Crispin for Kansas City, Missouri School Board

About

Crispin Rea was born and raised in the City's Eastside. Growing up in the inner-city, Crispin felt the challenges facing Kansas City youth. He quickly became determined to impact the lives of children in a positive way.

Crispin had a strong sense of civic duty from a very young age. He participated in neighborhood association meetings, neighborhood clean-ups, and other community events because he understood that many of the problems his community was facing could be addressed from within. During his high school and college career he worked as a teen mentor with the Urban 4-H Program, facilitating anti-gang and anti-drug programs at many elementary schools, housing projects, and community centers throughout the Eastside and Northeast areas.

In 2007, Crispin accepted a position in the Mayor's Office focusing on Youth Development and Communications. The Mayor's Office afforded Crispin the opportunity to work on numerous community initiatives:

Crispin created a relationship between Cristo Rey High School and the City, allowing Cristo Rey students to serve as City employees while earning a paycheck towards their tuition.
Crispin worked with the Kansas City Wizards and the Parks and Recreation Department to develop the Mayor's Night Kicks program, which engaged inner-city youth by offering night time soccer competitions throughout the summer.
Crispin contributed to the replication of the Harlem Children's Zone in Kansas City, an education program that works to break the generational cycle of poverty, in Kansas City's Eastside.

In September of 2009, Crispin lost his mother to cancer after several cycles of chemo and radiation, a brain operation, and countless ambulance escorted visits to the hospital. Her passing had a profound effect on Crispin. She was the first one to teach him about compassion and community service and he believes she would be proud to see him working hard to bring the focus of Kansas City public schools back to education back to the students.

A graduate of Park University, and an elected 13th Ward representative on the Jackson County Democratic Committee, Crispin will bring a fresh perspective to the Kansas City School Board. Currently serving as Head of Youth Development at the Mattie Rhodes Center, Crispin will do whatever it takes to take back our schools.