Thank you for supporting me in my campaign for school board. Although the results weren't in my favor, I will continue to volunteer as an advocate for our public schools, educators, schoolkids, as education is the bedrock of our society. It is a passion that I will continue.
It has been an amazing journey throughout the campaign, meeting thousands of great people along the way, learning more about our community firsthand. I've grown as a person and have no regrets.
Please support the work of Game On for Kansas Schools and Kansas PTA, as well as your local PTA units and other persons and organizations that support public schools such as Education First Shawnee Mission, Kansas Families for Education.
I'm looking forward to the next chapter in education advocacy, and new adventures. Thank you all for your support and encouragement throughout this campaign!
I'm ready to leverage my work in advocacy roles with PTA and Game On for Kansas Schools to create stronger ties between the school board and community members.
Gaps exist that are holding some learners back. Identifying these gaps and bringing stakeholders to the table will help provide solutions and develop individual learning plans to help ensure that all students reach their full potential.
Kansas has a rich history of supporting public education. It is up to us to ensure that this continues with adequately and equitably supporting our schools.
I am honored to receive the sole endorsement from MainPAC in my school board race.
“MainPAC is the political action committee of the MainStream Coalition. MainStream is a coalition of informed citizens who believe that moderate voices need to be heard in today's political climate. We stand for mainstream, common sense, responsible and compassionate ideals. We believe that people with different points of view can come together to forge good government that benefits all citizens." https://www.mainstreamcoalition.org/mainpac_endorsements
I was excited to receive the sole endorsement from Kansas Families for Education.
“Kansas Families for Education is a non-partisan, volunteer driven organization of Kansas parents, students and taxpayers committed to upholding and defending our state's constitutional mandate to provide suitable funding for public education for all Kansas children.” https://www.fundourpublicschools.com/endorsements
I'm honored to have received the sole endorsement by Education 1st Shawnee Mission in my race. Education 1st has been a great, trusted voice and advocate for our SMSD kids and schools since they formed several years ago.
"Dedicated to improving and defending our schools, Education First Shawnee Mission seeks to support pro-school members of the SMSD Board of Education and State Legislators within our district boundaries. We care deeply about protecting the value of our community’s #1 asset by supporting our schools. We advocate for fully funded, excellent public schools and reject the concept of privatization and school vouchers." https://educationfirstshawneemission.org/endorsements_boe/
It was an honor to be recognized and receive the sole endorsement in my race from Equality Kansas.
Equality Kansas is “a grassroots organization whose mission is to end discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. EQKS works towards this mission through education, public policy advocacy, and political action.” https://eqks.org/eqks-2019-municipal-and-school-board-endorsements/
I am honored to have the support of organized labor!
"It is with pleasure that the Tri-County Labor Council of Eastern Kansas endorses you for your upcoming race. We look forward to working on future issues with you and your office. Thank you for taking the initiative to become a leader in the State of Kansas."
https://ks.aflcio.org/tri-county-labor-council-eastern-kansas
Thank you for contributing to my campaign!
The Virginia Peak Award for Distinguished Service
This award is Kansas PTA’s first award for distinguished service and is given in the name of a volunteer who was most dedicated and committed to the objects and ideals of PTA, Virginia Peak.
Virginia Faithfully served Kansas PTA on the local, Council, and state level for over 25 years. She began her PTA service at Hickory Grove School in Mission, Kansas in preschool PTA, when her first child entered kindergarten. A strong belief in the PTA cause and the support of her husband, Richard, led Virginia to accept the presidency of the unit at Hickory Grove. She was on her way! As her sons Stephen and David moved on to Junior High and high school, Virginia's service to PTA did also. She was active in the Old Mission PTA. She served as president of the Shawnee Mission North PTA, where she initiated the popular events calendar cards, and emphasized involvement in the arts, especially the Reflections Program. Over the years, she maintained her affiliation with Shawnee Mission North as a member of The Immortal Indians.
Virginia Peak also served PTA at the council level, leading the Shawnee Mission area Council PTA as its president, where she took a genuine interest in helping units find ways to solve problems. She was a good teacher who loved sharing her knowledge of PTA and was excellent at motivating and encouraging her fellow PTA volunteers.
Virginia accepted positions on the State Board of managers as Region 10 Vice President and Treasurer. She used her remarkable gift of remembering names to provide a very special connection to PTA leaders as she traveled throughout the state advocating for children. Her talent for communicating led Virginia to serve as the editor of the Kansas PTA Bulletin. She was an expert at finding just the right articles for each issue and for making sure that her fellow board members met their deadlines!
Virginia was awarded Honorary Life Memberships from Kansas PTA and National PTA. She was a “saver.” The sunflower that she wore to PTA events was filled with a museum-quality collection of PTA pens!
Through her many years of service, Virginia represented PTA in the very finest way through her dress and manners. She lived her life according to her strong belief in the equality and fairness, serving as the most exemplary PTA volunteer.
Copyright © 2021 Devin Wilson for SMSD - All Rights Reserved.
Paid for by Devin Wilson for SMSD, Carolyn Davis, Treasurer