40 Stories

Supporting a Young Entrepreneur's Dream

Antony Sanchez arrived at West40's Heart 2 Heart pantry in Westchester with his mother and younger brother earlier this month expecting...

40 Stories

Opening More Doors - Sharing Truant Student Success Stories

There could be any number of reasons why a student routinely does not attend school. Truancy impacts students in different ways. But with...

40 Stories

Expanding West40's Food Program

Providing nutritional support is one of the many ways West40 remains committed to being what our communities need. And now our food...

Written

THE RIGHT FIT - OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH GRANTS

How new uniforms can make a lasting impact for young athletes New and sharp-looking uniforms can make sports teams feel a sense of pride....

Written

RESTORATIVE PRACTICES: MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE CLASSROOM AND IN LIFE

In recent years, there has been a shift away from traditional school discipline, like detention and suspension, toward restorative...

Written

PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLIES: A WEST40 SPRING TRADITION

It’s an annual West40 tradition that transforms and flies away to the delight of students across West Cook County. Each year, West40...

Written

GETTING CREATIVE TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN A REMOTE SETTING

In the Words of Vicki Dimitrakakos, Remote School Lead Advocate As the Lead Advocate in the Remote School, it is important to ensure that...

Written

HOMEGROWN PRINCIPAL AIMS TO INSPIRE FUTURE LEADERS

The job listing for principal at Mannheim Middle School in District 83 immediately drew the attention of former student Tom Herion. “I...

Written

HEART 2 HEART STORE OPENS

Prices for nearly all consumer goods are at record highs as the country grapples with inflation, but West40 is offering relief to its...

Written

KEEPING KIDS INSPIRED DURING THE PANDEMIC

As told by Vince Harper and Angela Horton, West40 Safe Schools teachers “As the COVID-19 pandemic really set in in early March, things...

Written

SEEING 'KIDS LIKE US'

As told by Karen Tiemann, Program Director of the West40 Safe Schools “In the 1990s, I was a U.S. history teacher and I was working at a...

Written

MOVING A DISTRICT IN A NEW DIRECTION

As told by Dr. Mary Mycyk, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, and Dr. Anthony Grazzini, Director of Grants and...

Written

THE VALUE OF NEVER GIVING UP

As told by Dion Flowers, former West40 Safe Schools student “The biggest lessons in my life are the ones I learned at the West40 Safe...

Written

HOW MENTORS CHANGED MY LIFE

As told by Frank Giosa, Principal of the West40 Safe Schools Middle School “It’s funny that I’m in education, because where I grew up,...

Written

FIGHTING FOR THE FUTURE OF ILLINOIS

As told by: Karen Tiemann, president of ICEARY; Dr. Mark Klaisner, former president of ICEARY; Ben Lewis, ICEARY member; John Milosovic,...

Written

A SON TRANSFORMED BY THE SAFE SCHOOLS

As told by Bill Stewart, parent of a West40 Safe School student “Before my son Michael went to a West40 Safe School, he went to a middle...

Written

BUILDING A NEW BELIEF SYSTEM

As told by Joshua Easter, Charles Carter and Cody K. Cotton, West40 mentors and founders of A Greater Good Foundation “Let’s say you have...

Written

MEASURING OUR IMPACT ON STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS

As told by Renee Makris, Area Director of Leyden ALOP Programs “Growing up, I never thought I’d be in education. If you had told me that...

Written

FIGHTING FOR EQUITY IN ILLINOIS SCHOOLS

As told by Dr. Mike Popp, Assistant Executive Director of West40 and former school superintendent “When I was a school superintendent, I...

Written

FROM STRUGGLING STUDENT TO LOCAL LEADER

As told by Maria Rivera, former West40 ALOP student and current college student “I grew up in the U.S., but when I was in first grade, my...

Written

TEAMING UP TO HELP TROUBLED TEENS

As told by Loreah Boyle, Karina Carbajal and Jimmy Mortillaro, West40 ALOP advocates at Proviso East High School “If a student enters our...

Written

THE POWER OF ‘ONE PERSON AT A TIME’

As told by Dr. Mark Klaisner, Executive Director of West40 and President of the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of...

