Pavel M. Payano, member Lawrence School Committee

Congratulations to Pavel M. Payano on his appointment last night to a vacant seat on the Lawrence School Committee. The 25-year old Payano is a well-know young activist in his community who credits his own success as a student in the Lawrence school system as the motivation for seeking the position. Payano already has a track record as a leader among his peers. His example could be an effective tool for engaging the students of Lawrence in the deciding the quality and direction of their own education. I and many locals in this part of the Merrimack Valley have worked with Pavel and know of his leadership skills, commitment and his other talents first hand.

“My passion to grow our cities’ youth into the leaders, scientists and engineers of tomorrow moves me to become more engaged and it is why I am interested in becoming a member of the Lawrence School Committee,” he wrote the City Council last month in applying for the vacancy left by the resignation of Frank Bonet, the District C member.

The council was moved by Payano’s passion to serve and last night voted 8-0 to elect him to fill the final 10 months of Bonet’s unexpired two-year term.

“I’m going to reach out to high school students to see what they need,” said Payano, 25, a 2002 Lawrence High School graduate who went on to earn a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. He is close to completing a master’s degree in public affairs from UMass-Boston.

“My big thing is improving science and math from middle school to high school,” he told the council after his appointment was approved.

Read the full story about Pavel Payano  here in the Eagle Tribune.