NIC: Not just economic

Christa Hazel’s “My Turn” was an excellent history, supporting our great NIC. I appreciate that. I think NIC is definitely Coeur d’Alene’s greatest “Gem.”

I appreciate all the letters and articles supporting North Idaho College, but I’d like to add an equally important value in addition to all the economic, business-related values that have been enumerated. It is simply the value of education to our children. High school graduates from our area are able to live at home, no room and board expenses, and take fully credited courses to begin their advance to universities of their choice. My education and that of my wife were most certainly made possible by the two years we spent at NIC, as were thousands of others. The credits earned here were accepted completely toward any advanced degrees from virtually any university in the country.

I think the value of this is as important as the economic values of aiding the workforce or businesses of the community. It also makes the importance of accreditation, which recently has been endangered, extremely necessary. We cannot let it ever again be threatened as it has been by an imperfect Board of Directors. I am glad to see a slate of very qualified candidates up for election, and feverishly hope the community votes intelligently to insure NIC’s future.

RON and LaDONNA BOOTHE

Kingston