Grayslake District 127 is proud to be part of Navig8 Lake, a countywide career exploration event designed to immerse students in real-world experiences and connect them to future opportunities. This year’s event will take place on October 22 and is expected to be the largest yet, with over 6,000 students registered from across Lake County, including more than 1,300 students from D127 and its feeder middle schools.
“Navig8 Lake represents a powerful collaboration across Lake County to ensure all students are exposed to the full range of career possibilities available right here in our region,” said Dr. Mike Karner, Lake County Regional Superintendent of Schools. “The growth of this event shows our collective commitment to building pathways that are real, relevant, and ready for every learner.”
Created in partnership with the Lake County Regional Office of Education (ROE) and shaped by a six-district planning committee, Navig8 Lake is a direct response to the growing need for workforce-ready graduates. D127’s own Gina Schuyler serves as one of the committee members, collaborating with leaders from Lake Zurich (D95), Mundelein (D120), Libertyville/Vernon Hills (D128), Round Lake (D116), and Grant (D124) to bring this initiative to life.
This year, D127 will bring 200 high school students in the morning and 300 in the afternoon to participate in the immersive event. In addition, approximately 825 eighth graders from our feeder schools will attend, making this a truly comprehensive experience that bridges early exploration and high school readiness.
“This isn’t a paper handout event; our team has designed Navig8 Lake to be hands-on because we know students learn through doing,” said Schuyler. “When students engage directly with professionals and tools of the trade, the learning sticks.”
More than 100 businesses representing the full range of Illinois PaCE-aligned career pathways will provide students with interactive experiences in fields like:
Finance and Business
Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
Arts and Communication
Human and Public Services
Information Technology
Health Sciences
Manufacturing, Engineering, Technology, and Trades
These clusters align with the Career Pathway Endorsements available to students through the Illinois State Board of Education and reflect many of the high-skill, high-demand careers in our region.
Recognizing the key role that school counselors play in guiding students’ future decisions, this year’s event will also expand support for counseling staff. Tools like SchooLinks, now available for all 8th–12th grade students in Lake County, help schools connect students to real-time career information, regional work opportunities, and personalized exploration paths, thanks to Dr. Karner, Regional Superintendent.
“Students don’t know what they don’t know. It’s our job to show them the possibilities, real people doing real jobs in our community,” Schuyler emphasized. “These experiences empower students to make informed choices about their futures and show them that success is not one-size-fits-all.”
Navig8 Lake is more than an event; it’s a movement to ensure every student in Lake County is informed, inspired, and prepared. Stay tuned for photos, student reflections, and impact stories after October 22!