7 vying for 3 open seats on Lockport Board of Education

Apr. 26—Seven residents of Lockport City School District are declared candidates for seats on the Board of Education.

Three of nine seats are to be filled in the May 16 election, those occupied by trustees Renee Cheatham, Heather Hare and Martha Kershaw.

Only Cheatham is seeking another term of office.

"Nothing has changed. My platform hasn't changed. It's still all about the kids and their success," she said.

Candidates on the ballot alongside Cheatham are:

—Alex Lamont, a Lockport native who works in Buffalo schools. Lamont taught special education for 11 years and now oversees a program meant to ensure children with special needs are getting the attention they deserve. In a brief telephone interview Wednesday, Lamont said that as a school trustee he would "think outside the box" and do his best to help students in the district that educated him. "Listen to stakeholders, parents, teachers, administration. That's what will stop people from leaving and get people to come back to Lockport," he said.

—Geneva Johnson, who also ran for school board last year. "I wasn't going to run (again), but then I thought, 'why not?' I can't explain it, but there's something different, in a good way," she said in a brief interview. "I can't put my finger on it, but I'm not as anxious like before. I guess I want to say that I'm more together now. That's why I'm running. The truth is, I would be a very good asset for the school board."

—Tom Gray, a businessman whose wife has taught in the district for 23 years, and whose two children are current students, one in 12th grade and one in 6th grade. "I want to be an active participant in the district, and with my leadership skills in business, I think I'd be a helpful to the schools," Gray said.

—Teria Young, a member of the My Brother's Keeper Advisory Council.

—Shannon Patterson.

—Joseph Runfola II.

Young, Patterson and Runfola could not be reached by phone Wednesday night to comment on their candidacies.