Dear Members of the Monroe Board of Finance,
I am writing to respectfully urge the Board of Finance to reinstate the full budget requested by the Monroe Board of Education. I do so not as an outside observer, but as someone whose life was shaped by Monroe Public Schools, and came back because of it.
My name is Bella Medaris. I moved to Monroe at age eight, and Monroe met me with kindness. I found my people, discovered my love of science and writing, and went on to attend the STEM program in 7th and 8th grade. At Masuk, I served as varsity goalie and captain for both girls’ lacrosse and women’s hockey, and graduated with a 4.3 weighted GPA from a class that produced multiple valedictorians. Monroe Public Schools didn’t just educate me — they helped shape who I am.
That foundation opened so many doors for me. I was accepted to every college I applied to and went on to earn a degree in Neuroscience from Juniata College. This fall, I begin a master’s in biomedical science, followed by medical school.
Right now, I work as the lead medical assistant at Saugatuck Pediatrics in Westport. I am an EMT and have volunteered with Monroe EMS for the past four years. I sit on the executive board for Monroe EMS and on the Monroe Historic District Commission. I came back because I love this town and feel a responsibility to pay back the community that invested so much in me.
When I hear about cuts to our schools, I have to be honest: it gives me pause. And I don’t think I’m alone.
The students in Monroe classrooms are not line items in a budget. They are the future nurses, doctors, teachers, first responders, and neighbors who will one day take care of the people in this town. They deserve a full investment that doesn’t ask them to shrink their dreams because the adults in the room couldn’t find a way.
Monroe taught me that setbacks are part of the process. You don’t quit when things get hard. I ask you to bring that same resilience to this decision. The Board of Education has submitted a budget that reflects what our students genuinely need. I urge you to honor that request in full.
The child you fund today might be the person who comes back, puts down roots, and helps keep Monroe the kind of place worth coming back to. I know that’s the future I had in mind for myself. Please make it possible for the next generation too.
Respectfully,
Bella Medaris
Monroe Resident
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