The state experienced its highest high school graduation rate in 13 years in 2022-23, and some successful schools attribute at least part of their success to a focus on building relationships between students and staff on campus.
A documentary filmed and edited by students from the Beacon Magnet Academy at South Elgin High School, called "Teaching the Holocaust: Beyond Facts and Figures," won the grand prize in the "Best Documentary Short" category at the 2023 Silicon Beach Film Festival.
Elgin High School s Samantha Havener and Bartlett High School s Raiyan Hasan, Bailey Jones, Macy Medendorp and Arav Patel are among about 16,000 semifinalists nationwide.