Friday, April 26, 2024
Who’s boss? Chris Willis will be in a unique position when he takes his seat on the Gran-bury School Board.
The 19-year-old Granbury High School senior will be the boss of the bosses (school administrators) but still a student expected go by administrators’ rules.
Not that he’s a troublemaker.
Quite the opposite.
The wise-beyond-his-age redhead is a worship leader at non-denominational Generations Church of Granbury. That’s his goal. To become a pastor.
Willis, who lives with his parents in the Acton area, raised eyebrows Tuesday by apparently becoming the first high school student elected to the Granbury School Board.
“I think I made some history last night,” he said.
A high school student serving as a school trustee is rare but not unprecedented, GISD Superintendent Jeremy Glenn said. Pearland ISD (near Houston) voted in a high school student in an earlier election, he said.
WATCH PARTY
Willis attended a watch party at Farina’s Winery & Cafe Tuesday night. All eyes were on him and the school election “because I was in such a unique race this year,” Willis said.
The crowd was “ecstatic, very excited” when the votes were posted in Willis’ favor.
“I feel so blessed, and I’m excited the community has given me a chance to represent them,” he said.
Willis has a couple of specific goals in mind.
He wants more transparency. He would like school board meetings live-streamed on the Internet so people can see how trustees vote and what is discussed. It would keep trustees accountable, he said.
He also wants to look at security at the high school, possibly labeling or numbering exterior exits. In past medical emergencies, he explained, paramedics didn’t know which door to enter.
“An extra five to 10 minutes makes a difference in life and death for some people,” he said.
Where did his support come from?
“Really not from one specific area,” he said. Students, staff and administrators he visited supported him 100 percent, he said.
Willis said he had support from different groups in town, including Republicans and Democrats.
But he didn’t consider it a partisan race.
“It wasn’t about politics, it was about helping the community,” he said.
He mentors youngsters (“I’m like an assistant youth pastor”) at his church where he had wide support, he said.
“They prayed for me, and they encouraged me,” he said.
Willis never thought about running for public office until five months ago.
“I kept thinking we need more people with strong Christian values or everyday values,” he said.
He got online and saw where longtime school trustee Micky Shearon was retiring from the board.
The timing was perfect.
Willis admitted he didn’t know if he was eligible to run because of his age but discovered he was certainly eligible and decided to toss his hat into the ring.
He credits his campaign treasurer, fellow church member Marietta Harrell, for her work in managing Willis’ winning bid for office.
An award-winning choir student, Willis took to Facebook Tuesday night for a heartfelt appreciation to his late choir teacher, Jeremy Bowen, for being such an inspiration in his life. Jeremy Bowen and his girlfriend, Ashley Morrison, died in a car crash last weekend.
He dedicated his triumph in memory of Jeremy.
NEW PERSPECTIVE
Willis brings a distinct component to the board.
Said school board president Nancy Alana, “We are happy to welcome Chris onto the GISD School Board. He will bring a new perspective to the board, and we look forward to working with him.”
School trustee Mark Jackson had this to say:
“The people in our community have spoken and added a unique perspective to the school board for sure. I’d first like to say “congratulations” to Chris. By all accounts, he worked hard and ran a very good campaign against two well-qualified opponents.
“Our board will certainly welcome him with open arms, giving him all the tools and resources he needs to be a successful trustee. He will have a voice as we all do. My hope is he will embrace this new “education” (i.e. public service) he’s about to get and contribute positively as we move forward in the district.”
Willis enjoys singing, of course, acting and playing the guitar and other instruments. He said he loves sharing the gospel.
After he graduates this spring he’ll likely attend Weatherford College for basic studies, he said.
In the meantime he’ll be getting a whirlwind education on life by serving on the school board.
