Nichole Elmore runs for Imperial School Board
IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA) – Nichole Elmore is leveraging a lifetime of youth mentorship and a distinct vision for community unity in her run for the Imperial Unified School District Board.
With eight candidates competing for three available seats in the upcoming November 3 midterm elections, the race is rapidly heating up.
Elmore, a former correctional officer of ten years who transitioned into a role as a local youth trainer, has been coaching and mentoring children throughout the Imperial Valley since she was 19-years-old.
For her, this work goes far beyond a profession.
“I really feel like we’re all born with a purpose, and we’re all born with an itch, and we’re all born with a superpower, and mine is really connecting with kids,” Elmore said.
Now looking to transition from the training field to the school board, Elmore argues that leaders need to shift their approach from talking to listening.
“You have to listen to the people that voted you in,” Elmore explained. “They’re voting you in because they’re the mouth, you’re the ears. I feel like sometimes we get carried away. People get in positions like this and they think they have the keys to the kingdom. You know, those keys were given to you by the parents. They were given to you by the teachers.”
Elmore’s campaign focuses on breaking down the barriers between local government and the school district to rebuild trust. Her platform targets three core areas to drive meaningful change:
Transparency and Collaboration: Elmore believes the city and the school district have become too isolated from one another. “We’ve kind of segregated the parts of our community,” she noted. “I feel like we can do more work with the city. I feel like the city can do more work with us.” Enhanced Safety: To protect local students, Elmore advocates for closer ties with law enforcement, stating, “I think we should be meeting with Imperial PD on safety.” Open Dialogue: She firmly believes that progress starts with real conversations. “I feel like if you created an environment where you can have this type of a dialogue, not necessarily agreeing, but this type of a dialogue, you can create change.”
Backed by years of working closely with local athletes and parents, Elmore stated she is fully prepared to step into a leadership role where she can understand the daily realities of everyone in the district.
“I want to be able to walk on a school and ask a kid how they’re doing,” Elmore said. “I want to be able to walk into a classroom and sit in a teacher’s classroom and experience what they experience every day…I want to see what the cafeteria ladies are going through, what the maintenance guy is going through.”
The midterm elections will take place on Tuesday, November 3.
Click here to follow the original article.