Guild honors conductor of Northwest Symphony Orchestra

• The Conductors Guild, an international association of conductors, has honored Paul Vermel, music director and conductor of the Northwest Symphony Orchestra, with its Max Rudolf Award. The award is given in recognition of outstanding achievement as a conductor and pedagogue and significant service to the profession in scholarship, advocacy and/or ensemble building. Vermel joined the Northwest Symphony Orchestra as conductor in 1994. Concerts are performed November through May at Maine West High School in Des Plaines.

• South Barrington resident Nancy Gianni has been named one of the 2008 Chicagoans of the Year by Chicago Magazine, for her dedication to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by Down syndrome. Gianni, who has a Down syndrome child, opened GiGi's Playhouse Down Syndrome Awareness Center in 2003. The center provides programming, national campaigns and education to support individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

• The Elk Grove Village Jaycees have named their 2009 officers: Jennifer Rupert, president; Karen Szull, management vice president; Rebecca Lauseng, state director; Michelle Hartig, treasurer; Julie Bergeson, community development vice president; John Pruyn, individual development vice president; Amber Schroeder, secretary; Kary Green, local director; and Michelle Langston, local director.

• The Leyden High School District 212 Speech Team won nine awards at the Willowbrook Invitational Tournament on Dec. 13. Kristie Belmont led the team with a first place medal in Oratorical Declamation; Polina Zasheva took second place in Poetry Reading and sixth place in Dramatic Interpretation; while Ashley Boyte captured third place in Extemporaneous Speaking and fourth place in Impromptu Speaking. Anthony Pisano captured fourth place in Radio Speaking; Amaury Michel took fourth place in Special Occasion Speaking; Alicia Fraticola, fifth place in Humorous Interpretation; and Trisha Urcid took sixth Place in Poetry Reading.

• Maciek Zmyslowski, of Des Plaines, a Maine West High School student, won a state level fencing tournament hosted Dec. 6 by Northwestern University. Zmyslowski qualified in the Men's Eppe for the Junior Olympic National Championships to be held in Albuquerque N.M. He earned an "A" classification, the highest awarded by the United States Fencing Association.