For Immediate Release

February 21, 2024

Lockport, IL. – The Lockport Township High School District 205 Board of Education appointed Lance Thies to the Board at its February 20th meeting. Thies was selected from a pool of 16 applicants to serve the remaining term for Marty Boersma, who resigned in December. Thies is a multi-disciplinary landscape architect and planner and is currently employed as the Director of Community and Economic Development for the City of Lockport. He possesses a Bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture from Ball State University and a Master's in Business Administration from Concordia University Chicago. Thies and his wife have lived in Lockport since 2000, and their two children graduated from Lockport Township High School. Mrs. Ana Lopez-Caneva, Board President, commented, "We are very happy that Lance Thies is part of our Board of Education. His expertise in architecture will help us as we move forward with Central Campus improvements. His community involvement will also help keep our Board connected to our stakeholders."

Last month, the Board named Greenan as the new Assistant Superintendent of Personnel. Greenan currently serves as East Campus Principal. He will succeed Anthony Cundari, who will retire in May after twelve years of service to the District. Dr. Greenan has served District 205 for the past 22 years in several roles before becoming Principal in 2019, including teacher, coach, dean, and Assistant Principal at East Campus. District 205 Superintendent Robert McBride, remarked, "After serving for five years in the role of East Campus Principal, Dr. Greenan has developed the people skills and knowledge to lead a Human Resources Department that serves our most valuable resource, our staff members. Dr. Greenan is making a natural step in his leadership and commitment to Lockport Township High School District 205. He emerged as the successful candidate out of a field of 27 candidates and through three interview rounds". Dr. Greenan earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from the University of St. Francis.

Dr. Jacqueline Johnson was selected as the new Principal of Lockport Township High School East Campus, replacing Dr. Greenan beginning the 2024-2025 school year. Dr. McBride remarked, "Dr. Jacqueline Johnson comes to the role of East Campus Principal with a career of experience in teaching and learning, building and district leadership, equity and diversity in public high schools, and articulation with middle schools. She also has a state-wide reputation as an educational and thought leader, serving on several state-wide committees and boards. We are excited to welcome her to East Campus and our district."

Dr. Johnson started her career as an English teacher at Bloom Trail High School in 2002. She worked in various roles for Community High School District 218, with roles from English teacher, Dean of Students, Curriculum Director, and Director of Equity and Articulation. In her tenure, she was a cheerleading coach and student council sponsor.

Dr. Johnson earned her Bachelor's degree in English Education at Illinois State University in 2002, and her Master's degree from Concordia University in 2005. She received her Doctorate from the University of St. Francis in 2020.

Dr. Johnson is married to Derek Johnson, who is a business educator. They have three children. Dr. Johnson is excited to serve the students, staff, and community of Lockport.

Dr. Johnson was chosen among fourteen applicants for the Principal position. She is the first African-American woman to serve Lockport Township High School in this role.

For Immediate Release

January 09, 2024

Washington, D.C. – The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) announces that high school students Ms. Anoushka Lal and Ms. Chelsea Akwaah Osei will join Senator Richard J. Durbin and Senator Tammy Duckworth in representing Illinois during the 62nd annual USSYP Washington Week, to be held March 2 — 9, 2024. Anoushka Lal of Chicago and Chelsea Osei of Crest Hill were selected from among the state’s top student leaders to be part of the 104 national student delegation. Each delegate will also receive a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate study.

The USSYP was created by Senate Resolution 324 in 1962 and has been sponsored by the Senate and fully funded by The Hearst Foundations since inception. Originally proposed by Senators Kuchel, Mansfield, Dirksen and Humphrey, the Senate leadership of the day, the impetus for the program as stated in Senate testimony is "to increase young Americans’ understanding of the interrelationships of the three branches of government, learn the caliber and responsibilities of federally elected and appointed officials, and emphasize the vital importance of democratic decision making not only for America but for people around the world."

