Chicago storyteller and musician visits Hinsdale Central English classes

Photo credit: wttw.com

Chicago storyteller, musician, and writer Shanta Nurrullah visited Hinsdale Central today to perform for and speak with juniors in Michael Smith's US Literature and Composition course and Yulia Kapelnikova's English 3 course.  As an extension of the curriculum for Lorraine Hansberry's Chicago-set play, "A Raisin in the Sun," Shanta told stories about her family's experiences in 1960s Chicago that paralleled those of the Younger family in the play.  Shanta also performed and explained the origin of several Civil Rights songs.  The performance was educational, entertaining, and inspiring.  Read more about Shanta here and here.

Two English Teachers speaking today at National Conference

More good news for Hinsdale Central publications!  This weekend two English teachers, Erin Timmons and Sue Grady, are giving presentations at the national Columbia Scholastic Press Association Spring Conference in New York.  Erin is our award-winning El Diablo (yearbook) advisor.  Sue is our Pacemaker award-winning Devils' Advocate advisor.  Together they are speaking about how they brought helped publications grow over the past five years.  During that time the Advocate added an online newspaper (see it here) and both doubled the number of sections of the course through the day, requiring some critical logistical changes.  El Diablo is a CSPA Crown Finalist.

at the CSPA conference.
Photo Credit: Erin Tmmons

El Diablo among nation's best publications
Photo credit: Erin Timmons

Sophomore Nick Bruni is the English Department Student of the Quarter!

Jordan Stob and Nick Bruni, English Department Student of the Quarter.
Photo Credit: Sigita Mitchell

I'm proud to announce that sophomore Nick Bruni is the English Department's Student of the Quarter.  He was selected by his English 2 teacher, Jordan Stob.

When Ms. Stob introduced Nickat the Student of the Quarter Breakfast this morning, she spoke about Nick's commitment to improving his writing demonstrated by his meeting with her outside of class during every single writing assignment so far this year.

Congratulations to Nick!  It's students like Nick that truly make Hinsdale Central a special place.

Award-winning filmmakers at Hinsdale Central!

Congratulations to the Hinsdale Central Ecology Club and club sponsor (and English teacher) Cherise Lopez.   They have won first place in the high school division of the One Earth...Our Earth Film Festival Contest!  Their film, titled "What Will You Do?", a film about transportation, was made by students Stephanie Jamilla, Josh Feldman, Rachel Chang, and Wendy Li.

Here's a link to the award-winning video

What Will You Do? A look into how transportation choices affect our environment from Devils' Advocate Online on Vimeo.

Congratulations to Forensics!

Last weekend the Forensics (Speech) team won third place for individual events and fifth place for PIR at the IHSA State Tournament in Peoria. The team proudly advanced all seven of its individual events and the PIR (Performance in the Round, a 15-minute adapted play performed with a 360 degree audience) into the final rounds, or top six, out of hundreds of performances in each category.  Congratulations to the whole team and to forensics coach and English teacher Susie Jaffe

Related Advocate story and video and PIR:  http://www.hcdevilsadvocate.com/features/2014/02/11/performance-in-the-round-wins-second-place-with-dogfight/