Superior Court Mediator Selected for Banning Unified School Board Vacancy

A Riverside County Superior Court mediator was chosen from nine candidates Thursday night to fill the vacancy on the five-member Banning Unified School District board of trustees.

The new board member, Veronica Histed, was born and raised in Banning and she graduated from Banning High School, she said in a phone interview Friday.

Histed was "the last Miss Banning," an honor she earned in 1978-1979, she said.

She has also worked as a community resolution specialist and as chief executive officer of the Fountain of Life Renewing Awareness Center in Banning.

"Her pride in Banning and her concern for the well-being of students and educators, coupled with her experience and ability to understand the importance of teamwork, will benefit Banning’s students, staff and community," Superintendent Lynne B. Kennedy said.

The interviews Thursday night were held in Banning City Council chambers.

"I'm looking forward to working with a group of people that have the same heart that I have, to help them implement policies that make sense, to make sure our kids receive the best education possible with the resources we have, and to work with the Superintendent, so she can implement those policies and procedures," Histed said Friday. "For the kids and the staff memebers, not just for today but for our future."

The was created in November when board member Melodie Reese resigned for personal reasons.