Candidate for
Member of the Board of Education; Los Angeles Unified School District; District 1

I am Sherlett Hendy Newbill and I want to be your candidate for the Los Angeles School Board District 1 seat.

I am from this community. Born and raised in the heart of District 1, near Cimarron and 26th St., I know this community's needs and perspective first-hand. I went to school here and was a first-hand witness to all the possibilities + and challenges + our schools present.

Education was a cornerstone value in my family. My parents believed in the promise of America + that if you worked hard, you could succeed no matter who you are or where you come from. I took their wisdom to prestigious Susan Miller Dorsey High School, where I graduated in 1990. I received a scholarship to attend Xavier University in New Orleans. I earned my degree in Psychology with emphasis in Kinesiology in 1994. I could have made my life elsewhere. But I didn't. My heart and my home is in District 1 and I returned here to `pay forward' the gift of education that I received from my parents and my public schools. I came home to obtain a teaching credential so I could teach and coach at my alma mater.

I did more than educate in the classroom. As a high school basketball coach, I taught students teamwork, discipline, hard work + all qualities that are essential to academic success. Since 1998 I have been at Dorsey High, motivating thousands of students towards college and a brighter future and bringing home numerous basketball championships!

I also understand the challenges of leadership. I have been a Lead Teacher at one of Dorsey's innovative Small Learning Academies--developing curriculum, school programs and personalizing learning for our youth is a passion of mine. As the Dorsey girls head basketball coach for 15 years, I coach leadership, hard work and team work. I also have worked closely with, and organized, teachers, parents and administrators to improve our schools and empower our students.

I have helped develop curriculum to improve the teaching of physical fitness for our children. I have been an instructor in the prestigious Teach the Teachers Collaborative at the Thacher School. I was also inducted into the Dorsey High Hall of Fame in 2012.

I value family. I have been fortunate to be accompanied on my journey by my wonderful husband, Ivano Newbill, a former NBA player and a smart, supportive and empowering partner. "Newby," as we call him, and I are active in our church and community. New parents to a beautiful one-year-old boy, Isaiah, we have both a personal and professional reason to be devoted to the cause of children's empowerment through education. We are also passionate about the struggle for educational justice.

I am your voice for schools. As a Board Member, my heart and my door will always be open to working with you, whether you are a parent, teacher, administrator or concerned community member. Reach out to me, email me with your ideas, download a flyer, or make a donation to our cause. Together we can make a new voice for change heard in Los Angeles!