sophomores faced the juniors in tug-of-war, a balloon pop and volleyball, getting to the top two student teams: the seniors and the sophomores. Thursday, March 27, was the annual auction, with 50 total items up for bid. Some fan favorites were back this year, including instructor Jay Ocken’s egg sandwiches, “pie-ing” teacher John Strayer in the face, and traditional baskets of snacks, drinks or other goodies were available, too. Students came ready to bid whatever it took to get the objects they were after, with multiple items going for $200 or more.

However, the highlight of the auction was an intense bidding war between a group of junior high students and senior high students over a March Madness-themed basket from the office. Increasing the bid quickly to $200 was senior Isaac Irwin and his friends. Every bid was immediately countered by the junior high group, whose numbers more than doubled that of the senior high group. After the back-and-forth bidding reached over $1,000 and donations were offered to both groups, delegates from the senior high group proposed a win-win solution for both bidding groups and the recipient of the funds: those putting money toward the basket, regardless of grade level, would all donate their money (equaling more than $2,000 on this one item alone) to School Resource Officer Nate Thomas and split the rewards within the basket. Upon sharing this announcement with the entire student body and staff, applause erupted, with tears coming to Thomas’ eyes. “It means more than people will ever know and definitely helps,” said Thomas.

Friday, March 28, the event culminated with the playoffs of musical chairs. A best-of-three event, the seniors ended up winning and moving on to play the staff. The seniors again dominated with a 2-3 victory in tug-of-war and ended the balloon pop with five students to the staff’s four. Despite securing the win, the volleyball match commenced with a good show from key staff members, including Don Dyck, Megan Anderson, Natalie Griffith, Justin Rose and Mike Howard. Despite the strength of the staff team, the seniors narrowly took the lead to win the sets 2-3. Their win marks a four-peat, as this group has won every year since their freshman year.

This year’s 2025 Jarrod Day activities are the 16th occurrence of the event. Originally started in 2010 to help raise funds for Whitko student Jarrod Lewis after a debilitating car accident that eventually took his life, the tradition continues yearly with recipients from the Whitko community chosen each year because of their need.

This year’s recipient, Officer Thomas, was chosen due to the financial burden of medical issues with his daughter. In speaking with the Whitko Wire, Thomas said, “This will be huge because right now we’re paying to go back and forth to three different doctors right now weekly. My daughter has so many medicines and medical supplies and necessities, just being able to eliminate some of the headache and stress, especially as a father.”

The total raised from the week includes money from Roshambo, T-shirt sales, the auction and any donations through the week. Thomas was presented with a check for $8,000, blowing away previous records of money raised.

Thomas expressed his gratitude for the support, remarking, “I can’t say thank you enough to the staff and students … you’ve changed my life more than you’ll ever know. Not just with Jarrod Day, but coming here and feeling welcomed and then this year all the love and support from all the students, from all the staff and community here has made me truly know that Whitko is my home.”

Whitko Junior/Senior High School staff members, left, hang on for dear life during a fierce tug-o-war battle with this year’s seniors during the Jarrod Day staff-student competitions on Friday, March 28. Now in its 16th year, the weeklong observation raises money for a needy family, with more than $8,000 presented to this year’s recipient, School Resource Officer Nathan Thomas. Photo provided by Whitko Community Schools.