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20-year-old running for Virginia Beach School Board

Justin Burns graduated from Bayside High School two years ago and thinks his fresh student perspective will add value to the board.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Five Virginia Beach School Board seats are up for grabs in November. One name you'll see on the ballot this fall isn't your average candidate, and he's not your typical age.

He is running on the slogan, "Challenged to Be Better and Do Better."

Local college student Justin Burns is just 20 years old and is running for an at-large spot this November.

"We are seeing on television from school board the contention, the division,” Burns said. “All of it is just not who we are as a division."

Burns graduated from Bayside High School two years ago and thinks his fresh student perspective will add value to the board.

"They may not know it, but students are watching them,” Burns said. “And they are expecting them to get it right.”

If elected, Burns said he wants to work on teacher and support staff salaries. He also wants to tackle issues like closing the achievement gap and student absences.

The school board’s Vice-Chair, Kimberly Melnyk, said she thinks Burns could fill the seat.

“I think he is a very bright and capable young man,” Melnyk said. “I believe he has the ability to add a perspective to the school board that we’ve never had before.”

Burns has a full plate as a college student at Virginia Wesleyan University, and Virginia Beach Clean Community Commissioner. But he's inspired to do more. He keeps words from his grandmother in mind.

"She would always have a saying that if you don't have a stake in the game, you can't complain,” Burns said. “You can't sit on the sidelines. You just have to get out there, get up."

To Burns, age is just a number. He hopes voters see it that way this fall.

"I want to make sure that we have more diversity on our school board in age and in thought, and that we don't take the experienced voice of students and teachers for granted,” Burns said.

Burns is running against Victoria Manning, Beverly Anderson, and Matthias Paul Telkamp.

Read more about Burns’ campaign here.

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