EDITORIAL: Some words to the wise

The Press editorial on Sunday, June 1, was entitled “A word to you graduates.” It offered splendid advice for kids graduating from high school this month. The piece exhorted kids who choose to go to college to secure education that will lead to marketable skills, while keeping college costs as low as possible.

On the personal level, it implored kids to avoid the slavery of alcoholism and to wait to have families until after entering committed relationships. I will add that having children out of wedlock and failing to secure at least high school diplomas are twin liabilities that have put countless young people on tracks that lead to underachievement, less satisfying lives and over-reliance on the state. I also believe that graduates should consider trade schools like our wonderful KTEC, because the goal of any educational track should be for each student to gain a marketable skill that will allow him or her to become financially independent of his or her parents. The best way for young people to build self-esteem is to earn it through accepting personal responsibility for their actions, and then doing the right things on a daily basis.

Finally, a great way to keep education costs low is to start one’s post-secondary education at North Idaho College.

LES ATCHLEY

Coeur d’Alene