York High School News

 

August 12 - Back to School Bash
August 18 - 1st Day of School
August 25 - Student Late Arrival Day
September 1 - Student Late Arrival Day
September 6 - NO School, Labor Day
September 8 - Student Late Arrival Day
September 15 - Student Late Arrival Day
September 20 - 24 - Homecoming Week
September 22 - Student Late Arrival Day
September 24 - Homecoming Game
September 25 - Homecoming Dance

July 9, 2021

York High School Summer School & All YHS On-Campus Activities/Sports will resume tomorrow, June 22, 2021, as planned. 

The D205 Facilities Department resolved the issue causing the carbon monoxide detectors to activate, and the Elmhurst Fire Department has confirmed that campus is safe to open.

Due to the cancellation of YHS Summer School today, 6/21/21, the calendar for the rest of Summer Session One will be extended by a day to make up the time

Please make note of the revised schedule below: 

• Week Two: Tuesday 6/22/21; Wednesday 6/23/21; and Thursday 6/24/21

• Week Three: Monday 6/28/21; Tuesday 6/29/21; Wednesday 6/30/21; Thursday 7/1/21; and Friday 7/2/21. 

Thank you for your patience. We look forward to the continued success of summer school.

Paddy Toole and Mickey Vreeland, York High School Class of 2021, are two of three recipients of the 2021 Brian E. Wagner Scholarship. Toole and Vreeland will each receive $2,500 toward their college tuition. 

Paddy Toole (York High School) was accepted to Michigan State University and will major in Mechanical Engineering. He stated, “I am honored to receive this award and to carry on Brian’s memory.  Going through the scholarship process allowed me to learn more about him and realize how similar we are.  Like Brian, I am a hard worker who tries to make a positive impact on everyone I meet.  To commemorate Brian's legacy I will stay active in my college community and take on leadership roles while participating in: Chick Evans Scholar activities, club lacrosse, and philanthropic opportunities.

Mickey Vreeland (York High School) will attend Bradley University and major in Management Systems Information Analytics. He remarked, “I’m very excited to be a part of Brian’s legacy. I hope to commend Brian’s work ethic and positive influence on others.  He was a leader both on and off the field and I intend on doing my best in college; studying business and running on both the cross country and track teams. Thank you to the Wagner family and the BEWSF!”

About the scholarship:

Since Brian Edwin Wagner’s tragic passing in an auto accident at age sixteen, his life story has impacted  the higher education of many young lives in Elmhurst and the surrounding suburbs. Outstanding leaders who are selected for the scholarship that bears Brian’s name receive  $2500 towards their college tuition. Brian was a kind person who lead by example through volunteer service. He was a unique young man who made the best of every situation. His optimism and dedication to making a difference in all he was involved in is the inspiration behind the BEWSF (Brian E. Wagner Scholarship Fund). The organization’s mission is to encourage high school students to improve their lives and the lives of others by exercising sound judgment and committing themselves to volunteer programs. This cause reminds us that tomorrow is never guaranteed and it is important to live with integrity and truth as Brian did.

Three recipients were selected who used their initiative and talents to lead and inspire others. All have followed in Brian’s footsteps by opening doors for other determined high school students to do the same. The BEWSF has donated over $75,000 in college tuition funding thus far. More information about the application process can be found at http://brianewagnerfund.org/. All high school seniors can apply for the privilege to be named next year’s honorees. There is no GPA requirement to receive this award.

The York Album project is celebrating the release of its 7th album today! This winter’s album, "The Road Home", features thirteen different artists from York that have written and recorded original songs during the fall semester of this unprecedented school year. The album project is coordinated by York Music Teacher, Chris Gemkow, with audio engineering support by Grant Mitchell of Boulevard Studio in Oak Park. The York Album Project continues to highlight the incredible musical talent and creativity that exists at York High School.

"The Road Home" is available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, and all other streaming platforms under the artist name York Album Project (cover art by sophomore Alyssa Poli). You can also stream or download the album from Bandcamp here: yorkalbumproject.bandcamp.com.

 

Last week, Elmhurst Community Unit District 205 and Elmhurst Park District finalized plans for the purchase and sale of the property at 407 W. St. Charles Road, commonly known as The Abbey. The $1.6 million deal makes room for the eventual relocation of the Park District’s senior center and a permanent solution for the York High School Transition Center. Both entities have long identified the need for larger space for the respective programs. Closing will take place in February 2021.

The deal was finalized during the board meetings of both entities after more than three years of discussions regarding the sale. The school and park district have a history of intergovernmental cooperation, and this opportunity will provide future mutual benefits to each agency as well as to Elmhurst taxpayers. 

The School District presently rents a facility in downtown Elmhurst. The Transition Center program is designed to help students with disabilities between the ages of 18-22 develop the independence to be successful in life and work outside of school. Collaborating to determine the future of The Abbey property is an example of working together to benefit the community. 

"This is a real win-win for the community. The School District will finally find a permanent home for the Transition Center program; one that has adequate space and physical characteristics to support the needs of the students. The community as a whole also will benefit by realizing improved services for senior citizens. I have appreciated our working relationship with the Park District, and it has been gratifying to be able to work together to mutually improve services in two important areas for Elmhurst residents,” Elmhurst CUSD 205 Superintendent Dr. David Moyer said.

