Uncrowned Community Builders

Ms. Livingston was born in Oklahoma City on October 1, 1939 to Mary and Clarence Thurmond. She graduated from Paige Elementary, Moon Junior High and Douglass High Schools. She matriculated at Hampton Institute (University) in Virginia and earned her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. In 1968, she received a Master's degree in Special Education from Central State University in Edmond, Oklahoma. She completed postgraduate hours from Texas Women's University and received a certificate in School Administration.

Ms. Livingston moved to Kansas City, Kansas in 1961 and began her career in education as a second grade teacher. During her first year, her students won the grand prize at the Kansas Science Fair. After three years of teaching, she launched her trailblazing career as the first African American hired as Director of Education and later Director of the Kansas City, Kansas Head Start Programs. While in the Head Start Programs, Lucy wrote the curriculum for Head Start and co-authored a book, "Home Start for Parents." She was later hired as Coordinator of Special Education for the Kansas City, Kansas School District.

She was transferred to the Kansas City, Missouri School District that offered greater and even more creative opportunities. She served as a teacher for one year and was an administrator for 12 years. As an administrator she found her passion for working with children with learning disabilities and who were mentally challenged. She became Coordinator for the Learning Disabilities Department and Supervisor of the Mentally Handicapped Department. During this period, Ms. Livingston wrote the Curriculum Guide for the elementary, middle and high schools. She developed a screening instrument to identify individuals with learning disabilities at the first grade level so that they could receive help early.

Armed with these rich experiences, she moved to Dallas, Texas in 1984 and became a Vacation Adjustment Coordinator for Special Education in the Dallas Independent School District. She served in that capacity for two years, capturing the School's Teacher of the Year Award and was nominated for the Perot Award. She later served as a Specialist for the Dallas ISD's Home School Coordinators, Vice Principal, Program Director for Special Education, Title I Specialist and retired as an Elementary School Principal. She was the first Vice Principal to receive the Administrator of the Year Award and also received the PACE Award (Partnership in Arts and Community Education) for starting a Dallas ChildrenÃ?¢ââ??¬ââ??¢s Theater Program that took the arts to children in school providing them with an opportunity to take theater lessons. This program became a District-wide program. She also started an Art Gallery at her school.

Lucy was featured in the Dallas Morning News Education Profile Section because she developed and organized a tutoring program for students who lived in a Dallas Apartment Complex. She moved into the project to personally implement the program since these students did not have transportation to participate in a school-based, after school tutoring program.

After retirement, she launched her creativity projects as an inventor. Ms. Livingston holds ownership of two United States Patents and one Provisional Patent for products that she created. She is currently marketing a product called the PilloTotte and a strap that
carries a security radio. She invented another product, a closet organizer, called 3 Rod Snapper.

Ms. Livingston has served as member and officer on many community boards such as Girl Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, The Wilkinson Center (serving the underprivileged and homeless), and Education First Steps (supporting and certifying Day Care Centers).

She is affiliated with the Dallas Chapter of Links Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Dallas Carrousels and the Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Church. Lucy joined and traveled with a missionary group, ALARM, that did work in Kenya, Africa. She developed a workshop, Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã?â??How to Avoid Conflict and Negotiate Conflict Resolution," which addressed conflict and absenteeism among students in Kenya.

Ms. Livingston is divorced and is the proud parent of Lori and Lewis Livingston, daughter-in-law, Nicole and one grandchild, Lewis Livingston Jr.