DDF Thanks
Dear Editor: On behalf of the Mt. Edgecumbe High School DDF team, as well as all the competitors in our recent invitational tournament, thanks to all who generously donated their time to judge in our tournament. During the virtual awards ceremony, we honored seniors from all competing schools. Each one of them expressed how meaningful competing in DDF has been to them this year.
Looking on the finish side of hosting this event, I can say that navigating the Speechwire and Yaatly platforms for the tournaments was not a simple task. Thank you for all the efforts to work through the technological details. Judges’ and students’ ability to troubleshoot was impressive.
A DDF tournament is a volunteer intensive endeavor, so again, thank you to all who helped. Your support of young people and the arts is a big deal.
Anyone who is interested in judging at the state tournament on Feb. 11-13, please contact Marcia Drake at 738-0429 or Christian Litten at 738-5869.
State is virtual, so anyone who judged at the MEHS tournament is now an expert.
Marcia Drake,
English Teacher, DDF Coach,
Mt. Edgecumbe High School
Baranof Name Change
Dear Editor: Thank you, Sitka School Board members, for your service to the entire Sitka community. Schools and education do not just support students and their families, they are the foundation of a healthy community.
I want to express my support for the proposed Baranof School name change. I am currently working to change my own business name and just this past weekend finished removing Baranof from the sign in front of my clinic building (see attached photos).
When I founded Baranof Chiropractic in 1998, I wanted to choose a name that was associated with the local area, but also came before Boyle in the phone directory. Dr. Craig Boyle was the only other chiropractor in town at the time. Thus, Baranof was the name I chose. I had no knowledge of the full and true history and meaning behind the name at that time. The name Baranof is understandably offensive to some of my friends and neighbors. I never had any intention to offend, I just wanted to come first in the phone book.
Now that I know better, I am trying to do better. It can take time to make necessary changes and I have not yet completed all of my own. But it is time to make this change.
Please do the right thing and take appropriate steps to change the name of Baranof Elementary School.
Karen Zamzow, D.C., Sitka
