SELMA — Kimesha Houston Alvarado has announced she is a candidate for the Selma City School Board District 2 seat in the Oct. 27 election.

The Brooklyn, N.Y., native said she understands the role education plays in the development of communities.

She said she will be an excellent advocate for parents whose children attend Selma City Schools

Alvarado said Selma City Schools’ dropout rate has increased at an alarming rate and the morale of the average student has diminished.

“Our children deserve the best,” she said. “We as parents have been left out of the loop on several key issues concerning our school system. Selma City Schools has been through three different superintendents in less than three years. It is time to deal with true issues facing education and time to leave the politics out of it. It is time to build a strong school system so that our children will have a strong future.”

Alvarado has close ties to Selma. Her mother and father are from the area.

Alvarado attended Byrd Elementary as a fourth-grader. She graduated from Selma High School in 1991.

Alvarado is a 12-year veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. She has earned two Navy Good Conduct medals, two Air Force Achievement medals and three Air Force Commendation medals.

Alvarado earned an associate’s degree in logistics from the Community College of the Air Force, a bachelor’s in business administration with a concentration in information systems from Bowie State University. She has worked on a master’s degree in public administration.

Alvarado was employed by Lockheed Martin Information Technology Division, working on a Defense Department contract at the Pentagon.

In September 2005 she returned to Selma.

Alvarado has worked as a community liaison for state Sen. Hank Sanders, D-Selma.

Alvarado has served as a member of Gov. Bill Riley’s Black Belt Action Commission, on the Youth and Culture Committee, as a community association for the Black Belt Community Foundation, as a director of 21st Century Youth Leadership Movement Selma Chapter, on the Black Belt Education Coalition and as president of the PTO at the School of Discovery.

She is a volunteer for the Mayors Youth Council, Turning the Black Belt Green initiative, the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute Jubilee Coordinating Committee and the Alabama New South Coalition.

Alvarado is known as Sunshine, co-host of the Empowerment Zone with Pastor Gary L. Crum Sr., She is a member of Ellwood Community Church.

Alvarado has a son, Martin Paul Alvarado, who attends Selma CHAT Academy.