Cary-Grove High School

Cary-Grove High School is celebrating two prestigious honors from the Illinois Art Education Association (IAEA). Art teacher Wendy Guss has been named the 2025 Secondary Art Educator of the Year, and the school itself has been recognized as a 2025 School of Distinction for its art, design, and media programs.

The Secondary Art Educator of the Year Award recognizes outstanding art, design, and media educators who demonstrate excellence in teaching, leadership, and contributions to the field. Recipients are nominated by colleagues or administrators and evaluated by a statewide panel of educators based on their impact in the classroom, professional involvement, and support of the broader arts community. 

“I do what I do because of others, the support of my district, my colleagues, and my students. This award is a celebration of all of us, and the traditions and legacy we build together in the art program,” said Wendy Guess, award recipient.

Wendy Guss, who has taught at Cary-Grove for 27 years, exemplifies these qualities. She has grown the Graphic Design program into a fully functional in-house design studio and launched signature events such as the Odyssey Spring Show, which just marked its 20th anniversary. Under her leadership, students create, promote, and sell their own artwork, gaining professional-level experience that has led to millions of dollars in scholarships and dozens of graduates pursuing creative careers nationwide.

Cary-Grove’s School of Distinction designation honors schools that provide rigorous, innovative art, design, and media education while fostering creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and social-emotional growth. Schools are selected through a competitive application process that includes documentation of curriculum, student work, community engagement, and evidence of meaningful outcomes. Cary-Grove’s art department, led by teachers Wendy Guss and Lindsey DiLeo, is one of just five programs statewide to receive this recognition.