Written

SUPPLYING HOPE WITH BACKPACK GIVEBACK

Anyone who follows the news can see headlines about the rising cost of living: whether that’s an increase in housing costs, food costs or...

Written

A FAMILY-FIRST APPROACH TO EDUCATION

As told by Fran Pike, West40 ALOP advocate “A lot of organizations talk about treating people like family. But at West40, it’s true. The...

Written

A SAFETY NET FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

As told by Phil Salemi, Superintendent of Westchester School District 92.5, and Greg Leban, Principal at Westchester Middle School “When...

Written

JUAN'S JOURNEY TO REDEMPTION: PART 2

As told by Juan Silva, former Safe School and ALOP student, current student advocate Read Part 1 of Juan’s story here. “After attending...

Written

JUAN’S JOURNEY TO REDEMPTION: PART 1

As told by Juan Silva, former Safe School and ALOP student “I was fine in grade school. Just a normal kid in the neighborhood. But things...

Written

HELPING TEEN MOTHERS STAY IN SCHOOL

As told by Nancy Debre, West40 Truancy and Pregnancy Services “People see statistics about truancy, but they don’t usually think about...

Written

BECOMING THE LIFELINE FOR LOCAL EDUCATORS

As told by Sharon Balderas, West40 Education Licensure Specialist “When parents or the general public think about the life of an...

Written

AARON EARNS HIS STRIPES

As told by Shannon Bidlo, Seniors Plus Coordinator “Aaron started with West40 as a student at our Safe Schools Middle School. He entered...

Written

TRIUMPH OVER TRAGEDY

As told by Laura Guzman Lopez, Lead Advocate “When a student at East Leyden High School named Max was first referred to our program, he...

PhotoJournals

SUPPORTING SOCIAL EMOTIONAL GROWTH THROUGH ARTS AND ACTIVITIES

Advocating for students means supporting them at school and providing a listening ear. It’s also about organizing activities to keep...

PhotoJournals

A NEW KIND OF CELEBRATION

As told by Emily Molson and Pedro Peralta, West40 Seniors Plus Advocates “In the West40 Seniors Plus program, we work with high school...

PhotoJournals

THE NEXT GENERATION OF FEMALE LEADERS

West40’s goals are audacious. We don’t just want to help students graduate, or just get them back on track. We want to turn each and...

PhotoJournals

CONNECTING WITH STUDENTS DURING COVID-19

Summer wasn’t quite the same in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic swept through the country and disrupted almost everything about our...

PhotoJournals

THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION

What if West40’s approach to teaching at-risk kids could influence the way we teach every student in the state of Illinois? That was the...

PhotoJournals

GIVING THE GIFT OF HOPE: WEST40 CHRISTMAS BINGO

For most kids, the holiday season is filled with magic and wonder. They write wish lists. They daydream about what presents they might...

PhotoJournals

A WEST40 THANKSGIVING

School is a place to learn. To improve your knowledge and prepare for a bright future. But it can also be a place where families...

PhotoJournals

THE CHANGING FACE OF COMPLIANCE

For many administrators, the word “compliance” fills them with a sense of dread. They imagine regulators coming into their schools to...

Podcast

DEANDRE MCLAURIN

Tim Stafford is joined by student advocate, DeAndre McClaurin, to discuss working with at-risk youth. DeAndre shares the strengths of...

Podcast

KAREN YOUNG

Karen Young discusses the partnership between Woz Ed and West40. Karen joins the podcast to share her experience with Woz Ed and Steve...

Podcast

STEVEN HUNTER

Steven Hunter from the Phoenix Suns shares his partnership with Woz Ed. For this discussion, Steven embraces his love for Proviso...

Podcast

DR. JENNIFER KELSALL

Superintendent for Ridgewood Community High School #234, Jennifer Kelsall, shares her expertise in Education. Dr. Kelsall casts a vision...

Podcast

DEANDRE MCLAURIN

Tim Stafford is joined by student advocate, DeAndre McClaurin, to discuss working with at-risk youth. DeAndre shares the strengths of...

Podcast

KAREN YOUNG

Karen Young discusses the partnership between Woz Ed and West40. Karen joins the podcast to share her experience with Woz Ed and Steve...

Podcast

STEVEN HUNTER

Steven Hunter from the Phoenix Suns shares his partnership with Woz Ed. For this discussion, Steven embraces his love for Proviso...

