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Donna Lico, a public-school teacher for over 30 years, is running for North Kingstown School Committee and is endorsed by the North Kingstown Democratic Town Committee (NKDTC). Originally from East Meadow, New York, she received a Bachelor of Science in Geology and a Masters of Art in Teaching from SUNY Cortland.
Lured to lil' Rhody by a job at Camp Hoffman in West Kingston, Donna slowly but certainly created her community. She built a family and selected North Kingstown as their home because, "As an educator, I wanted my kids to attend school here." Donna's two sons, now aged 24 and 26, did well in North Kingstown public schools and Donna noticed how prepared they and their NK peers were for college.
Donna consulted her sons before officially running for school committee and received two resounding, "Go for its!" She credits her decision to run as "emotional and practical" and summarizes that she "really wants all kids to have great schools." It is Donna's admiration and respect for public schools that delivers her into her first foray into politics.
Since 1990, she's been teaching science at Exeter-West Greenwich Junior High School. From 2009 until 2023, Donna was the curriculum coordinator at the STEM summer science program at Brown University, where she collaborated with instructors to develop inquiry-based courses with a research component. A self-proclaimed outdoorsy and woodsy type, this is Donna's first summer off in a long time and she is relishing every day, and preparing for a busy campaign.
As Donna shared her reasons for running, she reflected on her favorite quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: "Do one thing every day that scares you.” Yes, she was a little scared at first but it was fear that solidified her decision. "This is the first time I did not allow my fear to get in the way," she said. She's now excited to honor Eleanor Roosevelt's words and try to enhance a school department near and dear to her.
The NKDTC endorsed Lico on June 26. .NKDTC Chair Anne Geertman said, "Donna Lico brings a wealth of educational experience and a deep commitment to our community. Her dedication to improving education and her passion for service make her an outstanding candidate, and the NKDTC is proud to endorse her for the school committee."