The honorable Mayor Jim Ferrell and the Federal Way City Council, I am writing on behalf of the student body of Highline College, where I serve as the student body president and primary community relations officer representing our 17,000 students. This letter is in regard to the Sound Transit light rail proposal that is currently under deliberation within your governance body. As our school serves over 3,300 students that live in Federal Way, including myself, we feel obligated as constituents to seek your support as our representatives.

You are facing a very important decision that will provide infrastructure to southwest King County and Federal Way. The decisions we make on this issue will impact the residents, businesses and institutions along the route for many generations. As students, this is an issue of access and equity. A station designated at a college allows riders transit access to higher education and social mobility. Highline serves a population that is traditionally under-represented, marginalized and disconnected with local, regional and state policy-makers. For many of our students, this letter may be their only feasible voice to be added to this important decision.

We advocate strongly and ask your support for the station at Highline College. Adjacent to the college on the west side of highway 99. We need your support. Your community college needs your support.

In short, we:

• Desire the station to be adjacent to the college on Highway 99 where it can serve riders who will use the college station as their destination.

• We desire that station be named the “Highline College” station, keeping in the tradition of naming stations after landmarks and destinations.

Highline College has been serving our students for 50 years. The college will likely be here in this location for the next century. Please help advocate for our students and staff who are your residents and voting constituents.

Laura Yanez, Highline student