The Waukegan Community Unit School District # 60 Board of Education appointed Waukegan High School Sophomore Victor Hinojosa as its newest Student Board Member during its January 24 meeting.

Victor is a student at the WHS-Brookside Campus, where he is heavily involved in the JROTC program. Victor serves as a squad leader and staff sergeant. He is also the Assistant Manager of the Drill team, and Academic Captain of the JLAB team. Outside of school, Victor is the first Waukegan student in recent memory to serve on the Illinois State Board of Education's Student Advisory Council (SAC). 

In his spare time Victor also serves in leadership positions with the High School Democrats of America and the Youth Legislative Action Center. Victor says he sees involvement in various organizations as a way for him to make a difference not just for his peers, but others as well. 

“From a young age, I've wanted to serve something greater than myself and I found that in the work public servants do- from debating, advocating, creating, and passing legislation that can affect the lives of so many people. I see it as a vessel for the change I was voted in to do,” Victor said. 

Victor has been a student in Waukegan Schools since kindergarten, having previously attended John Lewis Middle School, Lyon, McCall and Hyde Park elementaries. In 2020-2021 he served as the student representative on the Lewis Middle School renaming committee. 

As Student Board Member, he says he wants to make changes that will positively impact the entire community. 

“I came here to start an Educational and Social Revolution to bring real, materialistic change to the lives of everyone that calls WPS60 home. I am a fighter for the populace,” Victor said.  

Victor replaces Joanna Gutierrez, who completed her yearlong term as the District’s fifth student board member. Victor’s term as a non-voting candidate will run through January 2024.

As a Student Board Member, Victor will be given time on each School Board agenda to speak regarding student concerns, curriculum, and activities. He will act as a liaison between the students and school board, gather student concerns and celebrations in a variety of ways, and help communicate important information from the School Board to students.

Past Student Board Members include: 2022: Joanna Gutierrez 2021: Isam Hussaini 2020: Van Weddle 2019: Austin Cantu 2018: Raven May