It is no secret that I have for many years asked, why can’t we have a school which offers the opportunities other schools in the area have. Science and math labs, where future doctors and engineers can learn the basics of their future works. Why can’t we have the best security possible to prevent a tragedy from taking place and not have to ask ourselves afterwards, “could we have prevented this?” Why can’t we have a variety of classes that address the world of today with a diversity of subjects?

Every day I hear in the news and even from people I meet in passing, the topic of Artificial Intelligence, AI. People of all generations can clearly see that AI will be in all our lives, personally and in society. Today we should be preparing our children to understand and embrace the unseen technology that is joining the human race in creating the future. Who knows, someday a student from Wetzel County may be the one who finds the answers to cancer or be the President.

What word do I use? I wanted to stand up and applaud our Board of Education in Wetzel County, the State Board of Education, and mostly Superintendent Porter and Ben McPherson for their insight into the future with school consolidations. Each of them has personally sacrificed a part of their lives to do what is right for the future children of Wetzel County. For some reading my words, you will not agree with me. Believe it or not I understand, but consolidation is not about my beliefs, it is about the education of the county’s future students.

I believe that when school begins next year most students will adapt. Will they forget their past school? They won’t forget, but they will move on. They will learn that beyond the walls of any school is the real world. A world where change and sacrifices happen without taking any consideration of your presence. How do they make their way in that world? They use their education.

In the past five years, 29 schools have closed across our state. Eleven counties with no closures in the previous five years, but now have proposed closures in 2024. A five-year school county closure map of the state shows the changing landscape of the state’s education system; it shows many different counties have walked the same path as Wetzel is embarking on.

One speaker in Charleston alluded to a fact that I had not thought about, and it is important. All the counties asking for approval to make changes and closures had one sentence in their proposal that our county did not. In fact, one speaker said that Wetzel County’s Impact Statement was short and lacked facts. Looking back, he was correct. But there was one big difference. Three county’s requests for change were based upon receiving money from grants, bonds and the government. In Wetzel County we simply have to open our county’s wallet and take out the money. Does that action deny the citizens of the county making the choice? No! County residents did make that choice in the survey, in which ALL citizens had the opportunity to make the choice for the future. They chose to improve education, increase security, and better prepare children for the future. Did everyone feel that way? No, but a majority did indicate they wanted better in the future. The county was asked, some just did not listen to the results nor did they declare the survey was a fraud.

It has been said only a few stood up in support of consolidation. Some spoke up and did not want consolidation at this time. They said, build one new school and we will support that school. That’s a fine idea, if you are willing to allow the inadequate teaching of classes in Wetzel until a new school is built. Certified teachers are hard to come by in Wetzel County, across the state and nation.

My feelings about consolidation have cost me friends I have known for years. This single issue erased friendships I valued. I will also have to say I have made a couple friends who feel differently than me on this issue, but yet we have talked and not agreed, but understand each other’s thoughts and feelings.

A comment was made that alluded to a possible tragic outcome from the stress of change. Several expressed feelings of mental stress and anxiety for students, parents and teachers. In all the finger pointing, some have forgotten the members of the Wetzel County Board who threw their hats in the education ring and pledged to better education. No one said it would be easy, but it was necessary. Superintendent Porter who was hired to make the path forward come to life, knowing the road would bring many changes. So dangerous at times was that path, security was standing by to make sure all was well. These public servants gave more than their time to the effort, they gave piece of mind and in some cases friends.

The path so far to this point has been rocky and rough. But the path forward will have many more challenges. Those challenges will be less if all the citizens of Wetzel County come together to help chart that path. I hope to see in five or six years, hundreds of citizens and students present for a new school ribbon cutting. A place where future doctors, lawyers, welders, truck drivers, teachers, AI developers and hundreds of other careers begin to build a better America.

What word do I use to express my feelings for the future? Honored, commending, acclaiming, praise, rejoicing, celebration and WHOOPEEE. All of them! With progress comes all of these things along with sadness with some losses. We all will lose something of ourselves in the coming future. But just think, in a few years when our children enter into a bright new future, it will be because this Christmas we gave them the gift of a better education. Someday they will thank us, as they look Through the Lens.