Lake County Gazette

Two Mundelein High School graduates, Sarai Herrera and Deacon Jensen, were recognized by the District 120 School Board on September 9 after each received a $2,500 Next Step grant from the Lake County Regional Office of Education Foundation (LCROEF). The new grant is designed to support students with significant financial need as they pursue education or career opportunities after high school.

Herrera is currently attending College of Lake County while working full-time and plans to study medical imaging. She hopes to transfer to Liberty University in Virginia or a similar institution after two years. Jensen is studying accounting at Northern Illinois University, having changed his major from engineering based on advice from a family friend.

Both recipients graduated from Mundelein High School in May 2025 and come from low-income households without a father. They spoke about the positive impact the grants will have on their families.

“It will make my life so much easier and my mom’s life easier,” Jensen said. “My mom’s doing her best to support me. I don’t want her to have to worry about my college.”

Herrera added, “It’s so much help right now. It’s going to help my mom more than me so she’s not so stressed with finances.”

MHS Guidance Counselor Jaime Thatcher nominated both students for the grant, stating: “They’re both such great kids,” Thatcher said. “I predict they’ll be successful because of their perseverance and how many obstacles they’ve overcome while at MHS. I don’t see anything that would really get in their way, other than the financials.”

Jensen explained his decision to change majors: “It’s a good steady job and that’s what I want to have,” he said.

Herrera shared how her experience at Lake County Tech Campus influenced her career path: “I’ve always wanted to work at a hospital, and Lake County Tech Campus (a career training program she attended while at MHS) really opened my eyes to a career in medical imaging. Then I just started planning for it.”

Joel Finfer, Executive Director of LCROEF, emphasized the purpose behind the grant: “We are committed to ensuring that every student in Lake County has the resources they need to succeed after graduation,” Finfer said.

This year, Mundelein High School was one of six public school districts in Lake County selected for participation based on its percentage of students qualifying for Free and Reduced Lunch. Each district received $5,000; District 120 opted to divide its award between two students.

The Foundation aims eventually to expand Next Step Grants across all public high schools in Lake County as more funding becomes available.

Mundelein Consolidated High School District 120 represents schools in Lake County, including Mundelein High School (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). According to recent data from the Illinois State Board of Education, District 120 employs 130 teachers earning an average salary of $91,610 before pension contributions; about half are women and half are men. None had more than ten absences last school year (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

District demographics show that it is 41.1 percent White, 2.3 percent Black, 45.2 percent Hispanic, and 5.7 percent Asian (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In 2020, District 120 spent $29,799 per student for a total expenditure of $61,653,428 (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

Joel Finfer presented checks for $2,500 each to Sarai Herrera and Deacon Jensen during the board recognition event.