Letter: Justin Wilk will not quit

Letter to the editor

I first met Justin when I attended Woodbridge Middle School in 2007.

Justin was my track coach throughout middle school and my Civics teacher in the 7th grade, when he became a close personal friend to my family and myself. Justin was able to teach me many things throughout my three years in middle school, whether it was in the classroom or on the track, but there was one thing specifically he said to me that I have never forgotten.

When I was in the 7th grade, I came to Justin before tryouts for that years track season and told him that I didn’t think I was going to run track that year because I also played soccer and was thinking on quitting track so I could focus more on my developing soccer career. I had done well on the team the year before, my 6th grade year, and was a key part in our team’s success but I remember Justin said to me, “I can understand the reasoning behind your decision but if you are good at something, why quit?”

Not only did I decide to run track the next two years I was in middle school, but I improved more and more each year setting new personal records for myself and working harder and harder to make my team even better each year than it was the year before. As insignificant as this may seem, it was not my middle school track career that I am writing to brag about, it was the eight words that Justin said to me that year that I will never forget: “If you are good at something why quit?”

I am now a sophomore in college and have not forgotten those eight words that have had an effect on the person I have grown to be, because not only do they speak volumes to my character, but also to that of Justin Wilk’s. Justin is the right man for the Potomac District because he has a passion for what he does and is good at being a mentor, role model, and leader in our community.

Justin looks to be a new leader that shares the values of our public interests and not those of county lobbyists and special interest groups that have put themselves first for too long. With our help, Justin looks to lower class sizes, improve teacher salaries, and provide more transparency to our community.

Justin is the right man for the School Board because he is not only good at listening to what the people want and putting Prince William County first, but also Justin Wilk will not quit until he has brought the change that our community has been waiting for and deserves.