Students March to Help Pass Bond
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It was a sight that may have shocked many drivers in Yakima today. Students told us they wanted to line every street corner to push for bond votes, and they did cover a lot of ground.
"I think it's great." says Ike Head Custodian Victor Wood, "the enthusiasm is just catching everybody by the head of the hair, it's great!" Students call this, "bondfest". It's their march for bond ballots.
The Yakima School District needs 60% of the people to vote yes by May 19th for $114 million locally and another $104 million from the state. "One bond will follow the other bond" Vote Yes Committee Co-Chair Paul Larson explains, "so there will not be an increase in tax." Money would rebuild Eisenhower High School and renovate and maintain other buildings in the district.
The amount of students who showed up with support even surprised students. "I thought it was going to be like 12 people but it's a whole bunch of people." one said.
Students carried their band equipment, their posters, their signs, and their matching T-shirts all the way here. That's about a mile walk from both Ike High School and Davis but they say it's worth it. "What was the reaction from the drivers seeing you guys lining up?" Action News asked. "They were honking like crazy! They were just going crazy on us." says Davis High School Senior Derick Rivera. "So what do you think that means?" "That we're going to have new schools!"
One thing's for sure, it means students here are putting up a fight for it. When they got to Franklin Park they had bands, a barbecue, and a voting registration booth for people over 18. They say it's a celebration of support for votes that may be coming in soon.
But the student push isn't over yet. More than a thousand students signed up to knock on doors and make calls starting Saturday to convince people to cast ballots for the bond.
"I think it's great." says Ike Head Custodian Victor Wood, "the enthusiasm is just catching everybody by the head of the hair, it's great!" Students call this, "bondfest". It's their march for bond ballots.
The Yakima School District needs 60% of the people to vote yes by May 19th for $114 million locally and another $104 million from the state. "One bond will follow the other bond" Vote Yes Committee Co-Chair Paul Larson explains, "so there will not be an increase in tax." Money would rebuild Eisenhower High School and renovate and maintain other buildings in the district.
The amount of students who showed up with support even surprised students. "I thought it was going to be like 12 people but it's a whole bunch of people." one said.
Students carried their band equipment, their posters, their signs, and their matching T-shirts all the way here. That's about a mile walk from both Ike High School and Davis but they say it's worth it. "What was the reaction from the drivers seeing you guys lining up?" Action News asked. "They were honking like crazy! They were just going crazy on us." says Davis High School Senior Derick Rivera. "So what do you think that means?" "That we're going to have new schools!"
One thing's for sure, it means students here are putting up a fight for it. When they got to Franklin Park they had bands, a barbecue, and a voting registration booth for people over 18. They say it's a celebration of support for votes that may be coming in soon.
But the student push isn't over yet. More than a thousand students signed up to knock on doors and make calls starting Saturday to convince people to cast ballots for the bond.
