LONG ISLAND, NY -- In a dramatic and historic statement by voters, an 18-year-old high school senior was elected to the Board of Education Tuesday night.
Calling himself "A fresh voice for the 21st century," teenager earned a seat on the board, joining Christopher DiFilippo and Alan Resnick. Lafazan won with a remarkable tally of 4,739 ballots or 82 percent of the vote. DiFilippo garnered the second-most votes with 2,531, followed by Resnick (2,474).
Syosset school officials also announced that the $198 million 2012-13 budget passed by 61 percent, 3,530-2,271.
Voters also reelected Robert Glick to the board.
News crews joined hundreds of Syosset residents, many of them students, in the cafeteria to hear the live results of this dramatic election that has recently garnered attention across the region.
"This is not just a victory for Josh Lafazan," Lafazan said. "This is a victory for all the citizens of Syosset who have shown that in this world -- with dedication, organization and enthusiasm -- anything is possible."
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Lafazan is widely believed to be the youngest school board member in the state.
Lafazan plans to attend Nassau Community College in the fall and is the founder of SafeRideSyosset.org. His father created a stir on the eve of the election when the district claimed he without authorization. The Lafazans said the documents have since been turned in to the Nassau County Police's Second Precinct.
The district issued an alert on its website Monday and robo-called residents with the news, a tactic the Lafazans dismissed as a "smear" campaign by the administration.
Apparently, voters agreed.
"It feels great, it really does," Lafazan said. "I'm in a debt of gratitude forever to the voters of Syosset."
contributed to this report.
Candidate Votes Lafazan 4,739 DiFilippo 2,531 Resnick 2,474 Moore 2,365 Rutigliano 2,115Big Headlines From New York:
