Jackie Angiello
Growing Up in Wheaton, IL
Growing up in Wheaton has a lot to do with who I am today. When I look back and reflect on my past, I get a strong sense of nostalgia as I think about all the great memories I have in this town. No matter how many places I’ve traveled to, or lived elsewhere, I have always felt that Wheaton is where my heart is, and I’ve made my way back to hopefully reciprocate the excellent upbringing I had for my future children.
Back in Time
My parents moved to Wheaton when I was 4 years old. They’re both from Chicago suburbs, but moved away for a job opportunity to the east coast early on in their marriage for a nine-year stint.
When they moved back they decided on the up and coming suburb of Wheaton. My parents found a great home to raise my brother, Eric, and I in Danada West. The home they bought backs to Seven Gables Park, a 66-acre park that includes a running path, pond, basketball courts, tennis courts, soccer fields, a wonderful playground, and baseball diamonds---not to mention enough trees to climb to keep a kid busy all summer. When we moved into Danada West it was a fairly new subdivision, being only about 10 years old. We were the second family to own the home my parents bought. Not only was Seven Gables a huge factor in my parents decision to move into the neighborhood, but another huge plus was that many of the other Danada West residents were in the same stage of life as my parents, with young children and similar interests. There were over 10 girls all my exact age and grade in school, and many of which became life-long best friends of mine and still see regularly. My parents were able to sign me up for virtually any activity imaginable at the Wheaton Park District, a few blocks from our house, which also boasts one of the best town pools in the area, Rice Pool.
Some of the activites I did at the Park District included tap-and-ballet, pottery, soccer, volleyball, basketball, a summer camp called Camp Illini, softball, and more. If you’re wondering where the names of these landmarks are coming from (Rice Pool, or Danada), the family that owned all of this land several years back before selling it to developers were named Dan and Ada Rice. Little history for ya! I loved those days as a kid, before cell phones when you called someone’s house and asked if “so-and-so” could come out and play. We would ride our bikes all over town (since almost all areas have sidewalks) and round up a bunch of kids to play capture the flag, running bases, kick the can, sardines, or a game we created at my house with a very self-explanatory name, “Hide-and-go-seek-in-the-dark-with-the-jail.” My schedule was always jam-packed with sports and activities and playing with my friends. Wheaton is an amazing town, and certainly there are “fancier” or more expensive towns, but overall Wheaton provides a high quality of living, great amenities, friendly people, convenient location and shopping.
I loved Madison Elementary School! The Fun Fair, Exploremore Days, Madison Olympics, and many other special days made school so much fun. The teachers genuinely care about the students and community, and made learning fun.
I absolutely loved living here as a kid and remember my childhood with fondness.
In between
After Edison Middle School I continued my love of sports in high school and at one point was a 3-sport high school athlete. I eventually had to narrow it down to just one, which was soccer. I was a captain at Wheaton Warrenville South High School and graduated in 2005 with a scholarship to play at Miami University in Ohio. I majored in Education and moved to Westchester County, New York to be near my boyfriend (now husband) at the time following graduation. During my time away, and all the experiences that I had, I continued to feel that Wheaton was where I wanted to live and raise a family. I am extremely grateful for my time living in Oxford, Ohio as well as Yorktown Heights, New York, because I had many growth experiences in these places.
Flash Forward
My parents still live in my childhood home in Danada West. I got my real estate license and the plan was to work with my mom at Realty Executives part-time. As time passed I realized that I love everything about real estate. I joined my mom full-time and have been loving it ever since. My knowledge of Wheaton and the surrounding towns have served me well. I have background on things that only someone that grew up and ran these streets as a kid would know: backroads, short cuts, secret paths and cut throughs, and background knowledge on the neighborhoods. I am excited about what the future holds for my growing career in real estate, as well as what the future holds for my husband and our future family together. I am glad that I came back to my roots and can’t wait for my children to grow, learn, and build relationships in this fabulous community!
For any real estate related questions, or just questions about Wheaton in general, I’d love to help!
You can contact me directly on my cell at 630-518-1644.
Sincerely,
Jackie Angiello
Realty Executives Premiere
