Anthony Gianaras, a 2008 Mundelein High School graduate, was recently awarded the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) Chapter 13 scholarship for sportsmanship and as an outstanding student and athlete. He is about to begin his freshman year at Drake University. Gianaras was a football standout at MHS.

AHEPA, founded in 1922, is the largest and oldest American-based, Greek heritage grassroots membership organization. Its commitment to education has been well-documented throughout its history. More than $4 million is endowed at the local, district and national levels toward the use of scholarships and a half-million dollars is awarded annually.

Each year, students attending the College of Lake County (CLC) submit names of high school teachers who have influenced or changed their lives and nominate them for the Lake County High School Teachers Honor Roll. This year, CLC students selected 12 teachers from Mundelein High School to receive this distinction.

The twelve MHS teachers are:

• Charlie Cape, English
• Mike Chiodo, Wind Ensemble (now teaching elsewhere)
• Chris Hoster, Java and Web Design
• Steve Jordan, English
• Ted Juske, Business
• Alexander Kapotas, English
• Michelle Kierna, Strategies
• John Mayer, Art
• Dick McNally, English (now deceased)
• Julie Mikolajczyk, English
• Steve Rossini, Algebra
• Bonnie Sargent, Fine Arts

The names of selected teachers from all Lake County high schools were published in the May 21 issue of The Daily Herald. “Your nominated instructors, and the many other wonderful teachers at Mundelein High School, are our partners in providing educational excellence,” said Richard Haney, Ed.D., interim vice president for educational affairs at CLC. “This is our opportunity to express a heartfelt ‘thank you.’”

Two members of the Mundelein High School English faculty have been honored with national exposure to their work.

English Instructor Dennis Szymkowiak will be one of the presenters at the International Reading Association Conference being held in Atlanta this week. His topic is Enhancing Reading Comprehension in Secondary Science Classrooms.

An article written by English Department Chair Doug Lillydahl has been published by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English in its Spring 2008 Illinois English Bulletin. The article is based on Lillydahl’s October presentation to the association which was titled Diction and Syntax for the Masses.

Mundelein High School senior, Emily Murrow, took first place in the Commercial Baking category of a competition for students who take courses at Lake County High Schools Technology campus. The competition is part of a national organization, SkillsUSA, and sponsored by Kendall College of Chicago.

After winning this competition, Murrow became eligible to take part in the national competition to be held June 23-28 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Murrow has been enrolled in the Culinary Arts program at the technology campus and will graduate from MHS in May.

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry representatives, working together to ensure America has a skilled work force. It helps each student excel. The organization is a national nonprofit serving teachers and high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. It was formerly known as VICA (Vocational Industrial Clubs of America).

Two Mundelein High School mathematics instructors, Lynn Dowell and Jennifer Cox, joined thousands of math educators from around the world to share and learn new concepts, strategies and techniques in math education at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) 2008 Annual Meeting and Exposition held in Salt Lake City April 9-12. This meeting is the largest gathering of math educators in the world, featuring 740 presentations all geared toward helping teachers strengthen skills and teaching methods necessary to prepare their students for the 21st century.

“The NCTM enables teachers at all stages of their careers to gain knowledge about new research and practices, explore the latest products and services, and share their experiences with colleagues from around the world,” said NCTM President Francis (Skip) Fennell.

The conference closed with an inspirational presentation by Olympic track star Billy Mills. He is the only American to win an Olympic gold medal in the 10,000 meters. His address, Winning Spirit, explored the personal qualities and values that remain constant in an ever-changing world and how they can prepare people for success in life.

Daniel Obie, a class of 2008 double major in business administration and economics from Mundelein, Ill., has been named the Illinois Wesleyan University’s Outstanding Marketing Student by the Central Illinois Chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA).

A 2004 graduate of Mundelein High School, Obie was nominated for this award because of his accomplishments as president of the IWU chapter of the AMA, founded in 1988. He has also earned admission into Alpha Mu Alpha, the AMA marketing honorary society and is a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, the economics honorary society.

Mundelein High School’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) placed 20 of its 22 competitors at the state competition, with six advancing to national competition to be held in Atlanta in June.

Michael Captain took first place in Business Math. Second place winners were Vivek Thakkar in Introduction to Business, Juan Vazquez in Marketing, and the team of Yadav Gowda and Diane Tangonan in Desktop Publishing.

