A father counts the ways that Youngstown schools have served him and his family

EDITOR:

I am writing in response to the allegations that you cannot receive a quality education in Youngstown city schools. I have lived in Youngstown on the South Side for 51 years and attended city schools, graduating from Wilson in 1974.

My three children have also attended city schools. Two have graduated, with one remaining to graduate in 2009. My mother as well as my uncles, niece, nephew and sister have also graduated from Wilson. Both uncles went on to college with one obtaining a Ph.D. in theology and the other a Ph.D. in Physics. Both were professors in their fields before retiring. My sister graduated from Kent State and went on to obtain two master's degrees from Trinity University in Texas. My mother, after raising her family, took a position as payroll secretary for Youngstown City Schools, where she worked for 24 years until her death last year. My niece also graduated from Kent State and obtained her master's in psychology, also from Trinity University. My nephew graduated from culinary school with an associate degree and is employed as a chef.

My oldest son graduated as valedictorian from Wilson in 2003 and recently graduated cum laude from the College of Wooster with a BA in chemistry. He has accepted a fellowship from tte University of Southern California and will be pursuing a Ph.D. in organic chemistry beginning this summer. He was able to attend The College of Wooster in part because of a scholarship awarded at State Science Day. The cost of the project was approximately $20. That scholarship was worth $72,000. The five-year fellowship at USC is worth approximately $300,000. Not a bad return on a $20 investment. Youngstown City Schools reimbursed us travel expenses, hotel and his meals for the trip to Science Day in Columbus.

My second son, who received scholarships to YSU, will be starting his second year there. He is majoring in biotechnology and received college credit for work he completed at Choffin's Tech Prep program while still in high school.

My youngest son will finish high school at Chaney due to the closing of Wilson. He is currently involved in Upward Bound, a college prep program that includes intensive ACT prep, academic classes and a six-week summer residential (also at no cost to parents) program. He competed in the regional Lake-to-River Science Day, where he won "best project."

He, like his brothers, went on to State Science Day and received a superior rating, and this year he won a scholarship for Stone Laboratory.

None of these successes would have been possible had it not been for the encouragement and dedication of the teachers, guidance counselors and the entire school system. When a problem at school did arise, a phone call to the teacher (or the other way around) or a conference would take care of most problems. My wife and I would take care of the rest at home.

The point I am trying to make is for the last 50+ years Youngstown schools have supplied a strong educational base for my family. However, the parents and the students also share that responsibility. It truly does "take a village to raise a child."

RICHARD K. GILES

Youngstown