Neighbors in the News
The Maine Township High School District 207 Educational Foundation named Douglas A. Lauffenburger the ninth annual Maine West High School Distinguished Alumnus for 2015. Lauffenburger, Class of 1971, has been a leader in the field of biomedicine and engineering for more than 30 years. After graduating from Maine West, Lauffenburger earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Illinois in 1975, and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota in 1979. He is currently on the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, serving as professor and director of the biological engineering division and co-director of bioengineering and environmental health. After a day of visiting classes at Maine West, he was honored during a dinner hosted by the Educational Foundation at the Millrose Restaurant in South Barrington, and at the Maine West Senior Honors Assembly June 5.
• Marina Oakley, a 2015 graduate of Barrington High School, was the recipient of the Richard C. Johnson Memorial Galfer Award, presented by the Barrington High School Performing Arts Alumni Endowment, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the performing arts at Barrington High School and the archiving of its achievements. The award recognizes a graduating senior for participation and leadership in the performing arts and is named in honor of Richard C. Johnson, founder of the Performing Arts program, and Beth and Michael Galfer, for their support of Barrington High School's performing arts. Oakley will attend Oklahoma City University and work toward a bachelor of fine arts degree in theater lighting design and production.
• Forty-five Rolling Meadows High School students enrolled in French classes taught by Sara Kahle Ruiz and Sharon Horwath have earned national medals and honorable mentions in the annual National French Contest, Le Grand Concours. The students who received national medals are: Matthew Nikolich-Wilson, Anguel Lopez, Megan Clark, Susanna D'Silva, Andrei Popa and Azucena Marquez. Le Grand Concours is a national competition sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French. Students were evaluated for their written, oral and listening comprehension skills in French. More than 90,000 students in all 50 states competed in the event.
• Realtor Kristin Pfad is now affiliated with the Barrington office of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. Pfad, who has five years of real estate experience, works with buyers, short sales, REOs, rentals and investment properties, specializing in the Northwest suburbs.
• Submit your 'Neighbor in the News' items to Norrine Twohey at ntwohey@dailyherald.com.