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My name is Joey Taylor and I am a senior at Washington Community High School.
As all of you know, last week, the community voiced its opinion on improving our school. Unfortunately, the opinion was negative.
What happened? Has the community forgotten what the school has done for it?
The school was not named Washington Community High School without reason. Just as the community is in its name, the school has been in the community.
Friday nights during the fall and winter, the community shows up in large numbers to attend either a football or basketball game.
We have collected canned food for those in need and helped distribute that food. We have raised money for charity. We have provided entertainment through our music, choral and drama departments for many years.
Yes, there are students who take part in underage drinking and smoking, but the majority of us do not partake in such activities. We simply live life to the fullest. We give back to our community because that is how we were raised. We were taught to do this.
Last year, I interviewed several local families for a research paper in U.S. History Honors. They talked about Washington during the 1950s, and how everyone knew everyone, and how the town helped each other.
While I thought about what they said, I realized that much hasn’t changed. Washington is still that way. The town may have grown, but we have still maintained that sense of family. I guess I was wrong.
Many say that the economy was a big factor in the referendum’s defeat. Maybe it was, but I think we must all remember Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s famous words, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
The plan was $18.4 million. Next time, it could be $20 million or $25 million. What will the voters say then?
Many have rejoiced that the referendum failed. Why? They have ignored the future. They don’t see that we have been set back by this one decision.
The world is not going to stop and wait for Washington Community High School to catch up. It is already moving, and we are going to be watching it from the sidelines.
The referendum may come up again next year or in a couple of years, but that is just more time that is being wasted.
And, on the issue of needless spending, efficiency can hardly be labeled as needless.
My name is Joey Taylor and I am a senior at Washington Community High School.
As all of you know, last week, the community voiced its opinion on improving our school. Unfortunately, the opinion was negative.
What happened? Has the community forgotten what the school has done for it?
The school was not named Washington Community High School without reason. Just as the community is in its name, the school has been in the community.
Friday nights during the fall and winter, the community shows up in large numbers to attend either a football or basketball game.
We have collected canned food for those in need and helped distribute that food. We have raised money for charity. We have provided entertainment through our music, choral and drama departments for many years.
Yes, there are students who take part in underage drinking and smoking, but the majority of us do not partake in such activities. We simply live life to the fullest. We give back to our community because that is how we were raised. We were taught to do this.
Last year, I interviewed several local families for a research paper in U.S. History Honors. They talked about Washington during the 1950s, and how everyone knew everyone, and how the town helped each other.
While I thought about what they said, I realized that much hasn’t changed. Washington is still that way. The town may have grown, but we have still maintained that sense of family. I guess I was wrong.
Many say that the economy was a big factor in the referendum’s defeat. Maybe it was, but I think we must all remember Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s famous words, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
The plan was $18.4 million. Next time, it could be $20 million or $25 million. What will the voters say then?
Many have rejoiced that the referendum failed. Why? They have ignored the future. They don’t see that we have been set back by this one decision.
The world is not going to stop and wait for Washington Community High School to catch up. It is already moving, and we are going to be watching it from the sidelines.
The referendum may come up again next year or in a couple of years, but that is just more time that is being wasted.
And, on the issue of needless spending, efficiency can hardly be labeled as needless.
Having the wrestling rooms and equipment all located in the same place was smart.
I find it hard to believe that sports were a reason which brought the referendum down. We put “Five Points” up fairly quickly, and even found it necessary to take the “community” out of that by replacing the “Washington Area Community Center” with “Five Points.”
I’m headed off to college in the fall. While I’m grateful to have been raised in this town, I am not proud to be part of a community which does not believe in preparing my generation, and those coming after us, for the challenges that the world has laid out before us.
Joey Taylor
Washington