Each year this extremely competitive merit-based program provides the most outstanding high school students - two from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity - with an intensive week-long study of the federal government and the people who lead it. The overall mission of the program is to help instill within each class of USSYP student delegates more profound knowledge of the American political process and a lifelong commitment to public service. In addition to the program week, The Hearst Foundations provide each student with a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship with encouragement to continue coursework in government, history and public affairs. All expenses for Washington Week are also provided by The Hearst Foundations; as stipulated in Senate Resolution 324, no government funds are utilized

Anoushka Lal, a senior at Walter Payton College Preparatory High School, serves as the president of Student Government, fostering empathy and collaboration among 28 representatives to serve her school’s 1,226 students. As a Student Government representative for over eight years, she has spearheaded diversity-equityinclusion initiatives, amplifying voices not often heard. She previously served as the Public Health chair of the Chicago mayor’s Youth Commission at City Hall, working with two mayoral administrations to address the pressing needs of city youth, including mental health and resource consolidation for over 340,000 public high school students. She has worked with the Chicago Department of Public Health to promote a youth behavioral task force during the COVID pandemic. Anoushka is currently the chair of the Illinois High School Democrats, mobilizing young Illinoisans to engage in local elections and progressive causes such as gun reform. She is a Civil Rights Scholar at the Chicago Public School District, and has a passion for writing socio-political op-eds in magazines to represent the voices of her generation. Interested in public policy and government, she aims to drive inclusive civic culture after graduating from high school.

Chelsea Osei, a first-generation, Ghanaian American senior at Lockport Township High School, serves as a member of the LTHS District 205 Board of Education that represents over 4,000 students and community members. She is a founder of the mentorship club Advanced Placement Advisory Board, which helps to allocate AP resources for students, and a board member of the Student Equity Action Committee that works to highlight cultures and implement DEI techniques in curriculum and teaching. In addition, through her fellowship at Citizens University’s Youth Collaboratory, she created GenerationAMP, a safe, online platform for young artists to discuss their identity and community. Chelsea has served as a Citizenship Class instructor for immigrants hoping to obtain their citizenship at Southwest Suburban Immigrant Project, and as a Guide for young activists at Civics Unplugged. She received a Lockport Women’s Club scholarship to participate in the Prairie State Speech Summer Camp and received the Lockport District 205 Dominican Republic trip scholarship taking place this spring. After high school, she plans to enter the pre-law track in hopes of becoming an attorney to give justice to the underserved.

Chosen as alternates to the 2024 program were Ms. Abby Marie Ehrler, a resident of Galena , who attends Galena High School and Ms. Shreya Nallamothu, a resident of Normal, who attends University High School.

Delegates and alternates are selected by the state departments of education nationwide and the District of Columbia and Department of Defense Education Activity, after nomination by teachers and principals. The chief state school officer for each jurisdiction confirms the final selection. This year’s Illinois delegates and alternates were designated by Dr. Tony Sanders, State Superintendent of Education.

During the program week, the student delegates will attend meetings and briefings with senators, the president, a justice of the Supreme Court, and leaders of cabinet agencies, among others.

In addition to outstanding leadership abilities and a strong commitment to volunteer work, the student delegates rank academically in the top one percent of their states among high school juniors and seniors. Now more than 6,100 strong, alumni of the program continue to excel and develop impressive qualities that are often directed toward public service. Among the many distinguished alumni are: Senator Susan Collins, the first alumnus to be elected U.S. senator; Secretary of Transportation and former Mayor of South Bend Indiana, Pete Buttigieg, the first alumnus to be appointed as a cabinet secretary; former Senator Cory Gardner, the second alumnus to be elected U.S. senator and the first to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives; former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, the first alumnus to be elected governor; former Chief Judge Robert Henry, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit; former Ambassador to West Germany Richard Burt and former presidential advisors Thomas "Mack" McLarty and Karl Rove. Additional notables include former Lt. Governor of Idaho David Leroy, former Provost of Wake Forest University Rogan Kersh, military officers, members of state legislatures, Foreign Service officers, top congressional staff, healthcare providers and other university educators.

Members of the U. S. Senate Youth Program 2024 annual Senate Advisory Committee are: Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, the 2024 USSYP Democratic Co-Chair and Senator John Barrasso, M.D. of Wyoming, the 2024 USSYP Republican Co-Chair. The full USSYP Senate Advisory Committee consists of the vice president of the United States and the Senate majority and minority leaders who annually serve as the program’s Honorary Co-Chairs; two senators, one from each party, serving as acting Co-Chairs who each have keynote speaking roles, and an eight-member bipartisan Senate panel, four senators from each party, who lend their names in support. Serving on the Advisory Committee for the upcoming program are: Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Senator Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts, Senator Alex Padilla of California, Senator John Boozman of Arkansas, Senator Katie Britt of Alabama, Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota and Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina.

