Cracked sidewalks are a problem I experience almost every morning on my bike ride to school. As I ride, I’m constantly going up and down over uneven pavement, sometimes nearly falling off my bike just trying to stay balanced.

However, falling off a bike isn’t the only risk cracked sidewalks create. They can cause people to trip, leading to serious injuries like head trauma. They also make it difficult—or even impossible—for people who use wheelchairs or walkers to get around safely. The Grand Assisted Living Center is right there! On top of that, damaged sidewalks can lower the property value of nearby homes. For all of these reasons, I believe the cracked sidewalks in Vergennes should be repaired.

There are several common causes of cracked sidewalks. Sometimes the issue is as simple as unstable soil underneath. In other cases, tree roots grow and push the pavement upward. Poor installation can also lead to cracks over time. Additionally, extreme temperature changes—when weather shifts from very hot to very cold—can cause sidewalks to expand and contract, eventually cracking. This is similar to how a mug can crack if it goes from boiling hot water to the freezer too quickly.

Some people might argue, “If we fix them, they’ll just crack again.” However, there are ways to reduce this problem. Adding an extra protective layer to sidewalks could help increase their durability. Installing proper edging can provide support and using sidewalk bumpers can minimize damage if a car accidentally hits the edge.

All things considered, it’s clear that improving and repairing our sidewalks is important for safety, accessibility, and the overall quality of our community. Vergennes deserves sidewalks that everyone can use safely.

Dorothy Coburn
VUMS Student

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Students at Vergennes Union Middle School finished a civics unit by writing open letters. The driving question was: What makes democracy work? To create this final project, teachers and students used the New York Times open letter contest framework. Students could choose any topic they felt passionate about. The letters are being published in several different venues: in our school newsletter, on Front Porch Forum, in The Addison Independent, and on school bulletin boards. Two students submitted their letters to the NYT contest! Our students did a wonderful job writing these letters, and we hope you enjoy reading the ones that appear here. We expect these students will continue to use their voices to highlight issues they care about!

Libby Payeur and Nan Guilmette
VUMS Humanities Teachers