Western Washington University students Jessica Schubert, left, Blair Kaufer and Amanda Leonti write letters to their state legislators and the governor urging them to support higher education at a rally put on by the Associated Students and the Western Votes organization at WWU Friday, Feb. 5, 2010. Students could also register to vote and make phone calls to their state legislators.

As I grew up, I dreamt of being many things, including an astronaut. I was fortunate to attend schools (in Minnesota) that encouraged, challenged and prepared me for success in college, work and beyond, and in 1978 realized my childhood dream, eventually flying on three NASA space missions. When I retired from NASA, I chose to dedicate myself to improving the education system. Schools should help each student obtain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to stay in school and pursue whatever path they might choose after high school graduation, be it an astronaut or auto technician.

Hundreds of University of Washington students gathered at noon Friday on the Capitol steps to voice their displeasure over increased tuition and proposed cuts to financial aid and the school's budget. A state trooper estimated the crowd at 300 to 350 people. About the same time, students at Western Washington University, The Evergreen State College and Central Washington University staged walkouts. About 500 Eastern Washington University and 150 Washington State University students also held walkouts recently, media reports say.

A benefit dance for Northwest Youth Services will take place Saturday, Feb. 20, at Western Washington University. Proceeds from the event will support programs serving runaway and homeless youth throughout Whatcom and Skagit counties. The dance will include refreshments as well as a display of artwork from youth that the organization serves. Music will be provided by DJ Fresh Boogie.

Eighteen Western Washington University students studying abroad for a semester in the Dominican Republic worked last week to pack more than 5,000 emergency care packets headed to neighboring Haiti. Each packet is designed to feed a family for a week. Western's Larry Estrada, a professor at Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies who is in charge of the program in the Dominican Republic, said in a university press release that the students worked with the emergency-relief arm of the German government, GTZ, to help assemble the packets.

Walk in Arroyo Park with Bellingham resident Dave Tucker and you get more than pleasant conversation in a pretty, wooded setting. You'll get to hear the geologist talk about time stretching back millions, maybe hundreds of millions, of years. You'll learn about hot, flowing rock that eventually cooled and pushed through the Earth's crust.

For Madeline Corrado-Din and Trina Griffis, the debate over higher education funding in the Washington Legislature is far from academic. Madeline is the first in her family to attend college. Trina is a single mom, balancing parenthood, work and school. Both came to The Evergreen State College to earn a bachelor’s degree so they can compete for higher-paying jobs today and in the future and give something back to their state and their community. For them, access to a baccalaureate education is critical. But that access is at risk.

A decade ago, most Seattle-area high schools offered just a handful of rigorous classes that provided a way to earn college credit while supercharging a transcript. And only students with top grades were allowed to sign up. But in 10 years, the intensive, fast-paced Advanced Placement (AP) classes have skyrocketed in this state. In 2008, fully one-quarter of Washington public-school seniors took at least one AP test during their high-school years, compared with 10 percent in 1997. In some schools, almost every student takes an AP class in junior or senior year.