Schools

D207 Gets First Asian American Board Member

Jin Lee, who serves on Des Plaines' economic development commission and participates in many Asian organizations, came here from Seoul, Korea, at 13. He expects to be a voice for the district's diverse residents.

 

Jin Lee was celebrating his election win Tuesday along with some other candidates, but Lee had an additional reason to be proud--he said he is the first Asian American elected to the Maine Township High School District 207 board of education.

As such, he will represent a district rich in diversity. Students at Maine East, one of the district's three high schools, come from a wide variety of nations and ethnic groups. District officials have said in the past that students come from homes where more than 50 languages are spoken.

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"This has been a wonderful opportunity for me as an immigrant," said Lee, of Des Plaines. "It definitely will bring diversity in a positive way, and it's a great honor."

Lee, who works as director of government relations and business planning and development at the Albany Park Community Center in Chicago, also serves on the City of Des Plaines economic development commission and sits on the board of Northeastern Illinois University.

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He came here with his parents when he was 13, and attended Lakeview High School in Chicago and then the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, he said.

Lily Kim, the communications manager for Lee's campaign, said Lee and his wife Anna have lived in District 207 since 1997. Their daughter Jenna graduated from Maine East in 2007 and teaches seventh grade math at Tarkington School of Excellence in Chicago. Their son Andrew graduated from Maine West last year, and is attending U of I at Champaign-Urbana.

Lee also has held positions of leadership in numerous Korean-American organizations and served frequently as a liaison from various governmental units to the Korean-American and Asian-American communities. 

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