To the editor:

My name is Lukas Miemis and I’m a 10th grade student and three sport athlete at Saranac Lake High School. I’m writing this letter to show my support of the proposed turf field in our district. Currently, I play varsity lacrosse. We compete against nine teams: Plattsburgh, Malone, Salmon River, Massena, Ogdensburg, Colton Pierpont, Potsdam, Canton, and St. Lawrence. Eight out of these nine schools have turf fields.

So while we’re stuck inside, practicing in a cramped gym for multiple weeks in the beginning of the season while our field is still wet, the teams mentioned above are out practicing on their turf field. They’re getting ahead and getting better, while we’re playing catch-up.

But a turf field wouldn’t just benefit lacrosse or other teams in our school; it would benefit Saranac Lake. Our school enrollment is declining. A turf field could open doors to new opportunities for our community and attract potential families who might want to move here and enroll their kids in our district. Imagine giving our youth athletes access to modern facilities like those in surrounding communities. A turf field is not just an investment in our present; it is an investment in our future.

Lukas Miemis

Saranac Lake