Dear Editor,
Kids are one of our resources. Just like the farmers and farming and farms, Rutland is abundant in natural resources but our children are in trouble. The data collected prior to Covid showed that over 40% of Rutland children believe nobody cares about them.
It gets worse from there.
The 2017 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey reported that 1,215 middle schoolers and 2,074 High schoolers felt that way.
Only 25% of Rutland middle schoolers strongly agree they matter to people in their community. 25% of middle schoolers felt sad or hopeless this past year with 22% seriously thinking about killing themselves.
Only 17 % of Rutland of high schoolers strongly agree they matter to people in their community.
My parents taught me that it was our responsibility to leave a better world for our kids. Our young people are our greatest resource. How many Rutlanders and their kids are going hungry if not in school? Who is looking? Do we know? We better find out.
Kathleen Krevetski
Candidate for Mayor
