Supporting local schools

On Feb. 14, the voters of Ritzville will be asked to vote on the bond to upgrade the Lind Ritzville High School, Grade School and school grounds. I am urging you to vote yes.

I have had the privilege of working as a school-counseling intern at all four schools in the Lind-Ritzville community.

The majority of my time has been spent in the high school. Imagine my shock when the first true cold wind and bitter temperatures of the year rendered teaching and learning impossible. Everyone was dressed in winter jackets, gloves and hats as well as carrying blankets to their classrooms.

One of the rooms had a standing temperature of 42 degrees in the early morning classes.

How can a student learn in that environment? How can a teacher stay in the same room for hours with abhorrent conditions?

The heating system is antiquated and in need of replacement. The school has served its purpose but it is old and needs to be updated.

I also counsel in the Lind-Ritzville Middle School where upgrades were made a few years ago. The Lind residents voted handily to improve the school, providing heating, new roof, safety and technological upgrades.

This beautiful and safe building provides an excellent learning environment for both Lind and Ritzville students.

Ann Olson wrote a beautiful letter last year to the editor comparing our schools to your homes. As a building ages, roofs need repair; heaters and windows need to be replaced as many of you have experienced.

The need for the bond is real.

As our nation becomes increasingly more technology-dependent, it is even more imperative that to be successful citizens, students must learn to be tech-savvy. The technology in our schools is inadequate, at best, with wires crammed in every spot imaginable.

Let us give the best opportunity we can to provide an excellent learning environment for our future leaders, mechanics, lawyers, chefs, farmers, doctors, teachers, electricians, cosmetologists and whatever career they choose to better our world.

The children of our community deserve to have a building where they feel safe, are warm and are valued by our citizens. Someone voted for you years ago to have upgrades to your schools. It is time for us to do the same.

Please vote YES!

Annie Trunkle Smart, Lind