Schools can’t always offer career readiness
In the letter to the editor “Schools should offer better career readiness” (DP-10-22-23), the author says the schools of West Virginia should up their game with additional counselors for schools. However, sometimes, being ready for a career only correlates with classes offered, not guidance services.
I remember being a senior in high school with Ronald Reagan as the new president and personal computers just becoming available. At my private religious school, I could only take math up to, but not including, calculus.
I went to college with an interest in chemistry and a love for math, but after my freshman year, I switched to physics. I also started to struggle in math as a sophomore, but eventually I learned almost all the math I needed to know in my physics classes.
After my M.S. in physics in 1990, I did mostly teaching but also did some research at the Institute for Scientific Research near the NASA Katherine Johnson IV&V Facility in Fairmont.
As time went along, I took every opportunity to do research or learn or try something new, and it seemed to snowball. I still consider my education to be the thing that distinguishes my work from when I try really hard versus when something is really “up my alley.”
I can’t think of any way my high school could have prepared me for all this other than just teaching the material to me. But everyone’s experience is different and some career paths meander less.
So along with guidance and counseling and mentoring, sometimes random bounces and reacting to opportunities are what define our careers.
A broad education including languages, social sciences, English and history will not only increase our enjoyment of the world, but will have practical benefits as we navigate the unexpected challenges in life.
Steve Knudsen
Morgantown
DOH did good job on U.S. 19. Now for next project
I don’t know if anybody else will say thank you to the Division of Highways for doing a good job.
I want to thank them for doing a good job of repaving U.S. 19 from the state line to the bridge by Osage. Traffic was a mess at times, but it was well worth it. We are not riding on patches on top of patches.
Now, I don’t want to sound like sour grapes, but the DOH needs to turn its attention to the condition of Chaplin Road. That section of one of our main highways has been falling apart for years and nothing is being done to fix it. I hope it has a plan to work on that road soon.
Ralph Correll
Morgantown
Plan now for spring cleanup events
For many, community improvement is a worthwhile idea, but where to start?
Each spring, a statewide cleanup effort by volunteer groups and organizations changes how our roads and streets look. Bottles, cans, cups, food containers and even larger items disappear from roadside areas thanks to the brains and muscles of those who care.
Many organizations plan their activity schedules months in advance. Adding a date for a springtime cleanup would provide a learning experience for many and an opportunity to improve our surroundings through a team effort.
More groups are needed for such cleanups. There are many parts of Preston County that will provide more pleasure to those living in the area or anyone just driving by once they are cleaned up.
Preston County’s litter control officer, Jay Sowers, has handled the organization of volunteer cleanups for years. He’s also aware of areas that could benefit from sprucing up.
Based on his experience, Sowers can provide many helpful suggestions on simplifying the process. Call 304-698-5594 or email jbsowers@prestonsheriff.net to learn more.
Start planning now for such a service opportunity. Beyond being good exercise in the fresh air, spring cleanups are beneficial for all of Preston County.
Annie Brode-Parenti
Bruceton Mills
Republicans retake the House. Now what?
After three weeks of chaos, Republicans regained their tenuous hold on the House. The new speaker was pivotal in congressional efforts to overturn the 2020 election. He is also a climate change denier and cosponsor of nationwide abortion ban bills. He opposed the CHIPS and Science Act bills to fund the building of microchip infrastructure needed to reduce reliance on foreign imports. Mike Johnson also voted against two appropriation bills that provided aid to Ukraine in 2022. His views place him firmly in the grip of Trump, who pulled strings to get him elected as speaker.
And what of the Joe Biden impeachment inquiry? It was getting no place fast, and the Republicans leading it have enjoyed being out of the limelight. Will they renew their inquiry with increased fervor as election denial gains an even firmer grip on the House?
Recall that then-vice president Biden had warned Ukraine’s previous president, Poroshenko, about the corruption issues of Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Shokin. The U.S. withheld $1 billion in loan guarantees until Ukraine addressed them. Trump, however, praised Shokin in his “perfect” call and accused Biden of trying to protect his son, Hunter, from an investigation into Burisma.
Trump persuaded the Republican House to take up that theory, where President Zelenskyy would not. Trump hoped no one would notice that the investigation of Burisma was of activities predating Hunter’s involvement with the company. Issues of corruption surrounded the company’s founder, Zlochevsky. However, Hunter worked for Burisma after Zlochevsky was ousted from office.
Trump’s penchant for mixing events without considering cause and effect, and without regard for personal integrity, continues to threaten the U.S. Constitution by aiding foreign and domestic adversaries.
Now that Trump has, once again, secured his hold over the House, we must ask how that will affect the future integrity of our elections.
Tom Wilson
Morgantown
