Lake Park High School recently won the American Heart Association's "Outstanding Team of the Year" award for its efforts this past spring in raising $11,534 through its Hoops for Heart program.  This national award is one of only ten given to school-based efforts.  Each year, 35,000 schools across the country participate in Jump Rope for Heart or Hoops for Heart.  The "Outstanding Team of the Year" award recognizes a team of two or more volunteer coordinators which has seen significant growth with their Jump Rope for Heart or Hoops for Heart program. 

The three Lake Park coordinators, Dave Mikes, Stacy Chojnacki, and Alison Stephans successfully overcame the challenge of orchestrating an engaging event at the high school level.  Lake Park's unique situation of being split into two campuses made the success even more noteworthy. 

Lake Park has supported Hoops for Heart for over ten years.  In the past several years, our program has seen significant growth.  From the less than $1,000 per year which we previously raised, the event has grown to involve both campuses and raised $11,534 this past spring.  Based on this year's results, a traveling trophy in DuPage County finally made its way to Lake Park High School in honor of it being the highest-raising Hoops for Heart High School in DuPage County.  It is currently in the West Campus display case.

The tournament-style basketball competition is held the Friday before Spring Break each year.  Games are played throughout the day and students and staff  purchase wristbands to watch the games.  The culmination of the competition is the winning student team playing against a staff team.  Other activities include sales of t-shirts, wrist bands, heart-healthy smoothies, raffle drawing, and a half-court shot contest raffle.  Throughout March, heart-healthy activities featured incorporation of a heart-healthy food each Friday in the cafeteria, daily heart facts included in the school's morning announcements, and a nurse performing blood pressure checks and distributing educational information during the Hoops for Heart competition.  Everyone from the students and staff to administrators, parents, and community members helped to make the Lake Park High School Hoops for Heart event such a tremendous success.

Five Lake Park choral students were recently selected to compete in the 2010 Illinois Music Educators Association District 9 Festival.  Congratulations to Annie Mauro, Sarah Steffens, Cody Castle, Andrew Freeman, and Paul Santiago.  They will perform on November 20 at Hampshire High School.  Selected students from this festival will go on to perform at the IMEA All-State Festival in January in Peoria.

Congratulations to the girls cross country team, Upstate Eight Conference Champions, who have advanced as a team to the IHSA State Finals in Peoria this Saturday.  The Lancers were led by Kaylee Flanagan who is the Upstate Eight and IHSA Regional Individual Champion.  

Best wishes to freshman Nicole Alfano, junior Andrea Caravello, sophomore Molly Dimpsey, junior Meghan Duggan, freshman Danielle Falk, sophomore Kaylee Flanagan, junior Stephanie Galason, sophomore Ruth Garippo, senior Brianna Griffiths, sophomore Brianne Murphy, sophomore Alexis Sotis, and sophomore Krystal Sotis.  Head coach is Lauren May and assistant coach is Brian Hesik.

Join us tonight or tomorrow night for a comical version of one of the most popular love stories in literature - Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.  One of Austen's most comic and well-known works, Pride and Prejudice is the story of the middle-class Bennet family, a couple with five eligible daughters, whose mother's primary concern is the young ladies' marriages - most importantly, to wealthy husbands.

Elizabeth Bennet, played by senior Kirstie McHugh (shown in the above photo), is the fiercely independent second daughter who at first, completely hates the pride displayed by the brooding Mr. Darcy, portrayed by senior Adam Zeitoun (also shown in the photo).

"Elizabeth and Darcy are one of the most beloved romantic couples of all time," remarked Weber, "Audiences will enjoy watching their journey toward each other." Pride and Prejudice also includes a cast of 14 other characters who amuse and delight.

Lake Park will be in session on Veterans Day and is honoring veterans those who served in the armed forces in several ways.  
LP will again be partnering with the Roselle American Legion Post #1084 seeking financial contributions for the Gifts to the Yanks Who Gave fundraiser.  Students will be at several collection points (Walmart in Addison and Elk Grove, Walgreens in Roselle, and train stations in Itasca, Medinah and Roselle) on Veteran's Day.  The money is used to buy gifts for hospitalized veterans unable to celebrate the winter holidays with their families.  With our help, Post #1084 has been the top earner in the State for the past five years.  If your family would like to donate, we will also have a collection box in the main office at each campus.

Assemblies will be held on November 11 during 2nd period at West Campus and 8th period at East Campus.  Both will be held in the auditorium and will feature LP alumni veterans.  Parents are invited to attend.

The Illinois National Guard, along with a LP student bugler, will conduct Reveille in the morning at West Campus and Retreat at the end of the school day at East Campus.  Sodexo will provide students and staff with a "field ration meal" option served on a tin plate on Veterans Day.

