Lawrence County students are back in the classroom full time this week and many will be on the football field Friday.

We all need to be “boosters” for our students — academically, athletically and extracurricularly.

Thousands of Lawrence Countians will don their school colors, get pumped up and root for their football teams during kick-off Friday.

Nothing is wrong with that as activities such as sports, band and cheerleading are important components of education.

But, hopefully even a fraction of that same enthusiasm can also be directed to the students who don’t play sports and toward the academic achievements of all our county’s students.

Ohio’s public school system, flawed as it may be, still shapes our state’s and our nation’s leaders.

As taxpayers all of us have a role, regardless of whether or not we have children in the school system.

We have a responsibility to show these young men and women how important all their accomplishments are now and for the future.