Lincoln-Way Central High School (LWC) is located in New Lenox, IL. It serves the Manhattan and New Lenox communities. LWC opened on September 7, 1954 and has had only 4 superintendents in 54 years. Famous graduates of Lincoln Way Central include Mark Suppelsa the co-anchor of WGN News at Nine and the newly launched WGN Evening News.
The JILG program at Lincoln-Way Central currently serves 38 students in-school and additionally 38 students in follow-up. The demographic of the class ranges from the academically focused to the more social learner. The JILG class at Lincoln Way Central is geared towards getting students prepared for the “real world”. They participate in team building, so that students will learn how to work productively with co-workers. Also, job preparation, such as mock interviews, resumes, cover letter, and developing career goals are the main focuses of the curriculum. This is one of the only classes in the state where students can have opportunity to learn those skills that are so important in the real world and Lincoln Way Central is proud to offer it to their students.
The current students have participated in a variety of activities this year including JILGapalooza, which is in its’ inaugural year. The event was planned by the Career Specialists at Lincoln-Way Central, Lincoln-Way East, Thornton Fractional North, and Thornton Fractional South as a way to promote teambuilding in a diverse population.
JILG students at LWC have also participated in various service learning projects throughout this school year including Pennies for Patients, where students raised money for Leukemia patients. Students also adopted a local underprivileged family for the holidays, collecting clothing, money, and gift cards to give the family for the holiday season. A few JILG students even volunteered to play Santa for the daycare in their school. So far this school year, JILG students at Lincoln-Way Central have logged more than 800 service learning hours.
About the Career Specialist
Dustin Waddell has been in the education field for 5 years, and has worked as a Career Specialist for two of those years. He received his undergraduate degree in Communication and Political Science from Augustana College, and went on to receive his Masters in Education from Chicago State University.
Dustin says, “The best activity we do in JILG would be JILGapolooza. It’s involves four other JILG schools coming together and working on multiple team building activities. It really gives students a chance to work with students of different back grounds.”
His favorite JILG moment was, “helping out with the Special Olympics here at Lincoln Way Central. The LWC and Lincoln Way East students really get involved in helping the athletes.They continue to motivate them, creating posters for all of the schools, or just sitting with them until their next race.” JILG students volunteer at the Special Olympics every year.
