Op-ed: A student’s reflection on the failed Proposition No. 1

By Addison Welborn

Dear Owasso,

I am writing to you as a student at Owasso High School. I love my school. I feel safe at my school. I get a good education at my school. I also know that my school is not perfect. I know that it can be improved. I write this letter to the people who have the power and who have the desire to make the lives of public school students in Owasso better.

On Feb. 11, 2025, the 38,539 registered voters in the Owasso Public Schools District had the chance to vote on Proposition 1, a construction school bond. The bond included new fine arts and sports facilities, improved security throughout the district and, among many other things, $19 million to “to replace, repair and/or acquire roofs district wide as needed.” This particular part of the bond stood out to me due to the state of the roofs at Owasso High School.

The voter turnout, however, hardly reflected the community. Only 3,878 people came to vote on the School Bond Issue.

2,269 voted ‘yes’ on Proposition 1. 1609 people voted ‘no.’ Proposition 1 had 58.5% of the vote in its favor. It needed 60%. The bond to add necessary repairs to the school failed by a miniscule 2%.

If 58 people had voted ‘yes’ instead of ‘no’ or 145 more people had voted ‘yes,’ Proposition 1 would have passed.

The final bout of April showers hit Owasso High School hard in 2025. The pouring rain of April 29 and 30 snuck past the East Campus’s roof and dripped down into the halls and classrooms. The first thing I encountered when I walked into the school at 7:40 a.m. was the whispers of students: “the band hall is flooded.” Certainly enough, students who arrived through the band and choir doors had to walk through the backstage of the PAC to get to the main part of the school because a large puddle of water had filled the part of the hallway in between the band and choir rooms. This level of flooding at Owasso is unprecedented, brought on by the arrival of an especially intense weather season. And while the bond doesn’t address this low-level flooding, it would address the problems with the roof.

I took the roundabout path to get to the library, and the moment I stepped out from backstage, I was confronted by trash cans. And they were everywhere.

Trash cans in the hall, in the teacher’s lounge, in the stairwell and in the middle of the doorway. OHS students are well acquainted with the obstructive bins on rainy days. These rain catchers were in all the known leaky spots of the school, and were added over the course of two days in the newly discovered spots.

My friend and I went around the school during first hour, peeking into classrooms and asking to take pictures of their leaks. We found over 30 individual leaks. One particularly noticeable spot was the doors that lead to the Old Commons from the bus loop. The carpet was entirely soaked through by the noticeable gap between the doors and the floor.

The pictures in this article were taken on April 29 and 30. They show the discolored ceilings, missing tiles and miscellaneous trash cans with which Owasso students are familiar with on rainy days.

Unfortunately, these roofs do not currently have hope of fixing, as Proposition 1 did not pass in February. However, there is hope for both OHS students and the roof that lies over their head six hours a day. A new version of Proposition 1 will be presented to the OPS School Board in June. If the school board accepts it, there will be another election in the fall.

The Owasso Public Schools District is one of the best in Oklahoma. What makes it so strong is not only the teachers, administration or facilities but also the support, advocacy and care of the Owasso Community.

The Owasso Public Schools website states, “School bonds help fund critical projects that enhance learning environments, improve safety and expand opportunities … school bonds are a direct investment in the future of our community.”

Voting makes a difference for me and my peers. Voting in your local elections gives you a voice on behalf of the 9,898 students in the Owasso Public Schools District. Please vote in that election. Your vote can make a major difference. Your vote can increase security, improve fine arts and sports facilities, buy better technology and so much more. Your vote is vital to the success of this community because the people your vote supports are the future of this community.

Make the right choice. Use your power. And vote in local elections.

Sincerely,

Addison Welborn

Owasso High School

Class of 2026

LINKS

Students in OPS- Number of students in the OPS district.

Bond Quotes- Original Proposition No. 1 proposal.

Election results- Bond vote results.

Number of Owasso Public Schools District Roger’s County voters- Phone call to the Roger’s County Election Board (918-341-2965).

Number of Owasso Public Schools District Tulsa County registered voters- Phone call to the Tulsa County Election Board (918-596-5780).

Owasso Residents Believe quote- OPS Website Bond Information section.