Lewis Semashkewich was acclaimed as trustee for the Aspen View Public Schools northwest ward, which contains Smith School, after municipal nominations closed Sept. 23.
Semashkewich ran for a trustee position in the last election and narrowly lost the race.
“I saw our local school board had a surplus of funds, and the province was clawing back funds off of operations budgets,” he explained of his motivation all along.
“There is a need for new schools in our region, as well as the struggle to keep our small, rural schools open,” he said.
Semashkewich has lived in the community all his life, has raised his family here, and has been married to Penny, the Athabasca District Chamber of Commerce president and owner of Penny’s Headquarters, for more than 21 years.
“I am a civilian instructor and training officer at our local Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron,” he said. “I have enjoyed coaching different community sports; I served a term of councillor and mayor of the Village of Sunset Beach.”
Semashkewich currently sits as a trustee on the International Third World Leaders Association, which strives to develop leaders under the guidance of its parent organization, Bahamas Faith Ministries International.
He thinks as a member of this community, giving back and helping to secure a future for Aspen View students is important.
“Our duty as citizens of the community is to support our school system,” he said. “Our goal personally and corporately should be to encourage each person to be all they can be.
“If each child is raised and taught to identify what their gifts and talents are and is encouraged to develop them, opportunities are unlimited,” he explained. “I believe our local school system has a very strong administration team and a high level of teachers.”
He said he knows the division has the support of the local and provincial government.
“And I will do all that I can to help the next generation build a better tomorrow,” he said.
