Richmond Times Dispatch 

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Published: May 8, 2009

On an education tour of Virginia, Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Jon Bowerbank learned that progress sometimes is measured in big words.

Erica Coleman, a University of Richmond graduate mentoring underprivileged children at a learning center, said she knew she had made progress when a fourth-grader, reading at the second-grade level, began referring to reading as "tedious" rather than "boring."

Bowerbank, listening more than talking, brought his campaign to the low-income Delmont Plaza apartment complex in eastern Henrico County near Richmond International Raceway.

There, about 30 children were being mentored, behind locked doors, in a Christian environment using private money provided by the Youth Life Foundation of Richmond, founded by former Washington Redskins football star Darrell Green.

Bowerbank, a wealthy Russell County businessman and Board of Supervisors member, said the problems in the Richmond area's urban setting are not that different from those in Russell County.

"You have to give kids the infrastructure and tools to learn with," he said.

Bowerbank is seeking the Democratic nomination over former state Secretary of Finance Jody Wagner, and Arlington County activist Mike Signer, in a June 9 primary.

Bowerbank has put almost $1 million into his campaign. He says he will make the part-time lieutenant governor's office a full-time job.

Yesterday, he campaigned in Farmville and Norfolk as well as in the Richmond area.

As a candidate, he favors prekindergarten funding, smaller class sizes, more investments in technology and increasing the high school completion rate.