Save Dzantik'i Heeni Middle School Wrestling Program

Hello and thank you all for taking the time to read this petition.

My name is Mark C. Giblin and I'm proud to have been born @ Bartlett Regional (Memorial) Hospital and raised for 15 yrs. in Juneau, Alaska. Hearing that DZ Middle School Principal Yerkes and Activities Director Staley are contemplating ending the wrestling program inspired me to start this petition.

Doesn't this go against every belief and reason you both became educators? Why would you disregard the possible effects it may have on these young kids? What example does this set for the future generations of Juneauites?

In the least give these kids the opportunity to raise the necessary funds to participate in their meets. And the idea of asking Floyd Dryden Middle School to also cut the program is also unfair to their students. What are your true motives? I would hope your doing so thinking its in the best interest for the school and district, but frankly I have a bar time believing that taking after school programs in any school is a good idea. Nor do I feel that's it should be up to both of you to decide. So my hope in this petition is raise awareness and hopefully being enough attention to this matter to make a difference.

The message your trying to send isn't a positive whatsoever and has its impact. Hopefully others will agree and at least give the DZ wrestling team a chance. So, I ask the both of you as educators, to ask yourselves: Are small group of wrestlers worth it? The answer should be unequivocally "Yes". I would expect nothing less from any educator in any state let alone my home state of Alaska.