Home

What if the true key to success isn’t just who you are or what you do, but where you put yourself? 

Duckworth, spent years proving that grit is the hidden engine behind extraordinary achievement. She maintains that grit is a vital part of success, but it’s not the only part—we’re powerfully influenced by the people, places, and circumstances around us. 

Duckworth will come to GPS with her breakthrough finding that changing your situation can help your grit take you further and bring success within reach. She will reveal how shaping your environment is often more powerful than shaping yourself. 

Duckworth will detail four essential strategies that anyone can use to bring out their best and explain how high performers create situations that make the most of their grit. Participants will learn a practical, paradigm-shifting framework to achieve more at school, work, home, or in life.

Duckworth is a groundbreaking research psychologist and the author of the number one New York Times bestseller “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” and “Situated: Find the People and Places That Bring Out Your Best.” Her TED Talk has more than 29 million views. She is the co-founder of Character Lab, a nonprofit whose mission is to advance scientific insights that help children thrive. Duckworth is a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and the faculty co-director of the Penn-Wharton Behavior Change for Good initiative and Wharton People Analytics. 

The transition from childhood to adulthood has never been more complex, and today’s teens are facing adulthood’s uncertainties much earlier than previous generations. Many parents are wondering how to navigate the emotional storms, social pressures, and digital saturation facing today’s youth.

To help families move past anxiety and build resilience, GPS will host Richtel in an essential presentation based on cutting-edge neurobiological research detailing the process that occurs inside of the maturing brain.

Participants will discover why teenage brains are biologically rewired to prioritize peer connections over parents and why puberty (hitting our kids ever earlier!) creates a perfect storm of neurological overload.

Richtel will explain how to decode irrational teenage outbursts and how to help adolescents use physical coping mechanisms. He will empower adults with a “Love, Lead, and Let Go” blueprint – and detail the need for parents to separate their own identity from their teen’s successes or failures.

Richtel is a Pulitzer Prize winning science-journalist, father of two teenagers, and the author of the bestseller “How We Grow Up: Understanding Adolescence.”

High school can be a pressure-cooker of academic stress, social media anxiety, and the looming question of “what’s next?” In a world where teenagers are increasingly overwhelmed, adults are looking for real, actionable ways to support their children’s mental and emotional well-being.

Unlike traditional parenting seminars that focus solely on academic achievement or behavior management, “Born to Flourish” flips the script. The distinguished researchers argue that true success isn’t about collecting accolades — it’s about building resilience, discovering innate strengths, and fostering a deep sense of purpose.

Attendees will learn about “the science of thriving” and discover practical strategies to help teens manage academic pressure and anxiety without burning out. Parents and caregivers will also gain insights into communication techniques to strengthen the parent-teen bond.

Join us and discover a roadmap to raise happy, healthy, and self-motivated young adults with a fulfilling future based on their unique strengths.

Davidson is a pioneering psychologist, neuroscientist, and founder of the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Dahl is a research scientist at the Center for Healthy Minds and a leading expert on meditation and human flourishing. Together they are the authors of “Born to Flourish: How New Science and Ancient Wisdom Reveal a Simple Path to Thriving.”

Managing family mental health in today’s high-pressure environment can feel overwhelming. Join clinical child psychologist Dr. Meredith Elkins and psychotherapist Lynn Lyons for an empowering presentation on how caregivers can support children’s mental health without overprotecting them or unintentionally worsening anxiety.

• Admission: Free and open to all (no registration required)

• Format: Virtual presentation hosted by the GPS Parent Series

• Time:  Noon and 7:00 p.m.

• Click the link. above to access the zoom link

The D70 Board of Education will meet in a regular monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. on August 17, at the Educational Resource Center (ERC), 1381 Lake St., Libertyville. The public is welcome. 

The agenda and the live-stream link for the meeting will be posted under the Board section of the website in Board Packets on the Friday before the meeting. 

Join Us: Start the School Year Strong with Dr. David Yeager!

The start of the school year can often feel overwhelming, leaving students stressed, disengaged, or feeling defeated. To help support our school community, the GPS Parent Series is hosting a free virtual event with developmental psychologist Dr. David Yeager on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at 12:00 PM and 7:00 PM CST.

Event Details:

• Topic: Start the School Year Strong: The Science of Motivating Young People

• Speaker: Dr. David Yeager — Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, collaborator with Carol Dweck, and author of 10–25: The Science of Motivating Young People.

• When: Thursday, Aug 20, 2026 | 12:00 PM & 7:00 PM CST

• Where: Virtual Event (Free & Open to All — No Registration Required!)  ZOOM LINK

What You'll Learn:

• The Mentor Mindset: Discover a practical, data-driven framework to help young people cultivate resilience and build personal accountability.

• Empowering Adolescents: Learn how tapping into a young person’s natural desire for status and respect can transform disengagement into intrinsic drive.

• Actionable Support: Equip students with confidence, reassurance, and a clear sense of purpose in both their academic and personal lives.

This free presentation is open to all parents, caregivers, educators, and community members. Please feel free to share this event with friends and relatives!