In all the controversy surrounding the WASL and its proposed replacement, I believe we are neglecting a key part of the conversation. In addition to basic academics, our schools need to teach children how to live — how to make things, repair things and do things worth doing.

Our kids need to know how to build structures, grow food, create their own entertainment, resolve conflicts peacefully, and work cooperatively with others of all ages to make our community a better place to live. In other words, we need to teach toward resilience, participation, inter-generational connections and greater self-reliance. These are the skills that will empower our youth to become engaged citizens in a community they can proudly call their own — one that will provide rich lives for their children and grandchildren to come. How do we measure these things?

Jim Strickland

Everett