EPCHS Alum In The Spotlight: Jeff Easterhouse, Class Of 2009

EVERGREEN PARK, IL - Evergreen Park Community High School has a long history of graduates who have gone on to serve the United States in the military. The military wall unveiled in the administrative hallway a few years ago continues to grow as more and more alums report their service.

Jeff Easterhouse is among the current U.S. military members who graduated from EPCHS. A 2009 alum, Easterhouse has been in the U.S. Army for 11 years. He’s an Army Staff Sergeant stationed in Vilseck, Germany, coming off a 4-year stint stationed in Fort Polk, Louisiana, and previously was a member of the Illinois Army National Guard.

“I have a ton of family that has served throughout the years,” Easterhouse said. “College wasn’t the right place for me, so I enlisted in the United States Army after my freshman year at Eastern Illinois University.”

Nearly a dozen years later, Easterhouse says he “wouldn’t change a thing.”

“I wake up at 0530 to do physical fitness with my squadron for an hour,” Easterhouse said of a typical day stationed in Germany. “We report back at 0930 to do training on our weapon systems, conduct maintenance and learn how to apply first aid for emergencies. At 1100 we get an hour and a half for lunch (the Germans have amazing food) then come back for more training, paperwork and meetings to plan and schedule upcoming training and events.”

Easterhouse said hearing about the many EP alums who had gone on to military service before him “was definitely a huge factor” in choosing to enlist.

“I feel very honored to be serving my country,” he said.

But it was his time excelling on the EPCHS swim team that Easterhouse remembers most about his high school years.

“Hanging out in the lobby waiting to start swim practice was the best,” Easterhouse said. “All the guys on the team would do the goofiest things before we hit the pool hard for practice. It definitely pumped us up to push ourselves and break records.”

Easterhouse was part of a 200 freestyle relay team in 2007 that broke the school record in the event, a record that stood until just a month ago. Neil Drumm, Steve Dahlke and Brian Edgeworth were with Easterhouse on the relay that timed 1:33:80 that year. This year, Connor Shomody, Quinn Tyrrell, John Bledsoe and Nathan Fernandez topped that time by a little more than a second at the South Suburban Red Conference meet at Shepard.

“I’m sad it was broken, but also super impressed with the guys on the team now,” Easterhouse said. “I still check the Patch to see times for meets and invites. Way to go guys, and keep grinding hard!”

One regret Easterhouse has from his EPCHS experience is not being involved in other sports or clubs outside of swimming.

“I regret not doing more,” he said. “Evergreen has so much to offer.”

He’s particularly excited for the current and future Mustangs who benefit from the enhanced and improved athletic facilities.

“I envy the students at EPCHS currently with all the huge strides the school has taken in their facilities,” he said. “I encourage the students to go out there and get involved!”