Heather Ward is one of the young candidates that Run for Something is working with this election cycle. Ward, a senior at Villanova, is running for school board in Pennsylvania in the district where she attended grades K-12. She speaks here about student representation, a strong support system, and dance parties to keep you going.
You’re running for school board for the first time, before you’ve even graduated college. Was there a particular event that incited you to run?
Four years ago, when I was a senior in high school, I actually attended school board meetings and pretty early on I realized there wasn’t student representation on the board. So at the last meeting I went to I told myself that one day I was going to run for school board. I didn’t think it would be four years later, but after the appointment of Betsy Devos as Secretary of Education, I realized just how important public education was and that it was somewhere I could hopefully make change. I think local offices are the best way to do that. My sister is also a sophomore in high school so I still see the day-to-day effects on her, and I just want to make sure that she gets the best education possible.
How has your other experience been helping you in the campaign process?
I’m still a senior in college, I go to Villanova — so it’s a little busy. I’m in my seventeenth year of being a student, essentially. So I have seventeen straight years more experience than anyone on the board, if that makes any sense. None of them have been in the schools more recently than I have. I don’t have that 20 years of banking experience or my PhD, but I have sat in the desks, I’ve taken the standardized tests required, I’ve used the technology that’s in the classroom today, way more than they ever have or they ever will.
And aside from one other member on the board, none of them have ever gone to the schools in the district, so I sort of think why are they more qualified to run? They’re all very qualified people, but they don’t have that same personal experience that I do, and that same personal connection to the district.
How has Run for Something helped with the campaign?
I talked to a field mentor through the mentorship program, and that was right before the first weekend I went knocking on doors. I was a little bit nervous before doing that — I’d never canvassed before. I didn’t quite know the best way to do it, so I went into the mentorship program spreadsheet and his profile said that he essentially was a door-knocking expert because he had done it in several statewide campaigns. I set up a time with him and he walked me through some of the best things I can do and I walked away from that much more confident and ready to go that weekend.
I also talked to a communications mentor, and he posed an interesting question which was: “Why does the town need me on the board?” At first it was always, why do I want to be on the board, where do I think I can help the most, but I think ‘need’ is just an interesting word to bring about that I can talk about more when I’m speaking with other people. To truly identify the need that there is, not just why I’m the best candidate.
What’s been the best advice you got, either before or during the campaign?
People told me before I was running that the most important thing I could have was a strong support system — people who would be there though the good and the bad, always be by my side. I think that really has been the best thing I could have. The first weekend that I was getting my petition signed, someone told me that there was no chance I would win. She said, “Try again in a few years and maybe you’ll win then.” I probably could have gotten down about that, but I went back and I told my family and my friends about that and we were able to laugh about it. Because it’s one person who thinks that.
They’re also there to tell me sometimes if something’s a bad idea, which is really important. If I’m practicing what I’m going to say when I knock on doors or when I go to speak to a group of people, they’re able to tell me, like, “Heather, that doesn’t sound good, you need to rethink that.” And I think it’s important to have that. The honesty is helpful.
Is there anything that you wish you’d known before you ran?
I don’t know if it counts as wishing I knew, because people told me and I guess I didn’t listen to it enough, but just how tiring it can be sometimes. I’m a senior in college, as I said, so I’m balancing the election with trying to graduate and that can be hard, you know, when I have an exam the next day and I have to meet with some parents the night before. I guess when it’s 2:00 a.m. and I’m putting together a walk list and I realize that my sister is also up doing homework — that goes back to the support system and that reminds me why I’m doing this.
What’s been the most gratifying part?
I was able to meet with our high school Young Democrats and Young Republicans; they both came together to meet with me. They invited me in, they wanted to hear me talk about what it’s like to petition and to knock on doors. I think that was the best part, because they’re why I’m running. I really care about all of them as students and the fact that they were able to even at a high school level put party lines aside and both come in and meet with me was really really great. That was the reminder of the importance of representing students and how everything still affects them on a day to day basis. They were all really excited about me running, too, or at least that was the vibe I got. It gave me some confidence.
What surprised you the most?
Everything.
You said the campaign is very tiring, and you’re going to school at the same time, what keeps you motivated?
Again, my sister and seeing her, but if I’m just really tired — and this probably sounds silly — we’ll put on my go-to song and have a dance party in my room right before I go out and talk to people. So that gets me ready.
What’s your go-to song?
“Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon. It’s a great dance party song I really recommend it.