D219 The magazine of Niles Township High School District 219

N i l e s To w n s h i p H i g h S c h o o l s

- Awards - STEM Labs - Project Lead The Way

SUMMER 2010

Great Scott!

Physics teacher Scott Reed honored with teaching’s Golden Apple Award

www.niles219.org Summer 2010 1

Highlights: a look at 2009-10

A chievements

2010 National Merit Finalists Jeremy Berman, Michael Paul and Ilya Raskin from Niles West and Isa Domin and Patrick O’Connor from Niles North.

Semifinalist Niles North student Stephanie Fenty was a Semifinalist in the National Achievement Scholarship Competition.

URINET

E xtracurricular

F aculty

First Class Newspaper North Star, the student paper, received a First Class Rating by the National Scholastic Press Association. “It’s clear the staff was not only talented, but also dedicated and the editing for a group this age was phenomenal,” noted a judge.

OWN

All-State Accolades Niles West students Scott Friedrich and Becca Levy were selected to participate in the All-State Theater Production of “Urinetown,” which was performed during the Illinois High School Theatre Festival. The selection is considered one of the top honors in high school theatre.

Chinese Speech Awards At the Midwest Chinese Teachers’ Association Speech Contest held in April, students received medals. (Left) Teacher Wileen Hsing, Kaylin Moy, Niles West, Gold medal; Jane Berdysheva, Niles West, Silver medal; Emmie Asrow, Niles North, Silver medal; Lisa Gu, Niles North, Silver medal and Mark Bibat, Niles West, Gold medal.

Nation’s Highest Honor Niles West’s Jeremy Berman and Ilya Raskin were named as 2010 Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors bestowed on graduating high school seniors.

Fifth in State Niles West’s Sam Chao earned fifth place at the Poetry Out Loud state competition held in Springfield, IL. English teacher Tamara Jaffe-Notier said, “Sam’s poise and eloquent, effective interpretation of her poems were remarkable.”

Honor Roll Katarina Sostaric, editor of the Niles West yearbook Spectrum, achieved the distinction of the National Scholastic Press Association Journalism Honor Roll.

High School Grandmaster Niles North Chess player Eric Rosen defeats Grandmaster John Fedorowicz in the 2009 U.S. Chess Open.

South Korea Program Niles West’s Daniel Friedman traveled to South Korea as part of the South Korea Summer Program.

Madame Knight District 219 French teacher Eileen Walvoord was named Chevalier in the Order of the Academic Palms by the government of France. German Teaching Summit Niles West German teacher Josef Neumayer was one of 15 teachers selected to participate in a special summit on the teaching of German in America.

Article Published Niles West teacher JulieAnn Villa had an article published entitled “Mechanofabrication of Pancake and Rodlike Nanostructures from Deformable Nanoparticle Aggregates.”

First for a Decade

M ilestones

For the 10th straight year, West Word received a First Place Rating from the American Scholastic Press Association in its annual publication contest. For the second straight year and the fourth time in a decade, the paper received First Place with special merit, one of five Illinois schools to earn this honor. Teacher Michael Conroy served as the paper’s advisor.

On the cover: Niles North physics teacher Scott Reed accepts the Golden Apple Award from his principal, Bob Freeman. Former Chicago Bull Sidney Green presented the award. 2 Summer 2010 www.niles219.org

More than 100,000 Served At 3:24 p.m. on February 17, the Niles West Literacy Center served its 100,000th tutee. The Lit Center broke its previous record and helped over 31,000 students this year. Allie Guiang and Lauren Shimanovsky were Tutors of the Year and Despina Ades served the most tutees.

District 219’s College Night is one of the largest post-high school planning nights in the area. This year over 250 colleges, universities, technical schools and the military were in attendance to assist Niles Township students. www.niles219.org Summer 2010 3

Gr eat Sco tt! Niles North’s Reed Wins One of Teaching’s Greatest Honors

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n May 12, physics teacher Scott Reed was surprised by former Chicago Bull Sidney Green, who burst into his classroom. He handed Reed a basket and announced that he was a recipient

of the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. This year’s crop of 10 honorees, all high school teachers, was selected from a pool of 562 nominees. Amidst a sea of family, friends, administrators and students, a visibly moved Reed expressed his gratitude and appreciation, while several students fought back tears. While celebrating Reed’s accomplishment, one student said, “He’s the best teacher I ever had.” From the first day of school and throughout the school year, Reed establishes a respectful, positive and supportive classroom environment. Wanting to truly understand his students and share their successes, Reed’s students engage in team building activities and highlight their victories by posting their pictures throughout his room. Reed believes that each student has an important voice, and all voices need to be heard and respected to achieve the class’s high goals and expectations. If students are focused on mutual respect in a safe learning environment, Reed feels that this is when the fun of learning, exploring, discussing, predicting, sharing, demonstrating and empowering each other can begin. Golden Apple has recognized outstanding Chicago-area educators annually since 1986. The creation of Golden Apple founders Mike and Pat Koldyke, the Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching recognize and honor outstanding teachers for their contributions to building a stronger, better-educated citizenry. 4 Summer 2010 www.niles219.org

Each Golden Apple Award recipient receives a tuition-free, six month sabbatical to study at Northwestern University. Each winner also receives a $3,000 cash award. Perhaps most importantly, Golden Apple teachers become Fellows of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators, providing a stronger voice and a larger stage from which to make an impact, through ongoing profes-

sional development and engagement in education reform, such as the mentoring of future teachers through Golden Apple’s Scholars program. “Every year we have an amazing group of recipients and this year’s teachers are no different,” said Golden Apple Foundation President and CEO Dominic Belmonte. “We believe teachers should have

Golden Apple Academy members have directly helped more than 5,000 Illinois teachers to become more effective in the classroom and indirectly helped tens of thousands of others. www.niles219.org Summer 2010 5

Faculty Accomplishments National Board Certified Teachers Front Row: Michele Hettinger, Shoshana Goldman. Back Row: John Kretsos, Martha Lietz, Sarah Barney, Dan Rusk, Christine Beeftink, Kristen Jackson, Judy Yoo.

Above: Reed and his students celebrate. Right: A hair-raising experiment in physics.

the opportunity to develop their ideas and a forum to share their thoughts on improving education. We’re proud to have achieved 25 years of providing such important resources and recognition to our best teachers.” The recipients of the 2010 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching will be honored at a black-tie event on Friday, October 15, at WTTW/Channel 11 Studios in Chicago. WTTW will also broadcast the awards in a one-hour television program following the event. Golden Apple accepts nominations each fall. Anyone may nominate an eligible teacher but teachers may not nominate themselves. Eligible teachers must be full-time classroom teachers at public or non-public schools in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, or Will counties and be committed to continue teaching in Illinois for at least two subsequent years. Awards focus on a rotating group of grade levels (Pre-K-3, 4-8, and 9-12). In 2010, high school teachers are the focus of the awards.

