Richards wins Best Broadcast Journalism Program award
Bulldog Dispatch, the video news magazine at Richards High School in Oak Lawn, won Best Broadcast Journalism Program at the All American High School Film Festival in New York City.
The festival drew more than 2,500 broadcast and film submissions from 40 countries.
“Our students’ work was screened at the AMC Empire 25 Theater in Times Square. They were recognized among the top young digital media students in the world,” said teacher Aaron Vermedal.
Richards students and graduates contributing to Bulldog Dispatch include Izzy Malkowski, Ovi Montes, Rachel Haynes, Abby Hobbs, Amelia Benson, Leila Guerrero, Mariah Santiago, and Mercedes Santiago.
Vermedal and his students also won Best News Program for Bulldog Dispatch at the South Suburban College High School Video Contest. This award recognized the production as the best high school news program in the region.
Matteson area students, seniors get pumpkin surprise
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A shortage of school buses available for extracurricular activities made autumn field trips tough to accomplish for officials in Matteson School District 162, so they revived a pandemic-era initiative and once again brought autumn fun to the students.
Pumpkin Patch Days took place this week at Illinois Elementary and Indiana Elementary schools in Park Forest, Richton Square and Sauk schools in Richton Park, Arcadia Elementary in Olympia Fields and Matteson Elementary in Matteson as district officials delivered thousands of pumpkins to the facilities.
Each of the district’s schools has planned lessons and activities centered around pumpkins from Pumpkin Day “Olympic” games to petting zoos and face painting.
“Bringing the world to our children is our calling as educators,” said Blondean Y. Davis, the district’s superintendent. “Our Pumpkin Patch Day is a way to delight our children and create a day of fun, learning and memories.”
Older students helped spread the pumpkin joy to older residents in the area too, as student members of the National Junior Honor Society and Yearbook Club at Huth Middle School in Matteson decorated pumpkins to donate to people at the Shirley J. Green Township Senior Center in Park Forest.
“It gives our students a chance to not only be a part of Pumpkin Day but to participate in community service,” said Brenda Calvin, Huth’s principal. “And it brings the joy of Pumpkin Day to seniors in our community.”
Evergreen Park students volunteer for Sleep in Heavenly Peace
Six Evergreen Park Community High School students spent a gorgeous fall Saturday helping those in need last week as members of the EPCHS Service Club volunteered with Sleep in Heavenly Peace organization, which builds and delivers beds to local children who do not have a bed.
“The weather was beautiful as we helped sand, construct, stain and brand 24 bunk beds,” said Anna Papasideris, one of the Service Club’s faculty sponsors.
EPCHS students Morgan Ellis, Shalimar Muhammad, Rachel Thomas, Kimberly Bautista, Sheridan Stiles and Joseph Brandt contributed to the volunteer effort with Papasideris and school counselor Eileen Durkin.
Christmas Without Cancer fundraiser set
Harvesting Hope, which benefits the nonprofit Christmas Without Cancer, returns from 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 5 at 115 Bourbon Street, 3359 West 115th Street in Merrionette Park. The event features live entertainment, raffles, and games.
Open to ages 21 and above, admission to Harvesting Hope is $50 per person, with tickets available for purchase at the door or in advance online at christmaswithoutcancer.org/harvestinghope.
Christmas Without Cancer has aided thousands of people across the Chicago area by adopting multiple families that are going through the devastation of cancer and supplying them with gift cards for groceries, medications, gas, and other needed items, as well as help with mortgage payments, rent, tuition, day care, and travel related expenses for treatment.
More information is at www.christmaswithoutcancer.org.
Stagg band boosters offer craft fair
Stagg High School Music Booster organization presents Art for the Season, an arts and crafts fair, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 12 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 13 at the school, 8015 W 111th St. in Palos Hills.
The fair includes over 150 art, craft and vendor booths offering handmade jewelry, seasonal and home décor, wood crafts, clothing accessories, children’s items, soaps and lotions and more. The fair also features raffles, lunch and food sampling.
Admission to the fair is $3 and all proceeds benefit Stagg High School’s music programs. Information is at 708-974-7520.
Healthy agriculture topic of online Sierra Club meeting
The Sauk-Calumet Sierra Club Group will learn about Supporting Healthy Agriculture at the group’s next meeting at 7:15 p.m. Nov. 14 on the Zoom online platform.
Food packaging often includes such claims as “Natural,” “ecological,” or “better for the planet.” How to know which labels are accurate, and whether you’re being greenwashed? The Sauk-Calumet Group’s own Sam Bretz will discuss how to support agriculture that’s better for the planet, and how to evaluate all those labels so that you truly get the products and food you want.
She will also talk about food waste issues and what we can do as individuals to help, the importance of shopping locally, and reusables.
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Information on joining the program is with Lois Lauer at 708-923-1550, or [email protected], or Ann Baskerville at [email protected] before Nov. 11. All meetings are free and open both to Sierra Club members and the general public.
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