Candidate for
Board Member; Sweetwater Union High School District; Seat 2

Pearl Quiñones, Board President, was re-elected to her second term as a board member in 2004, is employed by the San Ysidro School District as a dropout prevention specialist.

Recognizing Ms. Quiñones' commitment to families in the South Bay, Congressman Bob Filner presented her with a congressional award. She is Vice President of the Executive Board of Directors for the California Latino School Board Members Association, and also serves on the Executive Board of Directors for the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials and the Border View YMCA. Ms. Quiñones is a fellow of the HOPE Institute, a delegate to the California School Boards Association and has been appointed to the English Language Learners task force for CSBA.

Ms. Quiñones is the first school board member ever to be selected for the executive board of NALEO. She has also been appointed Vice President of the Community Youth Athletic Center Executive Board, the first woman to ever serve on the board.

Ms. Quiñones is dedicated to improving education and strongly advocates high student achievement. She served as vice president of the California School Employees Association and was appointed to the California Department of Education Dropout Prevention Board. Her commitment earned her a prestigious Tribute to Women in Industry award from the YWCA of San Diego.

Born and raised in a small farming community in Texas, Ms. Quiñones was the fourth child of five girls. Her father had no formal education, and her mother attended school until the seventh grade. Ms. Quiñones is only the second in her family to earn a college degree.

A 22-year resident of National City, Ms. Quiñones attended Southwestern College and graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in public administration. She has a California Community College Instructor lifetime credential, and she is currently pursuing a second master's degree in Education Administration at SDSU and a master's in governance from CSBA.

Pearl's son, Eric, is a graduate of Bonita Vista High School.