Michael Otaigbe for School Board

By Keith Walker

Michael Otaigbe is proud of the thing he’s accomplished in his two terms on the Prince William County School Board, but he’s not done yet.

Otaigbe is hoping for a third term and is running again for the Coles District seat.

He said he is most proud of his role in establishing the Governor’s School in cooperation with the Manassas and Manassas Park school systems and with George Mason University. The Governor’s School, at Innovation Park, is a high school for students interested in advance science, technology, engineering and math classes. Otaigbe said programs akin to the Governor’s School and Advance Placement classes would be critical to the future of the country.

“Companies look at the public school system. They look at the speciality programs, the AP programs and the Governor’s School program. They look at all that and they say “Yes we’re going to establish our company in Prince William County. We have to take care of it by taking care of the teachers. We have to make sure we don’t lose our teachers to our competitors”, the 57-year old Otaigbe said.

Pay and working condition commensurate with neighboring counties will keep teachers in Prince William, said Otaigbe, who holds a bachelor’ degree from Strayer University, a master’s degree from Catholic University and a doctorate from American University. Otaigbe said he promoted the Governor’s School because space for advanced technology and science classes at Thomas Jefferson High School in Fairfax County was limited.

“Every year I see Prince William students apply to Thomas Jefferson High School and just a few of them are selected.” Otaigbe said. “What happened to others equally dedicated and smart? What happened to their dreams of becoming mathematicians and scientists and becoming engineers?” said Otaigbe, who visit area schools at least once a week to tell stories to children. He said his storytelling is a way to get students interested. Children, when you tell them “Let me advise you”, they tune out. When you tell them “ Let me tell you a story, they say “Ooh, all right”, let me listen, he said. “ I believe it’s a wonderful way to teach students morals and academic lessons”, said Otaigbe, a native of Nigeria who came to the United States in 1977and raised two daughters who graduated from Hylton High School and a son who attends Osbourn Park High School. For the future, Otaigbe wants to build a “standalone” virtual high school where Prince William students can learn online. Otaigbe said the school system offers some online classes now, but he wants to expand. He said virtual high schools are inevitable. “It’s not for everyone, but I think that our children are very sophisticated in the digital world. You have children who would take the classes”, he said. “Kids are moving forward whether we like it or not.” Otaigbe said adults have to recognize that children will inhabit a different world than their parents knew. “I consider myself an immigrant in the digital world. They are natives, " he said of today's students.

The cost of new schools will also make virtual high schools attractive in the future," he said.

“We are not discovering more land in Prince William. This is the future in education,” he said.

Otaigbe, dean at the Woodbridge campus of Strayer University, said education is his life and that he has the drive needed to continue on the school board and “empower children to achieve.”

“Education is in my DNA. That’s all I do all day,” he said. “ I like to finish what I have started and I still have the passion and energy for education. I love being able to have an impact on future generations, being able to serve as a role model.”

“ I believe education is the key to achieving the American dream. The more we can encourage our children to do that, the better our community will be,” he said.