Exclusive: West Islip teen talks to News 12 after winning spot on district school board

Bedell was inspired to run by his friend Tom Compitello, a longtime school board member who passed away earlier this year.

News 12 Staff

May 17, 2023, 10:08 AM

Updated 574 days ago

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A senior at West Islip High School has won a spot on the district’s school board.
Quinn Bedell, 18, earned the second seat with over 1,300 votes.
Bedell was inspired to run by his friend Tom Compitello, a longtime school board member who passed away earlier this year.
Bedell says he’s looking to see students have more of an impact on what goes on at the board of education. He also wanted to improve screening for learning disorders after being diagnosed with dyslexia as a sophomore.
“The community outreach for the election was amazing - probably had one of the biggest turnouts ever,” he says. “The fact that a write-in candidate won is pretty amazing. I think it's due to the campaign we did and got the word out there as much as possible."
Quinn also owns a landscaping business with dozens of clients and is an Eagle Scout.