(6/2018) I’ve had the pleasure of serving on the FCPS Family Life Advisory Committee for the past four years, including the last two as its Recording Secretary. I’m currently pursuing a double major in economics and history at the University of Maryland, College Park, where I commute to twice a week from my home in Middletown.

As a 2016 graduate of Middletown High School, I’ve been blessed with a fantastic public education here in Frederick County. My mom and dad, graduates of Middletown (’92) and Brunswick (’93), have dedicated their careers to educating young minds. In their combined thirty years of teaching, they have instilled in me the belief that public education is the most important service that local government provides for its citizens. That’s why I want to help provide our county’s students with a modern, twenty-first century education that prepares them for the challenges of a changing world.

My campaign is focused on four major themes – staff compensation, equity in school construction, STEM education, and supporting community schools.

As the son of two teachers, I'm well aware of the unseen and unpaid work that goes into running a classroom. It is crucial that we affirm the value of all our FCPS staff by paying competitive salaries. FCPS teachers, administrators, and support staff work in oftentimes challenging circumstances for far less than they're worth. We expect them to be excellent educators while simultaneously performing significant and unpaid extra work. Investing in staff compensation is crucial for maintaining our excellent school system here in Frederick County. Our strong schools boost property values and make our county a better place to live. Let's recognize those who make that possible.

At the same time, Frederick County faces serious challenges in how we deal with growth and its effects on school construction, particularly in the county’s southeast communities. It is imperative that we continue to relieve overcrowding by building or renovating schools as soon as possible. However, we can’t forget to maintain our aging schools, especially those in our county’s rural areas. It is unacceptable for a county as wealthy as ours to have students still learning in schools that haven’t been renovated in decades.

As a Board of Education member, I will fight for every child in our county to go to a school which meet their needs. I am confident that the members of our County Council and our representatives in Annapolis will stand with me as we bring Frederick County Public Schools up to higher standards.

If elected to the Board, I pledge to support and encourage all academic disciplines in our schools, not just those relating to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education. STEM is, without a doubt, important for our county and country. However, we should not promote and direct students into STEM fields without also funding the social sciences, humanities, and fine arts. We need teachers, artists, historians and farmers just as much as we need engineers and mathematicians. I promise to promote and celebrate the achievements of all of our students across the dozens of student organizations our county is blessed to have.

Finally, as someone who attended a small elementary school, I understand the important role that our schools play in bringing communities together. That's why I want to make my position clear. In almost every circumstance, I believe that the Board should make a concerted effort to maintain the important relationships between schools and their communities. In many parts of our county, the local school is the only community building and serves as an unofficial center of town. Our students deserve to go to a close, local school which reflects their community's values.

This election is personal for me. Like so many voters here in Frederick County, I was born and raised here. I know how lucky we all are to live and work in a community as wonderful and diverse as Frederick County. I sincerely want to give back to the community that has given my family and I so much over the years. Hopefully, through my beliefs and convictions, I have convinced you that I am worthy of your vote.