Valentine Crawford says he's seeking a second term on school board because there is still work to be done.
"Public education is still kind of under attack and it's important to have that continuity of trustees that are able to stay on and as well as transition new ones," Crawford said Thursday. "There is a lot in terms of moving forward on 21st century learning and changing how we do education."
Three current trustees have decided not to run again.
Crawford, 28, works at Lush, a soap and cosmetics store in Pine Centre Mall, and is a consultant with Partylite, which sells candles.
He has no children of his own but has two brothers and a sister attending elementary and secondary school in McBride.
Prior to winning a first term on school board, Crawford was the student representative on the College of New Caledonia's board of governors for five years and was president of the college's students union for five years.
Crawford is also president of Prince George Pride, an advocacy group for the local gay and lesbian community.
He is two courses away from completing an associate degree in arts at the college.
First elected to school board in 2008, Crawford has chaired the policy and governance committee which oversaw significant changes to the school district's catchment and student transfer policy.
Although the changes raised major concerns when they were first approved by trustees, Crawford said they appear to be working.
The only concern about catchments raised so far this year has come from a group of Miworth parents who want bus service to Heritage elementary in addition to their catchment school of Quinson elementary.
Looking forward to the next three years, Crawford said money will remain the major issue, as it had been during the last three when schools were closed in the face of declining enrollments.
"We now know there is a [continued] projected enrollment drop out to 2015 before it flat-lines," Crawford said. "Trustees now and in the next three years have an obligation to watch that, to continue conversations about what we're going to do, what can we do in terms of moving forward so we can try to mitigate any further major changes.
"Closing schools isn't the only solution to financial problems and the government has an obligation too, to really buck up and say 'OK, we are going to do something about it,' and they are talking about changing the [funding] formula."
