Connor Siegel ('09), a junior at Evanston Township High School, took first place in Principles of Finance at the recent Illinois DECA State Career Development Conference, held in Decatur.

Connor's first-place win qualifies him to be one of three students representing Illinois to compete in the Principles of Finance event at the DECA International Conference to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, late next month. Connor was among 14 ETHS students who attended the state conference, where they competed against 1,000 other students attending from schools all over the state of Illinois.

DECA is an extracurricular activity for students interested in business, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Students compete against students from other schools in business role play events and they can also develop a business oriented project to present at the conference. Way to go, Connor!

Sophie Kornbluh ('09) is one of three students from Evanston Township High School who have qualified for state finals of the Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) Academic Challenge team. Sophie will participate in the finals on April 5 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the biology final, while her teammate competes in the computer science final.

Headquartered at the University of Illinois, the WYSE Academic Challenge is a statewide competition that administers a series of tests in biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, mathematics, and English to high school teams and individuals. Way to make us proud, Sophie!

 

Class of 2008 Parent Reunion

We were so thrilled to welcome back to Baker parents of our 2008 graduates, who are getting ready to celebrate another graduation soon - from high school!  Parents gathered in our library on February 16 for a wine cheese reception hosted by Carol Golder and JodiLee Mesirow.  There was great conversation and contagious laughter - and plans made for a student reunion in the spring!

 

 

Eric Baker and Sophie Kornbluh ('08) rock WYSE!

A team of ETHS students won the Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) regional competition on February 3, 2012.  Headquartered at the University of Illinois, the WYSE Academic Challenge is a statewide competition that administers a series of tests in biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, mathematics, and English to high school teams and individuals.

Among the fourteen first place regional team members were two Baker graduates:  Erik Baker and Sophie Kornbluh. In addition, both Eric and Sophie earned individual medals, with Sophie placing first in Biology and Eric placing second in English. Best of luck to Eric and Sophie, and their team members, as they move on to the March 9 sectional and vie for a spot at the 2012 state finals in April.

 

Quinn Sengupta ('09) Earns Top Honors in Jazz Piano

Quinn placed first among high school jazz pianists invited to the recent IMEA (Illinois Music Educators) All-State Conference and was named to the Honors Jazz Combo, the top jazz ensemble. This past fall, Illinois students performed in regional competitions, with top musicians in each region invited to Peoria for the statewide festival. To watch Quinn (in a combo comprised of other top Illinois jazz musicians), click here. Quinn solos at 5:30.

 

Alison Cherry Honored as Young Adult Author

Alison Cherry (class of 1996) is about to be published as a young adult author, has signed her first contract and is already writing her third book.  Her debut novel, RED, is coming from Delacorte Press in the summer of 2013.  Here's the blurb from Publisher's Marketplace:
 
"Alison Cherry's debut RED, set in a small town where the redness of your hair is directly tied to your social standing, until the coolest and reddest girl in school is blackmailed on the eve of the Miss Scarlet pageant, to Wendy Loggia at Delacorte, in a two-book deal, by Holly Root at Waxman Literary Agency (world English)."

 

Erin Haddock Breaks a Leg

Erin Haddock (class of 2000) has the lead role in For This Theater Productions' Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen.  The show's director and producer describe Erin as "a magnificent up-and-coming Chicago actress [who] does a remarkable job in this production." 

 

Alumni Day 2011

Our annual High School Alumni Day drew a record number of Baker graduates, who were excited to reunion on campus, share their high school experience with current Middle School students, and even participate in gym class with Mr. Beck. Following the Monday Mile and a game of soccer with the sixth grade, grads were heard saying, "I needed that!" and "Baker is so awesome." Who knew that students would be so nostalgic for physical education? Come back any time!

 

 

Julia Crowley-Farenga Honored by Siemens

Julia Crowley-Farenga ('08) is among the contenders for the highest science honor awarded to American high school students, as the winners of the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology Region Five Finals were announced on Saturday, November 12, 2011. Julia, along with her partner, Patrick Loftus, won the $6,000 Team scholarship. Their astronomy project entitled, Morphological Classification of Post-Starburst Galaxies, examined and classified 2,811 galaxies.

