Student Feature: Brighton Greathouse

Brighton Greathouse just wrapped up her freshman year at Glendale Prep, and is a student who genuinely embodies the principles upon which Great Hearts schools were founded. Starting in 6^th grade after attending another local charter school, she feels that she thrives in the seminar based approach that Great Hearts provides. She loves the fact that she is free to express her ideas and opinions in an encouraging atmosphere within the class. Her favorite subject, not surprisingly, is Humane Letters (HL). For her, the readings in HL provide a common point of reference, and she revels in the fact that the class is all reaching for the same objective—a deeper understanding of what is being read and the connection to the historical period being studied. She also enjoys studying Geometry and feels that learning math with a hands on approach is best for her.

Brighton is an active member of both her school community, and the wider Peoria community. She is a member of the school spirit squad and is actively involved in many community service projects organized by the school. Brighton is also an active member of the Peoria Youth Advisory Board. Becoming a member of the Youth Advisory Board is a competitive process and students who are given this honor have the opportunity to volunteer for community service activities, raise funds for projects and serve as a liaison to the mayor as a voice on local youth-related issues. She recently traveled to Washington, D.C. where she served as a delegate to the Congressional City Conference. She was excited to be selected for this distinction and is looking forward to taking what she learned and implementing it at the local level.

When she isn’t busy with her studies or extra-curricular activities, Brighton enjoys spending time with her friends and family. She also works part-time at a local Kumon where she provides primary instruction for students in the early learning program.