DeKALB – Amanda Harness, Ariel Owens and Deyci Ramirez are leading the race to join the DeKalb School Board in the 2021 consolidated elections, while mail-in ballots still need to be counted.

Harness leads with 2,517 votes, Owens has 2,220 and Ramirez has 2,183 votes at the time of publication, according to the DeKalb County election site.

Harness is a 20 year resident of the DeKalb community and her children have attended various schools in District 428. Harness currently works as a director of sales for a scientific distribution company.

Ramirez graduated from NIU with a Bachelor of Art and Master of Science. She works at NIU as the bilingual/bicultural counselor for the Counseling, Help, and Assistance Necessary for a College Education (CHANCE) Program.

Owens wants to prompt accountability, empathy and collaboration within the district, according to her campaign website.

She said all students should feel supported, regardless of identity. This will include not only gender identity but racial and LGBTQ+ identities as well. She wants to work with social justice committees within schools to support all identities.