Cushon Bell with sons (l-r) Devan, Dustin, and Dylan. Photo By Gina Bilajiw Long.
Recently-announced PUSD board Seat 2 write-in candidate Cushon Bell will represent the state of California at Parenting Magazine's Mom Congress at Georgetown University in April.
Each year, Parenting chooses 51 outstanding "mom education advocates" -- one from each state and Washington, D.C. -- from essays submitted at Parenting.com to win an all-expense paid trip to attend the annual Mom Congress on Education and Learning conference at Georgetown University. During the event, the moms meet with the country's most prominent education and advocacy leaders to discuss the importance of family engagement in helping American achieve its education goals.
Altadena resident Bell will be attending the conference on April 10-13, where speakers include Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, educator Michelle Rhee, and chef Jamie Oliver, who has started an initiative about school nutrition.
Bell is known as an active school parent: she's the room mom for 9-year-old Devan's third grade class at Sierra Madre Elementary School and she's the school site ambassador for the African American Parent's Council. She's also been active in wider PUSD issues, with the Pasadena Education Network, the Yes on CC campaign last year, and Invest in PUSD Kids.
Last year, she also took leadership training thrugh LA Voice/PICO, and lobbied in Sacramento.
Bell has two younger children: Dylan, 6, in the second grade at Sierra Madre Elementary School, and Dustin, 4, who goes to Lake Ave. preschool.
Bell taught in the Los Angeles Unified School District for 14 years, and has been on leave for the last four. She is married to senior program analyst Adam Bell, who is also active with his boys in Central Altadena Little League.
