Students get involved, get results -- and get our praise

This editorial appears in the June 5 Yakima Herald-Republic

Too often, high school seniors receive faint-hearted praise. Adults chafe over the obsessive text-messaging that goes on and the lack of seriousness with which some students end their high school careers. What will become of these wayward souls, they fret.

From what we've seen recently, there's nothing to worry about. In fact, the future appears bright for this latest crop of graduating seniors. They have done themselves proud.

We base this bold prediction on two recent events that occurred in which students from Eisenhower, Davis and Selah high schools demonstrated the grit rarely seen when seniors have only a few weeks left of school.

During the successful campaign to replace Eisenhower and rebuild Davis, students at those two high schools took to the streets to support the district's $114 million bond measure. More than 1,000 students signed on the dotted line and joined other volunteers to doorbell 7,000 homes, register new voters and make nearly 3,000 phone calls to get patrons of the Yakima School District to mark their ballots and vote.

This was truly a selfless act on the part of the seniors, since they will never directly benefit from the fruits of their labors.

"The bond's our legacy," Jordan Lehrman, an 18-year-old senior at Eisenhower, said in an interview with this newspaper. "It shows we're not apathetic teenagers. It shows that we really care."

Indeed they do.

Without question, this door-to-door support contributed to the 69 percent yes vote that the bond measure enjoyed, easily and surprisingly clearing the high hurdle of a 60 percent majority that these tax measures require. And this stunning victory comes in the face of the worst national recession in decades.

Activism was also demonstrated by students in Selah, where they protested earlier this year the removal of their high school principal by the district's first-year superintendent. In March, more than 200 students demonstrated in front of the district's administration building and were later joined by several dozen parents and residents. Students passed out petitions and gathered more than 500 signatures.

The protests by the students intensified the situation. The principal first resigned, then in April rescinded that resignation. Students and community members kept up the protests, pushing for the superintendent to reverse her decision.

In May, the superintendent settled the issue by deciding to keep the principal in his place. Then, a few days later, she turned in her letter of resignation.

Throughout the weeks of protest, the students never crossed the line, never defaced property, never derided those who opposed them. They saw what they believed was a grievous wrong and set out to correct it, following the clear tenets of the First Amendment -- "the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

These are just two examples of what this year's senior classes have demonstrated in recent weeks. We can only imagine what greatness they will attain in the years ahead. We certainly know our community is a better place for who they have become and for what they have accomplished.

* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Bob Crider, Spencer Hatton and Karen Troianello.