2008 High School Winners

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Academy of Scholastic Achievement
Language Arts / English
Poemlab
Students will visit 'open mics', invite guest poets to run topic-specific workshops, and conclude with a publication of a journal including several poems from each participant.
Eugene Booth, Danielle Lewis

Amundsen
Science / Mathmatics / Technology
Conserving Electricity
Students will measure their electrical usage at home and determine how much energy can be saved using compact fluorescent lighting and a power strip.
James Czuchra, Eman Sarhan

BEST
Fine Arts
Neighborhood PSA Animations
Students will be invited to use a variety of materials to create and post stop-motion animations that take the form of public-service announcements, expressing well-researched concerns related to the areas in which they live and attend school.
Albert Stabler, Calvin Heath, Porscha Henderson

Chicago Agr
Fine Arts
Flower P.O.T.S.
Students in cognitively delayed classrooms will glaze and fire terracotta pots and trays, fill the pots with plants grown in the school greenhouse, sell the pots in the school Farm Stand and donate the profits to charities.
Jane Klunk, Mae Piszczor, Susan Schlitz, Phil Friberg, Julie Reynolds

Chicago Discovery
Fine Arts
My Past, My Present, My Future
Students will collect family stories, family members' names and dates of birth. They will conduct open-ended interviews and prepare journal-type entries with photographs.
Summer Kee

Chicago Voc.
Performing Arts
A Modern Macbeth
Students will analyze and interpret a Shakespearean text, changing the language and setting to create a modern version acted out in full costume. Students will become writers, producers, and directors of "A Modern Macbeth".
Andrea Anders

Chicago Voc.
Life Skills
On Our Own
The Life Skills Center will provide necessary vocational training, social skills training and independent living for students with mild to moderate disabilities through experiential hands on training. They will be working with household items such as a stove, refrigerator and bed.
Andrea Smith, Delores Thames, Lea Schulz, Lisa Taylor, Lisa Fagan

Clark
Fine Arts
Fabulous Functional Art
Students will study historical and contemporary fiber arts and create functional art pieces, children's knit wear and quilted blankets. They will participate in community service by delivering their work to a family shelter or an international children's aid organization.
Sunny Neater-Dubow

Clemente
Performing Arts
After School Steel Band Program
Students regularly come after school to practice Caribbean and Latin steel drum music on instruments that have holes and are over 40 years old. We will gradually replace these broken and unusable instruments with this grant.
Heather Barker-Busch

Clemente
Fine Arts
You Oughta Be in Pictures
Students will create a mural and a video diary of the 2007-2008 school year for the Fine and Performing Arts Small School. The mural will be a permanent addition to the Music Department hallway and the video will be shown at the Annual Spring Concert.
Thaddeus Sherman, Catina Robinson-Hale, Heather Busch, Lequita Peel, Brian Frazee, Norman Teague, Ernest Kinnison, Jose Cruz

Corliss
Performing Arts
FAME! We Want to Live Forever!
Fame is a school-wide, main stage, cross-curricular musical theatre production that includes the culinary arts, carpentry, graphic design, music, band and art programs that exist within the school. This musical will allow students to showcase their individual talents on stage including singing, dancing and playing musical instruments.
Kelli Rushek, Lindsey Rohwer

Curie
Performing Arts
Spring Dance Concert
The Concert will showcase all dance students in the department, giving each student an opportunity to be part of a two-hour performance. Their dances will tell their cultural stories and be based on their beliefs and assumptions.
Melinda Wilson

EXCEL-Orr
Publications
He Say/She Say
Through writing, printmaking and publishing, students will explore and express their ideas about the sources and solutions of interpersonal violence. Students will develop an action plan that helps their peers understand the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships.
Jeanne Walker, Gloria Mhoon

Farragut
Science / Mathmatics / Technology
Building Bridges To A Better Future
Students will learn how to research a technical topic, write a proposal, create a budget, make a scaled drawing, write purchase orders and checks, and create a bridge that meets given specifications.
Miroslawa Gawron, Aleksandra Mironchuk, Sara Seitz, Amela Cenan, Jason Paul, Justin Smith, Gerardo Estrada

Farragut
Physical Education / Adventure Ed.
Fitness and Wellness
"Fitness and wellness" classes are intended to promote a healthier lifestyle by providing an opportunity to experience various forms of physical fitness training using equipment such as dumbbells, medicine balls, and jump ropes.
Jessie Meredith Jr.