When the Park District vacates the building, D205 will need to make significant renovations to the site.  It is premature to speculate on a date when D205 will be able relocate its Transition Center program.

The Abbey has served as the Park District’s senior center since 1974. For decades it provided activities for older adults, but during the Park District’s comprehensive Vision 2020 planning process, which began in 2016, the community identified a need for a new or improved senior center. While seeking another location, the Park District and D205 began discussions about the acquisition/sale of The Abbey. The close proximity to York High School made the adjacent property a viable option for the school district.

On August 26, 2019, the Board of Park Commissioners approved the purchase of 2.92 acres of property at 155 E. St. Charles Road. The property includes an approximate 11,800-square-foot recreation building that is ideally sized and situated to function as the site for a new adult center for the community. In the summer of 2020, the park space on the site was dedicated as Centennial Park in honor of the Park District’s 100th anniversary.

With a new location secure, both entities met to further the conversations of the potential sale of The Abbey to District 205. Each agency had the property independently appraised in late 2019, and negotiations concerning the sale price took place over the winter without a final agreement being reached due to the onset and duration of the pandemic. With the promise of a vaccine on the horizon, D205 and the Park District staff re-started discussions and agreed the opportunity was still viable.  

The sale of the property is permitted under State law, and will allow the Park District to utilize the funds garnered from the sale to develop the Centennial Park site as well as bring the recreation building up to code in order to fully comply with ADA, life safety and various building code requirements. This will create a multi-dimensional center and expand adult and senior programming, including both recreational and social service options, in a larger, upgraded, more functional space.  

If and when pandemic-related restrictions are lifted and when it is safe to provide programming opportunities for seniors, the Wilder Mansion will serve as an “interim” senior center until the new adult center at Centennial Park is ready for use, projected in late 2021 or early 2022.

“We’re very excited to see the efforts of both entities come to fruition,” said Park District Executive Director, Jim Rogers, “Senior citizens and adults of all ages will benefit from the new Adult Center envisioned for Centennial Park as part of the District’s Vision 2020 Plan. The District is also pleased that the Wilder Mansion will be able to serve the needs of adults and seniors until the new center opens.”

On Wednesday, November 11, 2020, nine York Community High School student-athletes signed Letters of Intent or made a commitment to participate in athletics at the collegiate level next year. 

Congratulations to Tyler Arista (baseball at Calvin University), Gigi Barr (volleyball at Yale University), Ellie Bernard (Lacrosse at Grand Valley State), Lauren Derkowski (softball at University of Michigan), Emily Fleckenstein (volleyball at University of Maryland-Baltimore), Grace Meadows (volleyball at William Jewell College), Maya Rebic (soccer at Eastern Illinois University), Amaya Rufus (basketball at Indiana University- South Bend) and Emma Stec (water polo at Wagner University). 

Go Dukes!

The York Athletic Boosters are excited to announce our York Spiritwear Pop-Up shop at Elmhurst Photo Boutique, 535 Spring Road. The Boutique has generously opened a space in their store for a wide selection of our York swag, with ALL proceeds still going to the Athletic Boosters and York Athletics. We have everything from new car magnets and backpacks to T-shirts, hoodies, and flannel pants. Although the pandemic has taken a lot away, we are thrilled to be able to provide this unexpected spot to shop
for your York gear. The Elmhurst Photo Boutique is open Monday - Friday, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Cash, check, or Venmo only.

Questions? Contact YorkBoosters@gmail.com

York High School Business INCubator student entrepreneurs Barry Carta, Connor Polomsky, Chris Markuson, and Luigi Allegrini partnered to develop their own business startup, known as Kroy Railway Group. This past spring, competing against dozens of other York INCubator teams, Kroy presented their final pitch to a Board of Advisors, ultimately winning first prize in funding to further their business venture. On July 29^th, 2020, Kroy Railway Group was officially registered as a Limited Liability Company, naming Carta and Polomsky as Kroy’s business managers.

Last fall, York Business INCubator teams were initially challenged to identify and evaluate everyday problems in need of a solution. Living in Elmhurst, IL, Team Kroy knew residents frequently encountered traffic backups due to trains blocking local roadways. Having witnessed fire truck and ambulance delays, it was apparent to the team that this was not only a business opportunity, but also a life safety issue worth exploring.

Under the mentorship of Jim Dondlinger, former President of Auto Truck Group, the students began developing a marketable, tech-driven solution to the problem. They sought to utilize real-time data to improve emergency response times and routes in communities where rail lines cause unpredictable traffic delays. The students envisioned producing and deploying tech-based safety tools and apps for first responders, municipalities, and consumer markets nationwide.

Team Kroy initiated partnerships with the City of Elmhurst, Superior Ambulance, Auto Truck Group, and other business leaders. They interviewed first responders, conducted research, and collected data throughout the business development process. Carta and Polomsky additionally wrote a grant seeking funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation. They’ve garnered attention from the Federal Railway Administration and elected officials for their efforts.

In partnership with INCubatoredu, Steve Haderlein teaches York’s Business INCubator course. Local business experts and entrepreneurs serve as volunteer coaches.