LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

In this valley there have been great educators also over the years and today I would like to recognize one whom I believe may well top the list of fine educators past and present. I would like to express my deepest and sincere thanks to a teacher in our high school who like a magnet that draws metal to it, draws students to her and her program and then proceeds to use the opportunities within her reach to teach, uplift, and strengthen students and even parents in ways not measurable on a report card. She is a person who sacrifices much in personal ways to be available to benefit our children and our community.

My wife and I will see the last of our five children graduate from Moapa Valley High School this coming June. All of our children have benefitted greatly from this exceptional person and have expressed to me their love and admiration for her, not just as a teacher but also as a person and a friend. There were times though that each had their “teenage moments” when they didn’t like what this teacher did, or maybe what she said. In spite of these moments of difference I believe that my children would still express their admiration and thanks for their relationships with her.

As the last of our children graduate I think that our association with this person will diminish somewhat and before that happens I would like to personally thank Mrs Kim Delgadillo for the wonderful influence that she has been in my family member’s lives. Thank you for a music program, which in my biased opinion is second to none in our state. Thank you for supporting our family values and teaching so much more than notes and scales to our children. Thank you for being there for the children of this community to inspire them to be better people and teaching them a love and an appreciation for good things that they can be passionate about throughout their lives. Thank you for putting up with the nonsense that today’s teenagers, mine included, sometimes dish out. Thank you for the non-musical things that you do also that benefit us all.

Finally thank you for those things that you have done for my family on a personal level. Please know that you are appreciated by many who share these sentiments. May God bless you for your goodness.

Tom Waite
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Just a very short time before the ball game, this multi-talented lady was in Las Vegas at the annual Clark County Orchestra Festival, which includes the larger 4A schools.

Orchestras were judged on three selections of their choice and the one piece of music which they sightread. She lead her 91 piece orchestra and her 15 piece chamber orchestra to the distinction of receiving the highest scores “1’s” then hurried home to lovingly coach her Lady Pirates. That is what you would call a “full” day.

Our children and community are blessed to have such a dedicated combination of teacher and coach. We salute her for her efforts and humanity. She, her music groups and her teams are 5 Star!!!!!

Jinx and Audrey Johnson
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I want to be very clear that my son has made poor choices and that his actions in November are well beyond a “poor choice”. However, he has taken his probation very serious and has completed all of its requirements. In fact, he paid his restitution and completed his community service during the first two months of probation. He is doing well in school and has a job that he is also doing well at. He was told by the probation officer that he considers him “low maintenance” and would recommend the probation be terminated on April 2. Judge Waite, however, took issue with my son’s hair. My son has always been very respectful of the court in both his behavior and his appearance. Still, Judge Waite’s decision was to terminate probation and possibly dismiss the charges in May…if he got a haircut.

While I stood there in court, for a brief moment, I thought it was still April 1. After all, Judge Waite could not possibly be basing his decision regarding my son’s future, on his personal hang-ups. In my opinion, that would be an abuse of power.

I have usually been a fan of Judge Waite’s creative sentencing. Nevertheless, upon realizing that he was indeed serious, I had to wonder what favor Judge Waite believed this decision would do him or the court. Does he believe these teens will have more respect for him, the court, or the law if their hair is cut short? If that is the case, he needs to take a look at the two boys that went first in court that day. One had been on probation before and just recently re-arrested for a similar offence. The other was currently on probation and had violated that probation. Judge Waite had him arrested and taken to juvenile hall. These two boys had the shortest hair of all the boys in courts that day.

Not to mention, my son had completed all the requirements of his probation. This was a matter of terminating his probation early. Being told that he would terminate early if he got a haircut is essentially bribing my son. Don’t mistake me; I do believe that Judge Waite is holding up the letter of the law; however I do not believe he is holding up the spirit of the law.

Jill Fox
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Thanks for telling us about it.

David Cook
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