Holton Mills

Age: 29

Registered political party: NPA race

Where they live: Winter Springs

Where they work: Evok Advertising, Account Executive

Prior work experience: Addition Financial, Community Relations and Strategic Partnership; Seminole County Public Schools, Office of Communications Specialist

Prior political experience: No prior political experience

Platform: My platform focuses on creating safe, supportive schools where students and educators can succeed, with strong investments in campus safety and student well being. I also support expanding career pathways through career and technical education and building stronger corporate partnerships that connect students to real-world experience, certifications, and great high paying jobs.

Why they are running, in three sentences or less: “I’m running to ensure every student has access to the same real world opportunities that shaped my own path, connecting education with meaningful career pathways. As a public school graduate and community partnership leader, I’ve seen firsthand how collaboration between schools, businesses, and nonprofits can expand opportunity for students and families. I’m committed to putting those experiences to work to strengthen our schools and create lasting economic opportunities in our community.”

Endorsements: None so far

Candidate website

Campaign finance report: $17,664 in contributions

Fun fact about the candidate: I graduated high school with a two year internship without ever leaving campus. This was thanks to a partnership between SCPS and a local business, and it led directly to my career after college. That experience showed me what’s possible when education and real world opportunity come together. It’s why I’m committed to expanding opportunities for every student.

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Candidate Q&A: The questions below are based on voter questions and expressed priorities. Each of the candidates within a race were asked the same questions and given the same amount of time to respond. The candidates’ answers were fact checked, checked for spelling and grammar but otherwise unedited.

If elected, what are the three most pressing problems you want to address, and what do you suggest to solve them?

1. Building a stronger classroom-to-career pipeline is one of my top priorities. Every student should graduate with a clear plan for what comes next, whether that’s employment, higher education, military service or technical training. I want the district to host an annual meeting with Seminole County’s largest employers and industry leaders to ask a simple question: What workforce skills and careers will you need over the next five years? Those conversations should help guide how we expand and refine our career and technical education programs so they align with real workforce demands. When eighth grade students and their parents or guardians are choosing a high school pathway, they should have confidence that the programs they select can lead to meaningful careers and opportunities after graduation. By building stronger partnerships between our schools and the business community, we can prepare students for high demand careers, support the economic growth of Seminole County and ensure every graduate leaves our schools ready to become a productive citizen and contribute to our community.
2. With Florida’s expanded school voucher program, families have more educational choices than ever before. I respect every parent’s or guardian’s right to choose the option they believe is best for their child. My responsibility as a school board member is to make sure families understand why Seminole County Public Schools is an outstanding choice and to tell our story more effectively. Seminole County Public Schools has incredible teachers, strong academic programs, nationally recognized schools, and 53 career and technical education programs, yet many families simply aren’t aware of everything our district has to offer. We need to do a better job of showcasing these opportunities and helping families understand that within Seminole County Public Schools, there are countless pathways for students to succeed. Take Seminole High School as an example: Students can choose from 11 career and technical education programs offered on one campus, including the Aviation Academy, Academy of Health Careers, and culinary certification programs, while also having access to the International Baccalaureate Programme. There is no other educational option in Seminole County that offers all of those opportunities together in one place. That is the Seminole County Public Schools difference. By better marketing our schools, celebrating student and staff achievements, and highlighting the unique opportunities available across the district, we can build excitement, strengthen enrollment, and ensure more families see the value of choosing Seminole County Public Schools.
3. Recruiting, retaining and developing great employees is essential to student success. While competitive compensation is important, we must also create opportunities for professional growth within Seminole County Public Schools so talented educators and staff don’t feel they have to leave the district to advance their careers. Investing in mentorship, leadership development and a culture where employees feel valued and supported will help us attract and retain the very best people for our students. I will also recommend implementing exit surveys for employees who leave the district, along with annual anonymous employee engagement and retention surveys for those who choose to stay. Understanding why employees leave is just as important as understanding why they remain. Honest feedback will help district leadership identify opportunities for improvement, strengthen workplace culture, and make informed decisions that better support, develop and retain our employees.

