Community Photos

•   Susan Saint James (seated, second from right) joins classmates of 50 years ago at Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart Reunion Weekend during which she was the keynote speaker Oct. 4. Also pictured are, from left, Peggy Connelly Karol, Geri-Anne Benning, Mariclaire Halligan Dixon, Mary Ann Entrup, Colleen Sullivan Farrell, Saint James and Suzie Floberg Hayes. John Rodas
•   Sophomore Willa Hart of Winnetka will perform a cello solo during the Woodlands Academy Symphonic Orchestra?s rendition of "Stille Nacht" by Mannheim Steamroller during the annual Christmas Concert Thursday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. This event, open to the public free of charge, features choral and orchestral music of the season. It takes place in the Chapel of the Sacred Heart at the school, 760 E. Westleigh Road, Lake Forest. Visit www.woodlandsacademy.org for more information. Woodlands Academy
•   The BG Singers are preparing for their 21st Annual Choral Concert, "Coast to Coast" at Stevenson High School in the West Auditorium on November 8 and 9 at 7:30 and Nov. 10 at 3:00. Tickets are available at the door or bigdealproductions.org. For further information, contact Lindsay Grandt at 847 850-2132 Debbie Macklin
•   Nearly 100 fourth-through-seventh-grade students from St. Malachy School in Chicago visited Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart in Lake Forest Feb. 7 for a day of events including an uplifting gospel liturgy, pizza lunch, talent show and a carnival. This celebration marked the latest chapter in a Black History Month tradition between the inner-city grade school and the North Shore high school dating back to 1996. Pictured here, students from both schools joined the combined choirs at the conclusion of the gospel liturgy to sing “We Shall Overcome” in honor of Pete Seeger, who passed away Jan. 27. Woodlands Academy
•   It’s countdown time for Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart’s 41st annual financial aid fundraiser, Congé. Modeling this year’s theme colors are (from left) Co-Chair Mary Oelerich of Chicago, Silent Auction Chair Alison Kohlmeyer of Lake Forest and Co-Chair Jean Olson of Evanston. The fundraising starts at 9 a.m. Friday, April 11, with online bidding at www.bidpal.net/Congé for a variety of exciting silent auction items such as four VIP tickets to a Los Angeles taping of Conan O’Brien’s TBS TV show, a Chicago Blackhawks hockey stick signed by members of the 2013-14 team and for wine enthusiasts, a 750ml bottle of Chateau Petrus Pomerol (2006). Online bids will be accepted up to and then as part of the silent auction that takes place during the Congé dinner event which begins with cocktails at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at the Glen View Club, 100 Golf Road, Golf, IL. Silent auction bidding ends at 10 p.m.
  
