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Chicago Tribune
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Waukegan High seniors share dreams at Celebration Day event; ‘I want to make Waukegan a better place'
Most of Waukegan High School's senior class took part in a celebration courtesy of District 60 that featured dancing, a picnic and games. Many of the teens embarking on adulthood have one thing in common — they plan to return to their hometown after their post-secondary schooling. They plan careers in law, education, healthcare and more, like Yami Montejano, who will attend National Louis University in the fall. Through a church group, Montejano said she got involved in environmental projects, keeping the community cleaner and dealing with pollution. Majoring in business, she sees providing affordable housing for the community as another goal. 'I want to build Section 8 housing for single parents with children,' Montejano said. 'My mom was a single parent. My dad was an alcoholic and died when I was 9. I want to make Waukegan a better place so people don't have to go through what we did.' Montejano was just one of the more than 700 seniors participating in the Senior Celebration Day on Monday on the Washington Campus in Waukegan, with dancing, a photo booth, a picnic lunch and games. Jahleel Shepherd, a college and career counselor at the high school, said that with the seniors ready to go to college, join the workforce or enlist in the military, Celebration Day is a chance for them to have a final opportunity to be with each other as a group. 'It's a celebration for Waukegan seniors to be together as they make important life choices,' Shepherd said. Approximately 80% will attend college, either at a two-year school like the College of Lake County or a four-year university, Shepherd said. Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham is a Waukegan High graduate who returned to his hometown after college. He established an insurance business, spent 18 years as an alderman, four as mayor and is starting another four-year term. He was pleased to hear about those wishing to return home. 'This is part of rebuilding Waukegan,' he said. 'Our young men and young women who want to return home are looking for a different Waukegan. This is what I and other leaders are preparing our city for. They want to pay it forward.' Victor Hinojosa was a two-term student member of the District 60 Board of Education and active in other political organizations, both locally and nationally. He is headed to the University of Chicago to study public administration and political science before going to law school. 'I'm going to do something in public service and activism to serve my community,' Hinojosa said of his life after college and law school. 'Waukegan is my home, and the place where I want to make a difference.' Another future lawyer is Ja'Cara Smith. She will attend Alabama A&M University, where she will study criminal justice first before going to law school. She has not decided on a home after her schooling. Lamero Ceaser, a member of the football and wrestling teams, is heading to Augustana University. He also plans a career in law as a family and criminal law attorney, probably as a prosecutor. He, too, plans to practice in Waukegan. 'I want to be an advocate for people who need justice,' he said. Angeline Flores plans to study nursing at CLC. She plans to get a job in Waukegan or nearby. She said it will allow her to be close to family. Nursing will allow her to 'help people,' she said. Adriana Franklin is already teaching preschool at the CLC Tech Campus. She is going to Illinois State University after graduation to earn her degree in the subject before returning to Waukegan to teach young children. 'Every child should start school at 3,' Franklin said. 'They learn so much between 3 and 5. I see it every day. They will have a hard time catching up if they don't.' Not everyone is going to college, and some will venture far from home. Jefferson Perez and Josue Montoya will be U.S. Marines on May 26, 10 days after they graduate high school. Their reason is similar to their other classmates' choices. 'I want to help my country and everyone in it,' Perez said.
Chicago Tribune
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Waukegan library honors students and their artwork; ‘There is really amazing creativity and originality'
Emma Garza is a fifth grader at Clearview Elementary School in Waukegan who sees herself as both ferocious and sweet. Her entry in the Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 Elementary School Art Show reflected that. Made with pipe cleaners, foil, beads, hard candies and other materials on a small aluminum pan backing, Emma pointed to each element of her entry in the show, describing what it was and how it fit her personality. 'On the top is a lady lion,' she said Monday at a reception for those selected to be in the show. 'On the bottom is a butterfly. It reminds me of me because sometimes I can be ferocious, and sometimes I can be sweet.' Emma's creation was one of more than 250 art projects selected over the school year by District 60 elementary school art teachers that were displayed throughout April at the Waukegan Public Library. Lori Masimo, the district's K-12 fine arts coordinator, said elementary school art teachers watch throughout the year for student art they want to put in the show. In March, they start to assemble the creations targeted for display. All participants received a certificate. 'They put them in a folder and provide a reason for (not letting) the student take it home,' Masino said. 'This goes on all year. Sometimes, it tells a story.' Tiffany Verzani, the library's executive director, said the library is happy to provide a gallery for student art. It is displayed in a variety of locations on the main floor. People regularly stop to gaze at the display. 'The library is thrilled to be a location for the schools' artists,' Verzani said. 'There is really amazing creativity and originality. It shows the dedication of the teachers. We have murals outside. We are part of the arts community in Waukegan. It is all inspiring for library visitors.' Emma smiled as she described herself in her artwork. Her mother, Eliza Busanet, said she agreed with her daughter's self-assessment. She shows her ferocity when necessary, and is enjoyable to be around. 'She is fierce because she defends herself and her family,' Busanet said. 'She's gentle. She's mama's girl. She follows me around.' Tarah Alley, an art teacher at Greenwood Elementary School, said a variety of elements go into selecting show entrants. Craftsmanship is part of the decision-making, and so does the messages the students give in their art. 'Art is a mirror reflection,' Alley said. 'We're also looking for growth. We want to celebrate that.' As an art teacher at Clearview, Frances Fremault said she likes to watch youngsters grow as artists and people. She has taught some as kindergartners, and now sees the creativity they show by the time they get to fifth grade. 'Every year I see their growth, and I'm always amazed,' Fremault said. Alexa Leon, a third-grade student at Clearview, said she 'put a lot of fluffy stuff' into her montage, as well as material representing hair. She was proud of the big eye in the middle. Kaleb Valladares, a Glen Flora Elementary School third-grade student, said he likes dragons and made images relating to them a centerpiece of his artwork. 'That's a dragon's eye,' he said, pointing to it. 'I like reptiles, and dragons are reptiles.'
