When Cindy Spray looks at many students within the School District of Manatee County, she sees herself: an angry foster kid who didn’t have any sort of direction.
“I can see the sad sadness in some of these students’ eyes in all levels — elementary, middle and high school,” Spray said. “I often wonder what’s going on inside them that they may not want to share. Sometimes that’s all they need is somebody to stop and listen.”
Spray, the District 2 representative and chair for the School District of Manatee County, is running for reelection. She began her first term on the school board in 2022. Spray said she has been a huge advocate for mentorship programs for teens, especially foster kids…