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The Educational Foundation honored two West Chicago Community High School graduates — Jessica Muñoz and Robert Taylor — at its annual Distinguished Alumni Award ceremony on Feb. 17.
The ceremony began at approximately 5:30 p.m. as guests arrived, including Dr. Limaris Pueyo, principal, and Dr. Kurt Johansen, superintendent. The event was hosted and presented by Activities Director Dave Jennings. Following a 45-minute reception, speeches were delivered, and awards presented.
Muñoz, an emergency medicine physician at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago, spoke first. In her speech, she reflected on being a first-generation Latina pursuing a career in medicine, when most of her family had not completed elementary school.
“It is a bit of a culture shock because they have to learn how to deal with my chaotic schedule, and what medicine does to me as a person. Being away from them was really hard on them,” Muñoz said.
Muñoz thanked her family sitting in the audience, including her mom and dad, as well as one of her calculus teachers from high school, who had also attended the celebration and presented her with her award.
“I am the first doctor in my family, and I am determined not to be the last,” Muñoz said.
She delivered two separate speeches, one in English and one in Spanish, for her family.
“Me sentí súper triste y con un gran vacío al no verla en mi casa, me sentí súper orgullosa de ella porque ser reconocida de estos logros es como creen en lo que es Jessica,” María Carmen Carmona, Muñoz’s mom, said. “I felt very sad and very empty when I did not see her at home anymore. I feel very proud of her to be recognized for these accomplishments because to be recognized is to be believed in.”
Taylor followed. The head coach of the Auburn Wheelchair Basketball team and the athletic director for Auburn Adapted Athletics, he first began coaching at the University of Illinois, where he served as an assistant coach to both women’s and men’s wheelchair basketball teams. After graduating from the University of Illinois, he moved to Arizona and became the head coach for the Phoenix Mercury, a women’s wheelchair basketball team, before later returning to Chicago to lead the Windy City Warriors.
Before Taylor spoke, his father addressed the audience, sharing stories about his son’s life in high school and college and adding humor throughout his remarks. Near the end of his speech, he became emotional as he presented the award to his son.
When Taylor took the podium, he reflected on his own college experience.
“I really enjoyed myself my first year of undergrad, which I think is important, but I did not set any standards for myself. I did not put forth a whole lotta work,” Taylor said.
Taylor later returned to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign after failing out during his freshman year. When he re-enrolled, he changed his major eight times before committing to one.
“Be open to anything and everything, and while you might know what your career path is, be open to other opportunities as they come along,” Taylor said.
The ceremony concluded with both alumni taking photos with their families as some guests moved to the community room for the Board of Education meeting that followed.
Several guidelines apply when nominating an alumnus for the award. A required one-page document must be submitted at the time the nomination form is completed. The nomination form is available on the school website through a Google Form, where submissions are accepted Feb. 1 through May 1 for the upcoming school year.
“This process is definitely something that shouldn’t be overlooked and should stay in practice,” Omar Lutfiyev, and senior and student on the Distinguished Alumni Advisory Board, said. “We would’ve normally chosen one, but since they were both amazing people who would stop at nothing to advocate for others.”
Revision
Feb. 18, 2026
This story was updated to clarify attribution, reorganize paragraphs for clarity and correct minor grammatical errors.
