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Two South Jersey towns have new school board members who are just 19 years old — among the youngest in the state

New Jersey has been encouraging young people to get involved in school board elections.

New Deptford school board member Justin Green (center) is just 19 years old.
New Deptford school board member Justin Green (center) is just 19 years old.Read moreJustin Green

Before he could legally run for office, Justin Green began speaking up at Deptford school board meetings, advocating for his peers. He was a high school junior.

Now, at 19, Green is among the youngest school board members ever elected in New Jersey. He’s part of a younger generation that has taken a growing interest in local politics often reserved for their parents and teachers.

“I viewed my age not as a weakness but as a reflection of the town itself,” Green said in an interview. “I figured it was time someone new stepped up.”

Green was sworn in to the Deptford board earlier this month. Elsewhere in South Jersey, Aidan DiMarco, also 19, joined the Oaklyn school board, a small K-8 district. Both were overwhelmingly elected by voters in their hometowns in November.

Although uncommon, at least three teenagers were elected to school boards in November, according to Janet Bamford, a spokeswoman for the New Jersey School Boards Association. Chad Wood, 18, won a seat in 2023 in the Sparta district in Sussex County.

Green and DiMarco don’t know each other, but have a lot in common. Both are aspiring lawyers and second-year Rowan University students.

“I think it’s important to have someone younger on the board who has an understanding of how young people feel,” said DiMarco, a sophomore political science major. “I want to make sure the district continues to grow and has the resources it needs.”

New Jersey has been encouraging young people to get involved in school board elections. A bill backed by Gov. Phil Murphy would make 16- and 17-year-olds eligible to vote in local school board races. If adopted, the state would become the first in the country to allow it.

Candidates must be at least 18 and registered to vote when they file nominating petitions. Board members typically serve three-year terms and vote on hiring recommendations from the superintendent and other matters, such as policies, curriculum, and the annual operating budget.

Green, a sophomore political science and law justice major, became a student advocate while attending the Gloucester County Institute of Technology (GCIT) in Deptford. As a junior, he began speaking at meetings after the district threatened busing cuts and proposed a “subscription busing” plan. The board eventually rescinded the proposal.

But his advocacy began even earlier in life. His middle school classmate Alaina Sodroski recalls Green fighting for students’ rights when he was 13. The two met in seventh grade.

“He can make a difference for our schools, and I can’t imagine a better person for this position,” she said.

The youngest of three brothers, Green was bullied as a middle schooler and spoke up for himself and others, said his mother Eady. A high academic achiever, he learned to use his smarts to defuse tensions, she said.

“He’s very different from my other kids. He doesn’t play games,” his mother said. “He’s really serious about anything he does.”

In 2022, Green was appointed by then-Superintendent Michael Dicken as the GCIT student representative to the Deptford school board. Those experiences inspired Green to run for one of three open seats in November.

“I think that moment sparked my candidacy,” Green said.

Green built a strong constituency base among his peers and older residents. In addition to being a Rowan student government leader, he is an EMT and a Boy Scouts leader.

Carol Smith, a Rowan writing professor who had Green in her class last fall, said he was a hardworking student who was not satisfied with his assignments “until everything was 100% finished.” She believes he will approach his board role the same way.

“What a remarkable young man. He makes people feel heard and cared for,” she said.

» READ MORE: Deptford schools rescind ‘subscription busing’ plan that would have charged students $365 annually

The nine-member Deptford school board has tackled tough issues in recent years that have drawn the ire of parents and students. The district enrolls nearly 4,000 students in K-12.

In 2023, the district suspended a controversial, unpaid meals policy that made national headlines. Students with delinquent accounts would have been served peanut butter or cheese sandwiches.

Murphy ordered the district to rescind the policy, saying it conflicted with state guidelines and would harm children. The district said it enacted the policy because some student accounts were $68,000 in arrears.

At the start of the 2024-25 school year, the district was forced to drop the controversial proposal to eliminate courtesy busing for some students to cut transportation costs after an uproar from parents and township officials who raised safety concerns. The district said it was spending millions on unbudgeted transportation costs.

» READ MORE: Deptford school district has adjusted cutoff times to its upcoming Chromebook policy

Green said he is focused on settling into his board position without a set agenda. He plans to push for more transparency, better communication, and more effective use of technology for board business to keep residents informed.

An aspiring prosecutor or labor attorney, Green hasn’t decided on a future political career. He wants to inspire other young people to seek elected office.

“I’ll see where it takes me,” Green said.

DiMarco, who is interested in immigration or family law, also has not decided whether he’ll pursue politics long-term. He has worked on political campaigns and currently serves as the national membership director of College Democrats of America.

“It’s important to give back to the community,” he said.