Editor’s note: The following is a statement submitted to rrspin.com by the candidate who is running for a seat on the Halifax County Board Education as a challenger. With the exception of edits for style, grammar, and punctuation it is posted as submitted by the candidate. Other candidates who have filed for this race are encouraged to submit their statements with a photo to
Elizabeth “Lizzie” Silver has officially announced her candidacy for the Halifax County School Board of Education, bringing a strong background in education, counseling, and student advocacy to the race.
Silver is a graduate of Nash-Rocky Mount Early College High School, where she earned her high school diploma and an associate of arts degree from Nash Community College.
She went on to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating in Spring 2021 with a bachelor of arts.
After a brief gap year, Silver earned a master of science in counselor education from East Carolina University in 2024, with dual specializations in school counseling and clinical mental health. She is currently pursuing a doctor of philosophy degree in educational leadership and cultural foundations at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
During her undergraduate years, she wasn’t sure what her future would hold. However, working with students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and North Carolina State University through programs like Carolina Horizons, Project Uplift, and TRIO, as well as serving as an administrative assistant and later as a school counselor, led her to discover her passion.
She knew God had given her the gift not only of caring for the youth but also of the determination to advocate and fight for the best future they could have. For them to succeed, all students deserve the best opportunities to achieve their goals.
As a candidate for the board of education, Silver pledges to engage in ongoing conversations with students, families, community members, faculty, staff — including bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers, teachers, administrators, and student support personnel — to better understand their needs, concerns, and the policies needed to continue improving the educational process for Halifax County’s most valuable assets: our students and their future.
As someone who has worked and continues to work directly with students and school staff, Silver understands the challenges facing our schools and the importance of strong leadership that considers students, faculty, staff, parents, and community stakeholders. She believes all students deserve high-quality educational opportunities that prepare them not only to succeed, but to thrive.
Silver’s campaign focuses on three key priorities: strengthening community and parental involvement, improving educator recruitment and retention across all school roles, and supporting students’ well-being through the responsible integration of technology while maintaining a strong emphasis on literacy.
Silver emphasizes the importance of valuing all school personnel, including teachers, counselors, administrators, custodians, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, and support staff, as essential contributors to student achievement.
If elected, Silver is committed to engaging in ongoing conversations with students, families, educators, and community members to ensure that policies reflect the needs of Halifax County
public schools and the students they serve.