“It was amazing to see Vivek take second in Intro to Business because he is only halfway through the course. With six weeks to go, Vivek studied the rest of the material in advance to score well. He is an outstanding student and competitor,” said advisor John Stowers.

David Dickinson earned third place in Technology Concepts, making this the second time he is advancing to nationals. The team of Eric Karberg and Samantha Cook placed third in Emerging Business Issues by presenting the pros of universal health care in the US.

“We have a very strong group that will only improve over the next few years,” said Chris Hoster, FBLA advisor.

Members will not only be representing themselves and their school, but also their state. Each state sends the top two or three competitors in each event to the national competition. If the top placing members cannot attend, the runners up are moved forward to compete.

Other MHS students who placed in the Top 10 were Krina Adhikari, Rachael Ellis, Kaitlyn Ellett, Jassy Gonzalez, Baily Hicks, Leah Horden, Dani Jacob, George Kasmer, Same Reisman, Arielle Sison, Diane Tangonan and Chris White.

Six Mundelein High School art students were the recipients of awards presented during the LISA (Life Is Simply Art) exhibit, sponsored by the Great Frame Up stores. Each year, Great Frame Up hosts an art scholarship competition for 27 Chicagoland schools and a “Best of the Best” exhibit.

This year’s MHS regional award winners include:

•	Sean Hall	Drawing
•	Mike McClure	Graphic Design
•	Alina Teslinko	Photography
•	Teagan Walker	Painting
•	Leslie Harshey	3D
•	Kelsey Moore	People’s Choice Award

According to Debra Fitzsimmons, the “Best of the Best” exhibit and scholarship competition will take place May 18 from 1 to 4 pm at the Thompson Center in Chicago.

Mundelein High School’s vocal groups came back from Orlando, Florida with awards to add to their trophy cases. They competed recently at the Hard Rock Live Stage in Orlando.

SoundFX, directed by Cory Thompson, was named third runner-up in the Unisex Division. Lights, directed by John Neubauer, was first runner-up in the same division.

The Mundelein Sound competed in the Mixed Division and was selected as one of the top six shows in the competition. They advanced to the finals in the event. During the Final Awards ceremony, the Mundelein Sound was chosen as the fifth runner-up at this nation-wide competition that featured groups from 10 states.

MHS Sophomore Elijah Jones, who performs with the Mundelein Sound, was chosen as the Outstanding Male Performer of the entire event.

“The students represented themselves very well,” said Neubauer. “All three choirs were award winners turning in some of their best performances of the season.”

The Mundelein High School Choral Music Department wraps up its season with the annual Finale Concert May 9 at 7 pm in the high school auditorium. Admission is free, but the audience will be encouraged to donate for their tickets to help fund future endeavors in the 2008 – 2009 school year.

Mundelein High School Art Instructor Deb Fitzsimmons will have some of her work exhibited at The Merchandise Mart in Chicago from April 25 through 28 as part of The Artist Project. This is Artropolis’ key event dedicated to the independent artist.

This second annual exhibition and sale will feature original work from a juried selection of 300 established and emerging artists who are currently unaffiliated within the gallery community. It is an opportunity to discover and obtain interesting and affordable art directly from this group of artists.

Included in Fitzsimmons’ works are the two pieces included with this story. They are titled Narrowed VIII and Narrowed III. Her work has been showcased throughout the state of Illinois. In addition, Fitzsimmons has been selected as Illinois Art Instructor of the Year, she has been a reader for several rounds of AP Exams and she will be a presenter later this year for conferences in New Orleans and Seattle.

Stacey Gorman, Mundelein High School social science department chair, presented two sessions at the National Social Studies Conference held in San Diego from November 29 through December 2. This annual conference brings together social science educators from around the nation to enhance their understanding of best practices in the social sciences.

Gorman’s first presentation, coordinated in conjunction with the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago, focused on an international program that connects her students with students in Eastern Europe through an examination of common civic issues and a discussion board that allows students to share their opinions about these topics.

Her second presentation centered on the use of Supreme Court cases in the social science classroom. Gorman, along with her co-presenter Kathy Bell of the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago, provided session participants with content and best practice strategies for teaching complex constitutional issues within civics courses.

“I enjoy presenting at the national conference because it not only allows me to share strategies that have worked well with my students, but I also gain insight from hearing from the participants in the sessions,” Gorman explained.

Three Mundelein High School students traveled to Springfield on Tuesday, November 27 to receive the First Place 2007 Governor’s Hometown Award (GHTA). Dayana Delgado, Kaitlyn Ellett and Carina Gonzalez, all members of the high school’s Mundelein After School Coalition (MASC), received the award at the annual ceremony at the state’s capitol.

