Former student, teacher elected as new trustees

Athul Santhosh, a 2025 graduate of Herricks High School, will begin his term as a school district trustee on July 1 at age 19, making him the youngest trustee in the district’s history. He will serve alongside his former teacher, Lisa Iucalano, who retired after 35 years as an English as a Second Language instructor and was also elected to the board on May 19. Santhosh is filling the seat left by retiring Trustee Henry R. Zanetti, while Iucalano replaces Trustee Jim Gounaris, who is also retiring. The pair shares a deep connection to the district: Santhosh credits Iucalano with shaping his communication skills during his elementary years. Iucalano, a former Herricks student and parent, expressed excitement about the full-circle moment, emphasizing her intention to bring diverse perspectives to the board as a former teacher, student, and parent. Santhosh plans to transfer from the City University of New York to New York University in the fall to study math and Asian American & Pacific Islander studies. He noted he may be the youngest Asian-American person elected to a Board of Education in New York, drawing a parallel to Tom DiNapoli, who served as a trustee at 18 in 1972. Santhosh aims to inspire young people to engage in public service, citing Herricks’ ‘six C’s’—particularly collaboration—as his guiding principle. At a May 21 board meeting, Santhosh congratulated student representatives Emma Su, Gurneet Pelia, Dean Singh, and Ethan Zhao, reflecting on his own journey from student to trustee. He attributed his success to Herricks and vowed to ensure all students have opportunities to succeed. Iucalano, meanwhile, emphasized her goal of improving communication and transparency between the board and the community.