Oak Harbor schools are OHmazing!

Within a week of passing its replacement levy, the district continues to make headlines highlighting its best and brightest.

Superintendent Lance Gibbon said recently that, while the district has one of the lowest levy rates in the state, it makes good use of the money, giving taxpayers great bang for their buck.

The recent successes illustrate his point.

Over the weekend, Oak Harbor High School celebrated three big victories:

n The high school orienteering team placed 14th out of 29 teams at the 2017 Navy JROTC National Orienteering Championship in Georgia.At nationals, teams covered a minimum of 5.2 kilometers.

n Senior wrestler Sam Zook won first at the state championship in Tacoma, making him the ninth Oak Harbor wrestler to claim a state crown since 2001.

n Five culinary advanced students won first place at Washington State’s Sysco ProStart competition at Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood. This is the 14th win in 17 years for Oak Harbor and earns the Wildcats a trip to the National ProStart Invitational, April 28-30, in Charleston, S.C.

This should make voters feel very good about passing the levy. Students may not otherwise have an opportunity to participate in programs like orienteering, culinary arts or sports.

The levy also helps fund additional teachers and staff who support administrators such as Hillcrest Elementary School Principal Paula Seaman, who won the 2017 Regional Principal of the Year for elementary schools. The award is given by the Association of Washington Principals.

There can be no doubt now that great things are happening in the Oak Harbor School District, and that taxpayer money is being very well spent.

Kudos to Gibbon and all of the students and staff, who all represent our community well.