For more information please visit: www.ussenateyouth.org

For Immediate Release

December 21, 2023

Lockport, Ill. – Mr. Marty Boersma informed the Lockport Township High School District 205 Board of Education that he was resigning from his position as a school board member effective Wednesday, December 20, 2023. He was elected in April 2023, and he was sworn into office in May 2023.

“We appreciate all of his work during his short term with us and we wish him the best,” said Ann Lopez-Caneva, LTHS D205 Board President.

“I believe the entire board appreciates Mr. Boersma’s willingness to volunteer and serve his community. It has been a pleasure getting to know him as a person and board member. I respect the careful thought and consideration that he gave to this important decision for himself, our board, and the community,” said Dr. Robert McBride, LTHS D205 Superintendent.

On Wednesday, January 3, 2024, the LTHS Board of Education will release an application process for those interested community members who would like to be considered to fill this vacant seat. The LTHS Board of Education will have a Special Board Meeting on Thursday, January 11, 2024, at 6:30 PM in the Porter Room at East Campus. The primary reason for the meeting is for the approval of state applications and waivers. The Board will add to its closed session agenda a discussion of the selection process for a new board member. The Board will release to the public that selection process on Friday, January 12, 2024, and the information will be published on the LTHS website. The Board presently plans to interview applicants in late January/February so that they can appoint the new member in February 2024. All information about this process will be released on the LTHS website, https://www.lths.org/.

For Immediate Release

August 22, 2023

Lockport, Ill. −On August 21, 2023, two student leaders were officially seated to serve as the first-ever Student Representatives for the Lockport Township District 205 Board of Education. In addition, two student leaders were seated to serve on the Board’s Curriculum and the Finance & Facilities Committees. The Student Board Members will represent their classmates at the monthly Board of Education meetings. While the Student Board Members will not vote, they will provide important insights on life as a student at Lockport Township High School.  

“As a Board, every decision we make affects our students in some manner, yet they seldom have a say in those decisions. We are always asking ourselves - "How does this impact our students or how do the students feel about this?" We wanted connectivity to students. I wanted a liaison between all LTHS students and the school board. We wanted them to represent their peers' interests,” said Ann Lopez-Caneva, LTHS D205 Board President.

Almost one year ago, the LTHS Board of Education began a conversation about student voice at the Board level. During the annual Triple I Conference, several Board members attended sessions detailing the role of student board members on boards of education in Illinois. At a Board self-evaluation workshop in December 2022, the Board decided to do the policy work to create Student Board of Education positions. This effort directed the superintendent to research and outline a selection process that would begin after the April 2023 Board of Education election. In May 2022, Superintendent Dr. Robert McBride presented the Board with an application process and timeline for selection that the Board would use to select Student Board of Education Members. The Board approved this process and timeline. In May 2023, 53 students applied for the position of Student Board Member.

During June 2023, an administrative team and a Board sub-committee reviewed all applications and identified 12 finalists for an interview with the Board of Education. Interviews with these finalists took place on July 10 and July 17. The Board selected Ms. Osei and Ms. DalPonte for this role.

The LTHS Board of Education approved Ms. Chelsea Osei, a senior at Lockport Township High School District 205, and Ms. Victoria DalPonte, a senior at Lockport Township High School, as Student Board of Education members assigned to sit with the Board during all of its formal, monthly meetings and any special meetings or workshops where and when appropriate. 

The Board of Education approved Mr. Akash Patel, a senior at Lockport Township High School District 205, for the role of Student Board Member on the Board's Finance and Facilities Committee and approved Ms. McKenna Orrico for the role of Student Board Member on the Board's Curriculum Committee.

"I am proud and impressed that our Board of Education has put student voices at the table for all of their meetings. It is a vocal and visible reminder that we are here to serve students and understanding their perspectives is critical to the best decision making,” said LTHS D205 Superintendent Dr. Robert McBride.

