Impacting Education Through Community Leadership
Angela Tekell: Education Solid Gold Neighbor
Holly Webb, Office & Project Manager
Attorney, City Center Waco Board of Directors member, former Junior League of Waco President, PTA President, and high school educator: for thirty-three years, spanning numerous roles, Angela Tekell has embodied servant leadership in Waco.
Her love and commitment to public education and community service were instilled at an early age. Angela's mother is an educator, and her father was a long-serving elected official. Growing up, she watched as both of them dedicated their time, effort, and talents to make their community a better place--whether in the classroom or on the campaign trail--setting a standard of service Angela strives to maintain.
In 1986 Angela graduated from Baylor University, and her dedication to Waco began to flourish. Her husband is from Arizona and was attending law school in California when they met. After law school, they had opportunities to live in Austin and Houston and chose to live in Waco and raise their children here.
When asked what her favorite part of Waco was, she responded, "I love the quality of life, my church home, St. Alban's, and my beloved friends. I love Cameron Park where I mountain bike, hike, and cycle. I love the diversity and the freedom this community gives to express a variety of ideas. I love the spirit of community and the fact that this community has so many people willing to dedicate their time and talent to make this a wonderful place to live and raise a family."
Angela and her husband are parents to two boys who are Waco ISD graduates. As parents, they believe that their children received the best education possible and have proudly supported Waco public schools for the past 20 years. As soon as her oldest son began school, she began volunteering with Waco ISD, going on to serve as PTA President, Advanced Academic committee member, Parents for Public School President, Waco ISD Education Foundation Board Member and officer, championing not just the schools, but the district as a whole.
During this time, Angela also became very involved in the Waco community through her membership in the Junior League. Through the Junior League of Waco, she served on a variety of community boards, met Waco leaders and learned about Waco's rich history. Inspired by her service as the Junior League's President, in 2006, she decided to pursue a life-long dream to become a teacher and took a two-year hiatus from law practice to teach criminal justice at University High School.
In 2010, she ran for the Waco ISD School Board against a 12-year incumbent due to the belief that she could make a significant and positive impact on the quality of public education in Waco. This past May, Angela was elected President of the Board. In the process to find a new ISD Superintendent, she was driven by her commitment to help Waco ISD offer the best educational experience possible for all members of the Waco community. When asked about her work for Waco ISD, Angela stated, "I believe that every child should have the same opportunities to achieve their dreams."
We appreciate her continued dedication to ensuring the quality of public education in Waco for all. To learn more about Waco ISD, its development, and upcoming events, go to wacoisd.org.