Just Having Fun

Sunday Funday Sports offers low-key games for youths BY JEFF VORVA James Epsom’s goal is to play in the National Football League. He is 7 years old. He is 4 feet tall and weighs 60 pounds. Oh, and he just beat leukemia. Time will tell if the Burr Ridge cancer survivor ever obtains that dream…

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Chef Showdown

Culinary Competition for Community Impact BY HINSDALE MAGAZINE GROUP STAFF | PHOTOS COURTESY OF LOAVES & FISHES COMMUNITY SERVICES Loaves & Fishes Community Services will bring together culinary creativity and community impact at its popular Chef Showdown, taking place Thursday, April 16, from 6 to 9 pm at the Linnea Eleanor Rutkowski Food Distribution Hub…

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First Audience

How music begins at home and grows into a lifelong passion BY LAURA MICHAUD AND MELISSA G. WILSON The Living Room Debut Before there are stages, spotlights, or packed auditoriums, there is almost always a living room. Or a kitchen. Or the back seat of a car. For many performers, the first audience is family—people…

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Mahjong Madness

A captivating game, equal parts strategy and social, is sweeping its way through the suburbs BY VALERIE HARDY Step back, bridge, and bunco. There’s a new game in town—mahjong—and it’s spreading like wildfire across the western suburbs and throughout the nation. The History of the Game Many Americans only recently learned mahjong, but the game…

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The Avery Coonley School

Established in 1906, The Avery Coonley School (ACS) is known as a leader in gifted education and offers advanced learners in preschool through eighth grade a curriculum with the depth, pace, and complexity to challenge them to the fullest. Unlike most schools that only offer gifted education in pullout subjects, Avery Coonley is gifted all…

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Ivy League Potential

With acceptance rates at leading universities averaging between 5-10%, many students are looking for professional guidance to navigate the college application process. Since 2011, Ivy League Potential has been partnering with high schools and families to help students gain admission to a broad range of institutions, including Ivy League schools, small liberal arts colleges, public…

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Level Up Academy Prep School

Long before Level Up Academy became a reality, co-founders Samantha Lindenmeyer and Kerry McLaurin had already made a meaningful impact in the community. Through their involvement in local schools as parents—and their dedication to providing hands-on guidance, academic support, and encouragement—they became trusted resources for children who needed individualized attention. Through small-group and private tutoring,…

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Level Up Academy Prep School

Long before Level Up Academy became a reality, co-founders Samantha Lindenmeyer and Kerry McLaurin had already made a meaningful impact in the community. Through their involvement in local schools as parents—and their dedication to providing hands-on guidance, academic support, and encouragement—they became trusted resources for children who needed individualized attention. Through small-group and private tutoring,…

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Nazareth Academy

Nazareth Academy, a Catholic, Co-Educational, College Preparatory high school, centrally located in the western suburbs offers a short commute for many families in the area. Located in the heart of La Grange Park, Nazareth is one of the oldest educational institutions in the suburbs, with an established legacy of educating the whole person. Founded by…

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Seton Montessori School

For six decades, Seton Montessori School has been a trusted partner for families seeking a warm, child-centered learning community. A Lab School for the Seton Montessori Institute, Seton has served children and families in Clarendon Hills and the surrounding suburbs since 1965, making it one of the oldest and most respected Montessori schools in the…

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