MASC is a group of MHS students who work regularly with the Mundelein Police Department to discuss and provide positive activities for teens. It was the Mundelein Police Department who completed the application for the students to be recognized. The students and adult members of MASC then met in August with judges of the GHTA.

The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity sponsors this award every year to spotlight citizens of Illinois who give unselfishly of their time and efforts to make their communities better places to live and work. Because their efforts often go unnoticed, this award makes it possible that the volunteers in communities receive the thanks and recognition that they deserve.

Eric Gallagher, MHS assistant principal and advisor for MASC, accompanied the award-winners to Springfield.

Three Mundelein High School instructors have been named “most inspirational teacher” by students attending Western Illinois University (WIU).

Bill Gorski, who teaches AP United States History as well as American Government and Politics; Charles Cape, who teaches senior-level English courses; and Ted Juske, who teaches accounting and business education, all were nominated for this designation by MHS graduates who are now freshmen at WIU.

“On behalf of the faculty, staff and current students of Western Illinois University, I assure you that we share your commitment and that we wish you continuing success in shaping the lives of the next generation of America’s leaders,” said Alvin Goldfarb, WIU president.

For the first time in its history, the Illinois Council on Economic Education presented two of its 3M Economic Education Awards to instructors from the same high school. Judy Juske, business education instructor and Andrew Hirshman, consumer economics instructor, each received awards for their work in economics education. The recognition luncheon was held at the Union League Club of Chicago on October 23.

Juske received the Economic Education Excellence Award which recognizes educators who have a sustained history of commitment and contribution to economic education. According to Juske, when she first began teaching a business economics course at MHS there were two sections offered; now there are 10. “Part of the success of the program has been the hands-on approach to the subject that I like to use,” Juske explained.

Hirshman earned the Innovative Economic Educator Award which recognizes teachers who create and implement innovative projects that increase economic understanding. Hirshman and his consumer economics students wrote and produced a publication called Power and Awareness. It was based on the journal writings of students as they reacted to news in the economics field. The publication is now used in all the consumer economics courses at MHS and provides detailed material for class discussions. “This was a project completed by students and is now being used by students,” Hirshman said.

According to Co-interim Superintendent, Linda Hanson, “It was a pleasure for us in District 120 to see two of our teachers being honored for the exceptional work they do in the field of economics education. We were proud to be making history with the 2007 awards,” she said.

The work of Deb Fitzsimmons, Mundelein High School art instructor, will be displayed at the Koehnline Museum of Art in Des Plaines from October 20 to November 9. Her work will be part of a juried exhibit called Symbolism, Myth and Ritual.

Fitzsimmons will also be conducting a professional development seminar on November 9 for DeKalb Consolidated Unit School District 428. It will focus on assessment in the fine arts curriculum.

In addition, Fitzsimmons will be the workshop leader for the College Board’s Midwest Advanced Placement Studio Art Professional Development on November 1.

Lynn Dimick, a Mundelein High School senior, has been named a Semifinalist in the 2008 National Merit Scholarship Competition. Her semifinalist status will qualify Dimick for a number of scholarships and other benefits when she begins her college career.

According to MHS Principal, John Ahlgrim, six other MHS seniors were named Commended Students in the competition. A Letter of Commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which conducts the program, will be presented by the principal to these scholastically talented seniors.

The Commended Students are Christopher Deri, Kevin Joy, Matthew Hoffmeyer, Anne Murrow, Kayla Pennoyer and Kayla Siebert.

Although they will not continue in the 2008 competition for National Merit Scholarships, Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.4 million students who entered the 2008 competition by taking the 2006 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

"The young people named Commended Students in the 2008 National Merit Scholarship Program are distinguished by their strong academic performance in this rigorous competition," commented a spokesperson for National Merit Scholarship Corporation, headquartered in Evanston. "Our nation's pursuit of educational excellence can be furthered by publicly honoring these outstanding students and by acknowledging the important role schools play in fostering their development. We hope that this recognition will contribute to their educational opportunities and encourage all students to strive to realize their potential."

The Mundelein High School chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) will induct 66 new members in a ceremony to take place Sunday, October 14 in the high school auditorium at 2 p.m. The 66 new members and their friends/families will also be treated to a small reception in the cafeteria following the ceremony. Steve Jordan, English instructor, will be the keynote speaker for the event.

