On Friday, May 21, District 88 will be honored with two Distinguished Service Awards from the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association (INSPRA). The statewide program recognizes public education advocates for their support of local schools and districts.
The late District 88 Superintendent Dr. Scott Helton, who passed away on Dec. 10, 2020, will be honored in memoriam with an Award of Merit in the Administrator category. Dr. Helton had more than 33 years of experience in education and served in a variety of capacities, including as Principal of Addison Trail for 11 years and as Superintendent of District 88 since 2012. He was incredibly ingrained in the District 88 community and helped build positive futures for countless students through his contributions to public education and coaching football, wrestling and track.
More about Dr. Scott Helton…
The following was written into the recommendation that the Award of Merit be presented posthumously to Dr. Scott Helton:
When envisioning the characteristics that comprise an ideal school district superintendent, the following attributes come to mind: Someone who will advocate for all students – even when what’s right might not be what’s popular; someone who connects with stakeholders; and someone who champions moving education and student success forward.
DuPage High School District 88 Superintendent Dr. Scott Helton, who passed away on Dec. 10, 2020, possessed all of these qualities – and more. Dr. Helton had more than 33 years of experience in education and served in a variety of capacities, including as Principal of Addison Trail High School for 11 years and as Superintendent of District 88 since 2012. He was incredibly ingrained in the District 88 community and helped build positive futures for countless students through his contributions to public education and coaching football, wrestling and track.
“Dr. Helton had a passion for ensuring all students had access to the most rigorous curriculum and the supports they needed to succeed,” said Dr. Jean Barbanente, District 88 Interim Superintendent. “He continued to implement more Advanced Placement (AP) and dual- credit courses, as well as workplace experiences, to provide valuable opportunities for all students.”
Dr. Helton was laser focused on ensuring the district connected with and cared for each child and family in the district. He took the time and went above and beyond to build trust and genuine relationships with students, staff, parents and community members – regardless of their language and cultural background. Leading a school district with student demographics of nearly 50-percent Hispanic and more than 45-percent low income can be overwhelming and intimidating, but Dr. Helton met this challenge head on. He implemented ongoing equity work and culturally responsive and trauma-informed teaching and shared that work at the local, state and national levels.
“This work was natural for Dr. Helton,” said Dr. Barbanente. “He loved kids and had a heart for those who were underprivileged or had suffered hardships. He specialized in valuing each student and his or her unique background. He was famous for telling their stories. He bragged about the students who were the first in their family to go to college, how many received scholarships, how many AP credits they earned, how many went off to the Ivy League, how many were state champion athletes and musicians and the challenges they overcame to get there.”
Becky Serna, an alumna of Addison Trail (class of 2012), knows firsthand the dedication and commitment Dr. Helton had in ensuring his students’ success. Serna is now a Registered Nurse at Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System.
“My parents didn’t attend high school and primarily speak Spanish, so they were unfamiliar with the school structure,” Serna said. “Dr. Helton made significant efforts to ensure my parents were aware of the resources available and that our needs were being met. He really was a lifelong educator and an inspiration. I’m confident his legacy will live on through the lives of the students he has touched – including mine.”
“Dr. Helton was a true agent of change,” said Eric Veal Jr., a junior at District 88’s Willowbrook High School, who serves on the Illinois State Board of Education Student Advisory Council and is part of District 88’s Youth Equity Stewardship (YES!) series. “Many students around the country do not get the chance to say they worked with their superintendent, but Dr. Helton made it a priority to change that. He made everyone feel like they had a seat at the table, and they are valued in that conversation. People like Dr. Helton were put on this planet to light up the world.”
Award given to Food Distribution Program
The Community Food Distribution Program will receive an Award of Merit in the Team category. Through that program, District 88 partnered with Addison School District 4, School District 45, Salt Creek School District 48, Arbor Management, Chartwells and Cottage Hill Operating Company to offer free meals at various locations in Addison and Villa Park for all residents up to the age of 18. As a result of staff members, administrators and community members stepping up to prepare and distribute the food items, 385,952 meals were provided.
The award was presented based on the following nomination:
“In March 2020, Illinois public school districts received unprecedented news – Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker issued a mandate to transition to an online E-learning environment as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
“As schools worked to implement a virtual learning environment, another concern became abundantly clear – how were we going to provide meals to our students in a remote setting? At DuPage High School District 88, we knew we needed to make sure families received the necessary nutrition – and we immediately got to work. We partnered with Addison School District 4, School District 45, Salt Creek School District 48, Arbor Management, Chartwells and Cottage Hill Operating Company to provide a community food-distribution program. From March 17 to Aug. 18, we offered free meals at various locations in Addison and Villa Park for all residents up to the age of 18.
• Arbor Management and Chartwells supplied a variety of breakfast and lunch items (which included frozen vegetables, frozen pizzas, breakfast bars, snacks, milk and more).
• Cottage Hill Operating Company transported the items to and from District 88’s two high schools (Addison Trail and Willowbrook).
• Addison School District 4, School District 45, Salt Creek School District 48 and District 88 served as pickup locations.
“It was a tremendous undertaking that involved hundreds of volunteers. As a result of the Herculean efforts of staff members, administrators and community members stepping up to prepare and distribute the food items, we provided 385,952 meals. This team collaboration is an example of how these organizations connect with and care for students and families.
“One of those volunteers was Willowbrook alumna Emma Jessen, class of 2020.
“’When I heard about this program, I reached out right away to see how I could help,’ Jessen said. ‘I wanted to give back to the community that has supported and done so much for me.’
“It was amazing to watch as the volunteers came together to make the meals, organize the boxes, load and unload the buses and hand out the items to the community.
“’As we faced the challenges of dealing with a pandemic, this event showed the pride and spirit of our communities,’ said Dr. Jean Barbanente, District 88 Interim Superintendent. ‘It was incredible to see so many people take time out of their lives during a crisis to help with this event each week.’
“The distributions also provided an opportunity to connect with community members to check in and find out what else they needed, and the team was then able to hand out information about available resources. The program showcased the importance and strength of establishing intergovernmental relationships. Because of the partnerships developed through the years among members of this team, we were able to give out Easter bags from the local park district, as well as COVID-19 kits from the village.
“’Within a matter of a few days, we were able to develop and implement a communitywide program to feed our youth,’ said Ed Hoster, District 88 Chief Financial Officer. ‘It was truly a team effort that was successful because of all involved.’”