Chicago Tribune
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Waukegan school board to promote culture and traditions; ‘When students have a sense of belonging … they do better'
Seeking her seat on the Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 Board of Education two years ago, Christine Lensing did a lot of listening on the campaign trail. She said she heard community members talking about the safety, climate and culture of the city's public schools. Growing as a board member, Lensing continued to sense something was lacking in the overall atmosphere in the schools, which hindered the students from achieving their full potential. She talked about it at the March 11 meeting. Shortly afterward, she accepted a challenge. 'We had discussions on climate and culture, but I did not see the necessary things being done,' she said. 'I talked to the board president (Brandon Ewing) and he told me to write a resolution so we could all talk about it. I did.' The District 60 Board unanimously approved the Lensing-authored 'Resolution Regarding the Significance of School Culture, Climate and Traditions' Tuesday at the Lincoln Center administration building in Waukegan, giving the administration guidance on how to put it into effect. 'This is something that had been happening and we had been hearing in the community, things in the tradition and history they wanted to see preserved in the Waukegan public schools,' Ewing said. 'This memorializes what is the hope and will of the board.' Delving into the individual treatment of school community members, their safety, old and new traditions, student self-expression, the need to belong, inclusion, celebration of achievements with the community and more, the resolution gives the administration direction. 'This will help meet the needs of our community,' Lensing said after the meeting. 'This is about issues (some) people have with safety, with climate, and culture of our schools. We need the entire community to come together.' Superintendent Theresa Plascencia said after the meeting that much of what is contained in the resolution is already in place. She and her administration will closely monitor evolving situations. Culture and climate impact student performance, she said. 'We know when students have a sense of belonging in school and in (its) curriculum, they do better academically,' Plascencia said. 'A lot of this is already present. We have to ensure people are respected and supported in our environment. It's a top priority.' Going beyond respect and support, the resolution said belonging is a 'fundamental human need' which brings 'reduced anxiety, lower risk of chronic illnesses, mental health, better academic performance, intrinsic motivation (and) enhanced safety.' Preserving school traditions is important, according to the resolution, by 'reinforcing a sense of belonging, shared identity and value and creating a sense of continuity through shared experiences and rituals.' Specifically, the resolution requires honoring longstanding traditions while supporting, 'thoughtful creation of new traditions' aligning with District 60's mission. Professional development will be provided to enhance culture and climate. Student voices must be heard. Self-expression of students is also encouraged in part by, 'finding creative ways to share their authentic selves in the arts, to include but not limited to music, dance, drama and art in order to promote a sense of belonging and a welcoming school environment,' according to the resolution. Plascencia said making students, teachers and staff safe, and other stakeholders comfortable, remains a high priority. 'We want to ensure our stakeholders know and feel that they belong to our school community,' she said. 'Hopefully they will remain in our community and mentor our future students. 'We want there to be pride with how each student identifies with their school either as a Jaguar (John R. Lewis Middle School), a Bulldog (the high school) or a 39er (Jack Benny Middle School),' Plascencia said.