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National Board Certification

have demonstrated passion

Eleven Niles Township High School District 219 teachers have completed the rigorous process to become National Board Certified Teachers. Teachers who achieve certification have met stringent standards through intensive study, expert evaluation, self-assessment and peer review. The following teachers have achieved National Board Certification in 200809: Sarah Barney, math, Niles North; Christine Beeftink, English, Niles North; Tricia Brown, business, Niles West; Dana DesJardins, English, Niles West; Shoshana Goldman, math, Niles North; Michele Hettinger, English, Niles West; Kristen Jackson, English, Niles West; John Kretsos, science, Niles North; Martha Lietz, science, Niles West; Dan Rusk, math, Niles West and Judy Yoo, English, Niles West.

and dedication to pursuing a

Innovative Teaching Award

Distinguished retired teachers, college/university professors, administrators, and former Golden Apple Award winners serve on Golden Apple’s selection committee. Committee members apply research-based professional standards to identify teachers who exemplify the highest standards and practices of the teaching profession. The selection process includes classroom observations of all award finalists and interviews with colleagues, supervisors, students and parents. Niles West chemistry teacher Michael Heinz, a National Board Certified Teacher, was named a 2010 Golden Apple Teacher of Distinction, one of 20 Golden Apple Award finalists whose superior teaching work was noted by the selection committee. Golden Apple president and CEO Dominic Belmonte also noted that it was “such a statement of excellence...to have more than one teacher reach the finalist stage from one district.”

Teachers who underwent the national certification process “demonstrated a commitment to taking their teaching practice and the teaching professional to a different level.” - U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

Niles North student Rebecca Lisitza was named a 2010 Golden Apple Scholar, one of 105 promising young students who

career in education.

Niles West’s Richard DeCoster was picked as the winner of the John Rush Award, which singles out one teacher in the Chicagoland area for developing innovative ways to teach

physics at the high school or college level. DeCoster was selected by the Illinois State Physics Project, an affiliate of the American Association of Physics Teachers.

Fulbright Award Winner Niles West Student Activities Director Jessica Ogulnik was awarded a Distinguished Fulbright Award in Teaching to conduct research in Argentina. Ogulnik is one of 13 U.S. teachers, 26 teachers worldwide, comprising the inaugural cohort of Fulbright Distinguished Awards recipients.

3M Outstanding Economic Educator

Shaun Waldron was chosen as a recipient of the 3M Outstanding Educator Award, sponsored by 3M and Econ Illinois. The award recognizes educators who have a sustained history of commitment and service to economic education. Waldron teaches at Niles West.

Teacher Traveling to Africa Niles West teacher Leslie Natzke was selected for the Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program, funded by the U.S. Department of State and implemented by the International Research and Exchanges Board. She will spend two weeks in Senegal, observing classes, co-teaching and sharing best practices.

Pope Travels to Israel

D219’s National College Advisor, Jerry Pope, was selected to participate in the MASA Study Trip to Israel. MASA selects just 25 candidates from around the world to attend the all-expense paid study trip to Israel.

Teachers to Conduct NASA Research

Niles West teachers Elizabeth Ramseyer and Richard DeCoster, and their students, will conduct sophisticated astronomy research, make a presentation at an astronomy conference, and may publish their work in a scientific journal. Ramseyer and DeCoster will participate in the NASA/ Infrared Processing and Analysis Center Teacher Archive Research Program.

Principal Traveled to South Africa

Kaine Osburn, Niles West’s Principal, was one of 50 educators selected by the American Educational Research Association to visit universities and organizations in South Africa. The group explored topics such as curriculum and instruction, educational practice and reform, and diversity. www.niles219.org Summer 2010 7

STEM: A Formula for Success

STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Math Student Researchers Net Impressive Results, Thanks to New STEM Labs, Research Class “FOR SOME FLEETING PERIOD OF time, you are the only person in the world who knows what you know,” said Niles North sophomore Elan Ness-Cohn, explaining what makes scientific inquiry so exhilarating. He is just one of dozens of students at Niles North and Niles West who are benefiting from the new Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) labs and the STEM Inquiry and Research (SIR) class. The new class and new facilities, both available for the first time this school year, allow students to collaborate with each other to carry out sophisticated research and communicate with professionals who act as mentors. Student researchers at Niles North and Niles West featured their work at Research Symposium open houses held this May at each school. More than 30 students at Niles West highlighted projects ranging from “What is the Best Way to Distribute Vaccines in School?” (conducted by sophomore Michael Nissan) to “Entrained Circadian Patterns in Radishes” (by sophomore Amy Sands). Both projects were winners of a Director’s Blue Ribbon Award at the Illinois State University High School Research Symposium. Nissan also won the Office of Naval Research Naval Science Award for Excellence in Science for his research, which uses mathematic algorithms to suggest ways schools can more effectively vaccinate school children to prevent infection and death. Nissan was looking for a topic that would allow him to use his math and computer science skills, and last year’s H1N1 influenza scare provided him with a real-life launching-off point.

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The National School Boards Association has awarded the D219 STEM labs a citation in its 2010 Exhibition of School Architecture. Summer 2010 www.niles219.org

SIR students are required to find a practicing professional with expertise

related to their research to act as a mentor. Niles West sophomore Felix Angelov was mentored by Eshel Ben Jacob, a professor of physics at Tel Aviv University. Angelov wanted to research how a certain type of bacteria communicates through chemical signals, so he sent an email to Ben Jacob, who is an expert on this particular strain. The sophomore was surprised and pleased when the Israeli professor agreed to advise him. “He seemed happy that I was interested in his bacteria and was eager to help,” Angelov explained. Given the time difference between the U.S. and Israel, Ben Jacob even referred Angelov to several colleagues in the States who were available to advise him in real-time conversations. Students receive expert guidance from professors at a long list of colleges and universities, including the University of Illinois, Northwestern, Loyola University of Chicago and Dartmouth College. They have established partnerships with professionals from businesses ranging from pharmaceutical companies like Astellas and Abbott Labs, to AthletiCo, which provides physical and occupational therapy. Other mentoring partners include Argonne National Laboratory and Chicago Botanic Gardens. The STEM facilities feature state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and are laid out to promote collaboration, so students can learn from and “push” each other. Niles North senior Nicole Torosin said she gained important insights from discussions with other SIR classmates during “Think Tank Thursdays,” when students talk about their research, pose questions and brainstorm possible approaches. “Some of the best work I’ve done comes as a result of sitting around that white board, when we’re just listening to each other and throwing out ideas,” Torosin said. “Everyone in that class is so eager to learn, and the classroom environment stimulates such a high level of thinking.” That high level of thinking paid off this May, when Torosin and Elan Ness-Cohn represented D219 at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) competition in San Jose. It is the world’s largest pre-college celebration

of science, bringing together some 1,600 students from 59 countries who compete for over $4 million in scholarships and prizes. Torosin, who is enrolled in science teacher Jacki Naughton’s SIR class, received five awards totaling $13,500 for her research about ways to more effectively seed clouds to produce rain in drought-stricken areas. The honors included a First Place award from the Office of Naval Research on behalf of the United States Navy and Marine Corps; a First Place award from the Air Force Research Laboratory on behalf of the United States Air Force and a First Place award from the American Meteorological Society. She also received an allexpense-paid, four-week internship to the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel this summer.

