Some residents in Destin say it's time they had their own high school. They've met with the Destin City Council and now are working to bring a case before the Okaloosa County School Board.

So far the residents have faced an uphill battle. Some Destin residents like Charlie Saleeby have been working long and hard to gather information in support for a Destin high school.

The land nestled directly behind Destin's elementary school is just one of the areas Saleeby and his supporters have discussed.

Charlie Saleeby said, “I have personally measured the buildings and grassy areas around the Destin Middle School and right here we have far more than that. A middle school could be built here and then move the high school to where Destin Middle School is, so if land is the big issue, let's look at what's already here in our own community."

Another concern Saleeby has is the distance students have to travel, especially with rising gas prices.

"We have teenage daughters that stand on the side of the road at a quarter of 6 o'clock in the morning and they commute back and forth and Highway 98, as every one knows is an incredibly hard traffic situation to solve. I just can't imagine what that might be in 10 years. "

Traveling from parts of Destin to the surrounding schools breaks down to roughly 15 miles to Fort Walton Beach High, about 14 miles to Niceville High, and 16 miles to South Walton High School.

The Okaloosa County School Board and some local city government official don't feel there's a big enough need for a high school in Destin and say there simply aren't enough students.

Saleeby thinks they're wrong.

"Based on 189 class average at the Destin Middle School, currently that would project out to 756 students for a high school. That's quite a few more students than South Walton at about 500 students, far more students than Freeport a 360, and it's far more students than Baker in our own school district."

Saleeby hopes people will think about the future of Destin.

"Let's not let the opportunity slip away to have an open discussion about this school and to let true facts come out, such as taxes and land and the program requirement that we can have."

If you'd like more information, Saleeby would be glad to help. You can call him at 654-7366.