Rebecca Word

Meridian school board member Rebecca Word’s love of children is more than just a passion; it’s a dedication. With her youngest son about to graduate, she has fielded many questions about her future involvement. While she admits that a proactive interest in her children’s education was the initial focus, she’s still very much interested in the growth and development of Pulaski County’s youth.

“Wearing my mom’s hat got me my school board hat,” says Rebecca with a smile. “Everyone keeps asking, ‘With your son being a senior this year, will you quit the school board?’ No, that would mean I was on the board for only one purpose. You know what I mean?”

Rebecca is forthright, sharing that she developed and nurtured her passion for children long before her two children were born. She grew up in what she describes as the close-knit community of Murphysboro. She’s also quick to admit she grew up in a ghetto, which brought its fair share of struggles, especially for youth. Even as a teenager, she worked hard and gave freely, running a study group for ten- to fourteen-year-olds multiple nights per week and helping with basketball and drill teams.

In addition to her dedication to the school system, she balances roles as a mother, small business owner, and post office worker, providing her with multiple perspectives. Throughout her children’s tenure, she’s volunteered with Head Start, the Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO), where she serves as Vice President and Treasurer, and the school board.

When asked why she chose to run, she smiles and shares simple wisdom: “The only way to know what’s going on is to get involved.” When her children were young, she attended her first parent-teacher meeting and discovered that they wanted her opinion and input.

Rebecca joined the school board in 2015. After serving a four-year term, she was unsure whether she wanted to continue, deciding to throw her hat into the ring at the last minute. Even though she entered the race at the last minute as a write-in candidate, she only lost by a handful of votes. Rebecca’s strong showing and continued involvement made her a natural to walk on as a mid-term addition to fill a vacancy. She ran and was formally reelected in 2023.

Looking into the future, Rebecca communicates with pride and measured optimism, knowing that there’s always work to do even if her children have graduated. “Everybody thinks their school board’s the best. But everybody thinks their school is the worst,” admits Rebecca knowingly.

She continues, “The school is doing well. We still have problems, but we’ve fixed a lot of them. Everybody has problems, so we won’t act like we’re the only ones who don’t.” Ultimately, it’s the community’s dedication that gives Rebecca hope. For example, she references Dina Nelson, a woman who graduated in 2015. While she moved away, she recently reached out to provide a student scholarship donation. Rebecca beams with pride, sharing that Dina accepted an offer and will return for the awards night to hand out the scholarship personally.

Reflecting on my conversation with Rebecca, I can’t help but pause. As a father of two boys, I start many mornings with school drop-offs and often end them on the sidelines, watching various sports practices. As I sit there, watching my boys interacting with their friends, some of Rebecca’s simple yet profound words loop back in my head, a call to action that I can easily stand behind.

“And one of my biggest things is that you don’t know what’s going on with anyone. The only way to know what’s going on is to be involved,” Rebecca concludes.