Hidden Super Powers

Super Community Member to the Rescue!

Did you know you have a super power?




It's true. You probably don't know it, but you use it all the time. It's like your very own secret weapon, only it's not a secret and everyone knows you have it.  Everyone, that is, but you.

Everyone else in the room can see it, everyone else but you.

It's a crazy idea, but it surprisingly accurate. You are the only one who doesn't realize the power you hold. You're the one who has a gift, a power, an ability that's so incredible, it's shocking you don't use it all the time.

Do you want to know what this amazing, incredible, life-altering and community shaping super power is?

VOICE

Perfect! Amazing! Excellent! Super-Powered!

Not "The Voice."

YOUR VOICE.

It's the most powerful thing you have, but most of you aren't using it. Most of you don't realize you even can.  Most of you don't realize how incredibly powerful you are. But you are SO powerful. You can change the world. You can!

You can bring pens to board meetings! Swords, not so much.

Something pretty incredible happened recently. A lot of you saw it happen, but probably didn't realize the miracle you were witnessing. First the school board met to discuss possible bond options. Then a couple weeks later they voted on what they would like to see put on next year's bond.  No biggee right?  Actually, YES BIGGEE!  If you weren't watching closely you probably missed the little something that happened in between those two events.

A voice.

One voice.

One voice spoke up and changed the course of the bond.

A letter was written to the board that dramatically changed what the school board proposed to put on the bond.

If you still aren't attending board meetings, you are missing some high quality entertainment (and possibly an ulcer).

On May 10, the school board held  a study session (which is a public meeting that anyone can attend, so check it out sometime) to discuss possible bond options. Here's the Video of the Study Session in case you missed it. In this video you will see the board discussing the needs of our schools in regards to overcrowding.  The board looks at multiple possible bond options. NONE of them include adding on to Chiawana High School.  In fact one board member passionately argues that there is absolutely NO overcrowding at the high school level.

On May 22, one teacher, Mrs. Marcie Stillwell, wrote a letter to the school board. We know the contents of that letter because she also posted it on the Parent's for Partnership Facebook page. Her letter was a clear, firsthand account of the overcrowding she has seen first hand at Chiawana High School and how it dramatically impacts the learning environment there.

It's pretty obvious from the address that Mrs. Stillwell is a math teacher, not an English teacher. 

On May 24 the board met again and voted on what they would like to see on the upcoming school bond (Check out that video here.).  Strangely enough, they weren't saying the same things they had said just two weeks previously. Instead they were passionately repeating the words of one teacher's letter. One teacher. One.

This number wrote a letter and then flew off into the sunset.

We all know that correlation and causation ain't identical spandex uniforms, and usually there is no way to know how much influence a single letter has. In this case, though, school board members specifically reference Mrs. Stillwell's letter when justifying the decision to add an extension to Chiawana high school. Previously, expansion of Chiawana wasn't even being considered. The board didn't even think it was crowded. Then they repeat the passionate words in that letter and it becomes pretty clear; this one letter changed their minds. One.

While I'm really happy that someone spoke up for what they felt they needed, and I'm REALLY happy that the board was open-minded and listened, I'm still kinda disappointed. I'm disappointed in you.

That look your mom gives you when you neglect civic
participation. 

Yes, I'm talking to you, Pasco. I'm talking to you because you're not using your superpower. You are not allowing your voice to be heard.  If one letter can be that powerful, why is there still just one?  Where are the others? Where are the parents and teachers at Pasco High? Why aren't they writing letters demanding better? Where are the letters from McLoughlin parents and teachers telling their stories of horrific overcrowding? Where are the parents and teachers from all our bursting elementary schools? We aren't just one. We are thousands. Thousands of voices that are currently silent.

That moment when you realize the only one stopping you from being heard is you.
Also, you used the last of the tape on your mouth and now have to go to the store and get more.

I know it seems like, in the past, our voices have been drowned out or ignored. And I know you guys have enough on your plates already without me nattering at you over writing letters to the school district's leadership. But if ONE voice can make this big of a difference, we have to ask ourselves, why wasn't that voice mine? Why didn't that letter come from me? I've got meaningful experience and an intelligent mind, so why didn't I let the board know what MY VOICE knows? More importantly, can you imagine the change we can affect with THOUSANDS of our powerful voices all put together?

When every one of these ants wrote a passionate letter stating their point of view,
the grasshopper board had no choice but to acknowledge their concerns and change
plans accordingly. 

The board isn't perfect but they are attempting to solve problems. Hard as that already is, I promise they can't fix what they don't know is broken. They need you. While it's magical and wonderful and powerful what one voice can do, it shouldn't be just one voice. It should be many voices. It should be your voice. We can do better. Our kids need us to do better.

Captain Planet recently replaced "Heart" with "Writing letters to local public officials to affect meaningful change". Heart was just too vague. 

So, the choice is yours. You can leave your superpower at home, keeping it in a box or only using it to complain to friends and neighbors that you don't really like the way things are going, or you can spend a few minutes, write a letter or email, and use that superpower to change our schools, lives and community for good. Because we've seen first hand what one voice can do.

What will you do with your voice?