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Health & Fitness

A Qualified Candidate

     My name is Peter Mountanos, and I am a Class of 2012 Wantagh High School Graduate. I am running for a position on the Wantagh Board of Education this May. As a graduate of Wantagh High School and a lifetime resident of Wantagh, I am aware of both the strengths and weaknesses of this district.  I believe that I can provide the voice needed to represent the student body, as well as the community as a whole.
     I was an active member of Wantagh High School for my four years there, serving as the President of the National Honors Society, the Men's Varsity Volleyball Captain, the Academic Team Captain, as well as the Mathletes Captain. I was also a member of Science Olympiad, the French Club, the Yearbook Club, a two-time inductee into the National Foreign Language Honors Society (for both French and Spanish), and an inductee into the National Honors Society.  Through these endeavors, I have shown the necessary leadership, commitment and ambition necessary for a position on the Board of Education.
     Currently, I attend New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, where I am studying technology entrepreneurship.  I hope to bring the Wantagh School District to the forefront of education, through both technology and other innovative measures.  At NYU, I have taken classes at the Stern School of Business, and I believe these courses have taught me valuable skills when it comes to fiscal management and business in general.  I am also focusing on data management at NYU, which would be a critical asset to our district, as technology and ‘big data’ is only becoming more prevalent in our society.
     I have also worked in both the public and private sector since my freshman year of high school. The summer going into my senior year, I conducted particle physics research at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, NY. At the completion of my research, I submitted my paper to many science competitions - the most prestigious being the international Intel Science Talent Search (STS) Competition. I was also one of eight students on Long Island selected to present my work in the Physics and Mathematics category at the Long Island Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. I have also volunteered at both Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, NY and at St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn, NY. I have been a tutor, helping students in the community in subjects ranging from 6th grade reading to AP Physics, since my freshman year of high school.
     At the end of my senior year of high school, I received the Board of Education Paideia Award. The Board of Education Paideia Award is presented to a student who is a leader, performs with exceptional academic talent and has contributed much to his or her surrounding community. I hope to continue to contribute to this wonderful community by being elected a trustee to the Wantagh Board of Education.
     My campaign has been spurred by my belief that every student’s voice and perspective deserves to be heard when it comes to their education. I plan on posting to this blog daily (as time allows), to give the community members insight into my campaign each day.  I look forward to using this blog as a tool to communicate with the community, and I hope that this generates many comments and questions, as that is the best way to understand what this community really needs.  Visit my website -- http://petermountanos.org/ -- for more details on my platform, or email me at pjmountanos@gmail.com with any questions. You can also like my Facebook Page -- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vote-Peter-Mountanos-Board-of-Education-2013/237517319721646 -- or follow me on Twitter -- @petermountanos. Thank you!       

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