Meet Nick

Leadership begins by choosing to show up. When we ask good questions, listen carefully, and bring people together around a shared purpose, we create opportunities for good ideas to grow and make a meaningful difference for students. 


Watching from the sidewalk as Wyatt walked through the school doors on his first day, I realized just how much trust I was placing in others to educate and care for my son.

My hope was that Wyatt would be challenged, encouraged, and surrounded by adults who cared about him — not just as a student, but as a person.

After that first day of school, I kept thinking about what had changed. For the first time in five years, there were other people who would have a daily influence on Wyatt’s life.

And standing there on the sidewalk, I felt nearly helpless.

I wanted to help, but I wasn't sure where I fit or what I had to offer. So I did the simplest thing I could think of:

I started showing up.

I remembered seeing a school newsletter describing a monthly Parent-Teacher Group meeting, so I decided to attend the next one and see what I could learn.

I didn't have a plan. I simply wanted to support Wyatt’s school.

Family taking a selfie in front of Central Elementary School, with a girl, woman, and man smiling.

Showing Up

Showing up on a monthly basis at these meetings for nearly two years gave me the opportunity to learn about the school community.

The Parent-Teacher Group, known as Parents and Teachers for Central Elementary, or PTC, was supported by parents, teachers, and staff who cared deeply about students and wanted to make a difference.

Then something unexpected happened.

The PTC president stepped down, leaving the group without someone to lead it.

When I was asked to step into that role from my current position as Vice President, I decided to say yes because I cared about the work and wanted to build on what we had.

I also wanted to be more directly involved in understanding what the parents, teachers, and staff cared about, what they hoped for, and where they believed we could make a difference.

So I asked questions.

Then I listened.

I asked follow-up questions.

Then listened some more.

The more intentional our conversations became, the more I realized that the purpose of the group wasn't simply supporting the school. It was also about helping people feel heard, creating opportunities for good ideas to grow, and bringing people together around a shared purpose.

Eventually, one of those conversations grew into an idea that changed the way we supported our school.

Four people sitting at a wooden table, engaged in conversation, each holding a coffee mug, in a bright room with large windows and a bookcase in the background.

Ask, Listen, Repeat

Two children, a girl with glasses and a boy with headphones, smiling and holding school supplies including notebooks, markers, and crayons at a desk in a classroom.

When People Come Together

As PTC President, I’ve learned that change doesn't begin with just one person. It begins when people decide to work together around a shared purpose.

Over time our shared purpose began to reveal a theme:

How could we support the greatest number of students where no one feels left out?

Because of this purpose our PTC has raised $50,000 through our annual Colorblast fundraiser over the previous three years. Hundreds of people have participated in these fundraisers. Families volunteered as support staff, teachers and staff encouraged participation, and up to 10 local businesses have repeatedly sponsored these events.

And with those funds we’ve been able to invest it right back into the school by providing school supplies for 200+ students three years in a row.

Watching that all come together reminds me that meaningful change often begins when people show up, are provided meaningful opportunities, and work together for a common cause —not simply to raise money, but to invest in students.

A smiling family of three stands outside an elementary school named 'Central Elementary'. They are hugging each other on the school steps, with the school building in the background.

Why I’m Running

Those experiences changed more than the way I volunteered. They changed the way I think about leadership.

I’ve come to believe that leadership on the Grandville School Board begins with showing up, helping people feel heard, and bringing people together.

Five years later, I still watch from the sidewalk as Wyatt walks through those school doors. But I no longer feel helpless because I now understand something I couldn't have known that first morning: how important it is to show up, help people feel heard, and bring people together.

Learn How I'll Support Students