Meet the Mesa Public School Board Candidates

Five people are going for three spots on the Mesa Public Schools Board in the November Election. All of the candidates are fairly young with Peterson being the oldest at 51. This is a very interesting time to be on the MPS board with the recent cuts and the potential for more in the future. It could be an opportunity for someone to really show some leadership and make a name for themselves by helping turn the board around. It could also be a chance for someone to get a lot of people mad at them. Here are the candidates:

Steven Peterson
Age: 51.
Profession: Chief financial officer for mining equipment company.
Quote: "I want to keep Mesa schools viable for our school children."

Michael Nichols
Age: 42.
Profession: Retired from military.
Quote: "I've got experience (as school volunteer) and would like to do good for the community and education."

Lance Entrekin
Age: 42.
Profession: Attorney.
Quote: "I wanted to get involved, and read in Arizona Republic about all the financial difficulty they were having."

Ben Whiting
Age: 35.
Profession: Dentist.
Quote: "I'm excited about where Mesa schools are at now and excited about something better in the future."

Kate Ali'varius
Age: 39.
Profession: Former school principal, now publisher of Edukid newspaper.
Quote: "I have two premier values, the community and education."

Expect to read more about these people in the mail, but don't expect a lot from them in the mailbox. As an unpaid volunteer position, its not a traditional candidate campaign like you would expect.