Leyden Pride
November 20, 2023
Important dates
May 21: East Graduation
May 22: West Graduation
May 24: Last Day of School
Students: complete the end-of-year checkout process
As we quickly approach the end of the school year, please refer to the information below regarding material returns, student fines, student Chromebooks and Google accounts. Please note, the bookstore is not accepting any material returns until the last week of school.
Freshman, Sophomore, Juniors:
Students will be able to return their school-issued belongings during Independent Seminar, lunch, and/or after school before 3:30 p.m., Monday through Wednesday, May 20-22. On Thursday, May 23, returns are only acceptable during Independent Seminar. On Friday, returns are accepted after school only, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Yearbooks will be distributed during Eagle Time/Advisory at West on May 20 - 21, and at East on May 23. Students who are absent or have an independent seminar, can pick up yearbooks in the bookstore.
Student fines
Please be sure to make payment for any outstanding student fines prior to the end of the school year. Fines can be paid through the MySchoolBucks website or at the bookstore.
Note: We recognize that materials that are still being used for the remainder of the school year might be listed on the statement. If this is the case, we understand that students will still be utilizing the materials and will be returning them at the end of the semester. At that time, any fines associated with those materials will be removed/updated.
Both graduations will be live streaming
East Leyden
Tuesday, May 21
6:30 p.m.
Link: https://youtube.com/live/m4BnAKbOQyI?feature=share
West Leyden
Wednesday, May 22
6:30 p.m.
Link: https://youtube.com/live/tg7d_3VSpiU?feature=share
Board announces new student representative
At the meeting on May 16, the Leyden High School Board of Education announced West Leyden rising junior Jonathan Guerrero as a student board member. Guerrero will serve as one of two student board members, for a two-year term beginning with the 2024-25 school year. Guerrero joins East Leyden rising Senior Adriel Carrera, a current student board member.
Last year, Leyden began a new student board member process, where one senior and one junior were selected, so that moving forward each year, only one position will need to be filled. This was done to help improve consistency and provide an easier transition and training opportunities in the future.
Jonathan Guerrero was selected by staff for his interest in politics and community engagement. He is an involved student, who cares about his classmates and the democratic process.
“For as long as I can remember I have always been fascinated by politics and I feel this is a way to learn more about local politics as they are always overshadowed by bigger events,” said Guerrero. “ I feel connecting with a community this way would best help me with the career I choose to pursue if it is in that field.”
Link: Full Story
One Amazing Story: Senior Jeremy Keathley
Jeremy lives with a disability that challenges his ability to move and communicate and creates complications in everyday life. He has grown up missing a lot of school due to hospital visits and surgeries, but he prides himself on his strong willingness to keep moving forward. Even though he admits to being a little stubborn at first, with a little reassurance from the staff at Leyden, Jeremy has found the confidence to face his limits and push past them.
Link: Watch Video
Leyden kicks off 100th anniversary celebration with celebrity concert
Leyden High Schools, in cooperation with the Village of Rosemont, hosts a community concert at the Rosemont Dome Parkway Bank Sports Complex, on Friday, October 4, 2024, featuring alumni Jonathan Cain, songwriter and keyboardist of the band Journey and Tommy “Mugs” Cain. Consider this event the ultimate homecoming tour! Not only will the Cain brothers and their family perform a concert for our community, but a Leyden staff band, featuring East Leyden Principal Dominic Manola and other current and former staff members will open the show. You don’t want to miss this! Tickets are available now for our Leyden community, before they go on sale for the general public.
Opening act begins at 7 p.m. Tickets $10 --> Purchase Now
Sponsored by Green Associates
Students recognized on National Italian Exam
More than 5,000 students nationwide took the National Italian Exam and the following Leyden students earned distinctions Gold medals: Sarah Cano, Anthony Giangrasso, Anthony Giannakopoulos, Gabriela Grandez, Nathan Paluchniak, Michelle Rodriguez, Andrea Terrones; Silver medals: Abigail Arias, Juanpablo Chabla, Joel Garcia, Lisette Merino; Bronze medal: Giulia Incandela.