How should the district handle teacher shortages?

There isn’t one solution to teacher shortage and I don’t believe there’s a quick fix. If we want to recruit and retain great educators, we have to make Seminole County Public Schools a place where people want to build their careers. Competitive pay matters, and I’ll continue to support efforts to make sure our teachers and staff are fairly compensated. But I also hear from educators that they want to feel supported, respected and have opportunities to grow. We need to create stronger leadership and professional development pathways so employees don’t feel they have to leave the district to advance their careers. I also believe we should strengthen partnerships with our local colleges and universities to encourage more future educators to begin their careers in Seminole County. Finally, we need to listen. I would recommend exit surveys for employees who leave the district and annual anonymous employee engagement surveys for those who stay. Their feedback can help us better understand what’s working, what’s not, and where we need to improve.

Florida ranked last in the nation for academic growth in reading. How would you improve that?

Reading is the foundation for everything students do in school. If a child struggles to read, it can impact every subject they take. When I worked on the communications team at the school district office, I had the opportunity to help support the Reading Acceleration Program (RAP). I saw firsthand how trained community volunteers spent time each week working one-on-one with first grade students who needed extra help with reading. It’s a great example of what can happen when schools and the community work together to support our students. As a school board member, I would start by looking at our district’s reading data to understand where we’re making progress and where we need to do better. While Florida’s statewide ranking is concerning, it’s important that we make decisions based on what’s happening in Seminole County and focus on solutions that meet the needs of our students.

I also want to make sure our teachers have the training, resources and support they need to be successful. They’re the experts in the classroom, and their feedback should help shape our decisions. Most importantly, we have to catch students early. The sooner we identify a child who is falling behind, the sooner we can provide the support they need. Whether it’s programs like RAP, classroom interventions, or working closely with parents and guardians, helping children become confident readers early gives them the best chance to succeed for the rest of their education.

What changes, if any, would you make to school safety policies?

School safety will always be the top priority. Students and staff can’t focus on learning if they don’t feel safe. One thing Seminole County does exceptionally well is the partnership between Seminole County Public Schools, the Sheriff’s Office, and our School Safety and Security Division. I trust our sheriff and the professionals who lead school safety every day. In fact, our School Safety and Security Division is looked to by districts across Florida as a model for how school safety should be done. As a school board member, I don’t believe in making changes just for the sake of making changes. I will work closely with the sheriff, our School Safety and Security Division, district leadership and school administrators to make sure we continue building on what’s already working. School safety is something we should always be evaluating and improving, and I will support the strong partnership that already exists to keep our students and staff safe.

How should book challenges and library removals be handled?

I believe students should have access to age-appropriate materials that support learning, encourage critical thinking and expose them to a variety of perspectives. Books can serve as both mirrors, helping students see themselves and windows, helping them understand the experiences of others. That’s an important part of preparing students to live and work in a diverse community and world. I also respect a parent or guardian’s right to make decisions about what is best for their own child. Parents should have a voice in their child’s education and I support following the established review process when concerns about instructional or library materials are raised. I don’t believe these decisions should be driven by politics or made on an individual opinion alone. They should be based on state law, district policy, educational value and age appropriateness, with input from educators, media specialists, parents and the review committees. My goal is to ensure students have access to high quality, age appropriate materials while respecting the role parents and guardians play in their child’s education.

What outside organizations or endorsements are supporting your campaign?

I am proud to have earned the endorsement of the Seminole Education Association. It is an honor to have the support of the teachers and staff who dedicate their lives to serving our students every day. Their confidence in me means a great deal, and I look forward to working alongside them to continue strengthening SCPS. Beyond formal endorsements, the support that has meant the most to me has come from the people doing the work every day and those directly impacted by our schools. Parents, first year teachers, veteran educators, ESE staff, former students, school employees and community members have reached out to share their experiences and put their trust in my campaign. Those conversations are why I’m running. Hearing directly from the people who live, work and learn in our schools reminds me why this work matters and motivates me every day.

If elected, what policy would you try to pass in your first year?

