E.C. Peed has seen a lot during her 22 years on the Beaufort County Board of Education.

Every school system has good and bad situations, but Peed said she’s proud to be a part of Beaufort County Schools’ growth — striving to lower the dropout rate and improve its students’ test scores.

She was serving on the board when Southside High School, P.S. Jones Middle and John Small Elementary schools were built, as well.

Peed is an Aurora native, graduating from Aurora High School and working in management in the fast food industry for more than three decades. She has two sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

During her time on the board, Peed has served as chairman of the buildings and grounds finance committee, which handles school facility maintenance, and as chairman of the appeals committee, which allows students or teachers to appeal a decision that was made.

“Ms. Peed plays a vital role on the Beaufort County school board to ensure the effectiveness of the board and the achievement of students in our county,” Board of Education Chairman Terry Williams said in a statement. “She has served our community well for many years and always has the students’ best interest in mind when making critical decisions.”

Being from Aurora, Peed is passionate about the township and was there during Aurora Middle School’s transition in 2007 to house pre-kindergarten through eighth grade and its name change to S.W. Snowden.

No matter the school, however, she said she wants to see students stay in school and succeed. She also wants to see talented teachers come to and stay in Beaufort County.

“Ms. Peed can be found visiting schools in her district, discussing important issues with administrators, or conversing with students and parents to ensure students are provided with the best education possible,” Williams said of his colleague. “Ms. Peed is one of my closest partners in advocacy for public education, and it has been a privilege to serve alongside her on the school board.”

She’s seen plenty of changes over the course of two decades, but one thing remains the same: her love for children. That’s what led her to run for a spot on the school board and what motivates her to continue to serve.

“As long as people want me there, I’m going to work just as hard as I can work for our children,” Peed said. “I would like to see the district keep on climbing.”

Over the next several weeks, the Daily News will be highlighting Beaufort County Board of Education members, as part of a spotlight series about the members’ backgrounds and their roles on the board.