Jackson-Milton students campaign for passage of school issues

y SEAN BARRON

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

NORTH JACKSON - For many high school students, it might be a stretch to imagine a school that had limited busing, offered only one foreign language class and had a computer lab that was inaccessible for daily use.

Thanks to the defeat of several school levies and subsequent cuts, that is an everyday reality Jessica Ripple, Morgan Pinney, Brianna Vayner and their fellow students face.

Instead of accepting the situation and hoping for the best, however, the three Jackson-Milton High School/Middle School juniors formed a rather unconventional student group.

“It hurt me to hear people talk negatively about our school. Then I thought, ‘What am I doing to directly change their minds?’” Brianna said, referring to her decision to help form the Jackson-Milton High School Student Levy Committee.

About 20 students belong to the group, which the three say is dedicated to getting the word out about the importance of voting for a five-year, 5.5-mill emergency renewal levy on the Nov. 4 general election ballot. The measure would bring to the district around $985,000 annually for general operating expenses.

Also on the ballot is a five-year 0.9-mill permanent improvement levy slated to generate about $80,200 yearly. Those funds would go toward roof repairs as well as buying textbooks, computers and other needed items, noted John Zinger, district treasurer.

After meeting Sunday at Jackson-Milton Elementary School on Mahoning Avenue, committee members spent much of the day going door to door, strategically posting signs, making phone calls to alumni members and others, and mailing letters — all aimed at giving people what they say is factual information about the levy.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.