Waukegan High School has been recognized on Apr. 2 as one of only 24 SkillsUSA chapters nationwide to earn the Models of Excellence designation for 2026. This award is the highest recognition from SkillsUSA and highlights outstanding student chapters across the country, with Waukegan High School being the sole recipient in Illinois this year.
The recognition matters because it demonstrates Waukegan High School’s commitment to preparing students for careers in technical and skilled service fields through hands-on learning and leadership development. The school was honored specifically in the Technical Skills category, which focuses on helping students gain industry-specific knowledge and practical experience.
SkillsUSA is a national organization that supports middle school, high school, and college students pursuing careers in trade, technical, and skilled service areas. Its Models of Excellence program acknowledges schools that successfully integrate personal, workplace, and technical skills into their chapter activities. Students at Waukegan High School lead projects designed to build essential abilities such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership.
Selection for this distinction involves a competitive process where chapters submit detailed applications showcasing student-led initiatives that demonstrate strong outcomes and real-world readiness. As part of their recognition, WHS sophomores Edgar Lopez Leon and Anthony Garcia Chavez will represent their chapter at the upcoming SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference in Atlanta this June. All selected schools will be honored at the event before top winners are announced during an awards session.
Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 represents several schools throughout Lake County including Waukegan High School according to official data. The district serves grades pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade with an enrollment of over 15,000 students during the 2019-2020 academic year as reported by state records.
Demographically, District 60 is composed of approximately 79.5 percent Hispanic students, followed by Black (13.2 percent), White (3.2 percent), and Asian (1.3 percent) populations according to ISBE statistics. The district employed more than one thousand teachers earning an average salary of $63,524 before pension contributions; about seven out of ten teachers are women according to Illinois State Board of Education data.
Financially, District 60 spent $23,429 per student in fiscal year 2020 for a total expenditure exceeding $359 million as noted by state reports. However, challenges remain: during the same period there were over three thousand chronically truant students enrolled—a rate significantly higher than the statewide average—meaning more than one-fifth missed five percent or more days without valid excuse according to ISBE definitions.
Looking ahead to June’s national conference in Atlanta where WHS representatives will present their work among peers from across America highlights both achievement within District 60 as well as ongoing efforts toward educational excellence.
