10/27/2026
Faces of D47: "I grew up in Hibbing, Minnesota, in the northern part of the state, really close to Canada. I went to college at the University of Minnesota, where I studied materials science and engineering. I wanted to go into metals and metallurgy, and I have, but I'm in sales, so I've taken a tangential direction. I currently work in outside sales for a steel mill, where I sell steel products to local manufacturers for things like car gears, mining truck axles, and combine axles.”
"My husband and I moved to Crystal Lake in 2008, and we love the area. We've been here ever since. My two kids go to Canterbury, and I've been involved in the PTO for several years, including serving as treasurer for the past four years. Since I'm not originally from the Crystal Lake area and I don't have family here, I've had to build my own village and community. I'm very much a proponent of the idea that you have to give something to get something in return. I believe the best way to build relationships in the district, at our school, and with other families is by volunteering."
"I'm also very active in Cub Scouts and Crystal Lake Little League, and it's the same thing. It's about being involved with other families and getting to know people to build this village. Through all these organizations, I know I can call any of these families, and they would be there for my kids at the drop of a hat."
"With the PTO, we've done some really cool things for the school through the Funathon. It's grown a lot, and we've been able to do more with it. We've replaced bike racks, allocated more money for field trips, and so much more. This year, we blew our goal out of the water, so we're going to do some big school assemblies and really fun things for the kids."
"My belief has always been that it's not anyone else's responsibility to create magic for my kids unless I'm willing to be there helping create it, too. My advice is for families to donate what they can, whether it's time or resources. Your availability changes over the years, so start small. You have to be an active member of the village to have the village.” -Jennifer Lueder, PTO, Canterbury