Varsity athletes honored in special award ceremony
Congratulations to all of our varsity athletes for the 2023-24 school year! In addition, the following student athletes received special recognition: Single Sport Female: Kasey McLeod; Single Sport Male: Oliver Salgado; Multi Sport Female: Isabella Cano; Multi Sport Male: Dreyln Jones; Four-Year Scholar Athletes, East: Alexa Giannoulis and Maksym Rudak; Four-Year Scholar Athletes, West: James Falco and Isabella Ambeliz; and, Three-Sport Varsity Athletes: Sabrina Bono, Isabella Cano, Hector Cisneros, Isaiah Diblich, Moses Garza, Nick Gattuso, Brian Gonzalez, Aidan Jaffray, Priscila Perez, Brooke Reith and Jorge Sari.
Students celebrate completing their Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program
On May 9, the following Leyden students completed the medical careers program and received their Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification: Melanie Alvarenga, Ronald Amoin, Jacqueline Bolanos, Anastasiia Buratynska, Samantha Diaz, Zoe Palma, Paola Reyes, Gianna Rico, and Emily Stewart.
In a special ceremony, students were presented with their whitecoats, designating their new status in the medical profession.
The CNA program is offered at Leyden as a dual credit program with Triton College. This program is designed to prepare nursing assistants to provide care in various health care settings under the direction of a registered nurse. The program includes development of fundamental nursing skills through lectures, laboratory activities and clinical experience. Students may also complete elective courses to gain knowledge and practical skills in ethical and legal responsibilities, medical terminology, venipuncture and electrocardiography. This is a unique opportunity for students to earn an entry-level professional medical certification while still in high school.
Students commit to the field of education
On May 10, Leyden recognized the following 23 students for committing to the field of education by pursuing a teaching degree upon graduation: Brianna Arteaga, Sophia Barandiaran, Rosalie Buttitta, Sol Cardenas, Alejandra Carrera, Alia El-hindi, Vanessa Franco, Alexa Giannoulis, Joselyne Gomez, Alissa Gonzalez, Isis González, Lizbeth Gutierrez, Jillian Hedke, Chloe Kovacevich, Belinda Maxinez-Nava, Citlalic Navar, Zulema Navar, Demaris Olallo, Gabriela Ortiz, Isabel Rodriguez, Maya Rubio, Victoria Wroblewski , and Melanie Zuleta.
These students were given a “Golden Ticket,” which gives successful graduates in education a guaranteed interview at Leyden and, if hired full-time, a $5,000 signing bonus.
Students featured in Leyden’s literary magazine
More than 30 student artists and writers are featured in the annual literary magazine Prizewrite. The creative writing and art teachers at both East and West selected the featured pieces, which represent the ingenuity, craftsmanship and creativity of our talented students. All works were produced during the 2023-24 school year.
Link: Prizewrite
Leyden Theatre International Thespian Inductees
Leyden Theatre inducted the following 22 students into the International Thespian Society Troupe number 1955: Michelle Abeja, Julio Andujar Arajo, Sophia Arguezo, Isadora Cicireilo, Ana Del Rosa, Jaylian Figueroa, Gabriela Grandez-Alicea, Emelie Gutierrez, Ayomide Kehinde, Jesica Lopez Palma, Enrique Martinez, Oscar Nawrocki, Cordell Orcullo, Sebastian Orozco, Dominic Padilla, Nathan Pera, Katya Sollis, Alinia Vaccaro, Shaina Vasa, Alexander Ventura and Mia Yelich.
Leyden Vocal Jazz Ensemble receives Award
The following students received the 2024 Downbeat Student Music Award for Small Vocal Jazz Group: Angel Morales, Nissi Rios, Jakub Ziolko, Liana Guerrero, John Kasango and Athiana Moran. This special group of student musicians join our 2021-22, 2018-19, 2017-18 and 2016-17 winners in earning a historic 5th National Award recognition for Vocal Jazz at Leyden.
Connect with us:
Email: pr@leyden212.org
Website: www.leyden212.org
Location: 3400 Rose Street, Franklin Park, IL, USA
Phone: 847-451-3000
Facebook: facebook.com/leydenpride212
Twitter: @leydenpride212