“I am so honored and grateful to be in this position, but most importantly have the ability to represent an amazing district. As a young, first-generation, Ghanaian- American Women, I plan to enter this position with compassion and respect for the different communities in Lockport and find ways to learn and bridge more communities together,” said Chelsea Osei.

This is an opportunity for student members to participate in the governing process of the LTHS Board and grow their leadership skills. “This opportunity gives me the chance to voice our students’ needs and to keep them informed on decisions that affect them daily. LTHS is very unique when it comes to readiness after graduation. We have paths for everyone, and I think that it is important that students know that regardless of wanting to pursue higher education, they have tools at LTHS to prepare for their future. A more personal goal for me is the improvement of the CCC and Academy at Lockport Central. Our students need more space and opportunities to be included, just as our Special Education students at East Campus have,” said Victoria DalPonte.

Many applicants who were not selected for the Student Board position were invited to serve in the Superintendent Student Advisory Council for leadership positions.

To learn more about our new student members, visit the Board of Education and the Board of Education Committees page on our website.

For Immediate Release

April 24, 2023

Lockport, Ill.− On Saturday, April 22, 2023, thirteen Lockport Township High School drafting and design students, led by LTHS teachers Jeff Brown and Rodger Ebert, participated in the Illinois Design Educators Association (IDEA) state competition at Illinois State University.

The students who qualified and competed were Matas Avizonis - Introductory Computer Aided Drafting (CAD), Pablo Herrera and Emily Do - Architecture 3D Drafting, Jad Fakreddine - Machine Computer Aided Drafting, David Krzysiak, Matthew Handzel, Jack Thies, and Griffin Garrett - 3D CAD Modeling, Kyle Brown and Gabriel Sot - Assembly Modeling, and Bilal Useini, Robert Karbarz, and Chloe Berry - Architecture Design Team.

In the individual CAD contests, the students are given a drawing problem to solve and draw within a two-hour time limit. In the team divisions, the students were presented with a design problem in January to solve and then present their solutions; including their research, drawings, building model, and presentation to a panel of judges. All the contest solutions and designs are graded by architects, engineers, college students, and college instructors.

The following students placed first in their respective divisions:

Kyle Brown – Assembly Modeling, Bilal Useini, Robert Karbarz, and Chloe Berry – Architecture Design Team (repeat team state champions)

It is notable to mention that Bilal Useini is a three-time state champion in Architecture Design. Robert Karbarz and Chloe Berry have now won two state championships in a row.

The following students placed second in their respective divisions:

David Krzysiak – 3D CAD Modeling, Pablo Herrera - Architecture 3D Drafting

The following students placed third in their respective divisions:

Matas Avizonis - Introductory CAD, Jad Fakreddine - Machine CAD, Matthew Handzel - 3D CAD Modeling

Congratulations to all of the competitors and their incredible success this year!

For Immediate Release

March 20, 2023

Lockport, Ill.− Lockport Township High School District 205 is pleased to announce that Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs recognized an LTHS administrator, Dr. Lorie Cristofaro, during his annual luncheon in honor of Women's History Month on March 15, 2023. Every year, he selects eight women from different aspects of public and business life to honor outstanding leaders in their fields. Some of the leaders he selected this year were women in leadership in sports, healthcare, journalism, and business. His selection this year for an Outstanding Commitment in Education is, Dr. Lorie Cristofaro, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction at LTHS D205.

“It is always special to be honored for the work you do. It is extraordinary for me that I was selected out of all of the great women in this State who are doing amazing things in schools and expanding opportunities for women in educational leadership. It is deeply humbling,” said Dr. Lorie Cristofaro.

“I applaud Dr. Cristofaro’s commitment to educating students for more than a quarter of a century, as a social studies teacher, department chair and now an administrator focused on curriculum and instruction. She has followed her dreams and helped students get on a path to realizing theirs,” said Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs.

Cristofaro said on receiving the award, “It takes everybody, every day to make decisions to create supports, systems, and opportunities that include women in spaces where they historically haven’t been present or heard. It is not about an amazing contribution by one but the many everyday tasks by many. We should celebrate this work all the time. More than that, I think schools have a responsibility to show a representation of women throughout students’ experiences. This can mean having women coaches, women teaching in science and math classes, and women in leadership roles. This changes the lived experience of all humans and makes more opportunities available. Celebrations should always occur but to be more inclusive of women in leadership, it’s everyday work year-round.”

