The Glenbrooks | Summer 2023

From spotlighting standout students to showcasing innovative courses, The Glenbrooks Summer 2023 magazine showcases student accomplishments, hands-on learning experiences, and cutting-edge programs. Below, you’ll find highlights from stories in this issue.

Spotlight Students

Lidiia Okilko, GBS class of 2025, left her home in Ukraine in February 2022 to continue her education amidst war-time turmoil in her home country. In addition to a welcoming class environment, she discovered a passion for music and performance. Okilko is grateful for her teachers, classmates, and the Glenbrook South community for their kindness and support.

Tom Mitchell, GBN class of 2023, became fascinated with mathematics at a young age. This interest grew into a passion for problem-solving, a skill he shared with fellow students as a volunteer peer tutor and classroom assistant in the Math Resources Center. Mitchell attributes his academic growth to the supportive teaching staff at GBN, particularly in advanced math and computer science courses.

Learning Opportunities & Environments

The Glenbrook School Health Center (GSHC), located at Glenbrook South High School, celebrated its formal opening on January 13, provides premiere and equitable health care to the school community. Staffed with healthcare professionals, the center offers medical services including physicals, immunizations, and mental health care, all at no cost.

Moving from analogue to digital and incorporating new equipment was a big upgrade for the radio station at GBN, which co-broadcasts with GBS on district owned-and-operate station WGBK 88.5 FM. This investment improved workflow and created a versatile and professional environment.

In 2023, Glenbrook North High School hosted a Holocaust Remembrance event to honor those who survived and to remember those who did not. This event, entitled “Art as a Form of Resistance,” was co-founded by two GBN students whose great-grandparents were Holocaust survivors. Curated items included photographs and digital images and video.

Showcasing various languages and the impact they have on cultures around the world, the District’s World Languages program, offered at GBN and GBS, includes Hebrew, American Sign Language, and Russian, among others. Students appreciate the opportunity to explore new customs and traditions.

Putting knowledge into practice is a key component of the GBS Advanced Horticulture course. In addition to hands-on experience in gardening and floral arranging, students take the lead for the annual plant sale from planning what to grow to scheduling plantings to coordinating the sale itself.