Students unite at Sandpoint High School’s Longest Table

The Longest Table initiative has been uniting communities around the nation for years, and at the beginning of the 2026 school year, it brought together Sandpoint High School’s new and returning students to share a meal and create lifelong friendships.

The school chose “stronger together” as its theme for the school year to embody the administration’s goal of helping students, teachers, families and the greater community work as a team to the benefit of all.

“[W]e spent the entire day connecting students to their grade level peers as well as creating a whole school culture and atmosphere where we are stronger together, both in and out of the classroom,” stated SHS Assistant Principal Kari Granier.“The Innovia grant for the longest table, where 1,100 of us broke bread together, was the inspiration — and making sure our students and staff knows that everyone has a place at the table. This theme has already been pretty powerful and exciting.”

— Soncirey Mitchell, photos courtesy of Lake Pend Oreille School District