As the school buses begin to run again tomorrow morning signaling the end of summer break, remember that inside each of those familiar yellow buses is the future. Staring out the window are the faces of tomorrow – literally.

With the beginning of another school year comes the reality that for our community to prosper in the future, our children must excel in the classroom today.

And for proof of that one need look no further than an American Council on Education report released Saturday that shows more and more adults are taking the general equivalency diploma (GED) tests for the purpose of heading on to college. The average age of test takers in the U.S. is 24.

Although it’s great that those folks are trying to improve their own education, we suspect most GED test takers would agree that had they stayed in school and studied they would certainly be better off.

Those higher numbers should help prove to parents that proper education is vital to our children’s and our community’s future.

The best way to protect that future is for each and every parent to get involved in their children’s education. Volunteer at their school. Make certain they do their homework. Be certain they understand how important school really is. Ask questions and get involved.

For no matter how much teachers, principals and administrators care about the children, none can ever care as much as parents.

We’d like to pose two simple questions to all parents out there.

Would you like the future, and your child, to be bright?

And what are you willing to do to make it happen?