Thornton Fractional South
Jobs for Illinois Graduates (JILG) is proud to feature Thornton Fractional South High School. T.F. South is located in Lansing in South suburban Chicago. Lansing is only 25 mile south of Chicago and just 5 minutes from the Indiana state line. The total enrollment at T.F. South is approximately 2000 students. The school serves the communities of Lansing and Lynwood, with many students transplanted from Chicago.
Currently, the JILG program at T.F. South served 38 students on its’ In-School roster, and 40 Follow-up students from the Class of 2007.
Lisa Bouler-Daniels has done an extraordinary job in her five year with the program. The JILG program at T.F. South targets student that want to graduate, want to be successful, want help, and want to help themselves. These students come in a range of sizes, shapes, colors, skills and aptitudes. Most of students are not as academically challenged, as they are motivationally challenged. Some have experienced failure even before they began high school, while others simply feel trapped in a conventional 6 1/2 hour school day. In the JILG program at T.F. South, diversity is what makes the program successful. The students learn more realistically how to work with people who have completely different backgrounds than they do. Leadership and teambuilding are emphasized all year, along with what skills it will ultimately take for them to be successful, self-sufficient adults. Lisa believes in giving student options, giving them information so that they can better prepare themselves after they leave the JILG classroom and enter follow-up.
Thought the school year did not begin too long ago, T.F. South JILG have already partook in some events, while planning many others for the rest of the school year. One of the first activities that the JILG seniors participated in was the Homecoming Celebration 2007. Even though homecoming is sponsored by Student Council, the JILG students participated in window decorating, and sponsored a penny war that would leave the winning teachers dressed in a bunny suit for the entire school day. Taffy Apple Tuesday’s returned with the Class of 2008, a fundraiser event that originated with the Class of 2007. Literacy is a big school improvement initiative at T.F. South this year. To support this initiative, the students will be organizing a book club open to all, but primarily aimed at freshmen. The students are also planning a volunteer reading initiative for the feeder elementary schools.
Last year, the class of 2007 raised $1,200 for the Lansing Food Pantry by sponsoring a Faculty Volleyball Game. This year a faculty game is planned, however the proceeds will go to the Lansing Rotary Club. Two students, De’za Faulkner and Sara Mathis will attend a three day leadership conference in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin sponsored by the Rotary Club International.
About the Specialist
JILG Specialist Lisa Bouler
Lisa Bouler-Daniels has been teaching for 18 years, 14 of those at T.F. South. She has been a JILG Career Specialist for five years. Lisa attended Northern Illinois University for two years, then transferred to Northeastern Illinois University where she earned her B.A. in English Literature/Secondary Education. She entered two master’s degree programs over the years for English and Special Education, and she finally completed a master’s degree in Administration and Supervision this summer.
“The first year JILG was a fully funded program in our district, one of our students had the opportunity to attend National Student Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. Tashauna Christian was the keynote speaker for the legislative luncheon and she brought the room to tears. I had heard her speech a thousand times, had helped her practice and prepare– never once shedding a tear myself. That afternoon I found myself in tears along with everyone. I had never felt so proud.”
