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Schools

BOE Trustee Michael Zotto Aims to Educate Youth About Drugs

Former police officer makes Long Island drug problem a top priority

For some people, public service comes naturally.  They see it as calling, an inherent part of who they are.  Simply put, they're born with it.  That seems to be the case for West Islip Board of Education Trustee Michael Zotto.

Zotto, who retired from the NYPD in 2007 as a detective first-grade, brings a serious initiative to the board; educate kids about the harmful effects of drugs.

"I worked in the counter terrorism division, which formed after 9/11," he said.  "Before that I spent a lot of years in narcotics, so now I use that background to educate kids about staying off drugs."

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He has been so centered on keeping kids off drugs that the New York branch of the Foundation for a Drug Free World recently honored him. He even has a company, Strategic Protection Group, Inc., that specializes in educating kids about the dangers of drugs.  He frequently travels across Long Island to lecture and encourage kids not to sucomb to peer pressure, but rather to make good decisions on their own.

"A lot of kids come up to me and say, 'we're happy you're here,' and tell me what they see going on in schools today with drugs," he said.  "They see it's okay to let someone know and not be afraid to give in to it."

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Zotto, 44, and his wife - who have been married 19 years- moved to West Islip in 1993 to raise their three sons, ages 17, 16 and 10.

"That's another reason why I wanted to be on the board, to try to find a way to help with the drugs and alcohol being abused by the kids in our schools," he said.  "The things my sons were telling me as they got older, what they were seeing. They know it's okay; you don't have to do this. You don't have to do drugs or alcohol to be cool."

After graduating from Lindenhurst High School in 1984, Zotto earned his Associates Degree in criminal justice at SUNY Farmingdale. When he retired from the NYPD, he went to work for the NYS Office of Homeland Security, but resigned to start his company to help fight the drug epidemic plaguing Long Island.

"I think a lot of the drug problem stems from peer pressure, but also it is so much more glamorized and it's instant on the computer," Zotto said.  "And the parents who condone drinking in their own homes by their underage children need to understand it is not a right of passage and not only is it life threatening, it is against the law. Some parents in this town need to set the example."

Zotto, who recently finished his first year on West Islip's Board of Education, thinks he can make a serious impact on how the community views these drug issues. "It has been a huge learning curve for me," he said.  "I saw how crucial the impact of our decisions is on the students and the community.

"Unless kids play sports or dance, there's nothing for them to do here. There has to be a way to change that. I also want to help the Board become fiscally responsible and continue to keep the taxpayers abreast of financial decisions by being transparent. We need to make sure we are maximizing every dollar we spend, not wasting money."

If Zotto has it his way, he will find a way to change lots of things, all for the benefit of residents and students alike.

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