“You have a whole period each day to completely engage in your research. Without this class I would have never been able to go as in-depth as I did. Having a community of peers who also share the same interests...has really kept my motivation going. I wish that I had this lab when I started this project. I feel that this was a very good investment.” — Nicole Torosin

www.niles219.org Summer 2010 9

PLTW: igniting imagination and innovation through learning

D219 Leads the Way to engineering careers

Two findings from a recent survey by the National Academy of Engineering are: —Most students understand that engineers “design and build things” but have a limited sense of what engineers actually do. —Students have a generally positive impression of engineers, but many feel that they are not smart enough to become engineers. THE D219 ENGINEERING PROGRAM offers a rigorous curriculum that allows students to apply what they are learning in math and science class to real-life engineering and technology projects. The courses provide students with a better understanding of what engineers actually do and to help them realize that they are indeed smart enough to become engineers. The initiative was created to address the nation’s need for a more tech-savvy workforce and to increase the quantity and quality of engineers and technical professionals graduating from the American educational system. Niles West and Niles North received national certification through Project Lead The Way (PLTW) and the University of Illinois. The certification allows students to apply for college credit at PLTW affiliate universities. Each D219 engineering teacher must attend twoweek training sessions over the summer that are “intense engineering boot camps,” 10 Summer 2010 www.niles219.org

“...Many of the top engineering schools have a checkbox that asks applicants if they’ve taken a PLTW course.” —Robb Barton, Niles North Project Lead The Way instructor

according to Chris Powell, the district’s Director of Applied Sciences and Technology (AS&T). “Each day includes eight to 10 hours of classes, and in two weeks’ time the teachers go through the same material that their students will learn in a year.” Currently Robb Barton, Ken Albert, Ben Brzezinski, Tim Richmond and Chris Powell are certified to teach PLTW Engineering courses. Albert has now also earned PLTW’s designation as a core training instructor, or “master teacher,” which makes him one of just a few people in Illinois who are certified to teach other instructors during the summer training institutes. This summer he will teach a certification class at the University of Illinois. “Colleges think very highly of this curriculum,” said Barton, who teaches PLTW courses at Niles North. “In fact, many of the top engineering schools have a checkbox that asks applicants if they’ve taken a PLTW course.” Many universities give priority to students with PLTW coursework, according to Niles North’s Albert. “It shows that this student is serious about engineering, is willing and able to take rigorous coursework, and is likely to excel in college.” Students also benefit from the reallife problem-solving that is an integral part of the PLTW courses. “The projects are really hands-on,” said Albert. “We present the students with an engineering problem, give them a little information and some parameters, and then they have to design and build within those parameters. And it’s great: their solutions could be 10 different correct answers to the same problem.”

The real-life learning is enhanced by the fact that D219 has established partnerships with a number of businesses and companies that provide practicing engineers who mentor students. PLTW business partners include: PCTEL, a global leader in the wireless industry; Niles-based Shure, a leading provider of audio products; Rexam, a global provider of consumer packaging products; Morton Grove-based Sko-Die, which manufactures a broad range of stamped and assembled parts; and Woodward, which designs, manufactures and services infrastructure equipment for the aerospace, power and transportation markets. This school year D219 offered three different PLTW courses: Introduction to Engineering Design, Digital Electronics and Computer Integrated Manufacturing. Three new courses are being added to the curriculum in the 2010-11 school year: Principles of Engineering, Civil Engineering & Architecture and Engineering Design & Development. In addition to broadening the range of classes at the high school level, D219 is also working with its sender schools to encourage younger students to get excited about engineering. Both East Prairie School in District 73 and Golf Middle School in District 67 offer Gateway to Technology courses, which provide an introduction to the high school coursework.

Rube Goldberg Machine Contest Niles West earned second place in the contest held at Prosser Career Academy. Rube Goldberg was an engineer-turned-cartoonist who satirized new technology by drawing incredibly complex machines and gadgets to complete simple tasks. This year’s contest was to dispense hand sanitizer into a hand. The Niles West team crafted a machine to look like downtown Chicago and successfully dispensed the appropriate amount of hand sanitizer into a hand in 22 steps, earning second place out of 12 teams. The Niles West team was led by Danny Lohan and Thea Ledesma. Other members: Jorge Quiroz, Kevin Lohan, Kamil Koltys, Juan Camacho, Alex Makeyev, Celine Ledesma, Alex Petroulakis and Josh Melfi.

Also, for the first time this summer, D219 is offering a Sizzling Summer Engineering class for students in grades 6 to 8. For more information, go to: http://register.niles-hs.k12.il.us/summerschool/. Chris Powell, Director of Applied Science and Technology, leads a tour of local business partners through the Engineering Lab, where students create complex projects through the Project Lead The Way curriculum.

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Niles North Athletics

Vikings Accomplishments

A new ceiling, new lighting in the Main Gym, improved signage and a refinished floor have brightened up the athletic facilities, putting Niles North in a favorable light, especially when it plays host to athletic competitions. Other improvements on the way: an expanded weight room/cardio lab (right) and a new pool that meets Illinois High School Association requirements for both diving and swimming.

Highlights:

