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Wednesday, March 21, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
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SCA needs
a helping hand
By Cheryl Peterson
Principal, Sisters Christian Academy
Letters to the Editor…
The Nugget welcomes contributions from its readers, which must include the writerʼs name, address and phone number. Let-
ters to the Editor is an open forum for the community and contains unsolicited opinions not necessarily shared by the Editor.
The Nugget reserves the right to edit, omit, respond or ask for a response to letters submitted to the Editor. Letters should be
no longer than 300 words. Unpublished items are not acknowledged or returned. The deadline for all letters is noon Monday.
To the Editor:
Sisters Habitat for Humanity has made such
a wonderful difference in the lives of so many
of our local people. I am very impressed with
all they do. Every time I hear from a Habitat
homeowner about how buying a new, well-
insulated house has changed their lives, I get
tears in my eyes.
Thank you to all the people in the Sisters
area who have made this possible
Sue Edgerton
s
s
s
To the Editor:
Let us be honest, all accidental deaths by
cars, drugs, guns and yes cell phones are a trag-
edy. Annually over 3,200 people die needlessly
from the use of cell phones while driving, 11
percent of these are under 20, another 421,000
are injured. By the outcry of so many for some
type of gun control to stop needless death or
injury to the 100,000 who are annually affected
by guns.
Where is the outcry about cell phone mis-
use? More than four times the number of peo-
ple die or are injured by cell phone distracted
driving. Should we ban all cell phones? No you
cry it’s our right to have and use our precious
phones. Then just ban everyone under 21 from
having a cell phone; no again you cry it’s our
right for our children to have a cell phone. In
reality your phone is a privilege not a right and
yes if used responsibly they never kill anyone.
But isn’t that the reality of guns, which
actually is a right under the constitution of the
United States of America? Guns themselves
don’t kill people, just irresponsible users for
See LETTERS on page 28
Sisters 3eather Forecast
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Wednesday
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How many times last
winter did we grab the
hand or arm of a friend and
carefully, cautiously inch
our way across ice-cov-
ered sidewalks and roads?
Walking on a slippery
slope of any kind is best
done when we hold hands.
In our current culture, rais-
ing children can be a very
slippery slope. Racism,
violence, disrespect, greed
for money and power are
on every social media
source, in the newspa-
per, and on the television.
Lives can be torn apart in
seconds and in only sec-
onds more, the world can
see and hear it. It concerns
all citizens. And bringing
sweet children into all of
this? Yep, it’s a slippery
slope indeed.
Then there are the abys-
mal statistics about our
current education system.
In spite of thousands of
educators pouring their
lives into their students,
the U.S. currently ranks
17th in the world in sci-
ence, and we’re in 25th
place for math. Counting
on the current educational
system alone to support
our children, to help them
reach their full educa-
tional potential, is a slope
we’re already sliding, not
advancing upward.
Studies show that stu-
dents who attend schools
like SCA measure sig-
nificantly higher than
their peers in respect for
authority; moral integ-
rity; donating more time,
money, and volunteerism
to local churches, local
communities, and global
causes. They have signifi-
cantly higher achievement
test scores; higher college
attendance; and stronger
marriages and family ties.
Sisters Christian
Academy is an accredited
educational alternative in
our community with cer-
tified teachers, that offers
parents a choice. SCA
isn’t “against” other edu-
cational options. It is for
offering children a qual-
ity and unique educational
opportunity.
Parents and grandpar-
ents of our students are
deeply moved by the car-
ing, skill, and commitment
of our families and staff.
It’s a safe place where
children are truly seen and
known. It’s a fun place
where academics and liv-
ing life as a beloved child
of God are celebrated, not
shunned. It’s a “holding
hands on a slippery side-
walk” kind of place where
parents and teachers are
united.
However, it is not a
place without life’s bumps
and struggles. It’s a real
place where teachers and
administrators, who all
love Jesus and have a
biblical worldview, come
alongside kids. These folks
walk children through
truth-telling, forgiveness,
and restoration. Kids learn
in context how their faith
is a strong foundation in
life’s struggles. It’s a pro-
cess that both matures
them and empowers
them.
As stated before, we all
walk a slippery slope in
raising up this next gener-
ation. At this time, Sisters
Christian Academy also
faces an economic slope.
Due to our extremely low
tuition rates and a declin-
ing student enrollment,
we may need to close our
doors. Our board is decid-
ing this month whether
or not we will be open-
ing for another year. Will
you consider support-
ing our school, joining
hands with us so that we
can continue to provide
a strong, solid choice for
families who are seeking
an effective, holistic, and
powerful education for
their children? It’s time
to hang on to each other
and help Sisters Christian
Academy continue to
exist.
Please contact the
school if you are able to
join hands with us in these
slippery times. Find out
what you can do to help
by calling us at 541-549-
4133. Or, better yet, stop
by for a visit. The coffee’s
always on.
Opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the writer and
are not necessarily shared by the Editor or The Nugget Newspaper.