A young man who graduated from high school on Friday is now campaigning to serve on his alma mater’s school board.
Nathan Kaw-uh, 18, accepted his diploma from Grafton High School June 16. In the fall, he will head to Christopher Newport University to pursue a degree in business.
In the meantime, Kaw-uh will be campaigning for a seat on the York County School Board.
“I feel as if my four years could be a valuable asset to the board,” Kaw-uh said. “I will be able to provide info and feedback on programs they’ve implemented.”
Kaw-uh officially filed June 9 for a seat vacated by Cindy Kirschke, who resigned from her District 2 seat Monday.
District 2 serves the Coventry and Kiln Creek areas. The majority of students living in the district — roughly 2,000-2,500 of them — attend four schools, including Coventry Elementary, Grafton-Bethel, and Grafton Middle and High schools.
A special election for Kirschke’s former seat will be held Nov. 7. Kaw-uh said he is currently collecting signatures to officially begin his campaign. He has been going door-to-door two nights a week and has collected more than 20 signatures so far. He will need a total of 180 to be eligible for election.
One of the people who signed Kaw-uh’s petition was Grafton band teacher Darren Kirsch. Kaw-uh said he had Kirsch as a teacher for each of his four years and counts him as an influential mentor in his life.
“He’s always been a mature and responsible kid…well, I probably shouldn’t call him a kid anymore,” Kirsch said with a laugh. “Typically, you don’t see 18-year-olds even having a remote interest in running for school board. Honestly, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen an 18-year-old even express an interest in running for office.”
Kirsch said Kaw-uh became a section leader in the band, gaining valuable leadership experience. Kirsch added he was very impressed that Kaw-uh has his own business.
Kaw-uh owns and operates Junkoligy LLC, a lawn care company. He has recently expanded the company to handle snow removal as well.
He said he began the venture as a 9-year-old, and gave it a name Junkoligy before he learned the correct spelling of “ology.” What started as a hobby of picking up cans has grown into a full-fledged lawn care operation with $22,000 worth of equipment, he said.
“I was impressed by his maturity, especially the fact that he owned his own business and had [a] keen concept of the real world,” Kirschke said. “We want our students to graduate high school ready to conquer the world, so I say more power to him.”
Kirschke said she has not endorsed any candidate, but met with Kaw-uh about the school board after he announced his intent to run.
As someone who worked throughout high school, Kaw-uh said he hopes his business acumen will help improve the division’s economic curriculum. A complaint Kaw-uh said he has received from fellow graduates is despite Grafton’s mandatory economics class, many feel unprepared for the job market.
“I want our students to be ready for the real world. I’ll push for education that will prepare them for whatever path they choose,” Kaw-uh said. “Whether it’s a track to college, trade school or going right out into the workforce, we want to make sure all students are given opportunities.”
As a recent graduate, Kaw-uh said he intends to provide a voice to students and teachers alike. He plans to have a hand in reducing the student-teacher ratio in York County schools, improve teacher salaries and perhaps even review the 8 a.m. start time.
“[Kaw-uh] offers unique insight since he is just coming from the classroom and knows what policies are trickling down from SBO to classrooms in schools,” Kirschke said.
As for potential challengers, according to York County’s Chief Assistant Registrar Patty Gay, no one has formally filed for the election. However, she said folks have been picking up the paperwork. The final deadline to file is Aug. 18.
