Cynthia de Victoria seeks full term on Wahluke Board
Wahluke School Board candidate Cynthia de Victoria with husband Arthur de Victoria and their children Arthur Warren and Rebekah, both graduates of the Wahluke school system.
MATTAWA - Cynthia de Victoria was appointed to the Wahluke School District board of directors two years ago. Now that she has experience, she's asking voters for a four-year term.
De Victoria's opponent is Jay Scott. The voters will make their determination next Tuesday, Nov. 8.
De Victoria has other experience in the district. She was an employee for nine years, working in Early Childhood education. She was an American Sign Language interpreter three of those years.
"I loved it," she said.
De Victoria remains in Early Childhood Education in the community, but not for the school. She works for the Big Bend Community College Even Start Program, a family literacy program.
As the early childhood education specialist, de Victoria supervises "anything that has to do with the education of young children. The program works with parents who are learning English and have children under the age of eight years.
While parents in the program attend English as a Second Language classes, the children go to age-level pre-school classrooms.
"The focus is to get them kindergarten-ready," de Victoria said. "The biggest focus of the program for the parents is to be involved in their kids' education."
That, de Victoria said, can be accomplished in many ways. She encourages parents to read in English and speak in English with their children. She recommends they watch television in English for at least a half hour daily.
"Being around English is vital," she said.
As a board member, de Victoria has dealt with all issues facing the district, but she admits she's an advocate for increased early childhood programs even though there are already three.
"We have lots of pre-schoolers who aren't being served," she said. "We have a waiting list for the community program."
Not counting employment and school board service, de Victoria has strong connections to Wahluke schools. She graduated from Wahluke High School, and so did her children. Her husband Arthur is a long-time employee and coach of several state champion soccer teams.
The de Victorias met at Northwest University - a Bible college - in Kirkland. They married in 1986.
After living in Arthur's native California for four years, the de Victorias moved to Boston for a year so Arthur could work on a Masters of Theology. Then they went back to California.
When the de Victorias moved to the Mattawa area in 1986, they did not come for education careers. They came as Home Mission pastors for the Assemblies of God, pastoring Chapel of the Desert in Desert Aire for three years.
Not long after arriving, Arthur landed a post with the Wahluke School Disrict. Later, Cynthia went to work for the district as a parapro in special education. She started with BBCC five years ago.
De Victoria has no experience with budgets outside of the district. However, she has worked with two budgets while serving on the board.
De Victoria has a history of community involvement. She is a Red Cross volunteer. She is a member of the committee that renewed Mattawa Communities Day last summer.
De Victoria has worked with youth through the faith-based Young Life Program. She serves on the National Children's Study (NCS) Grant County Community Advisory Committee.
De Victoria serves on the Grant County Community Resource Committee. And she has served on the Grant County Interagency Coordinating Council, and infant/toddler intervention program.
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