5/12/2010
To Whom it May Concern,

The students of High Desert Academy would like an opportunity to respond to
Benett Kesslers recent article, Bishop High School can Absorb Benton Students. We
take offense to the statement that being absorbed by Bishop is a bright light.

The rst reason why we do not wish to attend Bishop High School is that some of
our students will have to ride the bus for roughly three hours a day. When we attend
High Desert Academy we are only on the bus for maybe an hour tops. The students and
parents have not been given any information about transportation times.

The second reason for our argument of why Bishop High is not a bright light is
that at HDA we can pick our classes as to what will benet us in what we want to pursue
as a career as well as hands on learning. We have a productive and organized
agricultural program with our own Future Farmers of America chapter, and we have put
a lot of work into developing our orchard, garden, and poultry programs. It would be
unfortunate to let that all go to waste.

Bishop High School has always been an option for students here at High Desert
Academy. And while Bishop is a ne school, students here have chosen to attend the
academy. Taking away our choices is not a bright light.

It has been said that the Academies have been nancial drains for the district.
This has been one of the biggest controversies facing our situation, but who said that
schools have become a way to make a prot? Having this small school has allowed
students to be both accomplished inside the classroom and out. All the students that
attend our school are challenged in their academics and are very accomplished in
sports.

Adults always say that they want what is best for kids, but based on the
comments that we are unimportant and a drain just proves to us that some kids are
more important than others. We also feel that the person who has been in charge of
representing us has never shown any interest in what we as the students want or need.
If the adults closest to us wont bother to listen to our pleas, what hope is there?