• Niles North Athletic Boosters Club secured a $2,500 grant from Liberty Mutual to support student athletes. • Niles North received Positive Coaching Alliance’s Honoring the Game Award. North was the first school in the Midwest honored with the award. • Athletic Director Karl Costello’s column “How Sports Can Help End Violence” was published in the Huffington Post. • Boys Cross Country: The Vikings qualified for Sectionals and finished third in CSL-North. Josh Zeidman (MVP), Kosta Papazoglou, Carlitos Rangel and Aron Sabhat all earned All-Conference. • Girls Cross Country: The girls competed well with many young athletes. Gabriella Lopez earned All-Conference and qualified for Sectionals. • Football: Tony Kennedy, Johnny Walker, Kyle Hammond and George Neuhaus earned All-Conference honors. Sam Sharples was selected to the 2009 Tom Lemming Underclassmen All-Area Team. Kennedy was the team MVP. • Golf: Captain Tom Madigan earned All-Conference and was selected as MVP. • Boys Soccer: Carlos Arias, Elan Ness-Cohn and Kevin Alvarez made All-Conference. Fred Sund was the team’s MVP. • Girls Swimming: Loren Dutca, Ksenia Kopylova and Alexandra Vlad earned All-Conference. Five new school records were set: 200 Relay, 200 Freestyle Medley, 400 Freestyle Relay, 100 Backstroke and 100 Freestyle. • Girls Tennis: The girls team took fourth place in the CSL North Conference. The team finished 6-9 for the season. According to Head Coach John Amaro, it’s a young team, and he expects bigger things next year. The top player was Erica Markovitz with a 13-9 record. Claudia Landsman will try out for Cornell’s Division III team. • Girls Volleyball: Angie Walinski and Uzo Ukaegbu were named All-Conference. Walinski is the All-Time Leader in kills, aces and digs. She is ranked third among Vikings for total blocks, while holding the top three spots in single-season kills. No wonder she was team MVP! • Boys Basketball: Small Forward Abdel Nader committed to play for New Mexico. He averaged 20.6 points and 6.7 rebounds this season. The team made it to the Class 4A Regionals where they lost to Prospect in overtime. Abdel Nader and Marlon Senior were named All-Conference. • Girls Gymnastics: Citlali Cuevas earned 13th place on the vault at the state championships. • Boys Swimming & Diving: Three athletes qualified for the state contest. Arsen Sarkisian placed third in diving, Richard Gomez placed 41st in 500-yard freestyle and Karol Mlynarski tied for 37th in the 100-yard freestyle. • Wrestling: Chris Pazmino wrestled in the 140 lb. weight category at state. His record was 32-4. • Baseball: The season’s highlight was the victory over the Wolves (17-7). The team finished tied for fifth. • Boys Gymnastics: Chris Vick, All-Conference, qualified for state in parallel bars. Brian Oh and Manny Magbanua made AllConference. The team peaked with an overall team score of 126.8 during the season. • Girls Soccer: The Vikings advanced to the IHSA Regional Tournament. They finished in fourth place this season. • Softball: The team placed fifth in the CSL North division. • Boys Track and Field: The boys team continued their winning tradition with another CSL North title. Eleven athletes qualified for state competition. • Girls Track and Field: The girls placed third in their division. State qualifiers were Nancy Harmon, shotput and discus, Mariya Denisenko, long jump, and Kiana Foreman, 400-meter dash. • Boys Tennis: Freshman David Bacalla qualified for the state finals after his fourth place finish at Sectionals. Bacalla made it to the 6th round consolation. Eric Rosen earned All-Conference. • Boys Volleyball: The boys finished the season tied for third in the division. 12 Summer 2010 www.niles219.org

Athletics at the Next Level Seventeen Niles North athletes have committed to continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level. They are (front row): Tim Reichert, baseball, College of St. Francis; Marissa Weiler, track and field, Carthage College; Brett Sklena, baseball, North Central College; Cynthia Larios, cross country, Dominican University; Tony Kennedy, football, North Central College; Pearlane DeGuzman, basketball, Dominican University. (Back row): Johnny Walker, football, Ellsworth Community College; Angie Walinski, volleyball, Carthage College; Fred Sund, soccer, North Park College; Josh Zeidman, MIT, cross country; Thomas Ehrlich, football, Ellsworth Community College; Marlon Senior, basketball, Carthage College. Not pictured: Nancy Harmon, track and field, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Mariya Denisenko, track and field, University of Illinois-Champaign; Claudia Landsman, tennis, Cornell College; Tom Madigan, golf, Dominican University; Arsen Sarkisian, swimming/diving, University of Iowa.

Coed Cheerleaders at State The Varsity Cheerleaders earned a bid to the state competition held February 5 and 6 in Bloomington, IL. The squad placed 13th in the state out of 56 coed teams. The Varsity Vikettes secured a bid for state competition, competing in Hip-Hop for the third straight year. For the first time, the team also qualified in the Pom-Dance category. Niles North was the first school in the Midwest to receive PCA’s Honoring the Game award.

Three State Qualifiers Kiana Foreman (IHSA Sectional champ in 400), Mariya Denisenko (IHSA Sectional champ in long jump) and Nancy Harmon (shotput and discus) qualified for the girls track and field state finals. They are pictured along with Head Coach Andy Swedberg. Two-time State Qualifier Citlali Cuevas qualified for the state gymnastics meet on the vault. She is pictured with Coach Charlie Friedman.

Six-time CSL North Champs The Boys Track and Field team won the CSL North crown for the sixth consecutive season. Qualifying for state: Will Kennedy (3rd time), Tony Kennedy (2nd time), Devonier Casey (2nd time), Matt Curtis, Kosta Papazoglou, Oshayne Brown, Dan Chalus, Aron Sebhat, Zheng Fang, Montreal Sykes and Sam Sharples. Casey placed second at state in the 400-meter and Chalus earned sixth in the pole vault.

www.niles219.org Summer 2010 13

Wolves Accomplishments

Niles West Athletics

The state-of-the-art running surface that was installed at Niles West is the same surface that was used at the Beijing Olympics. Other improvements coming up: new gymnastics gym (see right), a new Mondo floor for the field house and weight room, a new training facility, new cardio lab addition, as well as improvements to comply with ADA accessibility. Highlights:

Living Legend Visits D219 Basketball legend and best-selling author Kareem Abdul-Jabbar teamed up with Athletes Against Drugs for a “Dream Like Kareem!” special motivational presentation for student-athletes at D219.

Committing to Taking it to the Next Level of Athletics Five athletes committed to continuing their athletic careers during college: (front row) Julie Schwenk, softball, Trinity International, Kelly Kleppin, softball, South Dakota State University. (back row) Jaclyn Gremley, softball, Winona State University, Tyler Pazik, baseball, Indiana State University and Lauren LaGioia, volleyball, University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

Sectional Champs The Girls Varsity Basketball team had the school’s best season in 29 years. The team finished 27-6, earned the CSL South title and advanced to the 4A Supersectionals. Guard Jewell Loyd (holding plaque) set the school’s single-season scoring record and is the all-time scoring leader. A sophomore, Loyd was named to the Tribune’s All-State first team and was ESPNChicago.com’s Athlete of the Week. 14 Summer 2010 www.niles219.org

Two State Titles The Boys Track and Field team brought home two state championships in the 4x100 relay and the 4x200 relay. Pictured: Front row: George Davros and Neal Omar. Back row: Seve Loubriel (100), Brandon Matlow (200), Levelle Jordan (100 and 200), Danny Lohan, Santiago Ochoa (100 and 200) and Gabe Nash (100 and 200).

Third Place at State At the state championships, Kellion Gordon earned third place finishes in the 100 meter and the 200 meter races. Pictured, State Qualifiers: Megumi Hoshi, Kellion Gordon, Jessica Sutfin and Asha Mannancheril.

