Candidates include a grieving mother and a recent college grad aiming for school board seats
While the focus has been on the Thornton Township and Dolton elections in February, four 4-year school board seats will also be on the ballot. District 205 includes Thornton High School in Harvey, Thornwood High School in South Holland, and Thornridge High School in Dolton.
Incumbents Almetta Vasser-Moody, Bernadette Lawrence, and Ray C. Banks are looking to keep their spots, while newcomers Sonja Kristen Bradley, Rory Lee, Kawania Caesar, and Annette Whittington are also in the race.
Kawania Caesar, a South Holland resident and Thornton High School alum, is eager for fresh faces on the board. She’s motivated to work with the community and make a difference. Her son attends Thornwood, and she’s also the mother of Chelby Frazier, who tragically passed away in 2018 while playing basketball. The district honors him with a memorial shootout each year.
Caesar’s personal loss has deepened her connection to the district and inspired her to run. She’s been driving school buses for 25 years, getting to know many students along the way. She wants to keep school board matters focused on kids, separate from local political drama.
She aims to create more opportunities for students through various school programs. Although she’s running independently, she hopes to collaborate with Lee and Whittington.
Bradley, another newcomer, believes her experiences as a student leader and her recent college education make her a strong candidate. Growing up in South Holland, she was part of the student board at Thornridge, advocating for her peers.
After graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a degree in food science and human nutrition, she’s back home, eager to prioritize students’ needs. She wants to enhance post-secondary preparation and ensure students feel supported in their mental health and extracurricular activities.
Bradley envisions a future where students leave the district feeling proud of their community, regardless of their hometown.