Podcast

DR. JENNIFER KELSALL

Superintendent for Ridgewood Community High School #234, Jennifer Kelsall, shares her expertise in Education. Dr. Kelsall casts a vision...

Podcast

DION FLOWERS

West40 Regional Safe School alumni, Dion Flowers, revisits his time at the RSSP since graduating. Dion’s interview is uplifting,...

40 Stories

Expanding West40's Food Program

Providing nutritional support is one of the many ways West40 remains committed to being what our communities need. And now our food...

Written

THE RIGHT FIT - OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH GRANTS

How new uniforms can make a lasting impact for young athletes New and sharp-looking uniforms can make sports teams feel a sense of pride....

Written

RESTORATIVE PRACTICES: MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE CLASSROOM AND IN LIFE

In recent years, there has been a shift away from traditional school discipline, like detention and suspension, toward restorative...

Written

PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLIES: A WEST40 SPRING TRADITION

It’s an annual West40 tradition that transforms and flies away to the delight of students across West Cook County. Each year, West40...

Written

GETTING CREATIVE TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN A REMOTE SETTING

In the Words of Vicki Dimitrakakos, Remote School Lead Advocate As the Lead Advocate in the Remote School, it is important to ensure that...

Written

HOMEGROWN PRINCIPAL AIMS TO INSPIRE FUTURE LEADERS

The job listing for principal at Mannheim Middle School in District 83 immediately drew the attention of former student Tom Herion. “I...

Written

HEART 2 HEART STORE OPENS

Prices for nearly all consumer goods are at record highs as the country grapples with inflation, but West40 is offering relief to its...

Written

KEEPING KIDS INSPIRED DURING THE PANDEMIC

As told by Vince Harper and Angela Horton, West40 Safe Schools teachers “As the COVID-19 pandemic really set in in early March, things...

Written

SEEING 'KIDS LIKE US'

As told by Karen Tiemann, Program Director of the West40 Safe Schools “In the 1990s, I was a U.S. history teacher and I was working at a...

Written

MOVING A DISTRICT IN A NEW DIRECTION

As told by Dr. Mary Mycyk, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, and Dr. Anthony Grazzini, Director of Grants and...

Written

THE VALUE OF NEVER GIVING UP

As told by Dion Flowers, former West40 Safe Schools student “The biggest lessons in my life are the ones I learned at the West40 Safe...

Written

HOW MENTORS CHANGED MY LIFE

As told by Frank Giosa, Principal of the West40 Safe Schools Middle School “It’s funny that I’m in education, because where I grew up,...

Written

FIGHTING FOR THE FUTURE OF ILLINOIS

As told by: Karen Tiemann, president of ICEARY; Dr. Mark Klaisner, former president of ICEARY; Ben Lewis, ICEARY member; John Milosovic,...

Written

A SON TRANSFORMED BY THE SAFE SCHOOLS

As told by Bill Stewart, parent of a West40 Safe School student “Before my son Michael went to a West40 Safe School, he went to a middle...

Written

BUILDING A NEW BELIEF SYSTEM

As told by Joshua Easter, Charles Carter and Cody K. Cotton, West40 mentors and founders of A Greater Good Foundation “Let’s say you have...

Written

MEASURING OUR IMPACT ON STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS

As told by Renee Makris, Area Director of Leyden ALOP Programs “Growing up, I never thought I’d be in education. If you had told me that...

Written

FIGHTING FOR EQUITY IN ILLINOIS SCHOOLS

As told by Dr. Mike Popp, Assistant Executive Director of West40 and former school superintendent “When I was a school superintendent, I...

Written

FROM STRUGGLING STUDENT TO LOCAL LEADER

As told by Maria Rivera, former West40 ALOP student and current college student “I grew up in the U.S., but when I was in first grade, my...

Written

TEAMING UP TO HELP TROUBLED TEENS

As told by Loreah Boyle, Karina Carbajal and Jimmy Mortillaro, West40 ALOP advocates at Proviso East High School “If a student enters our...

Written

THE POWER OF ‘ONE PERSON AT A TIME’

As told by Dr. Mark Klaisner, Executive Director of West40 and President of the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of...