Former first lady Michelle Obama will soon have a second California schools as her namesake.
In a unanimous vote, the West Contra Costa Unified School District Board decided to change the name of Wilson Elementary School to Michelle Obama Elementary School.
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The idea was first proposed when the PTA sent a letter to the school board, the school board said. Two ad hoc meetings received unanimous support from parents, students and community leaders.
"We wanted to choose someone on a global level," Wilson PTA President Maisha Cole said. "With a new school and new learning environment, we want our children to think beyond Richmond, to think beyond California, and remind them that they can make a difference locally and globally."
The new name will have a new school to match. The elementary school will be rebuilt for the 2020-2021 school year, the school said.
"We have the opportunity to have a beautiful new school named after a person who really represents our diversity and values," Principal Claudia Velez said. "Our school is diverse, modern and innovative, and the things that the kids will be doing will prepare them for a very strong and successful future in whatever career they choose."
The West Contra Costa elementary school is the second school in California to be named after the former First Lady, following the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Michelle Obama Elementary.