Forge Student Elected To Public Office!
I’m absolutely thrilled to be able to inform you that, only three months after our inaugural Forge Leadership Summit, one of our top students, Alexander Staton, has been elected to public office. Armed with a sharp mind, a servant’s heart, and the skills he learned at the 2015 Forge Leadership Summit, Alex was elected yesterday to serve on his hometown Franklin Monroe School Board in Darke County, Ohio.
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Alex is a senior at Miami (OH) University, completing a degree in Computer Engineering. Born and raised in the rural area northwest of Dayton, Alex has been active in his local community and has interned at his local church. His career goals include working in the engineering field and starting his own business.
He ran for school board motivated by a love of his hometown, a desire to invest in the community in which he was raised, and a concern about the direction of the education system of which he was a recent graduate.
On the eve of his election, Alex posted this picture of himself and a family friend, stating,
“In a few short years, this young man will be in kindergarten. I think it’s important to remember the implications of elections when voting tomorrow. If elected to this four-year term, all choices and policies put into place will affect the faces of tomorrow.”
When asked why he ran for office at a young age, Alex answered,
“I ran for school board to improve on the community that has given me so much. I think being younger offers a unique view of the education system. People really respected the initiative of a younger person willing to make a sacrifice for their community.”
Of course, Forge Leadership Network, as a 501c3 tax-exempt educational nonprofit, does NOT engage in the election of any candidate, so we were not involved in Alex’s campaign.
But, in the spring, while considering running for elected office, Alex knew that Forge Leadership Network existed to invest in and equip young conservatives with aspirations just like his. He attended the 2015 Forge Leadership Summit in July with accurate hopes that Forge could help him grow as a person of deep conviction and equip him with hands-on training that would serve him well in his future endeavors in business and the public sector.
As Alex describes,
“Forge Leadership Network has helped me achieve my goals of helping my local community, while at the same time helping me be able to articulate a conservative message. This was done though a variety of methods at the Summit, including teaching me about running a campaign, effective public speaking, and media training about how to stay on message. Forge equipped me to accomplish my campaign goals and win this election. I’m proud to be in the Forge Fellowship, and greatly look forward to the continued training and personal mentoring I will receive over the next year.”
Thank you for your interest and support of Forge Leadership Network. I hope you are encouraged by this exciting news. The vision of Forge is coming true before our very eyes.
WOULD YOU CONSIDER A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE GIFT TO FORGE TODAY?
Sincerely,
Adam Josefczyk
Executive Director – Forge Leadership Network
