Becky Beissel, Ellsworth Village President

School is back in session, and last month I had the pleasure of visiting some high school students. Walking through those hallways is always a bit surreal—it feels like just yesterday I was the one rushing to class. Of course, I did go to school in the 1900s (lol!), so it’s been a good 25 years since I graduated. Gulp.

Honestly, I love taking advantage of every opportunity to speak to students at our schools. I've spoken to classes from third grade all the way up to high school seniors, and while the experiences vary widely, each one is incredibly rewarding. I believe it’s important for our next generation to have direct access to community leaders, and I enjoy being part of that connection.

On Sept. 20, I visited the Seminar 9 class and gave a short presentation about village government and my role as Village President. I covered topics like the difference between a mayor and a village president, the committees and departments we have, where the Village Hall is (turns out a lot of students think it’s at the Pierce County Courthouse), and what responsibilities we handle. The best part, though, is always the Q&A at the end. I love hearing their questions and discussing what matters to them—it’s often the most insightful and entertaining part of the visit. Plus, it gives me a glimpse into what our next generation is thinking.

We also had some great student involvement during the high school Day of Service on Wednesday, Sept. 25. This is an event where all high school students (except for the juniors preparing for the ACT) spend their morning working on projects around the community. We had several groups help out with village projects. One group worked at the library, tidying up the landscaping and cleaning under the old drive-thru. One student even used this as a starting point for her Capstone Project, which aims to create a community reading program. Another group repainted the dugouts at Bob Young Field in Summit Park, a third cleaned up some landscaping in East End, and a fourth joined me at Village Hall to discuss their hopes for a Capstone Project to create a tree plan for the community.

Their idea stemmed from a love of trees and a concern for those we’re losing due to disease or age. The timing couldn’t be better—you might have noticed the ash trees suffering from disease or the old, hollowed-out ones along our streets. The saying goes, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today.” I didn’t know much about community tree planning before, but these five students (a mix of sophomores and freshmen) taught me a lot in just two hours. For example, did you know that trees can help reduce crime in a community? Or that access to nature can alleviate ADHD symptoms in children? I’m genuinely excited to see how their project evolves. They’re planning to present their ideas to a village committee and eventually to the Village Board later this year.

Lastly, I want to give a big shout-out to the entire school district. It’s easy for negativity to spread faster than positivity, but I don’t think our schools get enough credit for the amazing job they’re doing with our children. The students I’ve interacted with have shown respect, humor, passion, and genuine care. That doesn’t happen by accident—it’s a testament to the collaborative effort between our schools and families to raise outstanding young adults.