District 88 breaks ground for high school's 'Future'

With shiny shovels in hand, DuPage High School District 88 officials broke ground Sunday on roughly $115.3 million in improvements to Addison Trail and Willowbrook high schools.

Educators, families and city officials turned out to celebrate the occasion during ceremonies at the schools in Addison and Villa Park respectively.

"This project we are breaking ground for today is our community's way of helping to create a safe, up-to-date learning environment to enable each student to achieve their very best," school board member Jay Irvin said.

For several years, committees have discussed what improvements are necessary and worked to educate the community about their plans.

Voters gave their OK last April to the "Building the Future" project that Superintendent Steve Humphrey calls "historic, monumental and student-focused." He thanked those who lent their support.

"There is no future of District 88 without a community that cares, without people that are teaching, students that are learning, without people that support all that behind the scenes," he said.

The improvements to the high schools will include wireless capabilities, new and enhanced science labs, air conditioning, expanded music and art facilities, upgraded electrical and plumbing, increased parking, improved traffic flow, better handicapped accessibility and expanded physical education and athletic fields.

As a graduating senior of Addison Trail, student council president Daniela Saporito is looking forward to a new beginning and said the high school community can now do the same.

"Even though I will not be here next year, I am excited for all the teachers and students who will have an even better Addison Trail to attend in the years to come," she said.

Work is scheduled to wrap up in fall 2010 and officials have said they don't anticipate the construction causing a disruption during the school year.

Sheri D'Ambrose, an alumna of the school and longtime teacher there, said it has been great to see so many people come together as a team to make it all possible.

"As a teacher," she said, "the benefits of these next few years of labors will be invaluable to the educational process of all future generations for the town of Addison."