LOWNDES COUNTY, GA – As elections begin to heat up in Valdosta and Lowndes County, Candidate Eric Johnson has sent a letter to voters so they may get to know him a little better.
My name is Eric Johnson, and my wife Tisha and I have two children, Janey and Eli, who attend Hahira Elementary School. As a parent and supporter of our public school system, I am writing to ask your help in making our schools better and stronger.
First, some background. My family moved to Lowndes County from the Philippines in 1991 as my father was finishing up his military career at Moody Air
Force Base. Tisha and I first met at Hahira Middle in Mr. Hutch’s homeroom, and we were both active at Lowndes High—Tisha as a member of the Georgia Bridgemen and I as a soccer player on LHS’ first soccer team. I went on to graduate from The Citadel in 2001, and, in 2006, I received my MBA from the University of Georgia. Tisha and I returned home in 2009 to raise our children, and since our return I have worked as a commercial banking officer for Guardian Bank in
Valdosta.
I am running for the District 2 Board of Education seat because I believe in this community, our youth, and the educators who teach and mentor them. As you know, state budget cuts have drastically reduced resources, forced furloughs, and diminished morale. This is where my experience in finance and community service can help. Last year, I organized the first Teacher Appreciation Dinner to honor and reward Teachers of the Year in both the Lowndes County and Valdosta City Schools. Backed by Valdosta North Rotary, and with the support of local businesses and individuals like you, we raised over $28,000 for teachers to put back into their classrooms.
But fundraisers and creative public-private partnerships are only part of the solution to our schools’ challenges. We must also increase the efficiency and effectiveness of each education dollar with critical investments in technology infrastructure both inside and outside the classroom. To compete with their peers nationally and globally, our children must not only be able to use technology, they must also be able to create, develop and manage it. That difference is vital.
If you too believe in a strong public school system where students master technology, teachers are empowered, and each budget dollar is maximized, I would appreciate your consideration beginning on Tuesday, April 28th, for Lowndes Board of Education, District 2.
Eric F. Johnson
Source: Press Release
