Lorita Mayo is a candidate for Suffolk’s School Board, and she is running for a seat in the Holy Neck Borough.

After more than three decades as an educator, Mayo believed that she had an obligation to the students in Suffolk to run for a seat on the Suffolk School Board.

“I believe that we have an obligation to our children to provide the best educational opportunities and prepare them for lifelong learning,” Mayo said. “I have always been an advocate for the youth.”

As a lifelong resident and retired Suffolk teacher, assistant principal and principal, Mayo believes she has a special insight into the community that can be beneficial.

“As a result of my experience as an educator, I have much to offer the School Board, and I have a genuine interest in the city and my borough,” Mayo said. “I understand the culture of this borough and this city. I’ve lived here and talked to the people.”

Her main focus as a candidate is to ensure that students have the necessary resources for instruction and learning. For Mayo, those necessary resources include financial support, adequate facilities and adequate personnel.

“I think it is very important that I support funding to ensure that our teachers and support personnel are compensated in regard to comparable to area school districts,” Mayo said. “We need to keep good teachers. Recruitment and retention are what drive instructional programs to have a successful school division.”

She believes that the school division has to look at the needs of Suffolk Public Schools to make better use of the budget.

The College and Career Academy at Pruden is equally important to Mayo. She believes that career readiness should be a necessary part of a student’s education.

“It is important to look at career education, because when we prepare our youth for the future, we need to realize not everyone is on the college track,” Mayo said. “Let’s provide career education. I think we are getting there, but we can improve that.”

Mayo wants the School Board to take a look at programs offered at the career academy to make sure they are offering programs that students will benefit from after they graduate from high school.

“I can’t fix everything, but I want to be a part of a group working together for the school division,” Mayo said. “I’m retired, so I have the time to devote to the position. I’m qualified, dedicated and committed.”