SHAMOKIN - Matthew Reed Losiewicz is a candidate for the Shamokin Area School Board.
Losiewicz, a graduate of Shamokin Area High School, earned a bachelor's degree in communication studies from Bloomsburg University. He said he has a background in finance as well as communications.
"In the past year, I was appointed to the Shamokin Planning Board, for which I am the second chair, and also was elected by a group of my peers to be president of the non-profit organization, Coal City Revitalization Inc., which aims to raise money to better our town," Losiewicz said. He added that he has reached out and worked with other groups, such as cleanup crews, trying to take small steps in bring the community together by instilling a sense of pride in the area.
"I want to make it public that during this campaign I will not mudsling or degrade my opponents for their pasts," Losiewicz said. "As did my grandfather, Frederick "Fritz" Reed, I will run on my own strengths and beliefs which he helped instill within me. He believed, as do I, that someone should not be judged on their past; instead, they should be judged on who they've become from the experiences they have gone through. Mud slinging also does not affect the candidate because they are aware it may be done. It only affects their families, which is not right. In this year's election, there are a number of highly qualified candidates from all different backgrounds, and I am proud to be considered among these people."
Losiewicz said that with the right people in place, the district can be among the best districts in the region, both in education and in fiscal status. "We can work together as a board in finding ways to reach the goals and overcome the obstacles placed in front of us," Losiewicz remarked. "I believe we need to reinstate programs such as art, music and physical education to our elementary school to help broaden our children's minds and help them find outlets for their thoughts. We need to focus on hiring and maintaining our teachers in general by giving them the tools they need and competitive salaries for the area.
"If you feel the same way I do and are willing to give me the chance to represent our school, I promise that with every decision I make I will put the collective futures of the students, teachers and the school district as my priority," he concluded.