Wednesday, April 23, 2008

UPDATED: Frisco candidate Jeremy Starritt taking names and planting trees

By Chad Jones

Updated 10:15 a.m., May 2, 2008

This election season, you won't see Jeremy Starritt's name as you drive through the streets of Frisco.

I know what you're thinking. "Mmmyeah, I betchu could make a whole lotta signs outta that baby." But you must resist.

The candidate for Frisco School Board Place 5 just isn't to be found amidst the pools of paper signs that always gather in street corners and lawnscapes. But you'll soon see his work.

"I'm using my campaign funds to purchase trees instead of signs," Starritt said.

A former teacher in West Africa, Poland and now Collin County (tough trio), Starritt says he's an environmentalist at heart.

"I just could not bring myself to purchase something that will have my name on it until the end of time," Starritt said (or at least for the sixteen more days leading up to the School Board elections).

What's more, the purchased trees will be donated to various Frisco ISD schools as part of an essay contest dubbed "Why I Love Trees" (info here).

"All a tree-loving student needs to do is write a 100-word essay on why they love them," Starritt said. "The essays will be reviewed on originality and creativity and the PTA's of the winning students will be given the trees."

Starritt says he hopes to create a positive incentive for students and to continue his campaign's environmentally conscious theme.

In 2006 an estimated 20 million campaign signs were churned out in the U.S. Most are lovingly preserved in landfills.

"My home meet-and-greets are also as environmentally responsible as possible," Starrit said, "with 'bring your own mugs,' using fair trade coffee, and composting the coffee grinds and filters."

Starritt gently bats away the idea he might lose name recognition because of his no-sign tactic.

"I hope that through my ongoing public service and community volunteering that people already know me or at least know of me," he said. "I have had the amazing experience of working beside so many dedicated individuals whom are committed to seeing our school district maintain its excellence. With a force that honest and powerful, I feel the signs are unnecessary."

Starritt is running against Richard Beaver (campaign site), incumbent Place 5 holder and current Vice President of the Frisco ISD Board of Trustees.

Due to demand the deadline for the "Why I Love Trees" contest has been extended to Wednesday, April 30th. Essays should be submitted online through www.electjeremy.com as other means of entry would be quite ironic.

UPDATED: The winning essays have been posted, and they're nothing short of spectacular:

See more stories in:

• Environmental Issues
• Frisco ISD

Comments

Teresa Gubbins Staff

this guy is so awesome that he ALMOST makes me wish i lived in frisco so i could vote for him. i love that his meet & greets are "bring your own mug"

5 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )