Students' Voices Now a Part of Spokane's Written History

As the pandemic continued to impact society, English teacher Kelly Kiki at North Central High School sought ways to motivate her students. She assigned her students to write Letters to the Editor at The Spokesman-Review, focusing on various social issues such as mental illness, homelessness, drug addiction, and the high cost of housing. The students, all juniors, conducted research, interviewed people, and wrote with passion, despite being inspired by the pandemic's suppression of expression.

The letters, written by students such as Nathan Burkhart, Morgan Howard, Noah Whitman, Brian Thompson, Christian Leonard, Emily Todd, Zachary Roubideaux, and others, brought attention to pressing issues in the community. Burkhart's letter brought statistics and personal experience to the forefront, arguing that personal awareness can help lower crime rates. Howard's letter emphasized the importance of addressing homelessness and the link between homelessness and drug addiction. Whitman's letter called for stricter loitering laws to manage the homeless situation in downtown Spokane.

Thompson's letter highlighted the importance of green spaces and their positive effect on mental health, citing a study that showed children who grew up in areas lacking green space had a 55% greater chance of developing mental illness. Leonard's letter challenged Spokane Public Schools to critically examine the new school boundaries and be flexible enough to change them when practical. Todd's letter addressed the issue of affordable housing in Spokane, taking into account the dynamics of the housing market.

Roubideaux's letter brought awareness to the issue of drug addiction, sharing his personal experience and the challenge of watching a family member struggle with addiction. His letter closed with a powerful call to action, urging people to stand together to fight addiction.

Key Takeaways:

• Students at North Central High School wrote Letters to the Editor at The Spokesman-Review on various social issues, including mental illness, homelessness, drug addiction, and the high cost of housing.
• Letters were written by 9 students, including Nathan Burkhart, Morgan Howard, Noah Whitman, Brian Thompson, Christian Leonard, Emily Todd, Zachary Roubideaux, and others.
• Topics addressed in the letters included crime rates, the link between homelessness and drug addiction, green spaces and mental health, school boundaries, and affordable housing.
• Students conducted research, interviewed people, and wrote with passion, bringing attention to pressing issues in the community.
• Letters provided personal insights, statistics, and calls to action, raising awareness about the importance of addressing social issues.
• The letters were published in The Spokesman-Review, providing a platform for student voices to be heard.

Statistics:

• 9 students wrote letters to the editor on various social issues.
• 55% greater chance of developing mental illness among children who grew up in areas lacking green space (according to a study cited by Brian Thompson).
• More than 10% increase in students qualifying for free and reduced lunch at North Central High School due to new school boundaries (according to Christian Leonard).
• High housing prices are linked to investors, real estate agents, and residents wanting to maintain high prices, as explained by Emily Todd.
• Students' letters were published in The Spokesman-Review, providing a platform for student voices to be heard.

Sources:

• "Students' voices now a part of Spokane's written history" by [The Spokesman-Review, no date].
• "Breaking rules: Why does this continue to happen?" by Nathan Burkhart.
• "Creating a home for everyone" by Morgan Howard.
• "You can't solve it, but you can manage it" by Noah Wittman.
• "Teen drug addiction: We need to act now" by Zachary Roubideaux.
• "Housing prices: What's behind recent rise?" by Emily Todd.
• "Spokane Public Schools boundary changes: Monitor student performance; make adjustments" by Christian Leonard.
• "Not only has COVID-19 taken a lot away from us these past few years, but it has also made life difficult" by [The Spokesman-Review, no date].
• "Students' voices now a part of Spokane's written history" by Kelly Kiki.