10/01/2022
More of my background!
When I was in elementary school, I was not drawn to traditional sports like basketball, volleyball, etc. I loved to dance. My mom enrolled me in the Crosby Just for Kix program and I was hooked. I danced all the way through school, competing on the High School Dance Team.
Fast forward to our move to Walker. There was a ballet class on Saturday mornings, but numbers had been dwindling and only a few kids were participating each week. Somewhere along the way, I shared that I was a dancer. I was strongly encouraged to start a dance program. I called the Just for Kix Office and spoke to the founder, who had also been one of my JFK instructors. I was hired to start the Walker Just for Kix program in the fall of 2003.
I started small with myself and three classes totaling 62 dancers. When I “retired” from the program in 2014, we had grown to 14 classes, 120 dancers, and four additional instructors. I like to think that growth was because we offered a great program. My whole goal was to offer a quality product to families and a place for children to dance. We were invested in our dancers. Even though we are a group of small towns, I still wanted there to be opportunities, especially for kids who were not drawn to traditional sports. We treated dancers and parents respectfully and I was always mindful of the costs associated with the classes.
Why am I telling you this story? These are the same values I would hold as a School Board member. I want the voters of ISD 113 to know that two of my goals as a School Board member will be to:
1. Be mindful of your tax dollars
2. Support the adminstration and staff in creating opportunities for children, whether those kids follow the traditional activities path or the non-traditional (technology, trap shooting, Arts, etc)
If children are allowed to invest in themselves and feel that support from the adults in their lives, they will have bright futures. Isn’t that what we as adults are supposed to do? Help them invest in themselves?