This isn’t necessarily a policy, but in my first year I would like to establish an annual workforce roundtable with Seminole County’s largest employers, industry leaders and district leadership. I want to ask one simple question: What workforce needs do you see over the next five years? Those conversations will then help shape our career and technical education programs so that when students and their families are choosing a high school pathway, they know it leads to real opportunities after graduation. I believe our schools should be preparing students not just for graduation, but for successful careers and productive lives in our community.

Public school enrollment has been declining in Seminole County for the last several years. How will you handle the declining funding for public education in Seminole County while retaining quality education for students?

Seminole County Public Schools has seen a decline in enrollment, but the bigger challenge has been the decline in funding. Florida’s expanded voucher program has changed how education is funded. Today, scholarship dollars are available not only to students leaving public schools, but also to the many families whose children were never enrolled in SCPS. In those cases, funding is redirected even though no student ever left our district. We can’t control state funding decisions, but we can control how we respond. 

The first step is making Seminole County Public Schools the first choice for as many families as possible. We have incredible teachers, nationally recognized schools, magnet programs, and 53 career and technical education programs, but many families simply don’t know everything we offer. We need to do a better job of telling our story and highlighting the opportunities available in our schools. We also have a responsibility to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. As a school board member, I will ask questions, look for efficiencies and make sure our resources are focused on what matters most: supporting our teachers, classrooms and students. Even in challenging financial times, our priority should always be providing every student with a high quality education.

Most school funding is controlled by state lawmakers, but local school boards can tack on additional property taxes with voter approval. Do you support additional optional property taxes for schools? Explain your answer.

I believe any request for additional property taxes should be considered carefully. Before asking taxpayers to invest more, the district should demonstrate that it is being a responsible steward of the resources it already has and that those dollars are being used efficiently and effectively. After that, I would support this going to the ballot and allowing the voters of Seminole County to make the final decision.

What role should AI play for students in the classroom? What role should it play for educators?

AI is here to stay, so we have a responsibility to teach students how to use it the right way. I see it as a tool that can enhance learning, not replace it. Students still need to think critically, solve problems, write and communicate on their own. AI should help them learn, not do the work for them. I appreciate that Seminole County Public Schools is getting ahead of this. Programs like the AI pathways at Hagerty and Crooms, along with robotics, cybersecurity and other technology programs are preparing students for the careers they’ll be entering in the years ahead. For educators, I think AI can be a great tool to save time and enhance their work. If it helps reduce paperwork or streamline lesson planning, that’s more time teachers can spend teaching! But it should never replace the knowledge and relationships that great teachers bring to their classrooms every day.

There have been multiple calls for Seminole County Public Schools Superintendent Serita Beamon to resign. Do you support Beamon as superintendent?

I support Superintendent Beamon. I don’t think it’s productive to step into this role already deciding that I don’t support the superintendent before I’ve had the opportunity to serve on the other side of the table. I’m proud that Seminole County Public Schools is an A-rated district, and I believe we have a lot to be proud of. At the same time, I’ve listened to the concerns many members of our community have raised. As a school board member, my responsibility is to represent the residents of Seminole County. The superintendent works for the school board, and the school board works for the people. I will listen to our community, ask tough questions when needed and hold district leadership accountable.

More than $100 million in public money has gone to private scholarships in Seminole County alone. Philosophically, do you think public money should go to private schools for education? Explain your answer.

I believe parents should have the right to choose the educational option that is best for their child. At the same time, I believe public dollars are intended to support public education. As a public school board member, my responsibility is to advocate for Seminole County Public Schools and the students we serve. While I respect a parents right to make the best decision for their families, I believe we should continue investing in strong public schools so every student has access to a high quality education. My focus will always be on making Seminole County Public Schools a place where families want to be.

How do you think conflicts between parents and educators should be settled?

I think adults should be adults. Parents and educators both play incredibly important roles in a child’s success, and they should treat each other with respect, even when they disagree. The best way to resolve conflict is through honest communication and a willingness to listen. Most issues can and should be worked out at the school level by focusing on what’s best for the student, not on winning an argument. If a resolution can’t be reached, there should be a clear process to move the concern through school and district leadership.