Willowbrook names December recipient of 88’s Best recognition

Alex Bardesi has been named as Willowbrook’s December recipient of 88’s Best recognition. Bardesi, a senior, was recognized during the Dec. 16 District 88 Board of Education meeting.

As an incoming ninth-grader, Bardesi had a rough start at Willowbrook, and his tremendous energy was not channeled in a positive direction. But Bardesi has been able to turn his life around and direct his charismatic personality into a force that has impacted the entire school.

“Although I did not know Bardesi back when he was underperforming in school, he is honest and transparent about his past,” said Erik Engel, Willowbrook social worker. “One day he wandered into the Young Men's lunch group I lead, and he never looked back. He continues to be a dominant force of positive influence and assertive action through that group. It is well known he is involved in multiple extracurricular activities while maintaining high grades. To me, his two greatest legacies will be his involvement in a musical and The Happiness Movement, which is some 20 to 30 students he has motivated to perform kind acts and encourage recipients to pay it forward to others. The musical he was involved with was ‘High School Musical Jr.,’ which involved District 88 students with special needs in all of the performing roles. His job was to rehearse and perform with the students on stage throughout the summer and early fall. He was one of only two students (senior Addie Maggard was the other) who helped put together one of the most memorable shows and experiences in the history of Willowbrook. The beautiful thing about Bardesi is he truly gets it. He could easily receive multiple awards for his many achievements, but he is not motivated by notoriety. He does it to serve others, make them happy and engage in a meaningful relationship. Selflessness like that is amazingly rare in an adolescent. His story is doubly amazing because it is the story of improvement. But he didn't go from underperforming at a zero up to mediocrity at a five – he went from a negative 10 to a positive 10. I look forward to how he will blow our minds as an adult. He will surely continue improving himself and the rest of us as a result.”

Sam Bentsen, Willowbrook Assistant Principal, agreed.

“Bardesi has had the biggest turnaround out of any student I have ever seen,” Bentsen said. “He went from attending multiple outplacements to straight As when he returned to Willowbrook. His academic and behavioral improvement is enough to be a District 88's Best, but his positive attitude and commitment to service in a wide variety of areas is perhaps even more impressive. Bardesi is an example to any student who has ever struggled that you can determine your own future – and Bardesi’s looks very bright.”

Bardesi plans to apply to Northwestern University to study social work or psychology, with the hope of becoming a school social worker or psychologist.