About Maria Lily Tejada
Maria "Lily" was born January 24, 1975 and grew up amongst family and friends that remained in her life through the years - a true born and raised Chicagoan. As a child, she attended Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary where she began to form her first of many lifelong friendships. The OLL class of '89 was something she was very proud to be a part of and always made sure she kept in touch with every single classmate. She then attended Amundsen H.S. where she continued to build lifelong friendships, never forgetting the relationships previously formed. Maria attended the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) where she received both a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice (BA) and a Master of Public Administration (MPA). Maria worked for almost 15 years as a probation officer in Cook County advocating for underprivileged teens and their families.
Maria was a fierce and extraordinary woman, daughter, wife, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend to many. She touched the world one person at a time and was a passionate animal lover that devoted her life to God and youth.
Taken home on September 8, 2013, we mourned her departure from this world taking solace that her work had to continue in this world and in heaven.
In her remembrance, the Maria L. Tejada Scholarship Fund was established to fulfill something Maria had an unwavering passion for, education and assisting troubled youth.
Our Vision
Empowering youth through the
legacy of Maria L. Tejada.
Our Mission
To raise funds for the Maria L. Tejada Scholarship fund, so that students who are granted a non-paid internship with the Cook County Juvenile Probation Department, may be granted a scholarship, credited to the Bursar account of the respective institution of higher learning.