“Coming out of COVID was a challenge as we had to redesign every school system. How I worked during COVID is really how I have worked throughout my career. It’s about commitment, collaboration, and integrity.”

This year’s event theme for Women’s History Month is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.”

For Immediate Release

March 8, 2023

Lockport, Ill. – Lockport Township High School District 205 will be well represented at the upcoming Illinois Design Educators Association (IDEA) state championships after advancing from the recent regional competition where 38 LTHS students participated. Design and drafting students from six schools in the Joliet Junior College district/region participated this year.

In the computer-aided design (CAD) contests, students were given a drawing problem to solve and draw within a two-hour time limit. In the team divisions, students were presented with a design problem in January to solve and then present their solutions. The students submitted their drawings, pictures, and videos of the working prototype online. The competition was judged by architects, engineers, college instructors, and college students.

Students who placed in the top two in each individual contest, or first in the team events advance to the state competition at Illinois State University on Saturday, April 22, 2023, to compete against top finishers from other regions. The students are led by LTHS D205 teachers Jeff Brown, Rodger Ebert, Corey Duzan, and Dan Mostyn.

The following students placed first in their respective divisions:

Matas Avizonis – Introductory CAD, Jad Fakhreddine – Machine CAD, David Krzysiak – 3D Modeling (second year in a row), Kyle Brown – Assembly Modeling (perfect score), Emily Do – Architecture 3D, Chloe Berry, Robert Karbarz, and Bilal Useini – Architecture Design Team (second year in a row).

The following students placed second in their respective divisions:

Riley Kempa – Machine CAD, Matthew Handzel – 3D Modeling, Griffin Garrett – 3D Modeling, Gabriel Sot – Assembly Modeling, Pablo Herrera – Architecture 3D, Krista Wojcikiewicz, Patricia Jurzyk & Sasha Jarosik – Engineering Design Team

The following students placed third in their respective divisions:

Jack Thies – 3D Modeling, Nicholas Coniglio – 3D Modeling, Dylan Lukaszewski – Assembly Modeling, Sean Marshall – Assembly Modeling

These students put in many hours outside of class time to prepare for State where they will compete against the best of each region. Good luck to the students who will compete at the state competition in April!

For Immediate Release

March 1, 2023

Lockport, Ill. – Lockport Township High School District 205 is pleased to announce that teacher Donald McKillip, has been selected as the 2023 Illinois High School and College Driver Education Association (IHSCDEA) Teacher of the Year Award. IHSCDEA is a professional teaching organization that was established in 1952. The organization is composed primarily of high school and college driver education instructors, supervisors, coordinators and safety enthusiasts throughout Illinois. The association has over 700 members and represents over 600 public high schools in Illinois.

McKillip was chosen from a select group of talented Illinois driver education teachers because of his teaching/learning leadership and abilities in teaching teenagers to drive. His ability to motivate young drivers to be effective and safe was highlighted in her nomination for the award. McKillip completed his M.S. degree in Physical Education in 2008 and his endorsement in Driver Education in 2006, both at Chicago State University.

Donald will receive the award at the IHSCDEA state conference on May 4, 2023, in Effingham IL.

For Immediate Release

September 20, 2022

Lockport, Ill.−On September 19, 2022, the Lockport Township High School District 205 Board of Education recognized 197 LTHS students who have earned an AP Scholar Award for their outstanding academic achievement in the Advanced Placement exams given in the spring of 2022. Congratulations to the following graduates and students:

AP Scholar Award with Distinction - Granted to students who receive an average of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.