• Boys Cross Country: George Davros earned All-Conference honors and was named MVP. • Girls Cross Country: The team (Carmin Beck, Allison Coursey, Megumi Hoshi, Asha Mannacheril, Lindsey Karp, Jessica Sutfin and Michelle Karp) qualified to go to state for the first time in 28 years. They finished 22nd in the state. Hoshi and Karp earned All-Conference. Beck was named MVP. • Football: Shawn Afryl, Nathan Borjas and James Xamplas made All-Conference. Borjas and Angelos Tripkos were named MVPs. Afryl, a January 2010 graduate, is already enrolled at the University of Illinois-Champaign, where he’ll be a part of the Fighting Illini. Afryl was named a top Offensive Lineman by MaxPreps.com and the 16th best Offensive Guard nationally by Scout.com. • Golf: Jeffrey Yoo was the team’s MVP. • Boys Soccer: The team finished the season 11-9-3. Mahir Mameledzija, Thomas Villamil and Michael Tabar were All-Conference. Mameledzija earned a full scholarship to University of Illinois-Chicago. • Girls Swimming/Diving: Nadia Sarnecki and Emily Fung were state qualifiers. • Girls Tennis: The team finished 13-9-1 this season. Usma Ahmad and Jewell Loyd were two-time state qualifiers. Ahmad and Loyd both earned All-Conference honors and Ahmad received team MVP. • Girls Volleyball: This year the Varsity team had the most wins in the history of the program and ended the season 19-14. Kelly Kleppin made All-Conference and was the team MVP. • Boys Basketball: The Wolves had an overall record of 11-11. Their conference record was 2-6. • Girls Gymnastics: Katelynn Johnson competed on the vault at the state championships. She earned 15th place in the state. • Boys Swimming & Diving: Three athletes qualified for the state competition. Konnor Scott finished 10th in the state in the 100-yard freestyle, Zach Rothstein placed 26th in the state in diving and Ryan Zimmer earned 43rd in the state in diving. • Wrestling: Ben Rosen traveled to the state championships. He competed in the 119 lb. category. His record was 27-8. AllConference wrestlers: Ben Rosen, Jimmy Rosati, Chris Nguyen, Eric Ronning, Anthony Suarez and Kardiae Rucker. • Baseball: The team advanced to the Regionals but lost to Maine South. They finished the season 16-16. Pitcher Tyler Pazik pitched 18 strikeouts in the Regional semi-final against Leyden. Coach Garry Gustafson called his effort the finest pitching performance he’d seen. Pazik and Dan Kluss were named All-Conference. • Boys Gymnastics: The team finished their season 4-3 overall, with a fifth place showing at the IHSA Sectional meet. Brendan Melnick qualified for state, becoming the 36th state qualifier in the last 20 years at Niles West. Melnick placed fifth at Sectionals and placed a respectable 44th in the state on the parallel bars. • Girls Soccer: The team finished with a 10-14 record under Coach Brett Clish. • Softball: The Wolves had a 21-14 record this year and finished second in the CSL South division. The Class 4A Regional final was also Coach Steve Ramseyer’s last game, after 15 years as the Head Softball Coach. Assistant Coach Nicole Reynolds will lead the Wolves next season. • Boys Track and Field: Niles West won the 4x100 and 4x200 relays at state. Overall, the team finished seventh in the state, the best finish in school history. Santiago Ochoa earned fifth place in the 100 meter, Dan Lohan finished 14th in the high jump and George Davros finished 32nd in the 3200 meter. • Girls Track and Field: This year there were seven All-Conference athletes: Kellion Gordon, Jessica Sutfin, Jasmine Townsend, Sydney Hellwig, Megumi Hoshi, Rita Dawod and Kim Mercado. State Qualifiers: Kellion Gordon, Megumi Hoshi, Jessica Sutfin and Asha Mannancheril. The team finished 21st in the state. Gordon placed third in state in both the 100 and 200-meter dash. • Boys Tennis: The team showed steady improvement and, when healthy, played up to its potential. Coach Brad Wilson said the team will be preparing in the off-season for a stronger finish next year. • Boys Volleyball: The boys were the number eight seed in the Maine South Regional Semifinal. They lost to ninth seed Evanston. www.niles219.org Summer 2010

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Number One in the State

State Winners and Achievements FCCLA State Meeting At the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) State Leadership Meeting held in April, D219 students earned nine Most Outstanding awards, 21 Gold medals, 34 Silver medals and seven Bronze medals. Four students were deemed the best in the state in their category and were named National Delegates. These students will attend the National meeting this summer in Chicago: Karen Dam, Kaitlyn Schlauder and Karina Velazquez for STAR Chapter Service Manual and Jonathan Chung, STAR Culinary Arts. WYSE Students Students who earned medals at the Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) state competition: Niles West: Aaron Goldfein, first in Computer Science; Ilya Raskin, third in Physics; Wei-Pang Jan, fifth in Chemistry; Thea Ledesma, fifth in Engineering Graphics, Danny Lohan, fifth in Engineering Graphics, Ben Pichler, sixth in Physics, Elias Sopkin, sixth in Computer Science and Kevin Lohan, sixth in Engineering Graphics. Niles North: Emil Isaakov, fourth in Engineering Graphics and Sean Abraham, fourth in Computer Science. German Awards Niles North student Isaac Park was awarded an all-expense-paid summer study trip to the Federal Republic of Germany. Park was one of approximately 23,000 students who competed for the trip by taking the National German Exam. Only 44 students are selected to receive trips. Niles West student Vikram Shah also was selected to receive a trip. He so impressed the judges at the local chapter of the American Association of Teachers of German that they sought out additional funding to cover the cost for his trip.

16 Summer 2010 www.niles219.org

Nick Jugo, Niles North, earned a Gold Medal and Danny Robbins, Niles North, won Most Outstanding at the FCCLA State Competition.

National History Day Six Niles North students qualified for National History Day. Only two projects per state are selected. Ammara Junagadhwala, Joy Sugihara, Henrietta Cho, Maybelle Sicad, Rebecca Gilbert and Jeanine Taerbaum will represent the state of Illinois at the competition held this summer in College Park, MD. Illinois History Fair State Qualifiers: (North) Haya Ahmad, Deborah Steinberg, Eddie Kao, Sophie Scanlon, Hiba Ahmed, Annie Dufficy, Jeffrey Wu, Jennifer Jan, Jennifer Lin, Nyree Khamo, Jin Ah Jong, Mara Joaqui, Diane Choe, Rachel Savella, Amanda Reichert, Leah Wesolowski, Rebecca Levin, and (West) Becky Hawk, Agnes Krason, Meghan Sandstrom and Erica Mui. Science Olympiad The Niles West Science Olympiad Team competed against 42 other qualifying schools and finished with a ninth place finish in the state. Bronze medals were earned by Josh Lee, Urveel Shah, Lucy Chang, Sheryl Cherian and Steve Chang.

DECA The 60th DECA State Career Development Conference held in Decatur in March brought together over 800 students from 50 Illinois high schools. The following District 219 students advanced to the International Career Development Conference held in Louisville, KY. Niles North: Jonathan Catolico, Paul Houmpavilis, Daniel Joyce, Nyree Khamo, Grant Gaugin, Sheena Lakhani, Lucian Ceh, Samir Lakhani, Samim Al Taraji, Tim Reichert, Evan Lipsky and Sharon Mozes. Niles West: Karim Lakhani, Greg Fleytlikh, Matt Moy and Alex Antonow. Science Fair At the Regional Illinois Junior Academy of Science Fair, Niles North claimed first place for the 20th consecutive year. Of the 47 projects that competed, 36 qualified for state. At the State level, 29 projects received Gold awards and eight received Silver awards. Special awards went to: Cyatharine Alias, American Waterworks Association and Illinois Water Environment Association; Robin David and Julia Lechowicz, National Anti-Vivisection Society; Jacob Cohn, Illinois EPA; Elan Ness-Cohn, American Nuclear Society; Nicole Torosin, Top Paper in Senior Division. Best in Category: Elyssa Cherney, Botany; Robin David and Naveen Kanji, Cellular and Molecular Biology; Nicole Torosin, Earth Science; Elan Ness-Cohn, Electronics; Candace Wong, Health Science; Alankrita Siddula, Microbiology; and Haley Bubley, Zoology. French Dictation Contest Niles North student Stephanie Batio earned second place in the La Grande Dictee de la Francophonie competition held recently. In the Professional category for teachers and translators, Niles North/Niles West French teacher Eileen Walvoord earned third.

