The Oak Harbor School Board chose parent Ana Maria Schlecht as its newest member during a special meeting Sept. 9.

Schlecht will fill the seat previously held by Gary Wallin, who resigned in June. Out of eight applicants, only four were selected to interview for the seat. Each candidate was asked a series of questions by the board individually, which then went into a half-hour executive session to discuss the candidates.

The members returned to the open meeting and unanimously voted to select Ana Maria Schlecht.

“We were impressed by all of them,” said Superintendent Lance Gibbon.

School Board President Christine Abbott echoed the sentiments.

“Thank you for making our job so difficult,” she said to the candidates before the vote. “It really makes it hard to decide when you have four great candidates.”

Schlecht, a Miami native, comes from a long line of educators on both sides of her family and has been interested in education since childhood. Her relatives pioneered education reform in Colombia, which is where her parents are from.

“Education is to be a tool to unlock the gifts and uniqueness of each person while at the same time increasing opportunities and leveling the playing field for everyone,” Schlecht said.

In college, Schlecht studied international relations due to her love of transcultural interactions. She went on to pursue her master’s degree at Harvard Graduate School of Education to learn more about how to use education to build bridges.

“I joined the school board because I want to serve our community in this way,” Schlecht said. “I enjoy volunteering and want to advocate for my children and other kids in our district.”

Gibbon said she will be a valuable member of the board.

“She described herself as an advocate for the unseen and unheard families in our community and cares deeply about all students, including those from immigrant families, the homeless and those with special needs,” he said.

Schlecht resides in Oak Harbor with her husband Russell and six children.