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Citizens of the Lake Pend Oreille School District will have an opportunity to support our children by voting for a replacement levy, March 14. An important thing to remember is that this levy is the only funding source for extracurricular activities (academic, music, drama, and sports). These programs are an essential way for students to apply what they learn in the classroom to real life situations both academically and professionally. Participation enables students to learn valuable leadership, problem solving, communication and speaking skills, as well as team work, decision making, self discipline and time management.

There is a positive correlation between student extracurricular involvement and attendance, GPA, test scores, and meeting expected educational goals. When applying for college, scholarships, and jobs, students will be asked to list their activities. This list reveals a lot about a student that grades and test scores may not.

A recent Columbia University study that controlled for poverty, race, gender, test scores, and parental involvement, concluded that the odds of a student attending college was 97-percent higher for students who participated in extracurricular activities. The odds of completing college was 179-percent higher. This is important because by the year 2020 it is estimated that 65 percent of jobs will require education beyond high school.

Let’s give the students in our school district, who have represented our community so well while participating in extracurricular activities, the opportunity to continue to do so. Join me in voting yes.

WENDY DUNN

Sandpoint