BIOGRAPHY:

"Boots on the ground" is one of Connie Biggers' favorite expressions. This describes the way she likes to get a job done, whether it's helping homeless veterans or giving scholarships to local students.Her mentor, Kathy Doubleday, described her as a "whirlwind of energy". Beginning her teaching career in Nebraska and Colorado, tiring of the cold winters there she took a friend's suggestion and moved to Ojai.

She was hired as a PE teacher at Nordhoff HS, where she taught for more than 30 years. She believes that public schools and military veterans have been "put on the back burner". To that end, she has volunteered many hours to the American Legion Auxillary Unit, the Ventura County Stand Down (a 3 day event for homeless Veterans) ensuring the homeless vets are fed, clothed, and, if possible securing housing. She can be found around Memorial Day and Veterans day, at the Nordhoff Cemetery, leading a cadre of volunteers to clean up and put American flags on the graves of Veterans.

She served 2 terms as President of the Oak View Woman's Club, working on Adopt a Family programs, sponsoring poetry and short story writing contests for local high school students.

She also helps with a program called Penny Pines which assists the U. S. Forestry Service to restore areas devastated by wild fires.

Biggers used to tell her students, "We are all members of a community and we have a responsibility to safeguard, protect, and heal that community."