Good News! Devils' Advocate Wins National Award!

Congratulations to the Devils’ Advocate staff!   The Devils’ Advocate 2012-2013 staff and advisor have won the prestigious Newspaper Pacemaker Award from the National Scholastic Press Association.  Evan Lee (’13) served as Devils' Advocate editor-in-chief, and Sarah Renehan (’13) was managing editor. English teacher Sue Grady is the newspaper advisor. 

This puts the Advocate staff in very elite company:  they are one of only five national winners in the Newsmagazine category. The Pacemaker is THE top award for high school journalism.  This award (according to the NSPA website) is based on the breadth and judgment of coverage, content, quality of writing, editorial leadership on editorial page, evidence of in-depth reporting, layout, design, photography, art and graphics.

Their award was announced at the annual NSPA convention in Boston this week.

Here's an illustrated list of all the national finalists.

Come see "Inherit the Wind" this weekend, and read this Doings article!

Christine Hicks

Chris Hicks, in her last year as Director of Drama at Hinsdale Central High School, is directing the play, "Inherit the Wind," which is based on the famous "Scopes Monkey Trial" of 1925, covered nationally by WGN radio.

Today at school students had a chance to see selections from the play in the library during all school periods.  Today also, the Doings, published this really nice piece by Kim Fornek about Chris and the production.  Fornek quotes many students who say they've been changed by working so closely with a play with such an important message.

And there's great quotes from Chris in the article:

“I am retiring at the end of the year,” said Christine Hicks, the high school’s director of drama, “and in a sense this play is a ‘thank you’ to the students, parents, staff and community members who have lived up to the ideals expressed in the play, namely, have the courage to stand up for what you believe in. 

“It is important we realize that each of us has the responsibility to do the right thing and defend ideas which are important to us,” Hicks said. 

“The community of Hinsdale Central fosters that kind of attitude and I am grateful to have worked in a community which has always defended intellectual freedom and the right – and the responsibility – to think.”

Read the article here: http://hinsdale.suntimes.com/news/schools/hcplay-HIN-11112013:article

Come to the Hinsdale Central Auditorium to see the play Thursday through Saturday, November 14-16.

Photo Credit: Kim Fornek, The Doings

Nate Bradley is the English Department's Student of the Quarter!

Ms. Lopez and Nate Bradley at the Student of the Quarter
Breakfast.  Photo Credit: Sigita Mitchell

I'm proud to announce that Junior Nate Bradley is the English Department's Student of the Quarter.  He was selected by his English 3 teacher, Cherise Lopez.

When Ms. Lopez introduced Nate at the Student of the Quarter Breakfast, she spoke about Nate's success in class during first quarter, especially about his exemplary character.

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

Three English Teachers Named as "Making a Difference Award" Honorable Mention winners

English Teacher Hasham Bhatti

English Teacher Susan Sangwa

English Teacher Chris Billie

Three English Teachers were cited last week as "Make a Difference Award" honorable mention winners.  Susan Sangwa teaches English 2 and Expository Writing. Hasham Bhatti, a first year teacher at Hinsdale Central, teaches English 1, ESL 1, and AP Language and Composition.  Chris Billie teaches English 1, Senior Literature, and Senior Composition.  Congratulations to all three for all they do for the range of students they help every day. 

Gina Chandler is a "Make a Difference Award" winner!

English teacher Gina Chandler won the "Make a Difference Award" presented by the Hinsdale Central PTO.

Make a Difference Co-Chairs Annette Burlet and Hope Sabbagha sent out this note to the HC faculty and staff:

The PTO's Make A Difference Committee would like to announce the First Quarter Winners of the Make a Difference Award! Please congratulate these special staff members and spread the word about this great honor! The committee received over 50 nominations submitted by students, teachers and parents. 

Congratulations, too, to all the Hinsdale Central Award Winners: 

Gina Chandler - English

Abby Green - Math

Joe Liaw - Science

Lisa Korbitz - Math

Jennifer Lawrence - World Languages

Wanda Swik - Athletics

Congratulations to Students and Staff of HC for an Outstanding School Report Card!

Interim Principal Tom Paulsen sent this great message out to our staff.

The state has released test score data from the 2012-2013 school year for public consumption and Hinsdale Central is once again ranked among the top schools in the state.  In fact, in one category, we are at the top.  The partnership of staff and parents working with remarkable students is what makes this kind of achievement possible.  So, congratulations, Faculty and Staff of Hinsdale Central, for continuing the tradition of excellence at the corner of 55^th and Grant.
  ACT Scores:  26.4 composite, 4^th in the suburbs
 PSAE:  89% meets or exceeds, tied for 2^nd in the suburbs                                                                                    
 Chicago Sun-Times Ranking:  4^th in the state; 1^st outside Chicago (based on the Sun-Times particular method of ranking based only on Prairie State Reading and Math and other factors – see the Sun-Times web site for detail regarding the method used)
  It’s a great day to be a Red Devil! 

Another demonstration of the dedication and hard work of students and staff!

Hinsdale Alum at Stanford Creates Pre-Professional Society

Stanford University junior Julia Quintero, pursuing majors in
history and human biology, formed a campus club for
undergraduates who aspire to careers in K-12 education, particularly
teaching. Photo by Chris Kenrick.

Hinsdale Alum Julia Quintero (HC '11) is already making headlines.  She is the founder of the Stanford Pre-Education Society (SPREES).  The debut event of SPREES, held Tuesday, focused on how to attract students (especially the best and the brightest students) to a career in education.  

According to an article published last week in The Stanford Daily, Quintero anticipated the event would generate a new discussion surrounding education reform.

“I want this event to create [a] really important conversation that is not being had about education reform,” Quintero said.

The Palo Alto Weekly published an article about the conference and Quintero's leadership.  It reported: 

Stanford junior Julia Quintero, an aspiring teacher who formed an undergraduate pre-teaching club on campus last year. 

Quintero, who is pursuing majors in both history and human biology, said, "I was in the human bio core, which is mostly pre-meds, and everything was pre-med this and pre-med that and I thought, 'Why not pre-ed?' 

She said her organization is "trying to spark a national movement towards drawing the most talented college graduates into careers in education, particularly teaching."

Hinsdale Central teacher Jared Friebel, who served as Quintero's teacher for two years, was invited by Quintero to Stanford to participate in the event.  Quintero references Friebel in the Palo Alto Weekly article:

Quintero said she initially dismissed the idea of teaching when Jared Friebel, her English teacher at Hinsdale (Ill.) Central High School, suggested she consider it as a career. 

"He helped me realize that the reasons I was brushing it aside weren't good reasons, like: 'Why should I go to Stanford just to become a teacher?' 'Why would I waste this degree to become a teacher?' 

"It just comes from pressure from society. You go to an elite school and teaching just doesn't have any prestige," she said. 

"If I say I study public policy in education, that sounds really prestigious, like, 'Wow, you're making a huge difference.' And it's true. Policymakers do make a big difference, but I've come to alter my views on that. 

"It's teachers that really make the biggest difference. Studies show that, and any student could tell you that. What matters most in a successful class, hands down, is the teacher. It's not technology, and funding's important, but at the end of the day it's really the teacher that matters most."