Education is the foundation upon which we build our future.

We all leave personal legacies for the people we know and love.

When nearly a third of our high school students do not graduate on time with their peers, we have work to do. We must design our middle and high schools so that no student gets lost in the crowd and disconnected from his or her own potential.

We can leave our legacy only if we are willing to change - to go beyond partisan labels, and to solve the problems facing Washingtonians.

I'm free. I'm free to say what I feel.

Vernon Reis opened the world to me through books. He taught me that while I was physically firmly planted in blue-collar Auburn, Washington in the 50s and early 60s, intellectually I could go anywhere, explore anything, and sample exciting new ideas simply by opening a book.

One of the most powerful tools for empowering individuals and communities is making certain that any individual who wants to receive a quality education can do so.