Neighbors in the news: St. Isaac principal honored with Lewis University award
• Barrington resident Carol Burlinski, principal of St. Isaac Jogues Catholic School, Hinsdale, was named the 2022 recipient of the Bishop Roger L. Kaffer Outstanding Principal Award from Lewis University.
Granted by Lewis University's Institute for the Advancement of Catholic and Lasallian Education, the annual award recognizes a Catholic school principal in the Diocese of Joliet for visionary leadership based on a nomination from his/her pastor and recommendations from peers.
Burlinski previously served as principal and associate principal of Curriculum and Instruction at Buffalo Grove High School; division chairwoman of Social Studies/World Languages/English Language Learner and history teacher at John Hersey High School; supervisor of the Cooperative Teacher Education Program at the University of Illinois and District 214 in Buffalo Grove; and as a junior high social studies teacher at St. Juliana School in Chicago.
Burlinski, who holds a master's degree from Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, and a bachelor's degree from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, was surprised with the award on Oct. 14, when a Mass was celebrated in her honor at St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church.
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Joseph P. Hettich, 12, of Antioch was awarded a certificate and check for $1,000 for his winning entry, "My Story as a Military Child," into the Reserve Organization of America Family Readiness Committee's Reading Contest.
The award and check were presented to Joseph by U.S. Coast Guard Capt. (Ret.) Robert H. Carmack, the ROA national president, at the Crystal City Marriott at Reagan National Airport, in Washington, D.C.
Joseph read his paper at the ROA banquet to an audience of approximately 250 members, guests, families, dignitaries, military members and veterans.
Joseph attends Saint Bede School, Ingleside, and is active in track and the cooking club. He is a tenderfoot Scout and scribe with Antioch Boy Scout Troop 92 and a den chief with Antioch Cub Scout Pack 111. He is also a youth ambassador and member of the Chain of Lakes Pheasants Forever and a member of the Chain of Lakes Ducks Unlimited. He assists with planning Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies with Antioch American Legion Post 748 and Antioch VFW Post 4551.
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Libertyville resident Jason Kappes launched his online language learning game titled Newcomer Oct. 25 on Kickstarter.com.
Newcomer mixes the fun and challenge of a video game with learning English, Spanish, French and Italian. Players learn to converse in a second language as they navigate the Newcomer fantasy world.
"Newcomer is a game with language learning embedded in a fantasy world," said Kappes. "Players explore new fantasy worlds to encounter challenges, battles and earn rewards along the way to learn words, phrases and sentences."
Kappes studied at DePaul University's College of Computing and Digital Media. He worked for several tech firms before setting out on his own to develop Newcomer.
What is Kappes' goals with Newcomer? In the next year, he will secure funding to complete the Beta version, then roll it out to the public and eventually classrooms in one-three years.
"Ultimately, my goal is to make anything, not just languages, easier to learn through the use of game-based learning applications," says Kappes.
• Tommy Hensel, Elgin Community College's senior director of Performing Arts, received the Chicago Cabaret Presenter Award at the Chicago Cabaret 2022 gala at the Epiphany Center for the Arts on Oct. 17.
Hensel, who has more than 30 years of working professionally as a director, actor and arts presenter, began at ECC as the senior director of the ECC Arts Center in February 2022. He sits on the board of North American Performing Arts Managers and Agents, and is also a writer for "Your Chicago Guide," where his primary focus is reviewing restaurants.
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