Dear Friends

Dear Friends,

A friend of mine, Laura Ewing, is running to represent District 7 on the State Board of Education. With a career in public education and leadership experiences that have provided her the knowledge of how Texas government operates, Laura has the expertise and interest to represent us well.

Laura has spent 34 years teaching social studies in Texas public schools. Her areas of teaching were government, economics, history, and student leadership which she taught in the Houston, Spring, Cypress-Fairbanks, Fort Bend, and Clear Creek ISDs. She has worked with teachers in many disciplines and in supervisory roles in other school programs including social studies, language arts, fine arts, character education, Safe and Drug Free Schools, libraries, and textbooks. She has served as a curriculum specialist in Pearland ISD since 1998.

Laura earned her undergraduate degree in secondary social studies education from the University of Texas in 1975 and her graduate degree in Educational Leadership and Cultural Studies with a mid-management certificate from the University of Houston in 1997. Her graduate work included studying curriculum and public school finance, law and Texas politics.

Laura has served on the Friendswood City Council since 2003, winning re-election in 2006. As a council member, she has served as the liaison to the Community Appearance Board, Community and Economic Development Committee, Planning and Zoning Commission, Parks Board, Library Board, Senior Citizens’ Advisory Board, and the Fourth of July Committee. In addition, she served as a citizen representative meeting with members of Congress in support of space exploration.

Laura actively pursues involvement in professional organizations and opportunities to learn and grow. She is a member of the Mu Sigma chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma.

As a member of the Texas Council for the Social Studies (TCSS), Laura chaired/co-chaired the curriculum committee for four years and the conference committee for two years. She then served as president of this organization. She has documented through photographs and articles activities of TCSS and now serves on the editorial board of its journal, The Social Studies Texan. In addition, she has represented TCSS in attending State Board of Education meetings and communicating with members of the Texas legislature and Congress. She was elected/appointed to the secretary and treasurer positions of the Texas Social Studies Supervisors Association. She has made professional presentations at the local, state and national social studies conferences. She is also an active board member of the Friends of Geography, a local affiliate of National Geographic.

Laura is an active member of the Friendswood United Methodist Church, serving as Chair of the Church in Society/Peace with Justice Committee. She has participated in several mission projects both within Texas and in northern Mexico.

Ewing currently serves as the secretary of the North Galveston County Democrats’ Club. She is co-founder and secretary of the Clear Creek Nature and Cultural Tourism Council.

Laura Ewing and John Hull have been married since 1975 and have resided in Friendswood, Texas and SBOE District 7 since 1994. They have one son, Benjamin, who attended public schools from kindergarten through his senior year and who is currently a student at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Ewing’s hobbies include photography, traveling and reading.

Laura is unopposed in the March primary and will have an opponent on November 4, 2008.

Sincerely,

Pat Cruz

Pol. Adv paid for by Laura Ewing for State Board of Education, District 7, Pat Cruz, Treasurer. PO Box 1347, Pearland, TX 77588.