Eighteen seniors and 48 juniors were selected for membership by the faculty council, according to advisors Mary Jane Chiado and Karen Chilcote. The new inductees are as follows:

Seniors
	Kevin Coughlin	Michael Park	Jenny Seo
	Elly DeJesus	Matthew Parssinen	Kayla Siebert
	Dayana Delgado	Michael Petlak	Samantha Stadlman
	Melissa Harrington	Keerthi Reddy	Lizzy Visconti
	Zahra Ilahi	Colleen Ryan	Alissa Walker
	John Park	Rachel Ryan	Melanie Walker

Juniors
	Zareen Abbasi	Haruka Gill	Rina Park
	Jackie Ader	Alli Havlik	Khushali Rami
	Clare Aigner	Taha Kagadawala	Taylor Reckert
	Jennifer Balogh	Hanna Kjeldbjerg	Yesenia Rossi
	Breannin Beelow	Christine Ko	Joanna Rothenberg
	Cynthia Beltran	Karolina Kucybala	Michelle Rowley
	Carly Beranek	Kyle Larson	Deanna Sanders
	Justin Button	Michelle Lau	Michael Savage
	Kim Carroll	Garett Lemerand	Jessica Schumacher
	Ashlee Christensen	Madeline Ley	Katarzyna Sierputowska
	Bianca Contreras	Jordan Lundsten	Jeffery Thompson
	Alanna Craven	Robert Marks	Westin Tom
	Ryan Diefenderfer	Madeline Martini	Kaitlin Weiler
	Ariel Egan	Taylor Milne	Bryan Whitson
	Nick Fedrigen	Emily Minehart	Kaitlin Yoder
	Michael Gerten	Brian Panganiban	Rachel Zak

Seventy-one students at Mundelein High School have earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Program (AP) Exams.

The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program offers students the opportunity to take challenging college-level courses while still in high school, and to receive college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 18 percent of the more than 1.4 million high school students in more than 16,000 secondary schools worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to merit the recognition of AP Scholar.

Students took AP Exams in May 2007 after completing challenging college-level courses at their high schools. The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on students’ performance on AP Exams.

At Mundelein High School, Brian Rice qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average grade of 4 or higher on a 5-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.

Twenty-two students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on al AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. These students are Chris Aument, Elizabeth Brewer, Jesse Coder, Maura Coughlin, Sara DiNovi, Nicole Ehlert, David Elston, Megan Erickson, Daniel Freedman, Matthew Hoffmeyer, Batul Kagadawala, Brittany Metz, Theodoric Meyer, Samira Patel, Brian Rice, Jennifer Roscoe, Patrick Sala, Phil Senour, Michael Spillone, Nyssah Walker, Shannon Wittenberger and Matthew Wood.

Nineteen MHS students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. These students are Kevin Coughlin, Matthew Evans, Philip Hanwright, Allison Husko, Joshua Hutchison, Cesar Madrigal, Thomas Maillard, Kyle Menary, Michael Mihel, Tracey Morrison, John Munley, Huntsing Ooi, Emily Petersen, Daniel Rosen, Michael Shammo, Kayla Siebert, Dexter Smith, Colleen Stanczykiewicz, Austin Tom.

Twenty-nine students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams, with grades of 3 or higher. The AP Scholars are Adam Bassett, John-Windreb Cagadas, Haleigh Castino, Michael Fehr, Bethany Garbrecht, Robert Gastfield, Chris Hebert, Kimberly Hellman, Colleen Hoffman, Kevin Joy, Katelynn Koepke, Siobhan Larsen, Kristen McCabe, Anne Murrow, Gulneer Nagra, Kevin Olszewski, Matthew Parssinen, Masoom Patel, Kayla Pennoyer, Kelsey Rieck, Alina Sagalovich, Colin Samson, Lucia Sanchez, Navjot Singh, Timothy Unger, Juan Vazquez, Sarah Whitaker, Courtney Wilhelm, Justin Wirt.

Most of the nation’s colleges and universities award credit, advanced placement or both based on successful performance on the AP Exams. More than 1,400 institutions award a full year’s credit (sophomore standing) to students presenting a sufficient number of qualifying grades. In 2007, thirty-seven AP Exams were offered in a wide variety of subject areas, each consisting of multiple-choice and free-response (essay or problem-solving or oral response) questions (except for the Studio Art exam which evaluates students’ original artwork).

