The Maine Township High School District 207 Board of Education honored three students in the area of community service naming them “207’s Best” at a recent meeting. Jill Etchason from Maine South was honored for her leadership, hard work and support of others.
The following information was written about Jill Etchason as a part of the nomination by Maine South principal Dr. Antwan Babakhani.
JILL ETCHASON, MAINE SOUTH
It is my privilege to introduce Maine South senior Jill Etchason for October’s D207’s Best recognition for Community Service. When you first look at Jill’s accomplishments, the numbers are pretty remarkable: 224 service hours, more than 3,000 hours of student service facilitated annually through Maine South’s Key Club, and leadership that has extended well beyond Maine South. But after spending some time with Jill, what became clear to me is that her story is not really about accumulating service hours. It is about what happens when someone takes service seriously enough to lead others toward it. Jill has been deeply involved in Key Club throughout her time at Maine South, serving as president last year and again this year. As a junior, she was elected Lieutenant Governor, working with Key Clubs across our region. She then became the first Maine South student to win an elected state level Key Club position and currently serves as Statistical Secretary for the Illinois Eastern Iowa District. In that role, Jill reviews monthly reports submitted by Key Clubs throughout the district, analyzes their service efforts, and provides feedback and support. She told me she has already reviewed more than 500 reports. When I asked what happens when a club is struggling, Jill very politely explained that she sends them “resources.” So, if you are a Key Club somewhere in Illinois or Iowa and Jill sends you resources, you might want to step up your game a little bit.
The impact of Jill’s leadership can also be seen right here at Maine South. Under her leadership, our Key Club has earned Distinguished Club recognition at both the district and international levels and received second place for an outstanding service project involving mental health care kits. Jill herself has been recognized as a Distinguished President, Distinguished Sophomore, and a three time recipient of the 100 plus service hours distinction. In 2026, Key Club International also recognized Jill as a Robert F. Lucas Outstanding Lieutenant Governor, and she earned its Global Leadership Certificate. But there is much more to Jill than Key Club. She is involved in National Honor Society, serves as secretary of Boost Club, and competes in both cross country and track. Running, in particular, has become an important part of her life. As a sophomore, Jill completed a half marathon in about an hour and 33 minutes, at one point logging 40 to 50 miles a week. That takes a level of discipline and persistence that, when you think about it, shows up in just about everything Jill does.
One of my favorite parts of these conversations is asking students what they want people to know about them that cannot be found on a résumé. Jill had a harder time answering that question. She talked about enjoying time with her friends and family, hanging out at home, playing games, and, of course, running. And I actually think her difficulty answering the question told me something important about her. Jill does not spend a lot of time trying to tell people who she is. She seems much more comfortable simply showing them. When we surprised Jill’s mom with the news, you could immediately hear the pride in her voice. She talked about how hard Jill has worked and how meaningful Key Club has become to her. And I think that gets to the heart of why we are recognizing Jill. She has certainly given hundreds of hours of her own time in service to others. But her impact is much larger than the hours she personally contributed. Jill has organized service, led it, strengthened it, and created opportunities for thousands of additional hours of service by other students.
Jill Etchason has demonstrated that community service is not simply about what you are willing to do for others. Leadership in service is about inspiring and creating opportunities for others to do the same. Jill has done exactly that, and we are incredibly proud to recognize her as Maine South’s D207’s Best for Community Service.