At 19, Nicolas Yendrzeski is taking another shot at a seat on the Maricopa Unified School District governing board.

Now a student at Arizona State University studying political science, Yendrzeski said his first campaign was an entirely new experience.

“I had to learn the ropes of knowing how to run a campaign and reach out to voters and get my name out there,” he said.

And while he came within 20 votes of winning a seat in 2024, the outcome didn’t change his plans.

“I already knew once the results were in that I was going to run in the midterms,” he said.

Yendrzeski submitted his statement of interest for a four-year term March 17, joining incumbent Patti Coutre and Rancho El Dorado resident Latrinda Williams in the race.

His bid this time around goes beyond just a second try. A graduate of Maricopa High School, Yendrzeski is centering his campaign on something he says is often missing from district decisions: the student voice.

“High schoolers aren’t children. They’re becoming adults,” he said. “Students should be included in these conversations.”

He points to his own experience at MHS, where he said major changes were often implemented with little input from students and unclear communication about expectations. He used the rollout of campus metal detectors as an example.

“We showed up one day and they were just there and there was no ability to give input from the student body,” he said, adding there were a lot of inconsistencies when they first rolled out. “There was no feedback mechanism for students to say, ‘Hey, this is my experience and these are my thoughts.”

Around that same time, Yendrzeski tried to bridge that gap by launching a student-led podcast he hosted with peers. It discussed everything from student safety to AP testing burnout to advocating for more transparency from school administration.

And it’s clear those frustrations shaped his top campaign priorities. That includes improving communication and transparency across the district, school safety, technology and how money is spent.

“There are a lot of conversations and decisions made behind closed doors that aren’t shared with the public,” he said. “There are a lot of issues on campus that parents don’t even know about, that administrators don’t want to talk about. So, ensuring there is transparency and everybody is in the know of what’s going on is important for me.”

His age, Yendrzeski admits, can be a challenge. He will be 20 once the election rolls around. But he argues it also gives him a more current perspective.

“Everyone else on the governing board can say, ‘Yeah, I was 18 once, I remember what it was like in high school.’ Well, I was in high school a couple years ago, so my experience is a lot fresher than that,” he said. “There are a lot of things in the education system that are different now than they were 20-plus years ago.”

Ultimately, Yendrzeski frames his campaign around a simple message: “I am your VOICE,” referring to vision, integrity, opportunity and communication.

 “I want to be the people’s voice,” he said. “I want to take the people’s needs and bring that to the table so we can make a difference here for Maricopa and the district.”