Boesen Honored for Service to Education, Community

School Board member Connie Boesen has been honored by United Way of Central Iowa and the Young Women’s Resource Center.

Connie Boesen is that rarest of birds, a public servant with no selfish strings attached to her service. She won’t razzle-dazzle you with eloquent rhetoric or outsmart opponents of her causes with fancy finesse moves. But whenever, wherever, however students need a champion, you can count on her to roll up her sleeves and pitch in. Forget the “lights, camera…” part, she is all about “action!”

In well-deserved recognition of her contributions to the community, she has received two distinguished awards this spring:

• The Louise Noun Visionary Woman Award from the Young Women’s Resource Center
• The United Way of Central Iowa Advocacy Award

She is the dean, or grande dame, of the Des Moines School Board, having served since 2003 in an occasionally thankless and always unpaid post. Far beyond her attendance at board meetings, you will find Connie at a wide array of school events and activities at all levels, all over town.

When her current term expires later this year, she does not plan to run for reelection. That will be the school district’s loss.

In high school she was a cheerleader at East High School, a particular school that remains dear to her heart. But she has become a dogged advocate for all 60 schools in the district and the students who attend them.

She has done everything from spearheading adoption of the local option sales tax to benefit school infrastructure in 1999 to serving breakfast pizza to high school juniors at her alma mater before they took their ACT exams just last week.

As Teree Caldwell-Johnson, chair of the School Board, noted in the nomination that she and her colleagues submitted to United Way: “For nearly 14 years, Connie Boesen has dedicated her service to our community as a member of the Des Moines School Board. In that role, she has worn many ‘hats’ as an advocate for students, teachers, and parents. From improving access to quality preschool to increasing the graduation rate, she has worked to improve education from beginning to end for students at Des Moines Public Schools.”

A former colleague on the school board, Dick Murphy, reacted to news of her awards this way: “A great choice! She is a great role model for young women and you will find no better citizen of our community.”

When Heather Anderson was elected to the school board in 2015 she found an example and a resource in Boesen. “Connie taught me what true dedication looks like…She made herself available to answer any questions new board members had, she always goes above and beyond…she is a true leader who authentically cares for all of the students of DMPS.”

In a steadily increasing number of ways Connie Boesen took the motto of East to heart and made it her own: For the Service of Humanity.

“I am honored to receive the awards from United Way and the Young Women’s Resource Center,” Boesen said. “Both organizations work to improve outcomes for people. Many people have accused me of not knowing how to say no. Well, how can you not say yes when you know that by volunteering you help, in some small way, to make things better for people? Maybe the motto of East High did have some influence on me.”

Maybe?

Congratulations, Connie. And thank you.