While many Oak Harbor teenagers are enjoying the summer sun or heading off on vacations, four girls are on a paper chase.

When Elise Still, 15, and her mom, Christine Still, heard that Oak Harbor teachers were suffering from a shortage of supplies and that budget reductions won’t allow them to purchase additional supplies next school year, they knew they couldn’t sit back and do nothing. They decided to ask local businesses for donations of printer paper.

“It just seemed like the thing to do, the right thing to do,” Elise Still said. “If the schools need paper, then let’s go get paper.”

Before summer vacation began, Christine Still held a supply drive among the Parent-Teacher Association members and collected a few large boxes of supplies.

“So we just wanted to continue on through the summer what she started. It’s just a one-of-a-kind experience,” Elise Still said.

Elise Still enlisted a few friends to join her as she traveled from business to business around Oak Harbor asking for donations of printer paper.

“A lot of people were really surprised: ‘The high school needs paper?’ But paper is just really the thing that we need. We use it everyday,” Elise Still said.

Fionna Strong, 14, Ella Brooks, 15, and Becca Tieger, 14, teamed up with Elise Still to gather 14 boxes of paper, plus a $50 donation and some additional reams of paper. Each box is worth $35 to $50 and holds about 5,000 sheets of paper.

“It really means a lot. Last year, it was kind of hard at the end of the school year because teachers were getting frustrated with how much they could print,” Elise Still said, adding that one teacher had to write out a long list of questions for the class because printing was so limited. “Doing this certainly will help.”

The work hasn’t been easy. On their first day, the girls encountered a couple of rude people.

“We were not wanting to go out again but there was a lot of people who were nice,” Elise Still said, adding that right after dealing with the not-so-nice people, Van Cleve Optical donated $50 to their cause.

“There’s always going to be people out there who don’t want to help the high school,” Elise Still said, adding that regardless, more people will be willing to help.

“It just takes a little part from everybody and hopefully makes a big impact. That’s what I’m always trying to stress to the girls anyways,” Christine Still said. She drives the girls to businesses — and to get frozen yogurt afterward, a sweet motivator to return to their work each day.

“And hopefully the girls will see that even with a little bit of time, it’ll impact schools next year. They can say they had a part in it,” Christine Still said.

Elise Still and her parents are taking an extra step to help the high school. Tomorrow, they will participate in the challenging Benaroya Research Institute Seafair Triathlon near Lake Washington.

Elise Still has participated in this triathlon twice before, but this is the first year she’s going for the Olympic distances. That means a one-mile swim, 22-mile bike ride and 10K run.

“I’m kind of scared but I’m excited at the same time,” Elise Still said. Last year, it took her dad, Ronald Still, about three hours to complete the course.

While swimming may not be Elise Still’s favorite part of the race, she’s well prepared for the biking part as the youth winner of the Most Miles in May contest held by the city of Oak Harbor. Elise Still zoomed into first place after logging 219 miles on her bike.

The Stills have been training as a family and become more anxious each day before the race.

“Between all three of us, we’re like ‘let’s just get ’er done!’” Christine Still laughed.

Making flowers to set her bike apart so it will be easier to find during the race will be a high point for Elise Still, but even moreso will be the food afterward.

“The longer the thing, the more food,” Elise Still said. The chocolate milk had better watch out because she already has her eye on it.

Sponsors across the community have donated paper to encourage Elise Still in her efforts at the triathlon.

“It’s really important to help out the schools because the kids who graduate from your schools are going to be part of your community; they already are,” Elise Still said. “It’s really important they get a good education because that makes for a better community.”

Elise Still stressed how meaningful it is to have people in the community say that they care.

“Students are going to care back,” Elise Still said. “I think people are really going to be supportive.”

Donators include (one box of paper, unless otherwise specified): Bay Printing (two boxes), Guild Mortgage (two boxes), Van Cleve Optical ($50), Whidbey Island Bicycle Club, Sid Strothers DDS/PC Family Practice, Bicycles Northwest, Christ the King of Oak Harbor, Hearing Health Services, Key Bank Oak Harbor, Shannan Frisbie, Christine Cribb (Oak Harbor School Board member) and Matt Plush.

Donations of school supplies are welcome between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Oak Harbor School District office, located at 350 S. Oak Harbor St. For details, call 279-5000. If you leave your name and phone number with the donation, you’ll be entered to win a $50 gift card to Seabolt’s.

Supplies needed include: mid-grade printer paper, dry erase pens (Chisel Point, Expo or Tul brand), graph paper (small grid sized), red pens, colored pencils and highlighters.

Checks may also be made out to the Oak Harbor High School PTA. Please note on the check what the donation should be used for. Checks can be mailed to the high school at #1 Wildcat Way, Oak Harbor, WA 98277.