Juan Vasquez, right, along with Gordon Nash, board member of the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago (CRFC), presented the CRFC’s 2007 Bill of Rights in Action Award to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. The award was presented to Madigan for the work she does with the Illinois Youth Summit.

Now in its 13th year, the Illinois Youth Summit promotes awareness, investigation and civic action by high school students on current public policy issues affecting youth. It is a vital opportunity for high school students from across Illinois to work with community leaders and policymakers on issues affecting them.

Vasquez represented Mundelein High School at the Illinois Youth Summit. He is a member of the MHS Mock Trial Team, sponsored by Stacey Gorman and Nicole Malham.

Steve Jordan, Mundelein High School English instructor, was recently honored as a recipient of the 2007 Yale Teaching Award. This award, sponsored by the Yale Office of Undergraduate Admissions, recognizes teachers from around the world who have inspired and supported their students to achieve at high levels.

Students entering the Yale Class of 2011 were asked to nominate outstanding educators who have made a difference in their lives. Jordan was nominated by Rafael Mantilla for the award and then selected as a winner by a committee in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Mantilla was the Mundelein High School Class of 2007 valedictorian. As the committee reviewed its nominations, it was constantly reminded of the impact exceptional teachers truly have on students and their success by encouraging them in their goals. Each Yale Teaching Award winner receives an inscribed desk set.

"We hope that you will join us in honoring Mr. Jordan for the significant role he plays in your school and in the lives of your students," said Jeremiah Quinlan, director of outreach and recruitment at Yale University.

Two Mundelein High School instructors will be honored by the Illinois Council on Economic Education (ICEE) for their work with students.

Judy Juske, business education instructor, has earned the 3M Economic Education Excellence Award which recognizes educators who have a sustained history of contribution and commitment to economic education.

Andrew Hirshman, consumer economics and Advanced Placement Economics instructor, was awarded first place in the 3M Innovative Economics Educator Awards Program.

Both instructors will be honored on October 23 at the ICEE luncheon at the Union League Club of Chicago. They will receive plaques and a monetary award.

"We appreciate your commitment to the education of our students at MHS and you should be very proud of this great recognition," said John Ahlgrim, deputy superintendent/principal.

The Illinois Council on Economic Education was founded in 1951 to help assure that all young people in Illinois leave school with a solid understanding of the economic system in which they will live as members of the workforce, consumers of goods and services, savers and investors, voting citizens and participants in a global society. The ICEE helps K-12 schools integrate the teaching of economics and personal finance across the curriculum at all grade levels, preparing students to meet Illinois Learning Standards and providing them with the fundamental economic concepts and skills needed to be effective participants in the US economy.

The artwork of Deb Fitzsimmons, art instructor at Mundelein High School, will be featured at the Christopher Art Gallery’s juried exhibition of works by regional artists from October 9 through November 8.

Located on the campus of Prairie State College, The Christopher Art Gallery hosts six to eight shows per year, featuring local and regional artists, as well as student works.

Fitzsimmons’s work will be part of a themed exhibition of works, titled Contemporary Symbolism. All of the featured works will contain symbols to represent an idea or meaning and engage the viewer by appealing to either the heart, personality, unconscious mind or intellect.

On October 26, Fitzsimmons will be presenting “Effecting the Future 2007” at the Illinois Art Education Association’s 2007 Conference in Chicago.

Four MHS art students have been selected as winners for the 2007 – 2008 Illinois Art Education Association (IAEA) Student Art Show. The competition involved Illinois students in grades K-12 who have their work juried by a panel of three judges. This year, 530 entries from 42 schools in the state were judged and 40 works were accepted for the show.

Representing Mundelein High School were Daniel Rosen, Class of 2007, with a colored pencil still life; Ann Lee, Class of 2007, mixed media design; Daniel Barber, senior, computer graphics musical interpretation; and Philip Thomason, junior, pen and ink perspective drawing.

The IAEA will host a reception honoring the student artists on Saturday, October 27, as part of their Annual Conference at the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza in Chicago.

The four works from MHS were submitted by MHS Art Instructor, Debra Fitzsimmons.

A Mundelein High School sophomore, Ariana Rossi, will be headed to Austin, Texas October 25 to take part in a four-day national speaking competition called The Great Debate. The competition is sponsored by the National Hispanic Institute (NHI).

In order to qualify for the national competition, Rossi took part in a local competition at DePauw University in Indiana. She won a second place trophy for her work there in extemporaneous speaking.

