Doug Berg
Q: How long have you been working at Prospect?
A: “This is my 23rd year.”
Q: Why did you decide to become a school social worker?
A: “Towards the end of college I was majoring in Psychology. But at that time a lot
[of people] wanted to talk with kids and families and kind of help them that way. That was how I made my decision about my master’s program.”
Q: What do you enjoy most about being a social worker?
A: “Talking to the kids and to families. Trying to help them find a way to feel better about themselves and things that are going on or to help solve problems”
Q: Why did you decide to work at Prospect?
A: “I did my internship over at Rolling Meadows and so I knew that the district was a great district and that they cared about kids. After I’d gotten my masters degree I worked at an alternative school within the district and then came over to Prospect.”
Q: How would you describe your experience here at Prospect?
A: “I would say that it’s been good. It [was] an enjoyable time. I’ve gotten to know a lot of good people, dedicated staff, and a lot of great kids.”
Q: What would you say your biggest memories here at Prospect are?
A: “There’s been a lot I would say that, you know, one of the things that kind of sticks out in my mind is when kids come back and kind of want to visit and talk about the things that they’re involved in. You know, it’s a lot of fun to see how they’ve grown and where they’ve, you know, developed and what they’re doing. I appreciate that.”
Q: What do you think you’ll miss most about working at Prospect?
A: “I think just the conversations with kids and with the families and just being able to kind of help them and get them to a better place.”
Q: What do you plan on doing in retirement?
A: “I’m planning on doing a bit of traveling.”
Q: Where do you plan to travel to?
A: “Well, I’m leaving for Portugal on June fifth. I also want to do an African safari, interested in maybe some cruises down the Nile. I want to get over to Asia. I got a lot of things on my list.”
Q: What legacy do you hope you’ll be known for and be left behind at Prospect?
A: “That’s a big question. I think that I would like to be known for helping kids to find their best selves and to feel more confident and comfortable in who they are.”
Q: Do you have any advice for students who are currently navigating their way through high school?
A: “High School can be tough at times, but it’s also a place to discover yourself and discover the things that you like, and all kinds of people that you like, and really kind of be able to explore yourself. So, I would say take advantage of that. Allow yourself to try stuff that even you know you won’t necessarily be the best at but just to be able to kind of explore, you know, all the things that that life has to offer for you.”
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to say about retirement or your experiences here?
A: “I’ve had a great experience here at Prospect and I think that there are definitely things about it that I will miss. I’m just grateful to the staff that I’ve worked with and I just wish everybody a lot of happiness.”