Farragut
Science / Mathmatics / Technology
Geometry City
Students will build a model of a Geometry City. Each building in the city will have to be one of the geometrical 3D shapes students learned about in the class.
Amela Cenan, Lucas Stangler, Eddy Mazur, Eladios Rios, John Silva, Juan Garcia, Miriam Lopez

Farragut
Fine Arts
The Art of the Mask
Sixty-five high school students and 40 pre-school students will create masks with the help of a local mask artist. The masks will be displayed at an art show.
Amanda Nadig, Beverly Dawkins

Foreman
Fine Arts
All the Color in Our World
Students will experience enriching opportunities to learn skills in photography that have the potential to improve their lives, school, and community. Student work will be showcased in a student newspaper, in the hallway and at a school exhibit.
Donn Simon, Frances Allende

Gage Park
Science / Mathmatics / Technology
Test the Water
High school students will teach elementary school students how to run water quality tests and set up conservation projects at their schools.
Patricia Parsons, Thelma Parks, Miguel Davis

Gallery 37 AAEP
Fine Arts
3-D and 360 Degree Photography
Our students will produce sculptures, contemplative from 360 degrees that include photo imagery as the primary form of visual communication.
Thomas Cinoman, Deborah Guzman-Meyer, Sonja Henderson

Gallery 37 AAEP
Fine Arts
Chicago: A City of Diversity
With the help of Gallery 37 teachers, special needs students from three occupational centers will create books and other projects that represent the art traditions of a variety of cultures that reflect the diverse ethnicities in Chicago.
Susan Dardar

Gallery 37 AAEP
Fine Arts
Mosaic Peace Totems
Students will research and promote the efforts of great leaders who have endeavored to teach and promote peace throughout the world. These leaders and their work will be represented as sculptural totems covered in mosaic in the style of Niki de St. Phalle.
Sonja Henderson, Jeane Walker

Gallery 37 AAEP
Fine Arts
Time Capsule
Students will create ceramic time capsules that will serve as a symbolic representation of each student
Susan Dardar, Patrick Miceli

Graham
Gardening
Flagpole Garden
In this project, students will plan, build and plant a raised bed garden around the school's flagpole to be filled with perennials.
Anna Stanek

Hancock
Fine Arts
Putting the Pieces Together
Students will work independently and in small groups to select imagery and to design and create mosaic pieces that will be hung in groupings. An exhibit will be held at Gallery 37.
Pam Glynn, Miriam Socoloff

IDOC/Healy South
Science / Mathmatics / Technology
On the Air
Students will develop creative, technical, writing, and career skills by learning about and using basic and advanced techniques in television broadcasting. The project covers all aspects of broadcast news from story concept and development, to digital filming and editing, and to broadcasting in a studio.
Annette Elmore, Denna Quillin

Jones
Fine Arts
Childrens Hospital Murals
This project will produce two murals at Mt. Sinai Children's Hospital that will have a positive impact on the environment. Students from Jones will work collaboratively with the Mt. Sinai community to create these two murals.
Karen Stolzenberg

Jones
Science / Mathmatics / Technology
CSI:Jones
Students working in teams will go to a mock crime scene, analyze the crime scene, collect evidence at the crime scene, analyze the evidence and act as expert witnesses at a mock trial.
Marlita Sanders

Jones
Performing Arts
High School Opera Showcase
Faculty and students come together to learn, create and perform staged, costumed scenes from Grand Opera for the Jones Community.
Gaye Klopack, Ray Lesniewski, Christine Malebranche, Dana Gamez, Jim Bywater, Frank Menzies, Charles Mills

Jones
Performing Arts
Identity through Drama
Students in an advanced Social Science seminar on identity will team with Theatre Academy students to create filmed autobiographies, authentic and fictional, which may be vodcast and included in the Spring Production of "Our Country's Good."
Robin Bennett, Donald Fraynd, Mathew Curtis, Charles Mills

Julian
Fine Arts
Stop the Violence Mural
Students will create a large-scale mural at the school commemorating lost loved ones, empowering students to positively change their environment, and visualizing the possibilities peace can bring. The mural will facilitate the healing process for the loss of students and a teacher our school endured last year.
Todd Osborne, Michelle Feit

Kelly
Performing Arts
Musical: Joseph and the Amazing
Students will perform this musical which will provide them performing and technical opportunities such as vocal, instrumental, acting, dance, costume design, advertising and technical crew.
Eric Skalinder, Annie Joseph, Tiffany Carlin, Rich Daily, Edward Miller, Chani Buchic

