(2007) Gail Schechter conducts a fair housing and grassroots organizing “teach-in” at Ms. Gigiolio's Washburne 8th grade class as they embark on the Dr. King memorial campaign.
A group of 8th graders from Washburne in Winnetka, along with their social studies teacher Ceci Gigiolio, came to Open Communities’ joint King Day panel with the Winnetka Historical Society at the Winnetka Woman’s Club. They’d had no idea that Dr. King had spoken before 10,000 people on the Winnetka Village Green in 1965, just a few feet away. Then and there, they decided this important historical event deserved a marker. One student, reflecting back four years later, said of the six-month campaign, “It taught me to not give up on something because it's hard - many people thought we couldn't do it.” Read more about this inspired campaign in Gail's Patch article, “I Am More Aware of Peoples’ Rights": Still Inspired Four Years Later
In July 2007, Washburne JHS graduates and their teacher Cecilia Gigiolio dedicating the Dr. King monument for open housing on the Winnetka Village Green that they succeeded in establishing, gaining Village permission with the help of Open Communities and numerous loval groups.