  For more information about Congé contact Woodlands Academy Associate Director of Advancement for Special Events Tami Rocha at 847-234-4300, ext. 226 or visit www.woodlandsacademy.org Woodlands Academy
•   A Halloween contest during lunch was a highlight of the day that saw most students and many faculty members at Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart in costume Oct. 31. Judges used a decibel-meter app on their iPads to determine winners in various categories based on the cheers contestants received. Pictured, English teacher Erin Brysiewicz as the “Crazy Cat Lady” surrounded by her (advisory group) cats took second-place honors in the Sophomore Advisory Group category. Woodlands Academy
•   Heather Robbins, Trauma Treatment Program project director at the Lake County Health Department, received the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Patriot Award from Michael Peck, Superintendent of the Veterans Assistance Commission of Lake County. She was nominated by Oluwatoyin Hines, a major in the U.S. Army Reserve and an intern at the Health Department. Peck presented the award on behalf of the Illinois Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, which recognizes efforts employers make to support citizen warriors. Lake County Health Department
•   Sisters Lisa Clair (left), freshman, and Kristen Clair, sophomore, of Lake Forest were among the eight student recipients of first quarter Sacred Heart awards presented Oct. 23 at Woodlands Academy. They were nominated by their fellow students for exemplifying the Sacred Heart goal of commitment to the building of community as a Christian value. Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart
•   A 6:30 p.m. open house Nov. 12 will showcase the unique educational experience at Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart, 760 E. Westleigh Road in Lake Forest. Visitors will be able to tour the school, meet with teachers and coaches, and learn about the many exciting clubs and activities that are available to students. Woodlands Academy
•   "Local Girl Needs Help"
  A little girl in our community needs help with medical expenses. Her name is Isabella Oliver. Please see her story at: www.gofundme.com/Isabellasjourney. "Give, and you will receive...The amount you give will determine the amount you get back." Luke 6:38. Friends of Isabella Oliver
•   Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart students (from left) juniors Tara Gill of Libertyville and Marisa Alsberg of Lake Forest, sophomores Elena Gutierrez of Waukegan and Jen Slaughter of Lake Bluff, and freshmen Jenna Jiang of China and Mari Brady of Grayslake plus math teacher Elliot Coffey were among the recipients of second quarter Sacred Heart awards presented Dec. 10 at the school. They were nominated by members of the student body for exemplifying the Sacred Heart goal of commitment to a deep respect for intellectual values. Other student winners (not pictured) were seniors Manasa Datla of Long Grove and Jane Schumacher of Lake Bluff. Woodlands Academy
•   Vernon Hills High School students' shoe designs for the Custom Culture competition. Design by (left to right): Ann Ho, Kathleen McLoughlin, Tiffany Do, and Olivia Weaver. Vote for their designs at http://www.vans.com/customculture/vote/top50/ Allison Molloy
•   M. Curtis Whittington, a veteran waiting for a heart transplant, drove away in a recycled car Feb. 12 after being nominated by Tim Heiney, a case manager with Lake-McHenry Veterans and Family Services (LMVFS). The car was presented to the Whittington family at the 4th Annual Gifting of a Recycled Ride by CARSTAR Mundelein and their sponsors Esurance, 1-800-Charity Cars, Cottman Transmissions & Total Auto Care, Jack Phelan Dodge, MOPAR, Recycled Rides, Stafford’s, Keystone/LKQ, Atlas Car Wash, NABC, AutoZone, NTB, and St. Vincent de Paul. A reception was held for the gifting where local businesses and restaurants donated food and services. This is the second LMVFS client who has received a car through this annual program. The Lake-McHenry Veterans and Family Services program works through a network of agencies to help military personnel, veterans and their families face challenges, before, during and after their service to this country without eligibility restrictions. LMVFS is also a member of Illinois Joining Forces, an initiative formed to insure community level, military-culture sensitive support and services statewide. LMVFS is located at the Lake County Health Department, 121 E. Grand Avenue in Lake Villa, and has additional offices in Waukegan and McHenry. For more information, call: (847) 377-VET6 (8386). Lake County Health Department
•   Wine Tasting Banishes Cabin Fever For Record Crowd
  Barry and Mary Ellen Masek of Park Ridge enjoy swirling and sipping one of 60 wines at Clearbrook’s 50th annual A Grapevine of Friends Wine Tasting. More than 450 people attended the wine extravaganza. Chicago Corporate Photography
•   Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart seniors (from left) Bunny Olson of Evanston, Charlotte McMenamin Walshe of Highland Park, and Anna Deberry of Green Oaks, welcomed the class of 2017 to the Lake Forest school Aug. 28. Woodlands Academy
•   Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart Debate Team member Arminda Downey-Mavromatis, a sophomore from Gurnee, won second place in the finals of the Lincoln-Douglas debate rounds (novice category) at the Dec. 7 Buffalo Grove High School Classic. The topic for this tournament was "Resolved: In the United States criminal justice system, truth-seeking ought to take precedence over attorney-client privilege." Woodlands Academy
•   Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart sophomores Ellie Randolph of Lake Forest, Arminda Downey-Mavromatis of Gurnee and Elena Gutierrez of Waukegan (left to right) combined for a perfect 12-0 record en route to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place honors in the Lincoln-Douglas Novice Division at the 2013 Munster Open Debate Tournament in Munster, Ind. In addition, Downey-Mavromatis was named the Novice Division Tournament Champion. The Nov. 16 event drew 327 debaters from 18 schools in three states. Woodlands Academy
•   Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart Debate Team members Elena Gutierrez of Waukegan (left) and Arminda Downey-Mavromatis of Gurnee, both sophomores, finished the season by receiving awards at the Illinois Communication and Theatre Association (ICTA) State Tournament held March 15 at Belvidere North High School in Belvidere, Ill. Gutierrez was the top seed (out of a field of 41) in the playoff rounds after achieving an 8-1 record in the preliminary rounds. She ended the tournament as a quarterfinalist. Downey-Mavromatis earned the 6th place speaker award. Kyle Schmitt, coach of the Lake Forest school’s newly revived Debate Team, is proud of its achievements this year. “We are liked and respected newcomers in the northern Illinois debate circuit,” he said following the state meet. Woodlands Academy
•   Artwork by Woodlands Academy junior Erika Cerillo of Waukegan is among those featured at the Deer Path Art League Emerging Artists show in Lake Forest now through March 28. This is one of three exhibits in which artwork by several Woodlands Academy students is on display this month. The other shows are at the Lake Forest Library and the University of St. Francis School of Creative Arts in Fort Wayne, Ind. Woodlands Academy
•   Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart students Elizabeth (left) and Laura Bartusiak of Lake Forest were among the volunteers who packed meals at Feed My Starving Children in Libertyville recently. In all, nearly 30 girls from the Lake Forest school helped out Jan. 17 at the Libertyville site, 742 E. Park Ave. Volunteers that afternoon packed 142 boxes which represented 30,672 meals. This amount of meals translates to enough nourishment to feed 84 kids for an entire year.
  Woodlands Academy requires each student to do at least 70 hours of community service prior to graduation. Many students, though, are passionate about helping others and perform significantly more hours. Woodlands Academy
•   Woodlands Academy students (from left) Eleanore van Marwijk of Lake Barrington, Grace Reyes of Kenilworth and Elizabeth Bartusiak of Lake Forest rehearse a scene from "Our Town" to be presented by the school's Theatre Program Nov. 7-10. For information, visit www.woodlandsacademy.org or call (847) 234-4300. Woodlands Academy

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