What Willowbrook means to me

Willowbrook means three things to me, something that schools talk about -- pride, tradition and excellence -- things that Willowbrook always has had. There is a rich tradition of excellence in the classroom and athletics and extracurricular activities. The auto, arts, theater and music departments have all been recognized for excellence at the state level.

I grew up in Villa Park and have been a resident for 45 years, being a part of the community and the school. You gravitate toward the school, and it gravitates toward the community. I'm one of 17 graduates who teaches at Willowbrook. We want to give back to the school.

It taught me a lot of life lessons. It gave me …