Rossi was originally recommended for the NHI competition by her MHS counselor, Aracely Lawrence.

Doug Lillydahl, Mundelein High School English Department Chair, will be presenting a seminar at the Illinois Association of Teachers of English (IATE) conference to be held in Peoria October 12 and 13. The conference, titled “The Company We Keep,” will mark the 100th anniversary of the IATE. Robert Probst will be the keynote speaker along with Illinois Author of the Year, Scott Turow, who has written seven bestselling novels including Ordinary Heroes (2005).

Lillydahl’s presentation, Diction and Syntax for the Masses, will be a look at vertical articulation where students at even basic levels can appreciate the structure of language and its effect. His plan is for presenting some philosophy and also including activities that are entertaining and that rely on language analysis.

For more information about the presentation or the conference, contact Lillydahl at (847) 949-2200 Extension 1099.

Dennis Szymkowiak, English teacher at Mundelein High School, was recently elected to the executive board of the Whole Language Umbrella (WLU), a subgroup of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). Elected to the board by his peers in the NCTE, Szymkowiak began his tenure in July.

WLU is made up of whole language support groups and professionals interested in developing and implementing whole language in institutions. WLU is based on a view of whole language as a dynamic philosophy of education.

“Being elected by one’s peers is, I believe, an honor,” Szymkowiak said.

When the NCTE convenes for their next summer conference, Szymkowiak will chair one of the sessions titled NCTE: Literacy, Mathematics and Democracy: Learning to talk back to a statistic.

Szymkowiak has been actively involved in the development and expansion of the reading program at Mundelein High School. He has chaired several committees, provided resources for departments and has spoken at several teacher institutes to help provide teachers with the needed skills and materials to help improve student reading.

He will also be involved with this year’s Ninth Grade Initiative which will focus on helping the incoming freshmen at MHS to be successful. The Initiative is a direct result of the ongoing Long Range Planning currently taking place at Mundelein High School.

For more direct information from Dennis, feel free to contact him at 847-949-2200, Extension 1095 or via email at denszym@mhs.k12.il.us

Link: NCTE site

Two Mundelein High School students have earned national awards in recent weeks in very different areas.

Carina Gonzalez, who will be a senior at MHS, was named the 2007 Most Promising Leader by the National Hispanic Institute (NHI). For the past 28 years, the NHI has attracted and involved high ability Latino youth in leadership training programs that nurture cultural identity, confidence and the resolve to succeed; strengthen personal effectiveness and prospects for success; heighten intellectual capabilities for college and beyond; encourage equity building as a means to leverage community assets; and provide a framework to evaluate self-potential and leadership opportunities in Latino community life. The institute has worked with more than 120 institutions of higher learning and 80,000 high achieving, high ability youth from across the nation.

Dan Rosen, a 2007 MHS graduate, received honorable mention in the National Cross Pens Fine Lines Competition. His drawing was selected from hundreds of college students’ artworks.

A jury consisting of representatives from The Museum of Modern Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, along with Cross Pens, reviewed the pen and ink illustrations submitted by the students. Three major scholarships were awarded along with honorable mentions.

Administrator (CAA). The CAA program, administered by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, identifies those directors nationally who demonstrate a certifiable level of both experience and expertise in the administration of interscholastic athletics.

According to Scott Lindgren, chairperson of the certification committee, the final phase of the certification process involves a rigorous written examination.

“Perry has joined an elite group of interscholastic athletic directors nationwide to attain this level of professionalism,” Lindgren said. “He is an outstanding athletic administrator who is committed to your students and their education. This is a notable professional accomplishment for him,” he concluded.

Wilhelm is a Mundelein High School graduate and has spent the majority of his career at MHS as a teacher, dean, coach and now athletic director.

“It is a pleasure to see Perry Wilhelm earn this national recognition for the work he does as athletic director,” said Linda Hanson, interim superintendent. “All of us at Mundelein High School are proud of Perry’s experience and expertise in administering interscholastic athletics for the district.”

MHS is proud of its highly educated staff members, who exhibit a commitment to quality education. MHS is also proud of the number of programs, including art, business education, language arts, social studies, math, science and music that have won state and national awards. MHS continues to serve as a model for other schools.

On November 11, 2004, Mundelein High School District 120 was honored with the 2004 Lincoln Bronze Award for Commitment to Excellence. Mundelein High School became only the 11th Illinois high school district honored with a Lincoln Award during the past 10 years.

More on MHS and the 2004 Lincoln Bronze Award