Montezuma graduate and educator receives Aspiring Leader Award

        Mitch Wilson, a 2008 graduate of Montezuma High School and dean of Constance Lane Elementary School in Rockford, Ill., was recently honored with the Aspiring Leader Award. He received the honor for creating Soka Umoja (unity through soccer) in February 2025, an after-school positive behavior and leadership program designed to bridge cultural differences between Swahili-speaking immigrant families and helping them learn how to be successful in life.

By J.O. Parker
 
      A Montezuma graduate and dean of Constance Lane Elementary School in Rockford, Ill., was recently honored with the Aspiring Leader Award.
        The award was presented to Mitch Wilson, a 2008 graduate of Montezuma, on Jan. 28 by the president of the Illinois Principals Association Kishwaukee Region.
       The Kishwaukee Region covers five counties in the Rockford area. The award was presented at an IPA program in West Dundee, Ill.
       The Aspiring Leader Award is a prestigious recognition that celebrates emerging leaders who show strong potential, dedication, and a commitment to positive change in their schools and communities. It honors individuals whose early accomplishments signal a bright future in educational leadership.
     When asked, Wilson said he doesn’t know who nominated him for the honor, only to say that it was multiple community leaders.
     “At Constance Lane Elementary in Rockford Public Schools District 205, Dean Mitch Wilson leads with courage, creativity, and connection,” noted those who nominated him. “Serving a school community of 640 students—nearly a third of whom are Swahili-speaking and facing the daily realities of poverty and trauma—Mitch’s leadership centers on belonging, joy, and the belief that every child deserves to be seen, heard, and celebrated.”
      Wilson is the founder of Soka Umoja (unity through soccer), an after-school positive behavior and leadership program designed to bridge cultural differences between school expectations and Swahili-speaking immigrant families that attend the school.
        He started the program in February 2025 with $1,500 from a school principal to fund a coach and another $500 for indoor soccer balls called futsal.
          “It is like a soccer ball with a bladder inside,” noted Wilson. “When you kick it, it doesn’t go all over the place.”
        Wilson said the idea behind the after-school program is to help Swahili-speaking immigrants connect their school work with soccer.
         Wilson said the students come together and talk about behavior and working in class. We are trying to build connections so that the Swahili-speaking students understand that education is going to help them succeed in America,” said Wilson.
        Wilson said the district hired Emanual Mukizea, a social worker who grew up in East Africa in a refugee camp. Mukizea had been working at the school for about a year and this new position aligned perfectly with the other work he is doing in the district.
        Through soccer, mentorship, and teamwork, Soka Umoja is helping students build character, confidence, and cultural pride.
     “The program’s success reached far beyond the building—earning coverage on Stateline News and recognition at Northern Illinois University’s Pick Museum of Anthropology in its “How We Rebuild” exhibit, celebrating communities rebuilding through identity and education,” said Wilson.
          When asked about receiving the honor and what it meant to him, Wilson said he was surprised.
         “Afterwards it was kind of a shock,” said Wilson. “I didn’t really know how to feel, how to process it.”
       “I’m honored because working through these barriers has been meaningful work, especially alongside Emmanuel Mukiza, who has served as a true bridge for students often viewed as outsiders,” said Wilson. “I’ve seen the switch happen. I’ve watched students connect their behavior to their choices and begin to make real, lasting change. I’ve seen it across grade levels, and that’s exactly why I got into this work, to have a greater area of influence and provide affective triage when students need it most.”
         Wilson holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Evangel College in Springfield, Mo. and is currently working on his Master’s in School Administration at Northern Illinois.
        A recent assembly held at the school included a cultural dance from the music team, a Swahili song of victory from the choir, student relays celebrating each house’s character traits and finally, the entire school dancing the Cha-Cha Slide led by the student council.
        For Wilson, this wasn’t just about inclusion—it was about participation. He believes educators must PLAY—not just supervise, but engage side-by-side with students in laughter, learning, and movement. That is how trust and culture are built.
       In 2020, Wilson received a Teacher of the Year honor from the W.G. Pearson School in Durham, N.C.
Wilson is married to Heather and the couple has a son, Beckham, age 3.