SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — He’s just old enough to vote, but he’s earned a spot on his local school board after securing a win during Tuesday’s election.

Ethan Phillippi, 18, was still in high school when he entered the race for Conemaugh Township Area School District. Now a freshman at Pitt Johnstown he’s looking to make a difference in the school district he graduated from.

“School boards have started to become a political weapon to ostracize students to ostracize staff and basically be used as a political tool and that’s something that really needs to be avoided,” Phillippi said.

As the youngest school board member, Ethan says that he believes he can make a real difference in the community.

“I think it was during probably the 2020 election that I really started to get interested in politics and this was around the time that I started to get involved in certain groups and I would volunteer at the polls for certain candidates,” Phillippi said.

Ethan added that this goal wasn’t something he achieved on his own. He thanked his friends, family members and neighbors.

“I could not think of anyone else who would be perfect for this role,” Jensen Korber, a friend of Ethan’s said. “I feel like he puts the work into it, he has the passion for it and he keeps up with the news and everything so i feel like he will be knowledgeable on what’s currently happening.”

Until Ethan is sworn into officer he’ll be focusing on college, but in addition to final exams, he’ll also be learning to fulfill his new role.