Chicago Tribune
28-03-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Uncertainty about U.S. Depart. of Ed's fate affects Lake County schools
Uncertainty is the mood around Lake County schools after President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday, March 20, to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education but local educators are starting to consider the economic impact. Both Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 and North Chicago School District 187 rely on federal funds for a significant amount of their programs. They represent approximately 10.5% of revenue in District 60 — nearly $27 million — and 13% of North Chicago's budget. Though U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a Department of Education press release on Thursday, March 20, that funding for programs like special needs will stay, she was silent about how much states will receive. Illinois sends more tax dollars to Washington than it receives in return. Local educators are now beginning to discuss the potential elimination or decline in federal funding for programs in places like Waukegan and North Chicago, so they will be prepared if and when the impact of the executive order is felt. 'We're closely monitoring everything in the executive order and on the news feeds,' Gwen Polk, District 60's associate superintendent for business and financial services, said Tuesday. 'The board philosophy is we have community priorities and that is how we'll respond.' In both Waukegan and North Chicago, much of the federal funding goes to pay for the free breakfasts and lunches as well as an after-school snack in North Chicago. It is close to $9 million annually in Waukegan. Polk said the meal funding is federal money distributed by the Illinois State Board of Education. District 187 Superintendent John Price said the meal programs were always easy to handle because of how they are organized. 'We've always taken it for granted, but now we will have to take it more carefully,' Price said. Along with meals, Waukegan receives nearly $9 million in federal funding because the district is in an economically challenged area, and another approximately $4.5 million for students with special needs. Price said his biggest worry is the impact on the aid the district receives from the Department of Education for educating children of military families at Naval Station Great Lakes. They represent approximately 11% of the student body districtwide. It is approximately $12,000 per student. Occupying approximately a third of the land in North Chicago, the naval base generates no real estate taxes since it is federal government property. Impact aid payments help compensate for the cost of educating the children of military families. 'We are proud to educate children from the base,' Price said. 'It is a core part of our mission. The reality is we need impact aid because the base is on federal land, which does not contribute to property taxes.' While Price said he does not know the impact yet, Project 2025 — a program on which Trump bases many of his decisions — suggests giving military families vouchers to use to educate their youngsters as they see fit. 'That would be the same as a federal cut in costs because it will be a loss in funding,' Price said. 'We need to have the seats ready for the military families when the school year starts.' Price said District 187 has sufficient reserves to handle cuts in federal funding through the rest of the fiscal year, which ends June 30. Should reduced money from Washington become a reality, there will need to be reductions in future budgets. In District 60, Polk said there are reserves to deal with the rest of the academic term. Budget discussions are already taking place for the 2025-2026 school year. The most important needs are taken first so priorities will be in place. 'The budget is a living document and we can adjust as needs change,' Polk said. 'We will closely monitor the news feeds. We will serve our students with an expectation of excellence from all involved.'
Chicago Tribune
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Waukegan school board candidates square off in forums; ‘We are in a time of uncertainty'
As seven people compete for four seats on the Waukegan Community Unit School District Board of Education in the April 1 general election, the one certainty is that there will be at least two new members. With board President Brandon Ewing and one-term member Adriana Gonzales not seeking reelection, two incumbents — Anita Hanna and Jeff McBride — join five other contenders, and at least four have ties to the district. Along with McBride and Hanna, Tanyea Curry, Angela Ramirez, Michael Rodriguez, Nicholas Shepherd and Randy Sobecki are asking voters to give them a seat on the board. Sobecki, Shepherd, Rodriguez, Ramirez, McBride and Hanna answered questions and talked about their qualifications during student-organized forums on Wednesday and Thursday at the Waukegan High School campuses. Between Rodriguez, a former board member hoping to return, Hanna and McBride, they have a combined 48 years in the position. Hanna is seeking her seventh term, Rodriguez his fourth and McBride his third. Both Hanna and Rodriguez said literacy is the top issue of the campaign. Hanna helped with the Illinois State Board of Education literacy plan implemented last year. Rodriguez, who served from 2007 to 2020 and was board president for eight years, said nothing is more important. 'If a student is not reading at grade level by third grade, they will have difficulty through the rest of their time in school,' Rodriguez said. 'We need a plan to get every student reading at grade level very early.' McBride, who is also running for his fourth term as a Waukegan Township trustee, said he is seeking reelection as part of his longtime effort to mentor young people, particularly those who need a hand up to find success. Shepherd, a prosecutor in the Lake County State's Attorney's Office with experience in domestic violence cases, is also the parent of a Waukegan High student. Sobecki is the father of both a Waukegan High graduate and a current District 60 student. He regularly attends board meetings and offers his thoughts. A one-time District 60 employee as a member of the Family and Community Engagement Department, Rameriz is now community engagement coordinator for United Way of Lake County. Her three children went through the district's schools and graduated. During the forum, the candidates were asked how to balance the need for federal funding with an executive order from President Donald Trump banning diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. Saying the executive order is unconstitutional, Hanna said she will continue to support the programs. Rodriguez said the board must carefully look at each situation to make sure it is protecting students. 'We need a game plan,' Rodriguez said. 'We need the food programs for our students, and do not want to risk that. If the first plan doesn't work, then we'll go to plan B.' 'We do need to look at backup plans,' Shephard added. In a low-income community like Waukegan, Sobecki said taking care of all students is very important, especially with the number of migrants from other countries. He suggests following state law. 'Everyone needs to be included and have every opportunity,' Sobecki said. 'We have to give every student every opportunity to learn and be successful,' McBride added. Should a conflict arise between maintaining the benefits of DEI and keeping federal funding, Ramirez said collaboration and transparency are important tools to make sure students have the resources they need. 'We are in a time of uncertainty,' Ramirez said. 'We have to be really innovative and transparent. We have to work collaboratively.' When questions were raised about vaping in schools — Sobecki said it is present in the middle schools, as well as high school — all six candidates said the education of students and parents is crucial. Early voting is underway at the Lake County Courthouse & Administration Building and the Jane Addams Center in Waukegan, as well as 15 other locations throughout the county through March 31. A complete list of locations and times is available on the Lake County Clerk's Office website.
