I have four reasons for voting Yes on Highline School District's bond election on March 14th.

Reason 1: Replacement of the kitchen, refurbishment of the historic dining hall, and replacing the aging water tank at Camp Waskowitz cannot be put off any longer. Originally built in 1935, as a Civilian Conservation Corps facility, Camp Waskowitz is one of only a small handful of intact CCC camps remaining in the United States. In 1997, Camp Waskowitz was listed on both the King County and National registers of Historic places. This past year it was again recognized, this time by the Washington Trust for Historic Places, as one of the State's most endangered Historic sites.

Built as a temporary facility over 75 years ago, well before the use of pressure-treated timbers, its foundation is literally rotting away. The water tank at Camp Waskowitz has been leaking for over 10 years. Recent estimates indicate it is currently loosing approximately 10,000 gallons a day. It must be replaced before there is a catastrophic failure.

Reason 2: All students in the Highline School District deserve to have adequate school facilities. Last Spring I had the opportunity to teach at Madrona and Gregory Heights, two of the new elementary schools, and am now teaching at McMicken Heights, built in 1946.

While McMicken is a great old building with wide wooden hallways, lots of built-in storage cupboards, at least in the older section where I teach, and wonderful 1950's character and charm, it does not compare with the newly constructed buildings. The custodian tells me that he is still putting out a bucket when it rains hard for the same leak when I last taught at McMicken some fifteen years ago. The two electrical outlets just don't cut it when trying to incorporate computer technology into lessons limited to slate blackboards and a marginally functional overhead projector.

Reason 3: The computer technology in many of our schools and classrooms is incredibly outdated. I would love to be able to actually teach basic computer skills to my students. With the equipment I have in my classroom, this is impossible.

Reason 4: I believe it is a good investment in our community. While I don't like paying taxes any more than the next person, I am willing to pay the modest increase that this bond is asking. Our children deserve modern facilities with updated technology to prepare them for the future. We cannot allow the children in our community to fall victim to the growing disparity between the "haves" with new facilities and the "have-nots" remaining in old and outdated buildings.

Please join me in voting Yes on Highline's bond election on March 14th.

Kent Horton

McMicken Heights

Elementary