Parents need to tell schools their kids need best education

In reference to your article, “How to teach children well …”

I read all the information on California schools and many of them say much the same as your article.

Most of your column seems to deal with elementary schools, other than higher classes.

Each time I read of how bad our California schools are, I compare to the students who receive our scholarships each year. We expect a 3.8 and above in order to qualify for the scholarship.

We receive a stack of applications from both Madera High School and Madera South High School. All qualified! We wish we could give each student a scholarship, but settled for five for each school. Along with reading the students’ essays, as well as people who write the most favorable comments, I yearly think of articles like yours and wonder why that is published more than these wonderful, excellent and progressive students’ work?

I enjoy the Tribune, look forward to receiving it twice a week; love how you show how our own people are constantly doing good: clubs, etc. However, it does seem more exposure comes from sports (we fully support sports!), rather than the special students who put so much time and thought into their school years.

It isn’t easy to work as hard as the students do in academics, sports, community activities, school extra activities, on and on! Also, these students take difficult classes: Honors/AP chemistry, calculus, others.

Each year I hope our chosen students will have their picture in the paper and give them credit for their efforts. Sports have a couple of pages a lot of the time!

Years ago someone said about the gifted program; the “smart” kids will make it! However, as you mention in your letter, parents need to say, and show, how important it is for their children to want an education, and/or values we expound and hope to live. Smart kids also need parents’ guidance and expectations.

In our family we have several children who graduated from Madera High School.

Almost 100 percent went on to excel in life: Two in education, a nurse, a doctor, a lawyer, etc.

— Audrey E Pool,

Madera