AVONDALE — A West Valley high school senior is getting closer to being elected to his local school board.
Markus Ceniceros got his driver’s license just two years ago. At 18 years old, he’s not old enough to buy alcohol or rent a car, but he is old enough to run for public office — so he did.
“I know very, very little people who voted for themselves when they were 18,” he said.
As of Thursday night, with votes still left to count, Markus is one of two leading candidates to be a new governing board member for the Littleton Elementary school district in the West Valley. If elected, he would serve a four-year term.
He’s currently beating an incumbent Curtis Nielson who also sits on the Avondale City Council.
When Markus saw the first ballot drop on election night he said, “Obviously, I started crying. It was obviously tears of joy. I was very grateful to the community to trust me at such a young age to make decisions for their children.”
He campaigned with signs, flyers on doors and canvassed in neighborhoods of those he hopes to represent.
“People were like, ‘oh my gosh, I’ve never had a school board candidate ever come to my door,'” he said.
Markus will graduate from West Point High School in the West Valley later next semester. He’s involved in National Honor Society, student government and if things go his way, he hopes to sit on the board.
“I want to see young representation in my community,” said as part of the reason why he decided to run.
If elected, he hopes to advocate for clean energy in schools, better mental health for students and give teachers more say in their contacts.
“Whether it be for benefits or teacher salary,” he said.
Littleton Governing Board president Kathy Reyes said in a statement, “We have always welcomed all views and input from current and newly elected board members. This election cycle, we elected two new members and will move forward by majority vote, as we have always done, to continue to support our students, citizens, and district educators with new points of view.”
When asked what her advice would be for a high schooler serving on the school board she wrote, “In any new role, good leaders watch and learn so they can identify the important needs of an organization. It’s important for both of our new members to have an open mind so our Board can continue to make decisions that benefit the success of our entire district.”
Markus says, if elected, he’s on a half-day schedule for his last semester of school to better balance his new role. He then plans to go to Estrella Community College in the West Valley to finish his term.
“My community doesn’t deserve a part-time public servant, they deserve a full-time public servant, someone who is going to do research, do the work, make meaningful policy for the community,” he said.
And he still plans to go to Prom.
