Three seniors from Mundelein High School were recognized on April 23 as Students of the Year by the Lake County Tech Campus in their respective programs. Autumn Brown, Ron Echtenacher, and Ein French will be honored at the Student Recognition Night scheduled for May 7.
The recognition highlights achievements within Mundelein Consolidated High School District 120, which serves students in grades nine through twelve and enrolled 2,069 students during the 2019-2020 school year. The district is located in Mundelein and Lake County according to the Illinois State Board of Education.
Brown was chosen as Student of the Year for Emergency Medical Service I and also received National Technical Honor Society status. She was a finalist for overall Tech Campus Student of the Year and was named Illinois Principal Association Student of the Year. Brown plans to attend College of Lake County to study nursing. “I really enjoyed all the hands-on opportunities Tech Campus provided to help get me experience in the medical field,” she said.
Echtenacher earned his award in Welding/Fabrication I and intends to pursue further studies at Western Welding Academy in Wyoming. “I love how Tech Campus is a place where I can do what I enjoy doing without restriction and I can really work hard to get better,” Echtenacher said.
French was recognized as Student of the Year for Cosmetology I and nominated for overall Tech Campus Student of the Year. French plans to join CLC Tech Campus Adult Cosmetology Program with aspirations toward Redken certification as a hair stylist. “I loved getting to meet different students from different schools at Tech Campus. It was a fresh start, but with people who shared my goals of working in the field of cosmetology,” French said.
Mundelein Consolidated High School District 120 represents Lake County as reported by state data. The district spent $29,799 per student in 2020, totaling $61,653,428 according to financial records. The student body is made up of approximately 41 percent White students, about 45 percent Hispanic students, nearly six percent Asian students, and just over two percent Black students according to demographic data.
There are no teachers with more than ten absences per year among its staff; there are currently about 130 teachers earning an average salary before pension contributions exceeding $91,000 annually—52 percent women and nearly half men based on teacher statistics. Chronic truancy affected about four percent (91) of its enrolled students during 2020—less than half Illinois’ statewide average rate according to ISBE data.
