DeKalb School District 428 Board names new student representative

DeKALB – The DeKalb School District 428 Board has named Maria Bello Rodriguez to succeed Jenna Zimmerman as its next student representative.

Officials plan to introduce the DeKalb High School sophomore at the board’s May 6 meeting.

Board Secretary Ariel Owens said the district reached a decision after reviewing application materials, which officials said were submitted by seven students.

“[It’s] just really great to have so many interested folks, but we went with Maria,” Owens said.

Board President Deyci Ramirez said she’s been pleased by how active and engaged students are.

“To all the students that also came out to interview, it was definitely not an easy choice this year, because we had a lot of students that came out to apply, and a lot of them are very active and very involved in the mini board,” Ramirez said. “So, it was a tough decision. Thank you for making it tough for us.”

As the next student board representative, officials said, Rodriguez is expected to serve a two-year term.

Her start date is in August.

Ramirez said she’s been encouraged by the momentum instilled by the mini board and the ideas students bring to the table.

“We hope that they continue to participate in the mini boards so that they can continue to bring ideas, just as they have been throughout this past year or two years that Jenna has been on the board now with us,” Ramirez said. “Thank you for the work that they’re doing, and thank you for the continuous work that they do.”