Norristown is in the second most wealthy county in Pennsylvania, but the wealth of the county is not distributed equally to every community. In fact, you can look up the street at our neighbors in King of Prussia or even next door at our neighbors in Plymouth and see a vivid distinction of privileged and prioritized between the townships. From the quality of life to the quality of education, being at a disadvantaged seems to almost be on purpose for those of us residing in Norristown. The lack of resources for our youth cripples their future endeavors and limits their imagination to aspire to be more than how they are already preserved. The government built the public education system because our democracy and economy would need educated minds in order to prosper. I am committed to making education stronger than ever for all of Norristown’s residents. Being a Norristown Area High School Alumni I recognize the value and necessity of funding reform and will continue to fight for it. In the long run, government investment in our children will be more cost-effective than continuing with a system that fails them by design. 

Schools are a safe haven for many underserved youth, providing them with meals, structure, and support. The needs of our children are too important to not give them every opportunity to spend more time in school. According to Boys2Men Empowerment Group, a mentorship program for Norristown youth, “low-income children in Norristown lose up to 3 months of learning in the summer while high-income children gain up to 2 months of learning. This dichotomy, repeated year after year, accounts for two-thirds of the academic achievement gap.” I will continue utilizing my relationships in the school district and the community to increase funding for after-school activities and summer youth programs.