(The following was submitted by Gus Costa.)

My name is Augustus Costa and I would like to announce my candidacy for the Hicksville School Board.

I have been fortunate to be a resident of Hicksville for the past 16 years with my wife, Rose, and our two daughters, Christine and Lisa. I have a bachelor's degree in English from Hofstra University and have worked in the travel industry for 20 years, currently 10 years as a sales manager for Holland America Line.

My wife is an administrator for North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. My daughter Christine graduated from Hicksville High School in 2000 and currently is a junior at Hofstra University, majoring in math and secondary education. She hopes to be a high school math teacher in the near future. Lisa is a 10th grader at Hicksville High School and is writer for the Comet newspaper as well as a member of the Italian Club, Tri-M, high school string ensemble and a member of the high school's varsity gymnastics team for the past four years.

My history as a supporter of Hicksville's children goes back to 1990 when I began coaching girl's softball for the Hicksville Baseball Association (HBA). I was a coach for nine years and served on the board of HBA as a director of girls' softball for six years, through 1998. I have returned as a director this year, my seventh. For the past three years I have served on the board of the Hicksville Youth Council Boys' and Girls' Club, acting as the board's vice president for the last two years.

I also have a long history in the area of fundraising. In 1994 I chaired a committee for HBA which raised more than $17,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of metro New York, helping to make HBA one of Make-A-Wish's top annual benefactors. For these efforts I was named HBA's "Volunteer of the Year." In 1995, I co-chaired the same fund-raising committee in which more than $18,000 was raised for Make-A-Wish, topping the previous year. My fund-raising efforts have continued on behalf of the Hicksville Youth Council.

With my candidacy for the Hicksville Board of Education, I hope to reaffirm my commitment to the young people of Hicksville, as well as the entire Hicksville community. It is my intention to work with the school administration and also work closely with all groups in our community to give our children the best education possible. We face challenging times over the next few years with state and county fiscal difficulties, yet I know that with determination and dedication, I can help the administration and fellow board members to boost our children without breaking the financial backs of our taxpayer citizens.

I hope that Hicksville residents will cast their vote for me knowing that I will approach this position with an open mind and good will to help our children achieve their goals in life. I encourage residents to please vote on May 21, no matter which candidate you support and, above all, vote to approve the 2003-2004 budget.

(The following was submitted by Dolores Garger.)

My name is Dolores Garger and I am writing this letter to announce my candidacy for trustee for the Hicksville School District's Board of Education.

I am a lifelong resident of Hicksville and a product of our public schools. Upon graduation from high school in 1977, I attended SUNY - Farmingdale where I earned an associate's degree in secretarial science (with a legal concentration). I also have earned additional credits in the field of business management from C.W. Post College and Adelphi University. My work experience includes bookkeeping, insurance claims, employee training and data entry. I have been fortunate for the last 12 years that I have been able to be a "stay-at-home" mom, raising my two children - a son, who is currently a sixth grader at the middle school, and a daughter, who is currently in second grade at Lee Avenue.

Since my son's entrance into kindergarten in l996, I have been actively involved with the Lee Avenue PTA, having served on and/or chaired over 20 committees and devoted four years of service to their executive board, one year as corresponding secretary and two years as co-president. At present, I am recording secretary for the Lee Avenue PTA and corresponding secretary for the Hicksville Council of PTAs. I have also given two years of service to the Boy Scouts as a "den mother".

Over the past several years, I have regularly attended board of education meetings, served on district hiring committees and was a member of last year's Bond Advisory Committee. Now, I am hoping to be able to be active in a more vital role - board of education trustee.

When my husband, also a Hicksville graduate, and I chose to purchase our home and raise our children here, we did so based partly on our own experiences growing up, but also with the knowledge that Hicksville had remained a solid, middle-class community capable of offering a solid education.

I have the desire to see Hicksville be the best that it can be, not only for my own children, but for all children. Our school community is very diverse, not only in its ethnic makeup, but in the educational needs of its students. With the state of education today - increased mandates, decreased funding, stricter standards, etc. - our children, more than ever before, need advocates who will work on their behalf in all areas that encompass their educational years. We need to be giving our children the best that Hicksville can afford-the best teachers, programs, textbooks, facilities, and policies. I have the willingness to learn and to work with others in any way possible to see Hicksville improve and move forward.

And, if elected, I will make the commitment to the Hicksville community to work responsibly toward fulfilling present needs, and future goals. Whether the issue be teacher salaries, the state report card, violence in schools, etc., I will work with an open mind, considering each issue on its merits.

These are very trying times in education and my hope is that all of us, as members of the Hicksville community, take a more active role in ensuring that the future of our community - our children - have the best foundation in education that we can offer.