HPHS College Counselor Wins Humanitarian Award

Highland Park High School college counselor Aliza Gilbert was presented April 22 with the Highland Park Human Relations Commission’s 2015 Highland Park Humanitarian Award.

The award is presented to an individual who has “rendered outstanding service to the Highland Park community … and has through his/her efforts made a significant contribution to changing lives in Highland Park,” according to the City’s website.

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“I am honored and humbled to have been selected by the Highland Park Human Relations Commission as a recipient of the 2015 Park Humanitarian Award, and I am very grateful to the District 113 administration and my Highland Park High School colleagues for nominating me,” Gilbert said. “I feel truly fortunate to work in a school, district and community that shares and supports my passion of supporting college access for all students.”

Gilber, who has been at HPHS for 17 years, has helped thousands of students from a wide range of backgrounds, interests and achievement levels find the right post high school fit, according to a Thursday news release.

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She guides students through the application process, which can be much more difficult for undocumented students and often deters them from applying and has challenged directors of admission to revise the format of applications to make the process more seamless for undocumented students.

Gilbert is involved with the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling and the National Association for College Admissions Counseling, for which she currently serves as Chair of the Committee for Inclusion, Access and Success. In 2010, she received the NACAC Human Relations Award for her passion for supporting all students in their pursuit of post-secondary education, and her work within Illinois to create opportunities for unauthorized students.

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