During a recent column regarding the ongoing challenges of local journalism, I pledged to donate 10 percent of all subscriptions through April 30 to help students at our two local high schools — Edmonds-Woodway and Mountlake Terrace — who have been selected to perform in this May’s prestigious Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival in New York City.

Thanks to our readers’ response, today we are donating a total of $350 — $175 to each of the school’s online fundraising efforts. And, I am also excited to report that we have contributed an additional $200 toward costs for two Mountlake Terrace High School journalism students who are traveling to the Ellington festival. These student journalists will be reporting on the competition as it happens, so that we can provide personalized coverage of both our schools’ jazz programs.

I don’t often “toot my own horn” when it comes to the donations we make, but I am proud that we can “give back” and help our young people in this way. We also donate annually to scholarships for drama students through Driftwood Players, for high school sports coaches during the annual school district Scholar Athletes banquet, and much more. Not to mention our contributions to the Edmonds Center for the Arts, the Edmonds Community College Foundation and Clothes for Kids.

Yet, I feel it’s important to remind our readers that the challenges to local journalism are ongoing, and we rely on both local advertiser and reader support to make ends meet. It is my hope that you will continue to see the value in the work we do — both in covering our community and supporting it — by making a one-time donation or becoming a regular subscriber. If you have not yet subscribed, you can do so here today.

Until next time,
Teresa Wippel, Publisher