Lake County Gazette

Sophomore Fernanda Galvan has been appointed as the Westminster High School Student Ambassador to the WPS Board of Education. Her main goal is to promote respect and inclusion among students.

“I want to give a voice and place in our community to all students, providing a stronger sense of safety, belonging and importance, which is crucial to young students who are finding their place in the world,” Galvan stated in her application.

Galvan is active in several school activities, including student council, marching band, golf, cross country, Model UN, and the school newspaper. She attended Orchard Park Academy before enrolling at Westminster High School and participates in the CU Denver pre-collegiate program.

“In addition to my desire to help students to live out their best experiences and having a voice… it is another chance to lead, which I find myself commonly striving for,” she wrote.

The Student Ambassador role was created in 2023 as a non-voting position designed to provide board members with a broader student perspective on issues being considered.

Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 represents numerous schools in Lake County such as Andrew Cooke Magnet Elementary School and Waukegan High School. The district serves a diverse population that is 79.5 percent Hispanic, 13.2 percent Black, 3.2 percent White, and 1.3 percent Asian according to state data (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The district employs over one thousand teachers with an average salary of $63,524; most are women (71.1 percent), and there are no teachers with more than ten absences per year (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In 2020, spending per student reached $23,429 for a total expenditure of $359 million (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).