CENTRAL STAFF EARN RECOGNITION
• Matthias Austin, assistant coach of the speech and debate team at Hinsdale Central High School, was named Assistant Coach of the Year for the Illinois District.
He has been coaching speech at Central since 2011 and working as a full-time administrative assistant since February 2021.
• Sally Phillip, activities director at Hinsdale Central, was named the District Administrator of the Year by the Illinois District of the National Speech and Debate Association. She was nominated by speech coaches in recognition of the support she and the school have provided.
“We worked really hard to keep competing and creating opportunities for our team and students to participate this year,” she said.
Phillip has worked at Central since 2003.
• Billson Rasavongxay, chair of Central’s social studies department, was named an Outstanding Activity Advisor by the Illinois Directors of Student Activities. This award celebrates individuals who have made an impact on their club or activity and exemplify what it means to be the ideal advisor.
SOLSTICE RECEIVES TOP AWARDS
Solstice, Hinsdale Central’s art and literary magazine, has been awarded a Gold Crown by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association for the second straight year.
In addition to that honor, the 2020-21 edition of Solstice earned Gold Circle awards in several categories.
• Use of typography on one page or spread, first place, John Tischke and Kaitlyn Zhu, for the “Table of Contents”
• traditional fiction, second place, Analise Budziak for “Glacia”
• alternative story form, second place, Stella Dang for “One Seventh”
• use of typography on one page or spread, second place, Tischke for “Solstice Art & Literary Cover”
• table of contents page, third place, Tischke and Zhu
• design portfolio, certificate of merit, Tischke and Zhu
The magazine’s editorial staff included Tischke, Zhu, Samir Mirza, Lauren Peters and Sara Quiballo. Angelique Burrell and Michael Cousineau are faculty sponsors.
HINSDALE NATIVE wins scholarship
Missouri Military Academy Cadet Peter Didicher will spend part of his summer at the Missouri S&T Jackling Introduction to Engineering Summer Camp program, thanks to a scholarship from Chris Schafer ’89, an MMA alum and graduate of the Missouri University of Science and Technology.
A junior from Hinsdale, Didicher was chosen as the scholarship recipient based on his academic achievement, curiosity and interest in the STEM field. At camp, he will have the opportunity to learn about engineering disciplines from leaders in the field while studying alongside his peers from across the nation. Through interactive workshops, aerospace testing and problem-solving, exploration of state-of-the-art engineering materials breakthroughs, department visits, student competitions and more, he will gain practical engineering experience and learn more about what engineers do, the tools they use and how their work affects everyday life.
CHMS HAS NEW COMPOST BIN
Clarendon Hills Middle School Eco Club members and parents/guardians built a compost bin for the school April 6 in an effort to reduce the amount of food waste going to landfills.
This project has been researched/planned by student members for two years and was delayed several times because of restrictions due to COVID-19. All building materials were provided due to a generous donation from The Barrett Family Foundation. The brown organic material was provided by the Clarendon Hills Park District.
Eco Club members have since started collecting food waste from the school cafeteria at all grade levels and adding it to the compost pile. The finished compost will be used in the native plant garden that Eco Club created several years ago behind the school.
Photos appear online at https://www.facebook.com/thehinsdalean.
