Lake County Gazette

At Grayslake Central High School, the Public Service Practicum (PSP) class provides students with opportunities to develop leadership skills through service projects that benefit both the school and the local community.

“Our theme is simple: Create moments,” said PSP teacher and founder Dustin Chierico. “And every year, our students do just that, for their community, and for each other.”

The PSP program began in 2002 as a way to give students practical leadership experiences through hands-on service. The course is open to juniors and seniors for the full academic year and focuses on project management, teamwork, communication, and civic engagement.

A major initiative of the class is Gold Week, an annual student-run fundraising campaign supporting childhood cancer awareness and research. Students plan various events during this week—including pop-up fundraisers and the Ram Jam lip-sync contest—with this year’s main event being Haunt for the Cure. The Halloween-themed scavenger hunt involved over 100 students in activities aimed at raising money while building teamwork.

“When you’re part of something bigger than yourself, and you know someone is getting an opportunity because of something you did, it changes you,” Chierico said. “It gives you purpose.”

In addition to planning events like Gold Week, PSP students are involved in business negotiations, marketing design, logistics coordination, and evaluation of their efforts. These projects help students learn how to implement ideas as a team.

Throughout the school year, PSP organizes additional events such as a Veterans Day breakfast and a dinner dance for senior citizens. These initiatives are designed to strengthen ties within Grayslake Community High School District 127 (D127).

“Whether it's a community event or a food drive,” said Chierico, “our students know they’re part of something bigger, and that matters.”

Grayslake Community High School District 127 includes Grayslake Central High School and Grayslake North High School in Lake County. The district reports that it employs 195 teachers with an average salary of $79,647 before pension contributions; about 60 percent are women. There are no teachers in the district with more than 10 absences in a school year according to recent data from the Illinois State Board of Education (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

Demographically, D127’s student body is approximately 58 percent White, 25 percent Hispanic, 7 percent Asian, and 4 percent Black (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In 2020, per-student spending was $31,874 for a total district expenditure of $88 million (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).