Lake County Gazette

Collinsville High School senior Laila Hutchison has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Collinsville Community Collaboration (C3) Leaders of Tomorrow Award. The C3 partnership, which includes the City of Collinsville, the Collinsville Chamber of Commerce, and Collinsville Community Unit School District #10, aims to recognize individuals and organizations for their contributions to community and public service.

The annual C3 Awards have been held since 2018 to honor those who make a positive impact in the community. This year’s awards dinner is scheduled for Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the Gateway Center in Collinsville.

The Leaders of Tomorrow Award recognizes youth who are active in the Collinsville community and have inspired others through their actions. To be considered for this award, students from CUSD 10 must demonstrate leadership, serve as role models, volunteer their time to help others, take initiative, and contribute positively to local change.

According to organizers, nominations focus on individuals involved in constructive activities such as volunteering, fundraising, advocacy, social work or other forms of service. They also consider how nominees make a difference by being themselves and following their passions.

Laila Hutchison is noted for her involvement across several school activities. She is a four-year varsity tennis player and serves as vice president for both National Honor Society and Student Council. She is also a board member of the Childhood Cancer Awareness Club and participates on the CUSD 10 student advisory board. Additionally, she was a student-advisor to Prevention First—an organization promoting healthy behavior among teens.

Her extracurricular participation includes Latin National Honor Society membership, Model UN delegate responsibilities, volunteering with the high school gardening club, creating content with CHS Broadcasting Club, and participating in Diversity Awareness Partnership Program initiatives.

Hutchison has also achieved recognition in theater arts. As a freshman she was nominated for an Arts For Life Best Performance Award (BPA) in the Best Featured Actress category for her role as Tomika in Curtain's Up Theater Company's production of "School of Rock." Beyond acting roles on stage she has written and directed shows behind the scenes.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 while attending Dorris Intermediate School as a sixth grader—one of several schools represented within Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 (source)—she created “Kindness Cup,” a YouTube video series sharing positive stories about local acts of kindness during periods of isolation.

Hutchison balances academic achievement with extracurriculars and part-time employment at Olive Garden. She plans to pursue a career in Occupational Therapy after graduation and is currently applying to colleges.

She will receive her award at the C3 Awards dinner on December 3 at Gateway Center. Ticket information will be available soon via the City of Collinsville website: C3 Community Awards.

Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 encompasses multiple schools across Madison and St. Clair counties (source). The district reports that it spent $16,872 per student in 2020 with total expenditures reaching over $104 million (source). The district's teaching staff consists primarily of women (81 percent), with an average salary just over $60,000 annually (source). Demographically it serves a diverse population: approximately 56 percent White students; nearly one quarter Hispanic; over fourteen percent Black; and half a percent Asian (source).