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Ryan Verazin, a district graduate, will serve as school board member through 2011.
NANTICOKE – District alumnus Ryan Verazin has been chosen to become the newest member of the Greater Nanticoke Area School Board.
Verazin was appointed Thursday night during a monthly board meeting after Director Cindy Donlin made the nomination and it was seconded by Director Jeff Kozlofski. The board vote was unanimous with member Gary Smith absent.
Board President Bob Raineri told those attending the meeting the board had seven qualified, good applicants from which to choose.
“It was very difficult to pick. We know everyone. There are no hard feelings from anyone on this board to those that weren’t chosen. It was very difficult,” Raineri said.
Verazin, 28, is filling the unexpired term of former Director Patti Bieski, who resigned Oct. 15 because she moved out of the district. His term will run through December 2011.
Other applicants considered were Betsy Cheshinski, Marilyn Collacchi, Dave Hornlein Jr., Karen Metta, Sandy Sadowski and James Samselski.
Verazin, a 1999 GNA graduate who went on to earn a degree from King’s College in 2003, accepted the appointment with his wife, Elizabeth, and 4-month-old daughter, Haley, at his side. He was not sworn-in Thursday but will be within the next few days.
“I am very honored and humbled that you put your faith in me. I will not let any of you down. I will not let the students down. I will not let the taxpayers down and I will not let the teachers down as much as I possibly can,” he said.
Verazin’s appointment will continue helping the district move in a new direction, Director Frank Vandermark said.
“We are trying to move forward and get a new, younger modern voice on the board. We are trying to get some fresh faces and new ideas,” Vandermark said.
Vandermark also echoed what Raineri said earlier in the evening that all the candidates were “excellent” choices, making the decision hard, but he felt Verazin’s youth worked to his advantage.
Verazin will be the youngest member of the board.
He thinks his youth will work to the entire district’s benefit.
“I am thinking my age will possibly help keep the board a little bit more up to date on what is really going on in the colleges. I know what the colleges are expecting of students. I know what corporate America is expecting of the students, so I think I can give them some younger insight of what is going on now,” Verazin said.
Verazin loves biology and the sciences.