Niles North Chess Team Wins State Championship, Competes at Nationals

THE NILES NORTH HIGH SCHOOL Chess Team, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) state champion, competed against 42 other teams at the United States Chess Federation’s 2010 National High School Championships held in Columbus, Ohio in April. The Niles North team earned an excellent 13th place in the Championship Team Division and a 22nd place in the Unrated Team Division. A team is composed of five competitors, although only two make up a team in the Unrated Division. Individual highlights include: Michael Chinitz earned the Individual High Score, Championship Division (4.5 points out of a possible 7); Fedya Titov was named National Blitz Champion in the 1700-1799 Division; Emmett Barr earned a 7th place trophy, Unrated Division; Amir Salik earned a 10th

place trophy, Unrated Division and Rafeh Qazi received an Honorable Mention in the Under 1200 Division. The Niles North Chess Team members competing at Nationals were: senior Fedya Titov, juniors Michael Chinitz, Evan Goldstein, Saagar Gupta, Chad Hirsch and Evan Spiegel; sophomores Rafeh Qazi and Eric Rosen; and freshmen Emmett Barr, Hozan Marbeen, David Paykin and Amir Salik. The Chess Team sponsors are Niles North teachers Harry Kyriazes, Heather Ingraham and John Kretsos.

This is Niles North’s second state crown. The Vikings also won the state championship in 2006 and placed fourth at nationals last year. Eric Rosen emerged as the champion in the Illinois High School qualifier for the Denker competition. Rosen will be the Illinois representative at the National Denker Tournament of High School Champions held in Irvine, CA this summer.

The Niles North High School Chess Team claimed the IHSA championship title in the competition held February 12 through 13 at the Peoria Civic Center. Niles North won the title with a score of 176.8, with Stevenson High School earning second (141.5) and Hinsdale Central High School earning third place (135.9). www.niles219.org Summer 2010 17

Sustainability

D219 g es green THE GREEN COUNCIL FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT (GCSI) was formed in 2009 to coordinate and build on environmental sustainability efforts in the schools. Students, faculty and staff are actively encouraged to participate in programs and activities that promote the wise use and recycling of natural resources. A capital grants process allows students and staff to submit their action plans for how to make our schools more responsible environmentally. The District 219 Board of Education has approved up to $50,000 per school for these projects. Students worked with sponsoring teachers and staff members to develop their proposals and the Green Council reviewed and evaluated the proposals.

Please do your part to keep the world healthy

Winning Green Award Proposals to be Funded: Solar pond at Niles North Electric car: A team from Niles West will look into the possibility of converting one of the existing fleet cars into an electric vehicle as a demonstration project. Rainwater collection at Niles North Naturalist Club at Niles West: This grant establishes the new Naturalist Club, which will adopt Harms Woods Forest Preserve as its ecological stewardship site. Green posters campaign will inform students and staff about the proper ways to recycle and dispose of garbage without undue waste. Universal glass fillers: Water fountains will be retrofitted or replaced at the schools to make it easy for students and faculty to refill water bottles from the fountains. Reuseable water bottles: GCSI will subsidize the cost of stainless steel water bottles and make them available at a reduced cost to students and faculty. Develop and maintain a functioning greenhouse at Niles North in order to grow herbs, greens and other plants.

Recycling clubs at the schools utilize a fleet of environmentallysavvy students to make sure that paper is collected. Each ton of paper emptied into the schools’ Paper Retriever bins will net the schools additional funds. Green Story The second story green addition at Niles West has a programmable interface for the most efficient placement of the solar panels on the roof. The interface tracks data on energy efficiency.

Install motion sensors on school lighting. Green roof at Niles North: Students will work with the Buildings and Grounds Director to design a green roof pilot project. Purchase additional recycling bins for Niles West Improve landscape and environment at Niles West by planting more trees Homeroom plants at Niles North: Provide plants to classrooms at Niles North, with a contest between homerooms for which class can raise the biggest, healthiest plant.

18 Summer 2010 www.niles219.org

First Annual Green Awards Students explain their green proposals at the first annual Green Awards Ceremony at North. (Right) Teacher Neil Koreman, GCSI Chair, expresses his appreciation to the students for their efforts to improve their school and community.

Take a single step Simple Actions that You Can Take to Make a Difference Start with Soap Use bars of soap instead of liquid soap. It’s cheaper and it saves packaging waste. If every U.S. household replaced a bottle of body wash with a bar of soap, about 2.5 million pounds of plastic containers could be diverted from the waste stream. Turn off the Tap Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and conserve up to 5 gallons of water per day. If the entire U.S. did this, the daily savings would add up to more water than is consumed every day by New York City.

Refuse those Receipts If everyone in the U.S. refused their ATM receipts, the results would save a roll of paper more than 2 billion feet long, or enough to circle the equator 15 times.

Turn it off For every two minutes a car is idling, it uses about the same amount of fuel it takes to go one mile. Research indicates that the average person idles their car five to 10 minutes a day.

Drop it off The Niles North Recycling Squad accepts paper in the Paper Retriever containers in the back of the school. Drop your papers, receipts, bills, magazines in the boxes and Niles North can earn money for every ton of paper that they recycle.

These tips were brought to you by the Green Council for School Improvement (GCSI) at Niles Township High School District 219. GCSI was formed to promote sustainability at District 219, by coordinating the efforts of students, faculty and staff.

www.niles219.org Summer 2010 19

FAME

The story of a diverse group of students as they commit to four years of grueling artistic and academic work....

Urinetown (West) September 24-26 20

My Sister in This House (North)August Summer 2010 www.niles219.org 28-29

James & the Giant Peach November 7-9 Warp October 16-24

The Sparrow December 10-12

Lysistrata February 18-20

Ah, Wilderness December 4-5

Rent March 12-13

Fame April 29-May 1 The Merry Wives of Windsor May www.niles219.org 7-8 Summer 2010

21

Theater THE SPARROW The blockbuster fantasy hit featured Ani Poladian as Emily Book, a girl with fantastic powers.

JAMES & THE GIANT PEACH A magical peach! An imprisoned boy! Insect friends! An incredible journey! This production delighted all ages.

WARP The “world’s first science-fiction epic adventure play in serial form” was an out-of-this-world experience for theatre-goers.

The Fine Arts The Memory Project Lori Real’s classes participated in The Memory Project by painting portraits of Ugandan orphans. Ben Schumaker’s Memory Project creates portraits for orphans in war-torn and oppressed countries, who often do not possess personal items or photos of themselves and their families. These portraits become treasured objects, as these may be the only personal item they may ever have.

