RIDGWAY — William A. Seely is seeking a four-year position on the Ridgway Area School Board.

Seely started serving as a U.S. Marine Corps navigator at age 18, flying in C-130s with the corps. He attended college to become a science educator at the high school level.

“Education is my professional field, where I originally taught PSSC physics and college prep chemistry to high school students in New Jersey for several years,” he said.

He received an NSF Scholarship, which helped him to obtain a master of science degree in science; then, he earned an educational administration-systems degree at Columbia University in New York City.

With a growing family and a new career in school finance for school districts, Seely eventually took a finance position with the State Department of Education in New Jersey. When he retired, he moved to Ridgway, where his great-grandfather worked for the O.B. Grant Co. in the 19th Century.

Among his ideas are to set up a committee to consider consolidation of Elk County school districts composed of citizens of Ridgway, Johnsonburg and St Marys. He also wants the county to consider opening a vocational school where students could learn skills in a specialized curriculum.

He has cross-filed, seeking the nominations for both parties.