It’s been a decade since alumnus Max Skolnik left the University, but his passion for education has not let up.
As a Democratic candidate for a seat on the D.C. Council representing Ward 4 – the northernmost part of the city, including Fort Totten, Petworth and Takoma – Skolnik hopes to have a hand in mending the city’s struggling school system if voters usher him through April’s primary election.
“I just believe in my heart, with every fiber of my being, that unless we get this right, unless we fix this educational challenge, honestly we will never be a great city again,” the 2002 Elliott School of International Affairs graduate said.
A recent report commissioned by Mayor Vincent Gray’s office and released Jan. 26 recommended the shutdown or turnaround of three dozen public schools citywide. It also found that 67 percent of students within D.C.’s public school system live in households with incomes that fall under the federal poverty line.
“To me, it’s not fair that you have to win a lottery to put your kids in a charter school, or you have to win the real lottery to put your kids in private school,” Skolnik said. “Real folks don’t have access to high quality public education.”
Skolnik is campaigning on a platform of fixing the city’s schools so that they offer “all the needs of a child from cradle to career,” by adding a year-round youth employment program, increasing anti-bullying efforts and enhancing the quality of after-care programs. He points to his experience at Kid Power, a D.C. nonprofit he founded upon graduation to boost literacy rates, as a testament of his leadership on youth issues.
Kid Power also includes a “CookieTime” bakery operated by middle school students in a partnership with the bakery chain CakeLove to help them gain financial and food preparation skills. A “VeggieTime” program focuses on nutrition and urban gardening.
After spending a portion of his childhood living in Mexico, Skolnik came to GW to indulge his fascination with the Spanish language and Latin American history and culture. He also spent a summer during his college years in Chile.
"I was intensely interested in the ways that countries heal after dictatorships," Skolnik said, adding that GW was an "amazing place to conduct this research."
His drive to champion youth issues took root during a service trip to Cuba, where he helped children develop original plays from scratch, while studying at the University.
“I came back to the States totally mesmerized and just totally knew that this was my passion and this is what I wanted to do with my life,” Skolnik said, adding that GW prepared him for that route by reinforcing traits like discipline, patience and compassion in his work.
He served on the Southwest Waterfront Advisory Neighborhood Commission from 2004 to 2008 and now sits on the DC Alliance of Youth Advocates, a coalition to promote youth development.
The New York native said, during his time in local politics, he noticed serious flaws with education and ethics in city government.
“I’ve run an organization. I know what it’s like to be a small businessperson. I know what it’s like to make payroll,” Skolnik said. “I understand those concerns from a development perspective.”
While incumbent Muriel Bowser has the home-field advantage, Skolnik said he “knew it was going to be a battle” and is running a “very smart campaign and a very professional campaign.” Bowser has held the council seat since 2007.
Skolnik backed a recent proposal to offer voters a ballot initiative in November to ban corporate contributions to city political campaigns, charging that Bowser’s camp accepts funds from business developers and he would not.
The alumnus earned an endorsement from the GW College Democrats, who organized an event to knock on doors Saturday on his behalf. The group’s communications director Shiah Shahmohammadi, said the CDs have not endorsed any other city candidates this year.
“We’ve made a decision to focus solely on Max’s campaign to maximize our impact on that race,” Shahmohammadi said.
Skolnik, who said he was humbled by the endorsement, attributes his commitment to the community to his growth at GW.
“I just learned so much about who I was, and my place in the world and what I was excited about,” he said. “My time at GW really kind of defined me in a really profound way, and in the process, I fell in love with D.C. as well.”
Sorry you haven’t earned enough to just pop up and run to be my Councilmember. Put some time in the community, we are doing just fine with Muriel Bowser.
GO MAX!! Ward 4 needs a change!
