As a Franklin Tech student, I’m asking you to vote “yes” on Oct. 6 for a new school building.

As a rising senior at Franklin County Technical School, I spend every day in a building that is showing its age. Students like me are paying the price for having an old building.
Buckets are placed beneath the ceilings in many areas of the school because of leakage. Last St. Patrick’s Day, the school was forced to close for a full day after an unexpected power failure. Our electrical system is so old and outdated that fixing it is nearly impossible.

If it had not been for the amazing electricians, engineers, specialists, and their skills, FCTS would have had to shut down for weeks, if not months. This would have devastated students who are studying for shop certifications, tests, and academic classes. While remote learning would have been set up quickly, it still would have caused extreme disruption and severely impacted students’ future careers.

But we are not in the clear. If multiple electrical units fail, or something like a power surge or major storm occurs, the consequences could be far worse.

To make matters even worse, the Federal Pacific Electric company, which built FCTS’s electrical system in 1976, has been out of business since the 1980s. Parts for these systems are no longer manufactured, so any fix must be temporary in hopes of limping along until a new system is in place.

Students have a right to a functional school where they can learn, thrive, innovate, and be empowered. We should not have to worry about whether the power will be on when we get to school, or if we will have to move our seat because water might fall from the ceiling.

We have the power to fix this. Giving students a good school and quality vocational education doesn’t just benefit the students, it benefits everyone in this community. A strong vocational school like FCTS doesn’t just teach skills, it gives many students a real chance to break the cycle of poverty and step outside the boundaries they were born into. For a lot of kids in our area, a quality trades education is one of the clearest paths to a stable, well-paying career without needing to leave home or take on heavy college debt.

A strong vocational school allows people who want to join the trades to stay local instead of traveling far away. It allows homeowners to find reliable local services from people who know the area. It keeps our roads and infrastructure maintained by workers who have a stake here. It supports our local businesses with staff who understand Franklin County and can connect with both residents and visitors. It allows people to have the opportunity to find good work in Franklin County, and can start families of their own.

It is easy to look at a large capital project and worry about the financial strain on working-class families who are already stretched thin. But when you break it down, the local share of this project adds roughly 62 cents a day for most homeowners, landlords, and renters. Somewhere between $87 and $355 per year depending on property value.

What can you buy for 62 cents a day anymore? You can’t even get a candy bar or a newspaper for that price. For less than the cost of a paper or a piece of candy, we have the chance to give current and future students a safe, modern facility where they can properly learn the trades our community depends on.

We cannot afford to lose the state funding from the Massachusetts School Building Authority. If we vote “no” on Oct. 6, that money will go right to another school district. Let’s keep Franklin County strong, supportive, and full of opportunity for everyone. Vote “yes” on Oct. 6.

Aidan Pasic lives in Greenfield.