Ten years ago we moved to Bainbridge Island and instantly fell in love because we found a community that cares about their schools and invests in their youth. As the proud dad of a Woodward teenager and Odyssey tween, I see that investment working. They’re challenged in classes, have ample extracurriculars and enjoy the company of lifelong friends.
I was similarly blessed with an excellent public school education, growing up in Redmond when Microsoft was just a few office buildings on 520. That community gave me the tools to thrive in the world. As community members who believe in the future, we have a core duty to prepare our young ones for the world. That takes investment. It takes investing in great teachers, great programs, great services and great tools. My girls mastered their laptops because they’ve been using them for years as tools to progress their learning. In class they solve medical mysteries with CSI techniques and create podcasts to inform their peers. They model projects with CAD and actually build the parts with 3d printers and laser cutters.
The state money doesn’t get us there. But as a community, with our technology and enrichment levies, we make excellence possible. We invest in them as we were invested in. We teach them about the importance of community. We empower them to be their best for the world they will someday lead. And when it comes time to vote in February, we vote yes to support our schools and kids.
Evan Saint Clair