Jacob Ahrens, Charles Altman, Julia Berglund, James Calvert, Shaw Carlson, Iris Cazares, Alexandria Chrusciel, Logan Collom, Bennett Davidson, Reagan Davidson, Cameryn DeBlecourt, Kyra DeNormandie, Abigail DiFilippo, Eileen Ferriter, Megan Flemming, Emily Formella, William Garrett, Dominik Gasienica, Ashley Gibbs, Braeden Goebbert, Michael Hasso, Teresa Hernandez-Gonzalez, Natalie Homerding, Tyler Jenczmionka, Matthew Johnson, Troy Karuntzos, Caroline Maier, Sophia Marcial, Julian Marolda, Sean Marshall, Matthew Martinez, Eliza Mattson, Olivia Milker, Anthony Morgan, EmilyAnne Mowery, Vielka Munoz, Emily O’Boyle, Ryan O’Connor, Colin O’Boyle, Abigail Obradovic, Nathan Odeen, Alyssa Olson, Angelique Pasciak, Charles Pluth, Ellet Pryor, Moizuddin Qureshi, Isabella Rarick, Benjamin Roark, Adrienne Rodriguez, John Ryan, Nathan Rybicki, Besnik Shuaipaj, Benjamin Staley, Cassidy Stangel, Sean Svoboda, Christa Thomas, Jakob Zajkowski

AP Scholar Award with Honor - Granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken and, scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.

Allison Bobek, Brooke Boster, Dylan Bozen, Paul Contreras, Bianca Corral, Nicholas Costello, Ryan Durbin, Francesca Frieri, Emily Gad, Kennedy Galloy, Norah Gillogly, Andrew Handzel,

Samantha Hernandez, Narjis Jafferi, Douglas Johnson, Emilia Jurzyk, Cecilia Kane, Mia Krsanac, Andrew LoPresti, Maxwell Maloney, David Markusic, Connor Marshall, Karolina Mikulec, Patricia Miszczak, Jack Moran, Aidan Nolting, Jessica Nosalik, Vincent Palumbo, Brinda Parikh, Carter Peetz, Kenadee Pitchford, Jack Pubentz, Rileigh Rubar, Brian Sagon, Nicole Sanchez, Madeline Sanford, Wafeeq Shekoni, Kara Shields, Nora Sichak, Heather Sponaugle, Michael Strahanoski, Kaira Stricklin, Alexa Trower, Michael Ungaro, Collin Williams, Morgan Zack

AP Scholar Award - Granted to students who receive a score of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams.

Peyton Albert, Tyler Albright, Qamar Alshabani, Daniel Altman, Mitchell Arndt, Aidan Bailey, William Belczak, Kathleen Belocura, Reese Benda, Jorie Bielik, Joshua Bluhm, Caitlin Bochantin, Hayley Bogdan, Katelyn Cavallo, Grace Christopher, Hunter Close, Gabriel Czako, Braeden DeBlecourt, James Derrig, Phoebe Diamond, Georgia Dykstra, Ryann Dykstra, Edward Dzielski, Sara El-Hrisse, Conor Enzenbacher, Chance Ericson, David Espinoza, Anthony Ficek, Bailey Flaherty, Jack Gallagher, James Gannon, Giavonna Gavin, Libertad Gomez, Dariana Guzman, Claire Hamaker, Megan Hammer, Joseph Houlihan, Elisa Jackowiak, Sasha Jarosik, Angelina Jerantowski, Matthew Kajmowicz, Declan Kelly, Brandon Kemp, Lauren Kinney, Darla Knaack, Paige Knight, Zachary Kofira, Kyle Kuhn, Clara Kwiatkowski, Sebastian Lesnicki, Sydney Lochow, Madison Lynch, Joseph Manzo, Patrick Marshall, Grayson Massey, Christopher Maude, Jazmin Bianca Mendoza, Monika Mikuckas, Joshua Mladic, Dylan Morgan, Zachary Mueller, Benjamin Murdoch, Nathan Nacino, Gabriela Olszanski, Akash Patel, Kristin Pawlowski, Noah Peake, Sarah Porrey, Corey Potempa, Mireyna Ramos, Sofia Reyes, Elena Rheingans, Aldrin Rodriguez, Benjamin Ryan, Tanya Sacinski, Ethan Schulz, Madison Seymour, Jacob Skiba, Monica Skibicki, Elizabeth Sochacki, John Staszel, Allyson Stedman, Layla Sweis, Sofija Tunkevicius, Dylan Vilcek, Charlotte Vollmer, Natalie Watzke, Alexandra Way, Abigail Weber, Dominic Williams, Trevale Williams, Madison Young, Trevor Zacek, Kaila Zuromskas

For Immediate Release

September 9, 2022

Lockport, Ill.−Lockport Township High School (LTHS) District 205 is honored to announce that Young Hearts for Life® (YH4L) is coming to LTHS to offer a free heart screening called an electrocardiogram (ECG) to its high school students. On September 8th, high school students enrolled as sophomores, juniors, and seniors for the 2022-23 school year can participate in a free cardiac screening that can prevent teen sudden cardiac arrest with Young Hearts for Life. All students whose parents authorize them to be tested will be screened.

