A former Niles Community Schools leader who served the district for 23 years returned last week to present a scholarship opportunity as a thank you to the teachers and staff who supported him during his tenure.

Known by most as “Dr. Joe,” Youssef Yomtoob established a $500 scholarship in his son, David’s name. The scholarship will be awarded to the “most improved” high school senior for the next two school years. He presented the opportunity to members of the Niles Community Schools board Monday, Nov. 20, during a regularly scheduled meeting.

“It’s not much money, but it is a lot of encouragement,” Yomtoob said.

Yomtoob, who now lives in Riverwoods, Illinois, said it will be up to faculty to decide who is the most deserving of the scholarship.

“Most improved,” he said could mean anything from academic success to improved behavior.

Yomtoob, who has been an educational leader across Michigan, Illinois and Indiana, has been giving the scholarship away since 1986, though this is the first time he established the scholarship in Niles.

Yomtoob grew up in Iran and moved to America in 1958. In 1961, he transferred to Manchester University in New York to pursue a bachelor’s degree of science in math and teaching.

When he was offered a job to teach seventh through ninth grade math at Ring Lardner Middle School, Yomtoob and his wife, Parichehr, moved across the country and settled in Niles in 1963.

“Niles became our second home,” Yomtoob said. “Our home away from home.”

Yomtoob said his family was supported not just through his work with the district, but also when his then 12-year-old son, David fell ill from a degenerative liver disease, called Wilson’s Disease. David was hospitalized in Chicago and went into a coma, before his liver was transplanted.

As his family worked through the hardship, Yomtoob said the community of Niles rallied to support the family. The Niles Daily Star chronicled David’s path to recovery and the school district also showed their support.

“The school district sent us a card, they collected some money and sent us some gifts,” Yomtoob said. “They made a sign for him when he came back. We felt very good about being part of the Niles community.”

David made a full recovery and lived for 25 more years. In 2006, he passed away at the age of 45. Yomtoob said he was happy to see his son thrive for a time, get married and have children. 

While teaching, Yomtoob continued his education and earned a master’s degree for teaching in 1965 from Andrew’s University and later a master’s in math from the University of Notre Dame.

After his work as a teacher, Yomtoob was selected as the Ring Lardner department chair.

Yomtoob said he also thanks the Niles Community Schools District for supporting a sabbatical he took to earn a doctorate in educational leadership, curriculum and instruction from Toledo, Ohio.

After earning his doctorate in 1971, Yomtoob returned to the Niles Community Schools district to serve as a leader in research in evaluation, where he helped the district to acquire many grants in the years he served. Yomtoob would eventually leave Niles to continue his career in education. 

Though he left the Niles Community Schools district in 1985, he continued to stay in touch with the students from the area.

By establishing the scholarship, Yomtoob said he hoped that it would perhaps encourage someone else to give back to the school district. He hopes to also continue the scholarship for years to come.

Those wishing to donate to the scholarship fund can do so by sending funds to 2384 Glen Eagles Lane, Riverwoods, Illinois, 60015.