Editor’s note: This story was originally published by the Belleville News-Democrat, a news partner of St. Louis Public Radio.
An East St. Louis school administrator is being recognized for her work in education, but she’s happy to share the accolades with her colleagues.
As the principal of Gordon Bush Elementary, Brittany Green led a team that transformed the school from one of the worst-performing schools in the state to being designated a “Commendable” school by the Illinois State Board of Education.
For her work, which has since moved to leading the Wyvetter Younge Center for Excellence, she’s being recognized as one of six finalists for the 2022 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership.
More than 100 school administrators in Illinois were nominated for the award. In May, one of the finalists will serve as the Golden Apple Leadership Fellow. The fellow receives $10,000, half of which goes toward a project at their school.
Golden Apple is an Illinois-based nonprofit that focuses on addressing the teacher shortage. The Award for Excellence in Leadership recognizes school leaders who have had significant and sustainable success in creating a culture of inclusivity and student growth.
Green said she was just happy to showcase the work happening in her school.
This year, the whole Gordon Bush staff was moved to a bigger building to see what the school could do if it had students longer. The Wyvetter Younge School of Excellence opened this year in what had been the district’s alternative center. This year it’s a K-6 school, but each year a new grade level will be added until it’s a K-8 school.
“Families will be able to stay with us from kindergarten through eighth grade,” Green said. “They’ll really be a part of school culture, and the school is part of home and the community.”
While it’s her name on the award, Green said it acknowledges the hard work of not only the staff at her school, but throughout the whole East St. Louis School District, which serves 4,841 students, according to the Illinois Report Card.
“It’s really shined a light on our entire district and community,” Green said, adding that it was the first time an administrator in the district received the honor. “It speaks to the work that’s happening in the entire district.”
Superintendent Arthur Culver said Green always goes the extra mile for her students.
“She is an outstanding educational leader because of her commitment to excellence, courage to make difficult decisions, compassion for her students, as well as her strong intellectual capacity,” he said in a statement.
Educators aren't always acknowledged for their work, Green said.
“I really feel grateful,” she said. “Even before the pandemic, we work really really hard in education. Oftentimes, you don’t get that celebration or gratification. You just do the work, and it often gets unnoticed.”
Kayla Drake produced the "St. Louis on the Air" segment for this story.
Megan Valley is a reporter with the Belleville News-Democrat, a news partner of St. Louis Public Radio.
