Grace O'Connell’s Elmbrook experience helped solidify her career aspirations through the unique educational opportunities offered at Brookfield East High School.

During her time in Elmbrook, Grace took advantage of numerous opportunities to enrich her education, taking six Advanced Placement (AP) courses and on-campus, dual-credit courses.  Additionally, she participated in the Future Teachers strand of the LAUNCH program during her junior year, gaining valuable insights through career days and hands-on placements in classrooms. These experiences solidified Grace's passion for education and set the stage for her future studies. Beyond academics, Grace was also actively involved in extracurricular activities, particularly band and service clubs.

“I have always had a passion for Speech and Language Pathology and helping others,” reflected Grace. “And my experiences in LAUNCH Future Teachers solidified that it is the field in which I want to work.” After graduating from BEHS in 2023, O’Connell continued her education at Saint Louis University in Missouri to study Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Thanks to her credits earned while attending Elmbrook, she is able to take classes toward her major in her Freshman year. She plans to become involved in the Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic at Saint Louis University later in her education to allow her to gain more practical experiences in her field of study.

Grace is currently exploring opportunities for internships and study-abroad experiences, and intends to pursue her Masters degree while gaining as much knowledge and expertise in her field as possible. “I’m very grateful for the opportunities that Elmbrook gave me to get ahead in credits and tuition costs and, more importantly, to show me a career path that fits my interests and passions,” said O’Connell.

Read more stories on the Elmbrook Promise at elmbrookschools.org/promise.