This year, Lewiston’s Ward 4 finally has a choice when deciding who to elect to the School Committee, and I feel that having a fresh face couldn’t have come at a better time.

For the past several years, I have experienced the many challenges Lewiston schools are facing, including overcrowding, rushed implementations, increased testing and overall teacher burnout. While we can blame state mandates for all the challenges, we need committee members who actively fight for our schools, push back against unfunded mandates and actively seek feedback and ideas from teachers, parents and students.

Ward 4 needs a new face. We need someone who understands that, individually, he does not have all the answers but, instead, relies on the experience of those on the front lines.

For me, I believe that is what Ward 4 will get when Ben Martin is elected.

Heidi Sawyer, Lewiston