"Ms. Crowley-Farenga and Mr. Loftus have conducted a comprehensive visual classification of 'post-starburst' galaxies in order to explain how galaxies progress from star-forming to non- star-forming states," said competition judge Dr. Leigh Royden, chair of the Program in Geology and Geochemistry at MIT. "Their results indicate that large-mass and small-mass galaxies undergo this transition in different ways. Small-mass galaxies expel matter by supernova activity, while large-mass galaxies undergo mergers that disrupt the distribution of matter within the galaxies. These students have made a fundamental contribution to understanding the evolution of galaxies. Their results suggest a link between the end of star formation in large galaxies and the growth of black holes at the center of these galaxies."

From a young age, Julia would search for shooting stars and dreamed of becoming an astronaut traveling across the universe. She still hopes to be an astronaut or work for NASA. She plans to major in engineering, materials science or nanotechnology.

 

Eric Baker Leads the Debate

Erik Baker ('08), president of the ETHS Debate Team, made it to the 16th round of the Mid-America Cup, a debate competition held in September at Valley High School in Des Moines.  Erik’s success earns him a bid, ETHS's first ever, in the Tournament of Champions which brings together some of the most competitively successful debaters.  In November, competing at the Glenbrooks invitational, in a field of over 200 schools from 32 states, Erik reached the quarterfinals of Lincoln Douglas Debate.

 

Baker Grads Make a Mark on High School Football

Aaron Potts, Ray Bahr and Taylor Nakagawa are 2008 Baker graduates who started on the Evanston Township High School Wildkits football team this season.  Taylor was a starting cornerback on the defense, and Aaron was a starting running back and also one of the team captains.  Ray was a starting running back and linebacker, and led the team in rushing and touchdowns (12).  In addition, Jack Miya, also a 2008 graduate, was a starting quarterback for St. Ignatius this season.

 

The Class of 2011 Heads to High School

Baker Demonstration School graduates traditionally attend highly competitive high schools. Chicagoland Jewish High School, Evanston Township High School, Francis W. Parker School, Jones College Prep, Lane Tech College Prep High School, Lincoln Park High School, Loyola Academy, New Trier Township High School, Niles North High School, Niles West High School, North Shore Country Day School, Northside College Prep High School, Phillips Exeter Academy, St. Ignatius College Prep, The Chicago Academy for the Arts, and Walter Payton College Prep all count Baker graduates among their recent classes. Against this backdrop, Baker extends congratulations to the Class of 2011 and wishes them the best of luck at the schools of their choice.

 

Recent Alumni Academic Honors

Congratulations to Erik Baker, Evanston Township High School, and Robert Rose, Lincoln Park High School, for being named National Merit Semi-Finalists. About 16,000 Semifinalists from throughout the country were named Wednesday, September 21. The seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,300 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $34 million that will be offered next spring. Erik and Robert graduated in 2008 with a class of 31.

Baker Alumni Inducted into 2011 ETHS National Honor Society
Marjorie Brewer
Julia CrowleyFarenga
Remy CrowleyFarenga
Maya Dinerstein
Solveig Herzum
Sophie Kornbluh
Taylor Nakagawa
Hanna Selekman
McLain Vincent
Emma Wolfe

High School Latin Exam Honors
Each year, 150,000 high schoolers take a 40-question Latin exam; 37% of ETHS students scored at or above the international average and 45 received awards.

Congratulations to:
Erik Baker and Julia CrowleyFarenga:  Gold Medal-Summa Cum Laude
Solveig Herzum, Anna Nelson and Connor Siegel:  Silver Medal-Maxima Cum Laude
Remy CrowleyFarenga:  Magna Cum Laude
Emma Cohen, Natalie Jacobson and Julian Newman:  Cum Laude

Aaron Potts, Evanston Township High School, was honored at the 14th Annual African-American Youth Achievement Awards. Honorees were recognized for best demonstrating the characteristics of pioneering African-American pathfinders.

Congratulations to the following Loyola Academy Students on their 2010-2011 academic honors:
Sebastien S. Chavannes, '13:  Academic First Honors Achievement
Mia Cudecki, '13:  Academic First Honors Achievement
Virginia A. Fox, '13:  Loyola Scholars 93% Semester Average
Abigail L. Hay, '13:  Loyola Second Honors Achievement
Kamryn H. McPike, '12:  Loyola Scholars 93% Semester Average