I’d like to commend the school district’s recent recognition of the state of our young people (“Schools begin wide suicide prevention effort,” Dec. 17). One thing still worries me, however: the use of the term “at-risk students.”

All students are at risk, especially in a small town like Vashon. Not only does everyone have a nose in your business, but the bus service is laughable, and there’s no real outlet for the average student to blow off steam — even with reliable transportation.

So, school administrators, I give you my piece of advice. Don’t just focus on the C student being raised by a single parent, or the sophomore who’s failed algebra for the millionth time. That popular girl with all the friends, the first-chair saxophone player with dreams of Juilliard or that over-achieving student with the crazy class load are just as likely to have issues. Treat all of your students with care. Any one of them could be taken from us far too soon.

— Lydia Butler, Vashon High School class of 2003