Kelvyn Park
Science / Mathmatics / Technology
Mobile Alternative Energy Classroom
Students will participate in a mobile classroom where the students become the teachers. Our students/teachers will educate our community about alternative energy.
Anna Sisto

Kenwood
Performing Arts
Shining the Spotlight on Stars!
Our trained and experienced Kenwood Drama STARZ will train younger actors in the community in the field of theatre sharing their knowledge in writing plays, acting and stage design techniques.
Margo Giannoulis

King
Science / Mathmatics / Technology
Collisions
The students will be using lab equipment to test objects that are colliding and solving for the velocity of the objects using concepts that they have learned in class.
Stephen Philip

King
Fine Arts
Community Panoramics
Our students will produce large photographic panoramas of their community using the latest in digital composite photography. All photographic portrayals will include testimonials from the people portrayed.
Thomas Cinoman, John Goldwyn, Jason Locke

King
Science / Mathmatics / Technology
Homeostasis: Life in Balance
Throughout the school year students will learn about homeostasis and homeostatic imbalances through investigations involving an abiotic (non-living) factor, pH, on biological systems.
Cheryl Dudeck

Lake View
Fine Arts
Collaboration with Nature
Students will create outdoor site specific sculptures, made only with naturally available materials, to be documented through photographs and video.
Kate Sanford-Garcia, Jay Strommen

Lane Tech.
Performing Arts
Bye Bye Birdie Musical Production
Bye Bye Birdie is a musical that involves actors, musicians, dancers, artists and stage crew who will learn to work as a team to create a successful dramatic production.
Sarah Hanly, Kirsten Hanson

Lane Tech.
Social Studies / History
CSI: LANE TECH
Crime scene investigation meets the next generation--as high school students investigate a staged crime scene--and use scientific and legal techniques to solve and prosecute the crime
Susan Sebestyen, Sara Anderson, Allison Larson, Jason Lanfair

Lincoln Park
Social Studies / History
African Kitchen Table Traditions
The project will demonstrate how African Americans unconsciously preserved African cultures and traditions through food. Students explore family special occasion menus from Africa and Chicago's African American communities.
Florence Onubogu, Juanita Douglas-Thurman

Lincoln Park
Fine Arts
Knitting TWO stay warm
Students will learn how to knit scarves. Those who are already skilled at knitting will learn how to knit mittens. When the knitting is finished, we will spend the morning at a soup kitchen preparing lunch, serving and cleaning up and will donate the scarves to the kitchen for distribution.
Kathryn Roeck

Lincoln Park
Publications
Lion's Pause Literary Magazine
The Lincoln Park Literary and Art Magazine will feature student poems, short fiction, and non-fiction, along with artwork from I.B. and Advanced Placement Art classes.
Bart Hanson, Ahoo Kosari, Paulette Savage, Melinda Stinnett

Lindblom
Language Arts / English
Let's Sing and Dance Arabic 2
Students will learn how to play instruments, sing songs and perform dances of the Arab culture in order to gain a deeper understanding of the Arab World.
Lalainya Goldsberry, Katie Terry, Steve Bradley

Manley
Fine Arts
Community Mosaic
Students will learn to identify and apply the steps necessary to design public art for a specific Urban Environment. The piece they create will be displayed on the school grounds.
Linda Comminos

Marshall
Science / Mathmatics / Technology
The Animal Farm
This project will begin to make the human / animal connection in hopes of creating informed responsible students, capable of sharing their knowledge and teaching others about the importance of animals.
Carol Williams, Sandra Payne, Brenda Hartzol

Morgan Park
Performing Arts
Jazz: An Aural Tradition
Students will be immersed in the study of jazz through contact with live jazz musicians, audio recordings, quality repertoire and personal transcriptions of several master jazz musicians.
Shemeka Nash

Multicultural Arts
Performing Arts
Examining Immigration: Anon(ymous)
Students will research, design, construct, market, and perform Naomi Iizuka
Edward Cisneros

Noble Street
Performing Arts
Computers and Music
The Computers and Music Club will provide students with the opportunity to gain and apply skills that will allow them to create elaborate pieces of music.
Matthew Kelley

Noble Street
Life Skills
School is Stressful!
Students experience a tremendous amount of pressure and stress to achieve academically. This project will allow students to meet weekly after school to practice stress reduction and relaxation techniques which will help them be more successful at school and in life.
Alison Solow

