Editor’s note: Sequim High School’s Rachael DeAngelo, who teaches Spanish and English, gave her students an assignment to write and submit a Letter to the Editor to the Sequim Gazette on a topic that is important to them. We are happy to publish the students’ letters in this issue and over the coming weeks.
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Freedom to fish
I feel like game wardens ruin the fun of fishing because they stop us from fishing to see a paper that says we can fish. Game wardens are good to have to make sure we are treating the wildlife correctly instead of ruining the environment. Game wardens help the environment stay healthy, but they are taking fishing permissions from local citizens that used to fish whenever and for whatever kind of fish they wanted.
I think people should be able to fish whenever because back in the day they used to fish whenever and not have to worry about game wardens stopping them from fishing. I asked my grandparents for their opinion about fishing now with all the new rules and laws about when you can fish and when you can’t fish.
My grandparents said they aren’t happy with the laws that are made for fishing because it makes families have to buy food instead of being able to go out and catch their own food. Now, it’s illegal for people to fish and keep them because it’s not (the right) season, when the natives and families in (the) 1950’s were able to fish and not have to worry about game wardens stopping them and telling them they are losing their fishing gear because it’s illegal to fish or whatever they say nowadays. Fishing needs to go back to the good old days when it was free.
Coletyn Hull
Activities for teens
Sequim needs more after-school activities for teens. Right now, most of what there is for teens is on school sports teams or clubs. On the weekends or after school, there is hardly anywhere that is publicly available where kids can hang out. That leaves us with limited options that are safe and fun once school is out for the day.
Having grown up here since I was a kid, I notice that my friends waste an entire day just doing nothing but sitting at home or just walking around town. This leads to boredom, loneliness, or bad behavior.
Local activities like music nights, arts and crafts, youth night movies, development of skate parks, and volunteer work would give us something to do. These activities build skills, friendships, and trust. They also make our town look like they care about youth.
Research has shown that teens involved in community activities tend to make sound decisions and perform well academically. Investing at this time, Sequim would be able to avoid future issues and give better futures to teens.
Logan Prendergast
High cost of drivers ed
I am writing a letter to the Sequim Gazette about something I would like to change about Sequim. Something I would like to see change is the price of drivers education. I believe that it is far too expensive, which could affect a student’s ability to be independent and travel. Limiting a student’s ability to go places can affect certain aspects of school such as classes that may require you to leave campus such as photography or other classes like that.
Some people may argue that the price could be justified because you’re learning a skill that will benefit you your whole life, which I can understand if it were mainly for adults, but drivers education is aimed at high schoolers. Drivers education in Washington can cost up to $500-$1,000, which would be difficult for students to pay for, especially if they are paying for it on their own. So, I believe the price of drivers education should be lowered.
Dominic Price
Shelter needed
I am an 11th grader at Sequim High School, and I think Sequim, Washington needs a homeless shelter. Every year, I see more people living on the streets, and the closest shelter is all the way in Port Angeles. That’s more than 15 miles away, which is really far if you don’t have a car or money for gas.
Having a shelter here in Sequim just makes sense. It would give people a safe place to go and also keep our community cleaner with less trash in public areas.
I know it’s possible because our community comes together for important causes all the time. Students and adults could volunteer on their free time, and people could donate things like blankets, food, and hygiene products. Experts say shelters are often the first step to helping people get jobs and work toward housing of their own.
Most importantly, a shelter would give hope. It would help people feel safe, cared for, and motivated to rebuild their lives. Helping them would also make us feel proud to live in such a supportive community.
Isabella Salgado
Nothing to do
There is a sore lack of activities for our community no matter the age. Be you a parent wanting some family fun with your kids, a high schooler wanting an escape after school, like myself, having lived in Sequim for eight years, and been a high schooler for three; or even a middle-aged individual wanting to relax after work: Sequim has next to nothing.
Besides Carrie Blake Park, there is nothing in the surrounding area to do for cheap unless you have a car, then you have Cline Spit and John Wayne Marina, but even then, how many trips to the gravelly beach will it take to grow tired of it? And God forbid the winter! It gets dark at 6:30 and it barely snows! I pray that you have good board games at home.
Sequim needs more activities.
As it stands, we have minute water access, restaurants, and lavender. For youth and adults alike, we need to improve our leisure facilities.
The facilities that we currently have (the YMCA) can be very expensive per month depending on your age group. Currently the YMCA has a monopoly on recreational activities in downtown Sequim.
We need to counteract the growing stay-at-home mentalities in our community. We need to promote going out to interact, and to play with our fellow neighbors, friends, and families. Sequim is slowly becoming more and more of a shut-in town.
We can counteract that, but before we can, we need somewhere to go.
Aeden Sisson
