New Member Appointed To D-65 Board

From District 65 School Board: At the August 21, 2017 Regular Board Meeting, the District 65 School Board welcomed Rebeca Mendoza as its newest member. Ms. Mendoza will fill the vacancy left by Omar Brown who resigned his position, effective July 7, 2017.

The School Board invited interested community members to apply for the opening and applicant interviews were held August 7-8, 2017. "We are so fortunate to live in a community that strongly supports public education, as evidenced by the overwhelming number of applicants for this open seat. We are grateful to all who applied, and we are extraordinarily pleased to welcome Ms. Mendoza to join us on the District 65 school board,” said Suni Kartha, Board President. “From her years in District 65, both as a student and as a parent, and her experience as a community activist, she brings a perspective to the board that will help us support high quality education and equitable learning environments for our students."

Born in Mexico City, Ms. Mendoza immigrated to Evanston at the age of five with her mother. As a lifelong Evanstonian, her ties to the community run deep, having attended Washington Elementary, Nichols Middle School, and Evanston Township High School. A graduate of Leadership Evanston, Ms. Mendoza served as a board member for the Evanston Coalition for Latino Residents for eight years, as a mentor for Project Soar for five years, and a member of the Evanston Arts Council for three years. She currently volunteers with Books and Breakfast and remains a steadfast advocate for closing the achievement gap in Evanston’s public schools.

“I am greatly humbled by this opportunity to serve on the District 65 School Board. I look forward to working with my colleagues and fellow community members from District 65 in our shared determination to ensure the highest quality of education for all our students,” said Ms. Mendoza. “I will work tirelessly to advocate for our community’s children and support the board’s efforts to strive for increasing excellence.”

Professionally, Ms. Mendoza has worked for several Evanston-based organizations, including Family Focus Inc., McGaw YMCA, and Y.O.U. She currently works at The Rotary Foundation as a Regional Grants Officer, where she is responsible for evaluating and awarding grants to humanitarian service clubs in Europe and Africa. Ms. Mendoza holds a dual Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Women’s Studies from the University of Michigan and recently completed her Master’s in Psychology at National Louis University. She is the proud mother of a 12-year-old girl who she loves sharing new experiences with and passing down a commitment to social justice.

The District 65 School Board voted unanimously to appoint Ms. Mendoza as a school board member and her term will run until the April 2019 election.

Image Courtesy of District 65 School Board