My youngest child and only one still in school will be in ninth grade starting next fall, leaving her just four short years from high school. I’m already getting excited about the day she does the gown-and-diploma thing.

The excitement and pride is high this week for the parents of the graduating seniors who are getting their diplomas at Tahoma High School (last night) and Kentlake and Kentood high schools (this Saturday). And to help acknowledge the accomplishment of the 1,000-plus members of the class of 2008 at our local high schools, the Reporter is publishing the name of every single one of them.

It’s both the least and the most we can do. Traditionally, newspaper coverage of graduating classes singles out individuals for their outstanding personal achievement. And rightly so, in the sense that there are some truly amazing young people. But this year we decided that every senior should get their due – and in equal amount. So starting last Saturday with Tahoma, continuing today with Kentlake and ending this Saturday with Kentwood, we’re publishing the rosters of each graduating class. And on the front page of our Maple Valley (for Tahoma) and Covington (for Kentlake and Kentwood) editions, we’re splashing in full color the group photos of the graduates.

We hope the seniors and their families will think of these editions as souvenirs – and our way of saying congratulations.

• Another big recent milestone is the official filing of candidacies for this fall’s election. Last week, the contenders signed up for the only local races here. That’s the Legislature – state senator and state representative in the 5th District, where the voters include Maple Valley residents, and state rep in the 47th District, where some of the constituency lives in Covington and Black Diamond.

Between now and the election, we’ll help tell voters about the candidates. And we’ll welcome your participation in our coverage. Send us your thoughts about candidates via e-mail and snail mail. We’ll share your words in the Forum portion of our Opinion page and in news articles. Let’s make this a lively, interactive campaign.

Editor Pat Jenkins can be reached at (425) 432-1209 (extension 1050) and pjenkins@reporternewspapers.com