Candidate: Whitney N. Nieves

I was born and raised in the hollers of W.V. I hail from a humble, poor working class of coal-miners. I am breaking generational curses: not only am I the first in my family to graduate high school, but I also paved the way as the first college graduate. I have been in school, pursuing knowledge, since I entered kindergarten in 1997! 

At 19, I ventured to N.M. where I met my husband, a dedicated service member of the USAF where he served for over two decades. We have two children. He literally took us around the globe! I am so incredibly blessed to have been given the opportunity to not only interact with, but to coexist with, different walks of life.

Despite the constraints endured by military families, I refused to give up on my education. From NMSU, I hold an AA, AA Education, AS, BA History, BA English with undergraduate minors in Medieval Studies and Religious Studies, MA Education with an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction, a TESOL Graduate Certificate, and a Master’s in Public Health. From MU I hold an RBA (Geography focus) with undergraduate minors in Philosophy, Women’s Studies, and Geography as well as a Human Geography Grad. Cert. I have taught in America’s public school districts, as well as DODEA in some capacity since 2014. I am licensed to teach secondary English and Social Studies. I thoroughly enjoy research and writing. Presently, I work remotely at NMSU with Academic Tech. In the past, I worked for NMSU's Chicano Programs.

I was honored to be an officer for various honors societies: GBP, SAL, PTK, and PAT. We worked to give back to the community, particularly by volunteering our time at the local food pantry and creating family-friendly events for college students with children! At MU I was inducted into the National Society of ACTA Scholars where my hard work and dedication in rigorous liberal arts studies was recognized. In addition to volunteering with the honors societies, I have also served as an officer for other organizations, most notable Cub Scouts from 2016-2022.

Education is a life-long commitment, one that I enjoy very much. Presently, I am wrapping up a MS Env. Health and Safety with a grad. minor in History and a MA English Profes. and Tech. Comm. Upon completion of these studies, I am eager to announce that my long-awaited PhD journey will commence! 

My educational and career journey, while rewarding, has been trying. As a military spouse, I continually put my husband’s career before my own. I am proud of my husband’s accomplishments, and I would gladly stand behind him again, but now that he has retired, I am able to pursue my own dreams and truly, we need change.

Having experienced the varied quality of education across different settings, including the impact of global mobility on my own child’s schooling, I have grown increasingly concerned about the challenges facing our education system. My oldest child has attended seven schools throughout his lifetime; during the height of the global pandemic, he was homeschooled. I have seen first-hand as a parent and as an educator how America’s public school systems fail so many students, esp. after living abroad in Japan. Moving to Fl. from the North was difficult too. I absolutely resisted sending my children to public school in Fl. I recognize the unique advantage that my family has compared to other families throughout the county who are, unfortunately, still enduring the wrath of Hurricane Michael and COVID-19. I am equipped with both the skills and the time to homeschool my children whereas others are not. At the end of the day, all a parent wants is to ensure that their child(ren) is receiving the best education possible in a safe, nurturing environment. This has been heavy on my heart and my mind for nearly two years now. Knowing that we are here to stay, I knew I had to do something. Coupled with the testimonials of disgruntled parents and staff throughout the county and my youngest entering the public school system come fall, I decided that the change needs to happen; thus, my decision to run for Bay County’s School Board in District 1! 

As your representative, I commit to utilizing every resource at my disposal to transform BSD into a model of excellence statewide, particularly in accommodating every student. This includes effectively responding to the increasing diversity and needs of military families as Tyndall AFB  undergoes reconstruction. I have 0 tolerance for bias. I understand, and instill in my children, the principle that while everyone has the right to their own opinions, this does not negate the validity of others' perspectives and worries. I am committed to hearing from all involved parties to make certain that everyone's voice is acknowledged.

Furthermore, I commit to frequenting my schools WEEKLY, to sitting down with staff, and to taking your concerns back to the board PERSONALLY; otherwise, how can students and staff truly be put first?

You can reach me at www.votenieves.com