Marcus Nicholas, who oversees academic partnerships at Tallahassee Community College, hopes to bring change to the Leon County School Board.
As a child, Nicholas was raised in a single-parent household. He grew up where education was not a priority.
However, over time the former Godby High School teacher, found the importance in enhancing his education and he wants to teach other students the same educational values.
Teaching in Tallahassee for the past decade has given the 36-year-old hands-on information about what the students in Tallahassee need in order to succeed.
Six out of the seven schools in District 5 where he is a candidate are Title1 schools. He said he is amazed at the fact that 30 percent of Leon County’s residents do not have a high school diploma.
Using his past experiences, he has built a platform that begins with teacher retention.
“I combined all of my skills and all of my talents,” Nicholas said. “I wanted to make sure that those skills and those talents and those experiences reflected my platform. So, when I talk about teacher retention I’m looking at it through a lens of student success.”
Nicholas believes that it all starts with the teachers. As an academic instructor himself, he believes, by requiring the teachers to pass all entry level exams, such as the General Knowledge exam, before they enter into the classrooms, it would prove that they are dedicated to teaching the children of Leon County.
Nicholas believes in the young minds of tomorrow. He is passionate about lowering the stats for students who are dropping out of high school.
During his walking campaign, he has spoken with parents, locals, students and teachers in the community, to get their opinion on what needs to be changed in order to better the school system in Tallahassee.
Nicholas is passionate about the schools that surround him and the young minds of Tallahassee.
“He plans to bring a change and wants children to fully understand, that no matter where you come from, you still have a chance,” Keila Wilson, a Tallahassee resident, said.