District 228 Students Cast Their First Ballots in Cook County Civic Engagement Pilot

On Feb. 26, 2026, students from all four Bremen High School District 228 schools took part in an exciting civic engagement opportunity as part of a first-of-its-kind Cook County early voting pilot program. Juniors and seniors served as election judges and cast their first official ballots right on their campuses — bringing real-world democratic participation into the classroom.

The pilot is designed to deepen youth involvement in the democratic process and empower young voters to take an active role in their communities. District 228 Social Studies Supervisor Ryan Nagle emphasized the importance of students experiencing voting firsthand, noting that hands-on participation helps foster lifelong civic engagement.

This initiative marks a meaningful milestone for our students as they step into active citizenship and contribute to the democratic process.

Check out Hillcrest High School on NBC Chicago below:

About Bremen High School District 228

Bremen High School District 228 is located in the southwest suburbs of Chicago and serves the communities of Midlothian, Posen, Tinley Park, Markham, Hazel Crest, Country Club Hills and Oak Forest. District 228 serves over 5,000 students and employs 800 full and part-time staff members. Bremen High School, in Midlothian, opened its doors to students in September of 1953. Since then, District 228 opened three additional schools. Tinley Park High School opened in 1961; Hillcrest High School, in Country Club Hills, opened in 1967; and Oak Forest High School opened in 1970. For more information, please visit https://www.bhsd228.com/