Uhh, Bowser is a joke. She has DONE nothing for 5+ years. Her high PAID internship is over!!
the 7000 + voter that voted for her tOUT THAT SHE DID SOMETHING YOU ARE LIKE THLSE PERSON WHOM AND DO NOTHING .YOU SOUND KIND OF SILLY WHEN YOU SAY THAR.THE VOTER SPOKE YOUMUST HAVE SUPPORTED A LOSER.JOIN TTTHE WINING TEAM YOU CAN LOOK AROUND THE WAARD AND SEE HAS BEEEENDONE HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE BY YOURSELF
As a Ward 4 resident, I can say that the only time I hear from CM Bowser is when an election is near. I guess we have dwindled down to being thankful that not all of our city officials are under criminal investigation. We have a low bar for leadership in the District and Max Skolnik will help raise that bar.
What are Max’s accomplishments in DC and Ward 4? Until he announced that he was running I had not heard of him not have I seen him at any community meetings.
If you want to be a Councilmember you need to be active in the community.
Muriel Bowser is doing a great job. Here are some of her accomplishments:
*She fought to save the money to renovate Roosevelt and Coolidge.
*She introduced the Clean and Safe Teams to Kennedy Street and Georgia Avenue.
*She secured funding for the Ward 4 Corridor Improvement Plan and Main Street funding for Upper Georgia Avenue and Kennedy Street.
*Fought for investment in new housing and renovating affordable housing. Including the following developments Park Place, Residences at Georgia Avenue, 3 Tree Flats, Longfellow Condominiums, 506 Longfellow Street, and Taylor Flats.
*Blight be gone, revitalization and opening of Tewkesbuy Condominium.
*She has introduced multiple bills to address Senior housing needs including the Senior Housing Modernization Grant Fund.
*Vida Senior Residences and Senior Center opened at 1330 Missouri Avenue NW.
*She authored the Blight Tax, a billed that addresses blight and vacant properties.
*Fought for and secured funding for Riggs LaSalle Rec Center (started while an ANC commissioner), Emery Rec Center, Shepherd Field, Upshur Playground, Fort Stevens Recreation, Petworth Recreation Center, Lafayette Park, Takoma Library and Petworth Library.
And the list goes on…
Again I ask, what is Max’s record in the city and Ward 4?
Councilmember Muriel Bowser works hard for the residents of Ward 4!
Somebody needs to be schooled so here goes Bowser allowed both ward 4 high schools to be pushed back time and time again and even her biggest supporter Terry Goins admitted that at the Coolidge meeting Coolidge was once at the top of the list to be done over and under Bowser’s watch is slated to be one of the last school in D.C. to be fixed.
Max has been active in this ward and across the city as an ANC…Bowser as an ANC messed up their ANC’s budget and got their funds frozen because of her lack of knowledge. SO her internship is over we the residents of ward 4 deserve better for our $125k a year for a part-time position and she only works part of that time.
Let’s not forget she lost Walter Reed for Georgia Ave, and any development was due to FENTY…NOT HER
Muriel Bowser has served the resident of Ward 4 very well. Every time I call her office the staff responds. Max just moved to Ward 4–so he really equipped to represent the residents. Maybe he should go back to his other Ward and run. Ward 4 needs the steady leadership of Muriel Bowser
LOL, Bowser is the biggest, waste of time on the Council. She does absolutely nothing.
*Crime in ward 4 is off the charts…. oh, she is not the police. We got dental offices getting robbed, yep, you can’t even get your teeth cleaned without somebody putting a gun in your face? And she is down at the Wilson building working bills, pawn shop,ethics… all hogwash.
*The schools in ward 4 are in terrible condition… she nor her protege Fenty did nothing for Coolidge or Roosevelt… since 2000, ward 4 is dead last in money spent on schools in 4! Dead LAST… Fact, please go check it!! Dead LAST!! Thanks, Boo! You and Fenty are the BEST!! NOT!
* Georgia Ave is a HOT mess…. go look and see for yourself… again, thanks, Boo!
*Clean and Safe Teams? … wtf, is that and what is clean and safe about the Georgia Ave?
Bowser is delusional and should be kicked square in her backside when she leaves office. 5 years of nothing… Thanks,BOO for all you do! LOL
I don’t care if Max moved here 6 months ago, WE need better…. expect more from your LEADERS!!