Blecha runs for BOE while still a student
Editor's note: In the April 1 general election, Hillsboro area voters will elect four people to serve on the USD 410 board of education. Positions are up in districts one, two, three, and seven.
For the remainder of the month, articles will highlight these candidates.
Alex Blecha, 18, is running for the District 1 position on the USD 410 board of education. That position is currently held by Debbie Geis, who is running for re-election.
Blecha, who lives south of Durham, has a unique situation: He's the only BOE candidate who also goes to school in the district. Blecha is a senior at Hillsboro High School.
Blecha decided to run for school board to try to change some things he disagrees with. The administration and teachers could do things better, he said.
Blecha also wants to improve school lunches. The quality of the food has gone down and portion sizes are getting smaller, he said.
One main issue — the budget — will be a huge one that the school board faces. The district may have to look at eliminating programs in order to save money, Blecha said.
The district could also save money through consolidation, he said. Reducing the number of administrators in the county — possibly two superintendents with a couple assistant superintendents — would save administration costs for the districts.
Blecha isn't sure where the boundary lines would fall for a potential consolidation; that would take more study by the school board, he said. But it would be good for the county.
Another option for increasing funds could be the "pay-to-play" system, where students pay a fee to participate in sports and other extracurricular activities.
Blecha is in favor of this system. Students go to school to get an education and not just to play sports, he said. Having athletes pay a fee to use sporting equipment, for example, would save the district money. And the funding for that equipment would come from the students who use it, not from those who don't use it.
Blecha plans to attend Kansas State University this fall and major in engineering. His primary address will still be rural Durham, he said.
If elected, Blecha would return to Hillsboro each month for the board meetings, and he would follow school news through local media.
As a high school student running for school board, Blecha would offer a unique perspective as the District 1 representative, he said. Since he's a student, he sees how the school board's actions directly affect students.
