DATE: Sunday, April 27, 1997                TAG: 9704250224

SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON   PAGE: 09   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letters 

                                            LENGTH:   77 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - VIRGINIA BEACH

I would like to applaud The Beacon for its coverage on Virginia Beach Teacher of the Year, Eva Roupas.

It is so rare that students come across such influential and innovative educators in their lives, and I am honored to have had the privilege of collaborating with Miss Roupas as a student, an actor and as a friend.

Nia Ngina Meek's feature article displayed Miss Roupas' attributes to the field of education in the highest sense and gives her efforts with Salem High School's theater department some well-deserved recognition that has been overshadowed by other fine Beach schools.

Miss Roupas reaffirms the faith in the actual existence of exceptional educators in the public education system that actually gear the youth onto a path of greatness and success.

With all of the negative press Salem has received in the past due to unfortunate circumstances, I am truly delighted to see my former drama teacher bask in the spotlight she truly deserves as a part of my high school alma mater, a place that I remember to be a haven of memorable friends, prolific faculty, endless learning possibilities and enduring school spirit.

Chona Santander

April 7 Volunteers needed to clean waterways

On a cool, blustery Saturday, April 19, I was a member of a small but dedicated group of volunteers organized by Lillie Gilbert of Wild River Outfitters and Rudy Arredondo of the Clean Community Commission, that undertook the difficult task of cleaning the scenic West Neck Creek waterway in canoes and johnboats.

Although I have been active with Clean the Bay Day and have seen the results of human carelessness, it continues to disgust me what is discarded in our precious tributaries. Along with the standard mounds of bottles, cans, paper bags, cigarette butts and children's toys, we pulled out tires, 55 gallon drums, a television, a weight bench, the back seat of a car and more.

There was even a lawn mower half submerged in the water that we could not reach. It is unimaginable that these items were obviously discarded intentionally into the fragile ecosystem.

Even though we covered a large portion of the waterway, we only made a dent in the necessary removal. What we need now is more people to participate. The cleanup effort of West Neck Creek is conducted four times annually. Can you imagine the condition it would be in if individuals like Lillie Gilbert, Ruby Arrendondo, Robert Dean, Dr. Carl Fisher, Maurice Jackson and the remainder of us simply said it is a war we cannot win and abandoned the effort?

We need your help. The next two cleanups are scheduled for May 10 and June 14 (Clean the Bay Day). Please call Lillie at Wild River Outfitters at 431-8566 to help. Wayne T. Wright

April 22 Don't waste tax dollars

I am an employee of the Virginia Beach Public School System, and I, like a lot of young students who have spoken out about this political tug-a-war over the school budget, am concerned.

I was appalled at the priorities the city wanted funded at the expense of education.

1. The City Council has no written guarantee that a $9 million dollar soccer stadium is going to bring in a major league team. Why waste the money?

2. Why do we need to beef up the Pavilion or even consider building a new convention center? Was that not the purpose of the Pavilion?

3. Why do my tax dollars need to replace the sand at Sandbridge, when I had no say in allowing $300,000 homes to be built in the path of Mother Nature.

4. Now for the best of all - a championship golf course. Give me a break please!

It is appalling to know that our elected city officials, which the public elected in good faith, would think or assume these projects are more important then the education of our children.

I am a parent with a child starting school next year and I want my child to be given the best education my tax dollars can pay for.

Pattie Barnes

April 21

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