Everyone knows that it costs a lot to go to school. College costs are so high that many qualified people skip it and do not pursue a higher education. Others never consider it because it is far beyond their means.
But the amazing thing is the cost of education for families with young children. Going to elementary school, middle school and high school really costs a great deal. Even preschool has become expensive for many families.
Just look at some of the costs. I pay attention to the bulletin board at the high school. It was amazing to see that the cost of a yearbook would be $60. That is a lot.
We are raising twin boys who are 14. They love sports. The cost of participation in sports is far greater today than it was for children we raised 10 or 15 years ago. Track is their love of today. We pay the cost for their physical examination and the cost to the school to allow them to play. The school has coaches to pay, custodians, transportation, bus drivers and various other costs so they need to have a source of income.
But in addition to paying the school costs, we need to buy the equipment. Now there isn’t equipment like in some sports but just the shoes alone can be very expensive. Then you need to be careful to not wear the shoes so that the cleats get worn down so you may need a second pair. This is in addition to factoring in the growing feet of teenage boys. Size 14 shoes are more expensive than smaller ones.
That isn’t all. We haven’t even considered the cost of school supplies. Notebooks, pencils, pens, flash drives, adding machines, special calculating adding machines and more and more the need for computers. These aren’t costs the average family easily can add to the daily budget.
On top of all of this is the growing number of families in our community who do not have the funds to buy or pay for these educational costs. Currently, close to 50 percent of families in Sequim schools are on free and reduced lunches. You can’t tell about this number except in elementary school.
In the early years of school, parents fill out the information and children receive free lunches. As children grow into adolescents, they are less inclined to allow that information to be shared.
So what does the cost of school have to do with our community? Many of our residents are retired people. No children — no cost. Not exactly. We all pay when we have a less educated population. We all pay when poor people are stopped from improving the quality of their lives.
We all pay when people do not have the health care they need and they rely on emergency care.
What can we do? I don’t have the bigger solution but I have a minor answer. Help today with the cost of education. Buy a notebook or a backpack for a needy child. Help pay for a haircut for the child whose family can’t afford one. Buy a book and help a child learn to read.
Here is another way to have all of us help. A committee is now working on the Back to School Fair to help children with the cost of education. Last year close to 800 people came to the Sequim Back to School Fair. We expect more this coming year because it was so successful and so needed. We gave away donated supplies but we ran out. There weren’t enough backpacks. There weren’t enough graphic calculators.
We needed more supplies, volunteers and donations. We needed help from everyone.
If you can help us, call 681-2250 and let us hear how you can help. Maybe you can serve on the committee that is planning this. Maybe you can help us contact businesses to help us collect supplies. Maybe you can give out books on the day of the fair.
Currently the committee has several people from the school district who are helping. One person is there from a PTO in the district and another from the dental community. The Boys & Girls Club probably is will be where it is held. First Teacher has been involved for several years and has been active in collecting donations.
This is a lot of work and it takes a lot of people. We are a group who strongly believes in the importance of education for all of our children from birth to 18. If you are too, join us in this worthy endeavor.
You definitely are needed at least for a backpack.
Cynthia Martin is the founder of the First Teacher program and director of Parenting Matters Foundation, which publishes newsletters for parents, caregivers and grandparents. Reach Martin at pmf@olypen.com or at 681-2250.
