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Former Northwest High School student body President Joshua Wright already has years of experience as a leader making decisions that affect students’ lives.
Now Wright, 23, a senior at the University of North Texas, will affect the broader community as a Northwest school district trustee.In unofficial results, 39 percent of voters on Saturday agreed to send Wright to Place 1 on the school board, a seat being vacated by Debbie Thomas, a former board president who served 12 years.Wright said he plans to graduate in December with a degree in public relations."I think word-of-mouth was probably my biggest strength," said Wright, of Fort Worth, who was student body president for three years. "I look forward to getting in there and learning everything that I can, digging my heels in and getting to work." Wright said supporters distributed campaign fliers by hand. Some mornings, they held up signs bearing his name near school campuses for drivers to see as they dropped off their children for classes. Kyle Young, 45, a Haslet software sales representative, took 34 percent of the vote. Jeff Kennedy, 43, a Fort Worth pilot, took 27 percent.In other area school districts:KellerIn unofficial returns late Saturday, Melody Kohout, 49, Keller ISD Education Foundation chairwoman and two-term president of the Keller ISD Council of PTAs, garnered 54 percent of the vote for the Place 7 seat held by school board President Robert Apetz. Apetz is stepping down after three terms on the board. Raquel Fenton, 36, a Fort Worth account manager, won 46 percent of the vote.In Place 6, Keller business owner Wendy Collins, who received 47 percent of vote, will replace David Farmer, who served 12 years in four terms on the board, including several years as president.Brian Crowson, 45, North Richland Hills insurance agent, drew 32 percent and Jennifer Lutz, 38, a saleswoman, took 22 percent.ArlingtonTrustee Gloria Peña will retain her Place 1 seat, defeating Luis Castillo, 76 percent to 24 percent. First-time candidate Aaron Reich beat Cheryl Smith for the open Place 3 seat. MansfieldIncumbent Terry Moore prevailed over the school district’s retired chief technology officer, Ray Jaksa, for Place 1.With all 12 precincts counted, Moore had 76 percent of the vote. Jaksa had 24 percent.Trustee Beth Light, running unopposed, retained Place 2. CrowleyTwo new trustees will take their places on the Crowley school board as the 15,000-student district addresses a 2009-10 budget shortfall.Deborah Alenius unseated incumbent Greg Kauffman in Place 3 with 55 percent to Kauffman’s 45 percent.Mary Harris won the three-way race for the unexpired Place 5 term with 56 percent of the vote to Karen Davis’ 29 percent and Mia Hall’s 15 percent.Grapevine-ColleyvilleBecky St. John defeated Vince Rosen for Place 2 on the school board, 52 percent to 48 percent.CleburneBusiness owners Wendell Dempsey and Tolin Navarrete are headed for a runoff in the Place 3 school board race. Dempsey got 44 percent of the vote to Navarrete’s 42 percent and Matt Snider’s 15 percent. AledoIncumbents Johnny Campbell and Joe Dearing Jr. defeated challengers to keep their seats on the Aledo school board. Campbell had 69 percent to win Place 2, beating David Tillman, who got 31 percent. Dearing tallied 72 percent to Place 3 challenger Chris Griffin Sr.’s 28 percent. EvermanEverman school Trustee Vicky Garza faces a runoff to keep her Place 7 seat. She got 40 percent of the vote to Sharon Banks’ 35 percent. Tom Franklin Jr. trailed with 25 percent.In Place 2, Ricky Burgess defeated LaMonica Thomas-Hodgest with 67 percent of the vote to Thomas-Hodgest’s 33 percent. Gary T. Balch kept his Place 3 seat with 83 percent to Kia D. Cowan’s 17 percent.JESSAMY BROWN, 817-390-7326
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