Dear EPCHS Families:
Parents, part of our mission focuses on teaching our students to be responsible citizens. This is especially demonstrated in school by consistently attending each day and showing up to each class on time while being a productive student. We accept no excuses in these areas and we trust in your support of our endeavor to hold our students to high standards.
We're coming off what in many ways will go down as an historic month of February at Evergreen Park Community High School and are looking forward to what could possibly be an even better month of March.
It was our honor to host a living music legend on February 20 as the Chicago blues great Buddy Guy made a visit to EPCHS for a special Black History Month event. Mr. Guy shared some insightful stories as he was interviewed by his grandson, EPCHS senior Nikolus Guy and Samantha Ricks, another EPCHS senior.
In that same Auditorium, our theater students delivered a masterful performance of "Something Rotten!" the weekend before, and, the day after Buddy Guy's visit, we were proud to host representatives from five local unions to help guide our students who are considering going into the trades after graduation.
February also included five of our varsity wrestlers and eight Mathletes qualify for the IHSA State Finals. The month marked the end of an era as longtime basketball coach Bruce Scaduto coached his final game in Evergreen Park, and concluded with an historic moment when our boys basketball team under the direction of Head Coach Jim Sexton won the regional championship for the first time in more than 50 years!
A special congratulations also goes out to EPCHS science teacher Bryn Zingrebe, who was named this year's Outstanding Early Career Educator by the Illinois State Board of Education this past month.
This month, we're on the doorstep of hosting the first Ever-Read Young Adult Literary Festival on March 16, when prominent authors from across the area will promote literacy among young adults through panels, workshops and other events planned throughout the day in our award-winning Learning Resource Center.
Sincerely,
Thomas O'Malley, Superintendent
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EPCHS science teacher Bryn Zingrebe has been named the Outstanding Early Career Educator by the Illinois State Board of Education.
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She is one of 15 teachers statewide to be included in the 2024 Teacher of the Year cohort.
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Media Coverage on Bryn Zingrebe:
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Chicago blues legend Buddy Guy paid a visit to Evergreen Park Community High School for a special Black History Month event on February 20. The 8-time Grammy winner was interviewed on stage at the Marshall Batho Auditorium by his grandson, EPCHS student Nikolus Guy, and Samantha Ricks, one of Nikolus' classmates.
Mr. Guy told some great stories on the history of blues in Chicago, as well as a number of the other all-time music greats with whom he has collaborated with over the years.
WATCH: WGN Coverage of Buddy Guy Night at EPCHS
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SCHOLASTIC BOWL CHAMPS! Our Evergreen Park Community High School scholastic bowl team won the South Suburban Conference Red Division championship!
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EPCHS Helps Animal Shelter Recover from Fire
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A recent pet food drive organized by Amy Kazin, Evergreen Park Community High School’s Director of Activities and Fine Arts, helped support the dogs and cats displaced after a dryer fire broke out at the P.A.W.S. Animal Shelter in Tinley Park in January.
Students at EPCHS and their families brought in more than 150 pounds of dog food and more than 100 pounds of cat food, according to the shelter. The food donations were enough to feed more than 30 animals.
Siblings Hannah and Nolan Rahm are EP music alums and have been involved with P.A.W.S. for many years, Kazin said. It’s that connection that made the callout for donations a must.
“I’m an animal lover, and I know firsthand the important work that P.A.W.S. does to help nurse animals back to health and find them loving forever homes,” Kazin said. “They rely strictly on donations to carry out their work, and a fire like that could have closed them down for good.”
The donations from the EPCHS community also included treats, blankets and more than 100 toys to entertain the animals, the shelter said.
“It's been wonderful to see the public respond so generously so that they can continue their mission, and I'm glad that EP could lend a hand,” Kazin said.
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WELDING SWEEP! The welding team at Evergreen Park Community High School pulled off a sweep at the high school welding competition hosted by Moraine Valley Community College on February 9.
The group of nine Mustang students not only finished in first place in the Division 1 competition against three other schools, but also swept the top three individual awards handed out at the competition.
Zach Gumban finished in first place overall, winning a $1,000 educational scholarship. It’s the second year in a row in which Gumban has finished first in the Moraine Valley competition.
Diego Abonce finished second overall, winning a $500 educational scholarship and Aidan Brunner finished third, winning $300 worth of welding gear.
Evergreen Park has now finished in first place in five of the past six Moraine Valley high school welding competitions.
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Free Programs Available in Support of Positive Youth Development
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GPS Parent Series: Navigating Healthy Families and Communities is an educational consortium that presents distinguished world-class speakers who share empowering strategies and practical tips to provide insight, inspiration and engagement in support of positive youth development. Programs are offered free of charge to caregivers, educators, clinicians, students and community members everywhere and no registration is required. Please visit GlenbardGPS.org. to find links to weekly events and hybrid presentations offered in multiple languages at noon and 7 p.m.
See the flyer below for information on upcoming GPS events.
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Lit Fest 2024: What to Know Before You Go
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All young adult literature lovers, adults included, are invited to attend!
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Evergreen Park boys basketball made history on the night of February 23 when the Mustangs beat Hillcrest, 74-60, in the IHSA Regional Championship game at home. Senior Tre Dowdell poured in 32 points to lead the way, as Ulises Cardenas added 13 points and Lonnie Mosley put in 10 points.
The win gave the program its first regional title since the 1973-1974 season.
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- Five EPCHS wrestlers - Eduardo Antunuez, Gerald O'Hare, Angel Ramirez, Genesis Ward and Chance Woods - qualified for the IHSA state finals as individuals.
- Boys basketball had four players make the All-Conference team: Nolan Sexton, Tre Dowdell, Billy Buchanan and Keshaun Vaval.
- Jack VonBank, Lukas Spain, Alex Carmody, Connor Faulkner, Jack Bledsoe, Billy Gricus, Luke Brady and Nik Guy were all top 6 finishers at the boys swimming conference meet held at Shepard.
- EPCHS will host a college volleyball match between Western Michigan and DePaul on April 20.
- Bruce Scaduto (pictured below) was a winner in his final home game as basketball coach in Evergreen Park, as the Lady Mustangs defeated Ridgewood, 45-29 on February 7.
- All five Lady Mustang seniors - Taylor Yeaman, Isabelle Carney, Cassidy McMullin, Olivia Kupscuk and Abby Kupscuk - got on the scoreboard on Senior Night.
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- March 4: Casimir Pulaski Day, no school
- March 8-10: Snowball Weekend
- March 11: Music Booster Meeting
- March 12: STamPede Meeting
- March 16: Ever-Read YA Literary Festival
- March 20: Illinois Science Assessment
- March 22: NHS Talent Show
- March 26: EPCHS D231 Board of Education Meeting
- March 28: Parent-Teacher Conferences
- March 29: No School
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