I’ve mentioned Lauren Salter’s germinating skeleton career — a sled racing sport like bobsledding. Lauren grew up in Idyllwild and graduated from Hemet High School.
On page 1, you can see photographs of current Hemet High athletes from Idyllwild. The Hemet High School girls’ varsity soccer team won its league title and went all the way to the California Interscholastic Federation, Southern Section championship last week.
Idyllwild was well represented on the team. Senior Rosie Robinson went to Idyllwild School. Underclasswomen Savanah Loutzenhiser and Ali and Danika Hitchcock will be back next year.
Emma Klingamen, another Hemet student from Idyllwild, is creating dust for those pedaling behind her in the mountain biking sport.
Salter didn’t learn her skeleton skills at Hemet and she didn’t train here, but she did benefit from the district’s teachers and sports programs. She did run track in college.
While none of the other female athletes may pursue the international athletic trail Salter has chosen, I’m sure their experiences on the field will form memories and lessons that will endure for their lifetime.
But biking, soccer, volleyball and several other sports are considered minor and certainly are not the revenue generators of football and basketball.
Consequently, the district has to invest more in these sports and those moneys are in jeopardy, whether its girls or boys teams.
The story on page 4 reports that the district’s budget and financial reserves are diminishing and becoming more and more crimson in the next couple of years, without changes to the state’s funding.
There will be several initiatives on the November ballot to fund California’s education programs. One of course is Governor Jerry Brown’s proposal.
The kids, even if they aren’t our children or grand-children, need this support. Schools provide many experiences necessary to become functional and able adults.
It’s not just books and tests. But the examples of the recent accomplishments may not be available in a few years without your support.
And it’s not just the athletic opportunities. Remember the most recent Hemet valedictorian is Logan Schelly of Idyllwild. Good teachers are vital to help these teenagers prepare for the adulthood.
All of us will depend upon this generation and the next generation just as we helped our grandparents and parents. Few of us will be able to pay solely for our Medicare and Social Security.
Every generation needs the skills for careers to earn incomes and pay taxes that will support the golden age of their forebears.
Although November is still nine months away, now is the time to begin gestating and nurturing the ideas and support we’ll need to protect and nourish our willingness to vote “Yes” on one of these measures.
While the taxes come out of our pockets and the specific benefits accrue to kids, we will gain from our investment.
While Brendan Steele and Lauren Salter may not be models for the current Hemet students, their school experiences, at Idyllwild and Hemet, contributed to developing their character, which helps them succeed today.
Letters to the editor
As I promised, I have published the letters commenting on the revised letters to the editor policy. The new policy is below.
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