LP teacher Seth Hible, who is also a 25-year member of the Illinois Army National Guard, is organizing the Veterans Day activities.  Seth joined the National Guard in 1985 to help pay for college expenses and has been activated three times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  His last deployment was to Afghanistan where he planned, coordinated and oversaw combat and security operations in Lahgman Province.

When asked why it is important to observe Veterans Day, Seth stated, "Today's servicemen and women constitute just 1% of the U.S. population.  Never in the history of our nation, has the freedom of so many been protected by so few. Students should recognize and understand the drive that causes one to serve his or her country."

As college and university application season winds down for the class of 2011, the Financial Aid season opens beginning January 1, 2011. Parents who have traveled down this road before know how important the Federal Application For Student Aid (FAFSA) can be for financing their student's college education. For parents who are new to the process, the FAFSA is the only document officially recognized by all colleges and universities to determine how much funding (in the form of scholarships, grants, work study, and loans a student will qualify for per school year) to pay for their education.

To help parents and students understand the process of funding a college education, the West Campus counseling department is sponsoring a seminar for all college-bound students and parents called "Paying for College Night". The seminar will be on Thursday, November 18 from 7 to 9 pm in the West Campus Auditorium. Our guest speak is a veteran Financial Aid Officer from Roosevelt University, Mr. Mike Dezzimoz, who will explain the FAFSA, various funding opportunities, and answer your financial aid questions.

Get ready for the second annual HU HU Huge Food Drive, which will be held November 15 - 19.  It includes a friendly competition between East and West campuses; the winner will be home to a travelling trophy for the year.  Please encourage your student to bring a donated item from home.  We hope to surpass the 11,000 items which were collected last year.  Donations will be given to Lake Park families in need and local food pantries.

The National School Nurse Organization is providing free discount prescription drug cards to school-aged students and their families.  This card allows individuals to receive medications, mostly generic versions, at a lower cost than they would otherwise pay without insurance.  The card enables individuals to save up to 75% on some medications, although it averages 30% on most medications.

The purpose of the card is to reduce the cost of medication.  It is NOT insurance.  If you already have medical insurance and prescription coverage, it is likely that this discount card will not help your family.

CVS, Walgreens, Meijer, Cub, Target and Walmart are among the national chains that accept the card.  Many local pharmacies also accept the card, however you will need to check with those businesses individually.  Families can also save on glasses, diabetic supplies and hearing aids by presenting the card.

At a time when families are feeling the impact of the economy and need access to affordable medication, the National School Nurses Organization is helping to keep students healthy, in school and ready to learn.  Click here for a list of pharmacies which accept the prescription drug cards.  If you would like a card, please have your student see one of our school nurses, Mary McDonald at East Campus or Lucy Brinka at West Campus.

The Lake Park Educational Foundation is seeking nominations for its 2010-2011 Lake Park Spirit of Excellence Awards.  These awards honor senior students, staff, and alumni who consistently demonstrate excellence at Lake Park. 

The Lake Park Educational Foundation created the Lake Park Spirit of Excellence Awards based on an appreciation that a quality public education is vital to the health of our community.  The Foundation believes that by investing in the strength of our students, staff and alumni, it is also investing in the strength of the Lake Park community as well. 

Honorees will be celebrated at the Lake Park Spirit of Excellence Celebration Dinner on March 24, 2011.  Deadline to nominate an individual for the Spirit of Excellence Awards is Tuesday, November 30.  To download a copy of the nomination forms, click here.  

11/5          End of 2nd Grading Period
11/5          Youth and Gov't. Pre Leg. - Metea Valley
11/5-6       Marching Band BOA Regionals - Indianapolis
11/5-6       "Pride and Prejudice"
11/6          Girls Cross Country State Finals - Peoria
11/8          First Day of Practice - BBball, BWrest., GBowl., GGym.

11/8          LPPE Meeting
11/9          EC Vision/Hearing Screening
11/10        Booster Club Meeting
11/11        Veterans Day Assemblies
11/11-13   Marching Band Nationals - Indianapolis
11/11        College Unidos
11/12        Friends of Lake Park Breakfast
11/13        IMEA Choral Jazz Festival
11/13        BV Bowling - LP Invitational
11/13        GV Swim and Dive Sectionals
11/16        IML Math Contest #2
11/16        BV Bowling - Streamwood Lanes
11/16        GV Bball Thanksgiving Tournament - Hoffman Estates
11/17        SMART Day
11/17        LP Educational Foundation Meeting
11/17        Market Day
11/18        Paying for College Night
11/18        Women of Promise Tea
11/18        BV Bowling - Roselle

11/18        GV Bball - Elk Grove