Keith Giles

District: Lancaster School Trustee Area 1
Position Seeking: Governing Board Member

Question 1: Please share a meaningful experience you had with art (visual, dance, drama, music, media arts) while growing up.

I was able to take band as an elementary student. I was able to learn music and enjoyed the whole experience!

Question 2: What kind of creative solutions would you suggest to support student outcomes such as English language development, closing the achievement gap, and preparation for college and/or meaningful careers?

I think if we are able to incorporate the arts into our programs it will help students in many areas!

Question 3: What do you think should be the role of the School Board in ensuring that students have access to a broad range of study?

I feel that board members must advocate for students to have access to a broad range of study.
This can be funding the arts even when funds are not great!

Question 4: In light of the Local Control Funding Formula and development of district Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs), what are your creative solutions for achieving goals in the eight priority areas?

We must sit down with all of the stakeholders and have discussions about how the arts can play a role in helping are students' achievement!

Edwin Borques

District: Baldwin Park USD
Position Seeking: Governing Board Member

Question 1: Please share a meaningful experience you had with art (visual, dance, drama, music, media arts) while growing up.

My life has been shaped by the arts. I was discovered by a scout and was acting, modeling and performing right out of high school. I have worked with great talent such as Sade, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake and many others. I have done TV commercials, film and been in magazines all over the world. I was the first male model ever for Dolce & Gabbana and was the love interest/sailor for Sade's worldwide hit, "No Ordinary Love."

Question 2: What kind of creative solutions would you suggest to support student outcomes such as English language development, closing the achievement gap, and preparation for college and/or meaningful careers?

Every kid is different. Lets give every kid the chance to succeed. Some creative solutions would be more field trips and extracurricular activities to places like the new Broad Museum in downtown LA, Disney Hall to hear the Philharmonic and opportunities in dance, drama and the arts. Once we develop and nurture kids in what interest them, then the sky is the limit. I am a student of the BPUSD and I made it to USC, my dream school. We need to mentor and motivate kids and they will feel more empowered to think outside the box.

Question 3: What do you think should be the role of the School Board in ensuring that students have access to a broad range of study?

The School Board should be front and center in producing well rounded students that are ready to succeed in the real world. We hear too much talk about Common Core and Smarter Balanced. I want a renewed focus on the Arts. I want kids that can not only compete with their neighbors from Day 1 but can hold their own on an international level as well.

Question 4: In light of the Local Control Funding Formula and development of district Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs), what are your creative solutions for achieving goals in the eight priority areas?

We hear all this talk about not having enough funding and/or stagnant funding that doesn't change year over year. Lets meet and work with our more established philanthropists and create games, events, even competitions where schools and classes work on murals together (as 1 example) and the winning school gets a grant or aid or gets to paint the winning selection in some prized area of Downtown LA to be cherished and remembered for years to come.

Phillip Chen

District: Walnut Valley Unified
Position Seeking: Governing Board Member

Question 1: Please share a meaningful experience you had with art (visual, dance, drama, music, media arts) while growing up.

The Arts have had a tremendous positive impact on my life. As a youth I would perform Wushu, which is a both a Chinese Martial Art and Performing Art. It taught me both discipline and team work and inspired me to be a life-long athlete. One of my proudest achievements is establishing the Wushu team at Cal State Fullerton, and watching it grow every year.

Question 2: What kind of creative solutions would you suggest to support student outcomes such as English language development, closing the achievement gap, and preparation for college and/or meaningful careers?

The Walnut Valley Unified School District is one of the top performing districts in both the State and Nation. As a board member we have to work with all our partners in the community: parents, teachers, administrators, and faculty to ensure each student has the best resources to succeed.
As a Board Member I am proud to support expanding S.T.E.M. education to our K-12 students. Additionally, I have hosted College Tuition and Scholarship Preparation Workshops in the districts to help educate both students and parents on how to successfully transition from High School to College and beyond.

Question 3: What do you think should be the role of the School Board in ensuring that students have access to a broad range of study?

Board Members are stewards of the taxpayers, their job is ensure that tax dollars are being spent wisely in the classroom. I am proud of the work of our Board to both balance the budget and create a “rainy-day” fund to ensure that educational programs in the district are fully funded. We are also expanding S.T.E.M. education to ensure that students not only study the classics but are prepared to lead in the 21st century world that is rapidly changing and becoming ever more connected through technology.

Question 4: In light of the Local Control Funding Formula and development of district Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs), what are your creative solutions for achieving goals in the eight priority areas?

The Walnut Valley Unified School District is a low-wealth district this means that we do not receive our fair share of resources from the State of California This means we have to think outside the box to ensure our district continues to be one of the top performing districts in both the State and Nation We however have a very supportive and generous community partners such as the Walnut Valley Educational Foundation and Walnut Diamond Bar Chinese American Parents Association that work hand in hand with our district to ensure our students have the tools and resources to be successful.

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