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Hinsdale Central teammates and juniors Noah Pelinkovic (top) and Ronan Byrne go head to head in the junior varsity 200-yard freestyle race, while senior swimmer Nojus Bertulis competes in the finals of the varsity edition of the 200 free at the WSC Silver Conference Meet Feb. 1 at York High School. The Red Devils varsity squad captured first-place honors. (Jim Slonoff photos)...
Jim Zajicek isn't too invested in who wins the Super Bowl on Sunday, since his nephew Brian Allen won't be on the field. "If the Rams aren't playing, I don't really care," he said. Zajicek watched his nephew and the L.A. Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., in Super Bowl LVI two years ago. Allen, a Hinsdale native and Hinsdale Central graduate, is the team's center. "I was there with my older boy, Luke. It was awesome," Zajicek said....
SCOUT FINISHES AWARD PROJECT Troop 10 Eagle Scout Shreemann Patel of Hinsdale recently finished a project for the Distinguished Conservation Service Award. His project was designed to improve conditions at Lyman Woods in Downers Grove, where a polluted natural pond was surrounded by invasive buckhorn trees, which were chocking out native plants, and the water was filled with particles and dirt. There was also suspected nitrogen within the pond that could promote algae growth, and the water source was runoff from nearby...
Thomas "Tom" Alfred Jung, 86, of Aurora, formerly of Hinsdale, passed away in Naperville Feb. 3, 2024. Born in 1937 in Hinsdale to Alfred and Agnes Jung, Tom was fun-loving, caring and deeply devoted to his family and Christian faith. After graduating from Hinsdale Central High School, Tom pursued a successful career as an electrician, working for 42 years with IBEW Local 701. He was highly skilled and dedicated to his profession. Tom enjoyed various hobbies in his free time,...
During Charlie Russ' visits to his family's longtime priest's retirement home, the teen pianist took note of how his playing had a way of resonating through the elderly man Alzheimer's disease haze. Russ then offered a performance for other residents who cared to listen. Dozens turned out. "They were serving wine and treats," he recounted of the Ravinia-like scene. "I played a lot of old jazz standards, which most of the seniors recognized, and their faces lit up with each new...
Hinsdale High School District 86 Board members publicly stated their support of curriculum alignment last week, but some made it clear they still don’t approve of changes to the social studies curriculum. Jason Markey, assistant superintendent for academics, explained his goal before addressing board members at their Jan. 25 meeting. “We want to make sure everyone has a common understanding of when curriculum alignment was started and why we continue to believe that it’s important,” he said. Markey highlighted the stakeho...
The high school hockey journey is a long and grinding one, starting in local rinks in September and culminating with the state championship at Chicago's Uniter Center in mid-March. As the Hinsdale Central Hockey Club's varsity team heads into the final stretch, the squad is showing signs of hitting its bladed stride at the right time. Head coach Spencer Anderson said team confidence is high after sweeping all eight of its games in the silver division of Illinois West league's...
TWO HOOPSTERS IN HALL OF FAME Two of the most successful boys and girls basketball players in Hinsdale Central history have been announced as members of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association on Hall of Fame Class of 2024. Brian Wardle and Toni Kokenis will join the IBCA Hall of Fame in a May ceremony. Wardle, a three-time All-West Suburban Conference basketball player, led Hinsdale Central to two straight Elite Eight appearances in the state finals in 1996 and 1997. Over that period, Wardle captained and led Red Devils...
Paul Parpet had been a high school coach for four decades before signing on as the varsity girls bowling head coach at Hinsdale Central almost nine years ago. "This fall I just completed my 50th consecutive year of coaching high school football," Parpet said. "I'm proud of that. That's why I brag about it." Parpet has logged 30 years as head football coach, 21 as head baseball coach and 30 as a freshman basketball coach. After he retired from teaching at Addison Trail High...
Rebounding is second nature for basketball players. But getting a grip on the sudden mid-season departure of the entire Hinsdale Central varsity girls basketball coaching staff was a challenge - and, team members say, an opportunity. The setback was delivered when Central head girls varsity basketball coach Erin Navolio and two other members of the girls basketball team coaching staff resigned on Dec. 4. No reason was articulated, so, of course, speculation ran rampant. More...
In part two of our annual feature looking back at the past year — and one wish for the year ahead — for the seven major Hinsdale-based nonprofit agencies, the leaders of Candor Health Education, Community Memorial Foundation, HCS Family Services and The Community House offer their reflections. The first installment ran Jan. 4. Candor Health Education Candor Health Education began the overhaul of its programming in 2016. This past year saw that effort reach completion. “Every program is now infused with social-emotional skill...
Hinsdale High School District 86 Board members were poised to name Michael Lach as the new superintendent at a special meeting Wednesday night after The Hinsdalean went to press. Approving a new superintendent contract for 2024-27 at a base salary of $255,000 was one of two action items on the agenda. No additional information was provided. Lach’s name first appeared on an email sent Tuesday night announcing that a welcome reception for him will be held at 5 p.m. today, Jan. 11, in the Hinsdale Central library. The board m...
Marko Ivanisevic Hinsdale When did you start wrestling? Wrestling wasn't big to me until my sophomore year in high school. As a kid I wasn't very good, and I didn't have a lot of wins. I stuck with it, thanks to my mom and dad, and I ended up taking fifth at state my sophomore year. That's when I really fell in love with the sport. What do you love about it? Just the grind. I love working hard in the sport. I gave up football my senior year to wrestle more, and that was a...