Empty Walls Fundraiser The biennial Empty Walls Silent Auction is an all-day event in which artists from the community, staff, teachers and art students team up and create art which is donated for an auction. This year, beautiful one-of-a-kind works at the auction raised more than $4,000 for School Chest.

Artistic Discovery Niles West student Adriana Pitu received second place in the 9th Congressional District’s Artistic Discovery Art Competition sponsored by U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky.

Best of the Best Artists

AH, WILDERNESS! Clark Fox played Richard in the Eugene O’Neill comedy that critics deemed an autobiography and of which O’Neill himself has said, “it is the way I would have liked my boyhood to have been.”

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR Seduction, mistaken identity, trickery and laughs! Who else but Shakespeare? This delightful comedy featured one of Shakespeare’s most beloved characters, Falstaff, played by Ethan Orbach.

Niles West student John Kim received second place in painting and Niles North student Ethan Orbach received second place in drawing in The Best of the Best Competition sponsored by the Great Frame Up held at the Thompson Center in Chicago. Other artists who competed, and were winners in the school contest: (West) Tiffani Neal, drawing; Ainee Fatima, photography; Paulina Szar, graphic communication; Clark Finkelstein, three dimensional. (North) Nini Kao, painting; Manar Elkheir, photography; Gian Dizon, three-dimensional and Alexa Pingul, graphic communication. LYSISTRATA The classic Greek comedy remains as relevant and edgy today as it was back in 410 B.C. The naughty double entendres and mature situations had audiences in stitches. Ned McElfresh played the Commissioner and Fiona Stephens was Lysistrata.

Niles West was named a winner of the American High School Theatre Festival Award and will perform “Medea” at the world’s largest and most prestigious arts festival, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival during August 2010.

Winning Design in Fairchild Challenge Niles North artist Dariya Melnyk designed the winning T-shirt in the Fairchild Challenge contest run by the Chicago Botanic Garden. The theme, “What’s the Buzz?” was about the importance of pollination.

Fourteen Artists Win Awards in National Competition Niles North artists earned awards at the Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards competition, the nation’s longest-running, largest, most prestigious recognition for teenagers in visual and literary arts. Gold Keys: Amaris Sturm, Ashley Carol-Fingerhut, Manar Elkheir and Peter Tran. Silver Keys: Jonathan Leithold-Patt, Veronica Nemirovsky, Ethan Orbach, Ashley Carol-Fingerhut, Seth Penaflorida and Katherine Kalm. Honorable Mentions: Nini Kao, Paul Fricano, Sarah Lentz, Sarah Levine and Felicia Huettemann.

Sweet Dreams! North Wins Mural Contest for Northshore Sleep Center

RENT The award-winning musical exploration of bohemian New York in the ‘80s played to sold-out Niles North crowds. Rachel Sepiashvili played Maureen, the performance artist. 22 Summer 2010 www.niles219.org

The North Art Department was the winner in the Northshore Sleep Medicine’s Sleep Mural Contest. Anjali Lakha won first place and her winning design will be installed on the wall of the Northshore Sleep Medicine clinic. Sandra Bitros earned second place and Amy Yu received third. Upon the mural’s completion, the Art Department will receive $2,000. Teacher’s Works in National Art Competition Niles West visual arts teacher John Zilewicz had two works of art selected for “A Whole New Mind 2010 Brainstorm,” a national juried art competition to be held through June 24 at Governors State University. The selection process favored artwork documenting or analyzing the thought processes of the mind. www.niles219.org Summer 2010 23

The Fine Arts

National Dance Festival The Auroris Dance Company was selected to perform “Nerd Herd,” choreographed by Santo Scavuzzo, at the National High School Dance Festival in Miami in March. The company competed against 65 other schools from across the nation for a spot on the program. Competition Winners Spencer Love and Jane Chung were the winners of the 2010 Niles West Symphonic Orchestra Competition. As winners, Love played the cello and Chung sang at the Festival of Orchestras March concert. National Concerto Competition Niles North musicians Tamara Winston (oboe) and Connor Thummel (trombone) won Honorable Mentions in the 14th annual Walgreen’s National Concerto Competition. Winston earned Honorable Mentions in the Senior Division Winds and Percussion and Early Music. Thummel received an Honorable Mention in the Senior Division, Winds and Percussion.

Summer Orchestra Opportunity The Niles Township Summer Orchestra is seeking musicians (8th grade through adult) to perform in a community orchestra. The Niles Township Summer Orchestra is a full orchestra for woodwind, brass, percussion and string musicians and will play classical, Broadway and popular music. The Summer Orchestra will perform during Morton Grove Days on Saturday, July 3 under the direction of Niles West Orchestra Director Steven Katz.

Fundraising Efforts Bring in Over $75,000

The Lyric Opera performed “The Elixir of Love” at Niles West as part of the “Opera in the Neighborhoods” program. Children from the surrounding elementary schools filled the auditorium. Fabulous Flute Choir The District 219 Fresh Aire Flute Choir was gven the highest possible score (1+) in the ensemble category, at the top level of playing, at the Columbia College Sherwood Conservatory Festival of Flutes. Due to its stellar performance, Fresh Aire was invited to perform at an Honors Concert. Top Musicians Twenty-six musicians from District 219 were invited to perform at Illinois Music Educators Association (IMEA) District VII Festivals. Students from the choir, orchestra and band underwent stringent auditions to qualify to perform at IMEA festivals. The following musicians performed during IMEA Concert Festival: Niles West: (choir) Adam Gruezo, bass 1; Aleksandr Krapivkin, tenor II; Alicia Peake, soprano 1; Ashley Alexander, soprano II; Jane Chung, alto II; Nicole Yoon, soprano II; Ravi Patel, bass I; Sabriah Wiederman, alto I; Sajni Ganger, alto I; Jeff Bum Su Kim, bass II; and Jorge Quiroz, bass II; (band) D.J. Musolf, tenor sax; Holly Jensen, flute; Seungyong Park, trombone; Sergio Loubriel, tuba; (orchestra) Spencer Love, cello. Niles North: (choir) Allie Zeff, soprano I; Monica Pabelonio, alto II; (band) Michael Cox, euphonium; Ana Murillo, flute; Eddie Sautel, trombone; Josh Zeidman, clarinet; (orchestra) Jonathan Luk, viola; Conner Thummel, trombone and Tamara Winston, oboe. IMEA Jazz Festival: Niles West: Sabriah Wiederman, soprano; Jane Chung, alto; Sajni Ganger, alto; Jorge Quiroz, tenor; Aleksandr Krapivkin, tenor; Ravi Patel, bass and Sam Greene, bass. Niles North: Allie Zeff, soprano; Monica Pabelonio, alto and Ben Weiss, bass.

