There's an old saying that goes: "If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem."

Michael Thomas wants to be part of the solution for the problems facing the Blackville-Hilda school district.

"I've got a passion for the education of children. I want to see them excel by being part of the process," Thomas said.

Thomas, 47, is one of the challengers for the two open seats in the Blackville-Hilda school board race.

The election is April 13.

The other contestants are incumbent Annie Patrick, who is seeking a second term, and newcomer Jameka Hagood, a nutritionist and mother with a child in the district.

Thomas is a senior radiological control technician at Savannah River Site where he has been working for 25 years. He and his wife, Betty, have one grown daughter.

"I don't have any children in the district, but I have much family in the district," he said.

Thomas is a Blackville native, "born, raised and bred in Blackville," he said.

Thomas is also a member of the board of directors for Barnwell County Hospital. He was appointed to the board by Barnwell County Council in November 2009.

Before becoming a hospital board member, Thomas was the chairman of the Barnwell County planning commission. He resigned the commission to accept the hospital board post.

There isn't any one particular challenge that the district is facing now that Thomas wants to tackle more than the others, he said.

"There's nothing that really stands out. We are in more of a trustee role. We hire the professionals who are professional enough to do what they do," he said. "I just want it to improve overall. I want to be part of getting the right, good quality people in the right places to trickle that down to the students."

Thomas subscribes to the "It takes a village to raise a child" concept because he sees many of the children of his neighborhood in the schools, he said.

"You've got to treat your neighbor's child like your own," he said.

Thomas looks forward to the election.

"I hope they know me and respect me enough to trust me with the education of their kids," he said. "You've got to have a heart for service to be in something like this."

"Education is an investment. You put your money in and reap the benefits later."