It was no ordinary day at school — hope was in the air and smiles beamed behind masks as more island youth received their first doses of COVID-19 vaccine at McMurray Middle School on Monday.

The vaccination drive for students is a partnership between Vashon Island School District, VashonBePrepared and its Medical Reserve Corps and Vashon Pharmacy. According to VashonBePrepared’s Emergency Operations Center volunteer Marijke van Heeswijk, 195 middle school students have now signed up for vaccinations, of which 37 are not VISD students. At Vashon High School, 202 students have signed up to be vaccinated — a number that includes 74 second doses. Of the remaining 128 students, 21 are not VISD students.

The scene on Monday in McMurray’s multi-purpose room was bustling, as shots were doled out by a crew that included Vashon Pharmacy nurse and MRC member Cece Reoux, Dr. Jim Bristow of the MRC, and MRC volunteers Hannah Harper and Meghan Bergeron, who also work as nurse practitioners for VISD’s Neighborcare Clinic. School Nurse Sarah Day and McMurray Principal Greg Allison were also in attendance, moving through the room and checking on students.

Sixth-grader Ari Janus shut his eyes tightly as he received his shot, but immediately afterward, described the physical sensation as underwhelming.

“I thought it was going to be a lot of pain, but it was just a pinch,” he said.

After receiving her shot, 6th-grader Marlowe Gamble petted Chia, a gentle therapy dog brought to the clinic by Community Care Team member Molly Purrington. Gamble, too, described the shot as “pretty painless,” and said she was looking forward to how her life would expand after she was fully vaccinated. “I’m excited to get to go and be around other people,” she said.

Quentin Cherry, a Harbor School 7th-grader who was brought to the clinic by his mother, Laura Cherry, also got his turn at petting Chia, and said that for him, perhaps the best part of being vaccinated will be not having to wear a mask around other vaccinated people.

A simple gesture said it all for 7th-graders Ava Boisoneau and Ada Umbach. After the pair received their shots, they exchanged a jubilant high-five — in celebration of the chance, in the coming weeks, for a return to normal.

— Elizabeth Shepherd