Puerto Vallarta Jazz Festival The District 219 Vocal Jazz Choirs had the opportunity of a lifetime when they were invited to perform at the Second annual Puerto Vallarta Jazz Festival. The Take One ensemble performed under the direction of Niles North Choir Director Daniel Gregerman. Niles West Choir Director Amy Branahl directed the Guys and Dolls group. The Puerto Vallarta Jazz Festival evolved through the vision of Mary Jo Papich, the Artistic Director of the festival and District 219’s Interim Director of Fine Arts. Daniel Gregerman was featured in the March/April issue of American Teacher. “We’re in a school that’s always held the arts in high esteem,” he said. “We’ve had the resources to move forward and be cutting edge.” 24 Summer 2010 www.niles219.org

Members of Orchesis Dance Company take the stage at the end of “Inertia,” the spring show.

NILES TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 219 students stayed on their feet and danced late into the night on Saturday, May 8 in the Eighth Annual Dance Marathon held this year at Niles West High School. The event is the culmination of the students’ yearlong fundraising efforts for School Chest, which raised more than $75,000 for the 2009-10 school year. The proceeds will benefit Expanding Lives (EL), a non-profit organization, founded by Niles West teachers Leslie Natzke and Dana DesJardins, that works to further the education of West African women, primarily from the country of Niger. Young women in the program travel to the United States to participate in an educational conference in which they study English, health, technology, conflict resolution and democracy, then return home, empowered to become leaders

in their communities. A secondary beneficiary is the District 219 Education Foundation for Excellence, which helps students in need improve their academic performance. To date, the District 219 Education Foundation has awarded $50,137 to District 219 students with financial need. “The DM event was very reaffirming, not just in the money the students raised, but in the community’s belief that we are doing something worthwhile.” —Leslie Natzke, EL co-founder “Interacting with the (Nigerien) girls was a privilege, if anything. These girls taught me the importance of humility, veracity, intelligence, bravery, leadership, and above all, friendship... But there’s one thing that separates us American teenagers from them. It’s the fact that these girls are willing to travel halfway around the world to pursue a higher education so that they might be a beacon of light to the women in their community.” — Grace Luk, Class of 2010, DM Executive Board

Expanding Lives co-founder Leslie Natzke (in green) joins in the fun during the Dance Marathon. Below, students stay on their feet to raise money.

www.niles219.org Summer 2010 25

D219

Community

BOARD OF EDUCATION Robert Silverman, PRESIDENT Jeffrey Greenspan, VICE PRESIDENT Ruth Klint, SECRETARY Dr. Sheri B. Doniger, SECRETARY PRO TEM Carlton Evans Lynda Smith Eileen Valfer

Harry Litberg (Niles North Class of ’88) of Plitt Seafood brought exotic varieties of seafood, including shark, for the culinary classes to examine during Ask the Expert Day, held March 17 at Niles North.

Dr. Nanciann Gatta SUPERINTENDENT

Shaniqua Lewis spoke about her Job Shadow experience at Glenbrook Hospital during the Powerful Partnerships Breakfast held at Niles North on May 18. The Powerful Partnerships Breakfast brought together local businesses, e-mentors, advisory groups, and other community members to thank them for their support of the schools, demonstrate student research and projects, as well as offer them an opportunity to make connections with other partners. Approximately 90 attended the breakfast to network, hear student presentations, and tour the cutting-edge STEM lab and Project Lead The Way classrooms. The Niles West Chinese Club performed two traditional dances during Todd Hall Elementary’s cultural celebration of China.

John Heintz ASST. SUPT. HUMAN RESOURCES The Coming Together in Skokie committee held a Welcome reception for author Vineeta Vijayaraghavan.From left: Indian Community of Niles Township President Usha Kamaria,Superintendent of District 219 Dr. Nanciann Gatta, First Lady of Skokie Susan Van Dusen, Vineeta Vijayaraghavan, Director of Skokie Public Library Carolyn Anthony and Holiday Inn North Shore’s Sheila Gilani.

26 Summer 2010 www.niles219.org

Robert Freeman PRINCIPAL, NILES NORTH

Dr. Anne Roloff ASST. SUPT. CURRICULUM

Kaine Osburn PRINCIPAL, NILES WEST

Charles Hogue PRINCIPAL, NILES CENTRAL Guy Ballard Jim DiJohn CHIEF SECURITY TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR OFFICER

Paul O’Malley CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Jim Szczepaniak COMMUNITY RELATIONS DIRECTOR

Editor, Layout and Design Karyn Malench

A Powerful Partnership is formed: North teacher Jacki Naughton, Ayana Jamal, Loyola biology professor F. Bryan Pickett, Alvin Thomas. Pickett served as a mentor to the science students. Niles North student David Shryer benefits from the expertise of Photo Chief Geoff Scherer of Pioneer Press Newspapers. Schryer spent Job Shadow Day learning about photography and the publishing business and later spent the day snapping pics alongside photographer Ruthie Hauge. Over 200 students participated in the program alongside hundreds of workside mentors.

Dr. Pete Marcelo ASST. SUPT. SPECIAL EDUCATION

For comments or suggestions send email to [email protected]. Mailing: You have received this copy of D219 because you live within the boundaries of Niles Township, or, you are on a carrier route that runs through Niles Township. If you have received this in error, we apologize. Distribution questions: send to [email protected].

Freshmen students of Niles North teachers Jean Ordonez, Patricia Bordenet and Gina Milanesio learned about the treatment of greyhound racing dogs. After getting to meet some dogs rescued from racetracks, the students came up with an awareness campaign to inform others about the inhumane treatment.

The First annual Math and Science Conference for girls was held at Niles West. Fifth and sixth grade girls attended math and science sessions with fun hands-on activities.

The Kalapadma Dance Academy performed during the Republic Day Celebration held at Niles West High School.

This newsletter was printed with FSC-certified paper. Products carrying the FSC label are independently certified to assure consumers that they come from forests that are managed to meet the social, economic and ecological needs of present and future generations. FSC maintains representation in more than 45 countries. For further information, please visit: www.fsc.org.

www.niles219.org Summer 2010 27

District 219 7700 Gross Point Road Skokie, Illinois 60077

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“I could live anywhere, be grafted and take root anywhere, and anywhere could become home.” From Motherland by Vineeta Vijayaraghavan

District 219 was excited to collaborate with the Village of Skokie and the Skokie Public Library on an exciting new program—Coming Together in Skokie. The aim of the program is to highlight a different culture in the Skokie community each year. This year the Asian Indian population was selected and the book, Motherland, was chosen to build knowledge, awareness and appreciation of the Indian culture. With the enthusiastic support of the Indian Community of Niles Township, Oakton Community College and Skokie Hospital, the inaugural year of the program kicked off with a celebration of the Republic of India’s 60th birthday and culminated with a visit from the author of Motherland, Vineeta Vijayaraghavan. Sandwiched between those events were six exciting weeks of activities that highlighted India’s literary, cultural and artistic history. Members of the Coming Together in Skokie Committee: Susan Van Dusen, First Lady of Skokie; Carolyn Anthony, Director, Skokie Public Library; Dr. Nanciann Gatta, Superintendent of District 219; Sheila Gilani, Holiday Inn North 28 Summer 2010 www.niles219.org Shore and Skokie business community and Usha Kamaria, President of the Indian Community of Niles Township.