As votes were tallied and results were released in the 2024 election, the focus of many Summit students was concentrated on the presidential election and other high-profile national races. However, as these candidates fought for control of American politics, an equally important race played out much closer to home, or rather, much closer to school.
In a three-way race for City Council Position 4, Summit physics teacher Steve Platt unseated incumbent Barb Campbell and received over twice as many votes as challenger Chet Wamboldt. Winning 59% of the total electorate, support for Platt among Bend residents proved to be resounding. But how did he get here? To find the answer, it is first necessary to understand his decades-long legacy of leadership and public service in our community and beyond.
After graduating from the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in aerospace, aeronautical and astronautical engineering, Platt launched a successful career as an F-16 pilot. He quickly climbed the ranks, taking on leadership roles and complex tasks such as military budget management. Platt retired from the service in 2015 with the title of colonel, the highest rank for a field officer.
Upon retirement, Platt chose to continue serving his community through teaching, a vocation that presents its own unique set of challenges. In his seven years as a teacher, Platt has shared his knowledge of physics, climate change and other scientific topics, shaping the lives of hundreds of students at Summit and other local high schools.
“He’s a very dedicated teacher,” said Summit senior and physics student Thielsen Wardlow. “[He is] one of the most, if not the most dedicated teacher in the school.”
Now, after moving to a part-time teaching schedule to accommodate staffing cuts, Platt has filled his newfound free time with yet another impressive undertaking—an entrance into local politics.
When he takes office in January 2025, Platt is prepared to usher in a more sustainable future for the City of Bend and those who call it home, both environmentally and economically. Many of his plans center around affordable housing, a pivotal concern for his fellow educators.
“A brand new teacher, first year teacher, that would be hired into Bend-La Pine Schools, earns about 60% of the area median income, and we have a really low housing stock at that range,” Platt explained.
This, of course, leads to a much smaller pool of potential teachers in our community, a problem that fueled last year’s contentious school district contract negotiations. However, in Platt’s eyes, the affordable housing debate is much more nuanced and shares significant connections to his platform of climate change mitigation. After all, Bend’s high cost-of-living has led to a rise in commuters from other Central Oregon communities such as Redmond and La Pine, a phenomenon which contributes to increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
“If you have to live in [another] community and drive from miles and miles and miles away to get here, that is a larger climate impact,” said Platt. “It is also more time in your commute [and] it’s expensive for people to drive long distances.”
It is for this reason that Platt hopes to facilitate the construction of sustainably-built affordable housing, a pursuit that would not only decrease Bend’s carbon footprint and assist with teacher recruitment, but make our community more livable for people of all careers and backgrounds.
Another key priority of Platt’s is improving Bend’s public transportation systems and making the city more bikeable, further discouraging Bend residents from commuting by car.
Furthermore, Platt plans to advocate for the production and use of renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, biofuel, hydroelectric and geothermal energy. By introducing more renewable energy into the local power grid, Bend’s carbon footprint would decrease significantly, furthering local efforts to fight climate change.
But above all, Platt looks forward to serving as a voice for groups often underrepresented on the Bend City Council, including students and educators.
“Having an educator on the City Council means that he has skin in the game,” said Courtney Christenson, a local parent and Platt’s campaign manager. “He’s in it every day, in the schools, with the students, with the educators, and thus can make effective policy to really set our schools up for success.”
As an educator, Platt has a deeper understanding of the struggles faced not only by his colleagues, but by the students and families whom he interacts with on a daily basis. This is a perspective that he promises to apply to all of his decision-making on City Council, as many of his students don’t have the opportunity to vote for themselves.
“Often, because students can’t vote, their beliefs or what’s best for them can get overlooked by the people who are being elected,” said Wardlow. “So by having a teacher, that brings voice of people who aren’t otherwise able to even vote.”
However Summit students may feel about national politics, Platt’s election to the Bend City Council is a win for them and Bend as a whole. In the Air Force, Platt led his fellow airmen in serving our country. As a teacher, he has supported the education and personal growth of students across Central Oregon. Now, as he prepares to take his seat on the City Council, Platt will surely touch lives and leave our community a better place than he found it.
