By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
After working 30 years as a school teacher, Rebecca Himschoot said she’s ready to take on issues facing kids and families at “the next level.”
Himschoot formally launched her campaign for state House of Representatives today, outlining some of the challenges she hopes to address if she is elected.
With her long experience in education Himschoot, who teaches English as a Second Language in grades 2 through 8, has first-hand knowledge of the problems young people are facing.
“There’s a lot we can do at the state level,” she told the Sentinel in an interview.
“I’ve watched education for 30 years and kept myself aware of what’s going on,” she said. “I’ve also focused on the 25 kids in front of me, kept my head down and done the best I could for the kids in my classroom. And now I’m recognizing that the things we need to do to improve the health of our kids and our schools are bigger than what I can do in a classroom. So I want to go to the next level and take the experience I have every single day in my work life, bring that perspective with me to Juneau and tackle some of the problems we have as a region and the state.”
Himschoot is running as an independent for the House seat currently held by Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, who’s not running for a sixth term. Nomination for the primary will be open through June 1, and so far the only other candidate for the House District 2 seat is Republican Kenny Skaflestad of Hoonah. Before last year’s redistricting the two communities were in House District 35.
House District 2 includes Sitka, Petersburg, Yakutat, Craig, Klawock, Angoon and dozens of other small communities.
Himschoot is presently in the second year of a three-year term on the Sitka Assembly.
“Sitka is amazing,” Himschoot said. “But I think our children are a reflection of our community health.”
She noted that the school social worker at Keet Gooshi Heen has found about a quarter of the student body needs additional help.
“That’s a huge number compared to normal needs, normal pre-pandemic times,” she said. “We have so many kids dealing with depression, anxiety, substance abuse in the homes and sometimes the domestic violence that comes along with that. And those kids are asked to come to school and think about two plus two.”
Himschoot said she knows that if the kids are having a hard time, so are adults and families.
“If families are struggling then our communities are struggling,” she said. “We are an incredible community, we take care of each other, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t hurting. There’s a lot I see every day that I think we can do better.”
Government is not the solution to many problems, but it can help in the way of making things more affordable to alleviate some of the stress, she said.
“Providing a ferry instead of an airplane might be something government can help with,” she said. “I think there are things we can do to make our communities stronger and healthier.”
She said she’s appreciated the work of Kreiss-Tomkins and the bipartisan coalition in the House to make sure the voice of rural Alaska and coastal communities are heard in Juneau.
She doesn’t know all of the issues in the region, she said, but does understand some of the challenges in her field of education, which affects communities throughout the state.
As to how she would work in Juneau, Himschoot said she’s seen the way Kreiss-Tomkins has “reached across the aisle” to get things done.
“I fully intend to do that,” she said. “This year’s Assembly has been a very collaborative body. Even though there are a variety of opinions and thought on the Assembly we come together and solve problems, pragmatically and creatively and collaboratively And that’s something I want to continue whether on the Assembly or in the House.”
Himschoot said she sees a lot of economic growth in Sitka, but remains concerned that the growth benefits the whole community.
“I’m looking for intentional development that’s sustainable, that is equitable and helps us grow to become a healthier community,” she said. “If it trickles down we’ll see families not necessarily having to work two jobs to support their kids, and being able to find childcare that they need so they can go to work and support their family.”
Himschoot, 54, has served on the state Board of Education, and has earned national honors for her teaching. She has also been an advocate for education. This year that’s included promoting the Alaska Reads Act to ensure every child can read by grade 3, and for funding of pre-K programs.
“We know that for every dollar we invest early in pre-K results in seven dollars in savings down the road on other things,” she said. “It saves on social services, including the need for police intervention, and the need for substance abuse treatment.”
A news release from her campaign office said she will also focus on improving the marine highway and other critical infrastructure, supporting small-boat commercial fishing, and “ensuring the traditional ways of life and subsistence practices that have existed in the region for thousands of years are protected.”