“School safety has many components and Young Hearts for Life is a way that we can partner with our community and the Midwest to keep our students safe from preventable heart trauma. For our Board of Education, this is a simple way to do all we can do to take care of what is most important to our parents, their children. This project literally saves lives,” said Dr. Robert McBride, LTHS District 205 Superintendent.

Each week sudden cardiac death claims the lives of more than 60 young adults in the United States. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and in Illinois. YH4L, under the guidance of Dr. Joseph Marek, a clinical cardiologist, seeks to detect young adults at risk for sudden cardiac death, and increase community awareness of this devastating problem. To date, over 280,000 students have been screened as a result of YH4L and they have been conducting these screenings for high school and college-age students for over 20 years.

Screening consists of a quick, simple, painless ECG. Volunteers attach electrodes to the students’ chest and limbs in preparation for the ECG. The ECG machine monitors the electrical activity of the heart and prints out the information about heart rate and rhythm. A trained cardiologist then interprets the printed ECG. The false abnormal rate for the program is less than 2%. This rate is better than the false abnormal rate for most other screenings in healthcare.

This event is collectively done with the help of 200+ volunteers and sponsors. Each volunteer will receive a volunteer t-shirt and look forward for an outstanding outcome. Informational videos have been produced by students to promote this event in English and Spanish. English videos available here and Spanish video available here.

A Spanish-speaking student is available for on-camera interviews upon request. For more information about this event, visit our website.

For Immediate Release

August 31, 2022

Lockport, Ill.−Lockport Township High School (LTHS) District 205 teacher Corey Duzan has earned the 2022-23 National PLTW Engineering Teacher of the Year award, which recognizes educators who demonstrate a strong record of delivering an inspiring and empowering student experience, expanding access to PLTW programs, and transforming teaching. Duzan was chosen from nominations received from across the U.S.

PLTW is honoring Duzan for his work in the PLTW Engineering program. Duzan has been a teacher at LTHS District 205 since 2017 and teaches PLTW-Introduction to Engineering Design, STEM Exploration, Digital Pathways courses for 9th grade students at LTHS Central Campus.

“When I consider what the National PLTW Teacher of the Year award recognizes, I believe that Mr. Duzan is the educator I have worked with in my 33-year career who embodies it the most. I speak from a unique perspective. I have worked with Mr. Duzan in two school districts and served as his mentor when he pursued a degree in educational leadership. He is committed, creative, inspiring, and humble. I have watched his work with students for 15 years at two schools,” said Dr. Robert McBride, LTHS District 205 Superintendent.

Duzan said on receiving the award, “I am honored to receive this award but am humbled due to the amazing students and educators that make up this impressive network. PLTW is truly made up of some of the best educators and learners on the planet. I would highly recommend seeing these programs and classrooms in action if you have never seen them before. The work that we do in the classroom and in professional development is a benchmark to so many due to the overwhelming support and care that teachers and students put towards helping others. Our numbers are staggering due to our commitment to helping students and educators succeed in the classroom. I am grateful and proud to represent my students, Lockport Township High School, College and Career Applications Department, Community, and PLTW. This is definitely a highlight of my career. I could have never gotten to this moment in my career without the support of my wife, parents, family, teachers, mentors, friends, and students.”

“PLTW educators do incredible work facilitating learning experiences that help inspire and prepare students to reach their full potential. This award acknowledges and recognizes their accomplishments in continuing that mission," stated Dr. David Dimmett, PLTW Interim President and CEO. “We congratulate them and are proud of the work these educational leaders do to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary for success beyond the classroom, no matter what career path they choose. Each year PLTW honors outstanding teachers and administrators across the network who play an immeasurable role to prepare students to thrive in college, careers, and beyond.