Northside
Science / Mathmatics / Technology
Actually, I am a Rocket Scientist
Students will work collaboratively to design, construct and fly a rocket that will carry two raw eggs to an altitude of 750 ft, and bring the eggs back down in 45 seconds.
Johan Tabora

Northside Learning
Gardening
Plant Sale Tools
Students will plant various kinds of heirloom seeds so that they will learn to harden off--exposing the seedlings to more and more of the outside environment in a systematic manner.
Julie Rose

Payton
Fine Arts
Long-Distance Video Exchange
Students who connect through a Chicago Public School Distance Learning Lab will create thought-provoking videos revealing their views on social and cultural issues to share with students around the world.
Phyllis Burstein

Payton
Gardening
Rooftop Garden
Students and staff of Payton College Prep will build and maintain a rooftop garden for the purposes of environmental and botanical research.
Walt Kinderman, Jennifer Gran, Sarah Spencer

Schurz
Fine Arts
Ritratto di Donna (Portrait of a Lady)
Students will study the depiction of women in Italian art and take photographs depicting the important women in their lives. Finally, students will create a bound book containing the photos and the biographies of each woman.
Amy Souza

Sullivan
Publications
Sully Magazine
Our goal is to create a sustainable, annual literature and fine arts magazine that showcases creative writing and artwork created by students at Sullivan High School. Students selected to join the editorial staff will also learn graphic design, layout and print production.
David Boby, Ourania Haralampopoulos, Cassandra Hale-Daoud

Taft
Fine Arts
Hallway Mosaic Mural
Students will learn the art and craft of creating a mosaic mural, employing scientific inquiry, mathematics, writing, and the elements and principles of art. This project is designed to empower students and bolster student confidence, pride camaraderie and school ownership.
Joanne Conroy, Jennifer Trejo

Taft
Fine Arts
Hallway Mosaic Mural: Native Plants
Students will learn the art and craft of creating a mosaic mural, employing scientific inquiry, mathematics, writing, and the elements and principles of art. This project will showcase cultural diversity and identity.
Jennifer Trejo, Joanne Conroy

UPLIFT
Language Arts / English
Uplift Press
Eighth grade writing students will work as a team of editors to publish a literary magazine, UPLIFT PRESS. Students will work together to write, edit, and publish their own as well as other middle school students' submissions.
Jennifer Robin, Ashley Schoenherr

Vaughn
Service Learning / Character Ed.
Assisting Senior Citizens
High School Special Education Students accompanied by their teachers go into the school community and assist seniors with chores around their homes. Landscaping, painting, and household chores are included.
Gerard Slania, Patricia Bonness

Vaughn
Performing Arts
Hand Bell Choir
Students with cognitive delays will learn how to play hand bells and work together to perform concerts for the school and community.
Mara Silver

Vaughn
Service Learning / Character Ed
Homeless Stocking Project
After learning about how and why people become homeless, all students will participate in a service learning project. They will make holiday stockings, fill them with treats and deliver them to the Night Ministry who will give them to the homeless.
Catalina Fernandez

Vaughn
Service Learning / Character Ed.
Sewing Holiday Stockings & Scarves
Students will make a fleece scarf and a felt stocking to give to the Night Ministry to distribute to homeless teens. Students will create a budget and purchase gifts to fill the stockings.
Patricia Bonness

Vaughn
Fine Arts
Thanks for the Memories!
Students will create scrapbooks documenting the different seasons in Chicago communities while also showcasing their photographic talents by using different techniques. Students will create a book of memories, one for themselves and one for the school library.
Sara Ingraffia

Von Steuben
Fine Arts
Von Steuben 8th Annual FilmFestival
The Von Film Festival is a year-long project where students work together in teams to write, direct, act, film, and edit short films. The films are screened at our annual film festival.
Debbie Dunleavy, Jessica King, Ellen O'Keefe, David Bradburn, Tim Toner

York Alternative
Gardening
Gardening with Kitchen Throwaways
Students will learn about nature through indoor and outdoor gardening. They will learn how to garden with kitchen waste such as avocado, apple and orange seeds.
Barbara Horwick, Sean Coffey, Gina Tamamdjieva, Donielle Lawson, Tiffany Jackson, John Malone

York Alternative
Language Arts / English
Project Atlas
The students will create and compose a collection of self-reflective writings to address the issues that Chicago teens face. The goal of the project is to communicate lessons learned by our students in the hopes of preventing others from being incarcerated.
Chelsea Armstrong, Karl Schenk