DILLARD MAKES ‘WHO’S WHO’ LIST Chicago Partner Kirk Dillard was recently named to 2023 “Who’s Who in Chicago” by Crain’s Chicago Business. The list recognizes Chicago movers and shakers, from Fortune 500 CEOs to civic leaders and philanthropists. Dillard, a former Illinois State Senator, is one of more than 300 names compiled to the authoritative list. Dillard concentrates his practice in business and governmental relations and in the representation of manufacturers in product liability prevention and litigation. H...
The effort to provide equitable access to classes across both Hinsdale High School District 86 campuses faces financial and functional constraints. In a staffing framework presentation at the Dec. 21 district board meeting, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Cheryl Moore laid out the process through which students’ course requests, number of faculty and classroom availability are fashioned together into daily schedules. The enrollment disparity between Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South, which has roughly half the n...
Sometimes high school feels like trying to board a train at a busy station. Platforms and classes and trains and deadlines and tickets and papers and times and due dates and people and people — so many people trying to hold on and get to their destinations. When winter starts to approach, all the passengers turn their focus toward riding to the end of first semester, waiting to finally be able to rest from the flurry of activity. But, for the past few years, final exams a...
Hinsdale High School District 86 Board 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11 Hinsdale Central High School 55th and Grant streets www.hinsdale86.org/board-of-education/board-meetings Hinsdale Historic Preservation Commission 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11 Memorial Building 19 E. Chicago Ave. On the draft agenda: public meetings on preservation incentives for 515 S. Lincoln St., 217 W. Hickory St. and 605 E. Third St. Hinsdale Plan Commission 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10 Memorial Building 19 E. Chicago Ave. On the draft agenda: schedule...
As District 86 prepares for the arrival of the new year, I want to take this opportunity to celebrate some of the accolades and accomplishments from 2023 that helped us build upon our proud tradition of excellence. • Thirty of our seniors were named finalists in the 68th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. • More than 270 of our students were named Illinois State Scholars. • Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South were named to the Advanced Placement Program School Honor...
STATE SCHOLARS AT NAZARETH Five Hinsdale students at Nazareth Academy in LaGrange Park were named Illinois State Scholars. Ava Coghill, Matea Hewitt, Francesca De Fina Hillman, John Hughes and Faith Mouw, who earned places among the list of honorees, represent approximately the top 10 percent of high school seniors from across the state. They were selected for this honor based on their SAT and/or ACT test scores and sixth semester class rank. CENTRAL TEACHER LEADS WORKSHOP Arpan Chokshi, a social studies teacher at Hinsdale...
Courtney Koranda Seaman passed away Dec. 14, 2023, in a fatal aviation accident, together with her devoted husband, Gregg, while returning to their San Diego home from the East Coast. Courtney, 48, was raised in Hinsdale and graduated from Hinsdale Central High School. She completed her studies at DePaul University with a degree in psychology. She worked in the real estate industry for several years before moving to San Diego, where she became a successful real estate agent...
Hinsdale's Heather Kartsounes was appointed to the Hinsdale High School District 86 Board Dec. 21, filling the vacancy left when Kay Gallo abruptly stepped down Oct. 26. The announcement came, however, after the board accepted the sudden resignation of Interim Superintendent Linda Yonke. Yonke and co-Interim Superintendent Ray Lechner were both hired in July to serve 120 days as caretaker administrators for $1,300 a day after the board and former Superintendent Tammy Prentiss...
Elizabeth "Betty" Rose Dean Reed, 95, died peacefully with her children at her bedside on Dec. 5, 2023, exactly 18 years to the day after losing her husband of 53 years, Dwight Reed. Born in 1928 to Harry and Louise Dean, Betty grew up in Naples, N.Y., in the heart of the upstate Finger Lakes region. She was the proud valedictorian of her graduating class of 12 at Naples Central School and went on to graduate from Cornell University. At Cornell, Betty met Dwight, freshly...
Three coaches have agreed to lead the Hinsdale Central girls basketball program following the resignation of varsity head coach Erin Navolio and two assistant coaches Dec. 4. Ryan Sasis will serve as the interim varsity head coach, athletic director Mike Jezioro announced in an email to the community. Sasis has coached basketball at all levels at locations including Marian Catholic High School. He also has served as an Amateur Athletic Union coach in the off-season. Brad Warble will serve as the interim varsity assistant...
Christmas Eve was always a lively time in the Peckenpaugh household in Hinsdale. In addition to Doug Peckenpaugh and his five older siblings, the holiday banquet grew substantially, Peckenpaugh said, due to his mother's boundless spirit of hospitality. "My mom was one of these people who would open up her home to any family who could come," he said. "She would run a big buffet and we'd have 20, 30 people coming through." By 10 p.m. the gathering would disperse, leaving the fam...
This weekend, Hinsdale Central wrestlers will compete with 24 other teams in the 57th annual Whitlatch Invite, one of the toughest tournaments in the state. The event is named after legendary Central wrestling coach Rex Whitlatch, who passed away in 2021 at age 84. Whitlatch, who a two-time state champion in high school, was the Red Devils’ head wrestling coach from 1964-81 and assistant coach from 1986 until he retired in 1992. For a November 2021 story on Whitlatch, his w...
