during a day as guest principal at H-F High School.
morning greeting from H-F High School students, from
left, sophomore A-Mani Evans, Salena Peebles
and Jacquelyn Omodunni.
(Photos by Marilyn Thomas/H-F Chronicle)
Memories flooded back as Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights, walked the halls of Homewood-Flossmoor High School.
He found the location of his locker. He remembered a friend who was active in WHFH-FM, the school’s radio station. The salt and pepper shakers project in the welding class was also a class assignment in his freshman class in 1984.
He was a member of the golf team, which he said was “a pretty big deal.” He was recruited by Elmhurst College in 1988 and was a member of the golf team there for four years.
School with Principal Jerry
Anderson, Rep. Anthony
DeLuca, center, learned about
the various Applied Academics
programs, including the Small
Engines class, from department
chair Kevin Thomas.
His favorite memory of H-F: “Probably just the whole experience and the friends I met, some of whom I’m still friends with today.”
But DeLuca’s visit to the school on Monday, Oct. 7, was more than a trip down memory lane. He was a “guest principal” for the morning, getting a closer look at what goes on at H-F on a day-to-day basis.
He met with several teachers and students during his two-hour visit that included both North and South Buildings. As an alumnus, he could see the changes that have happened at H-F, including the new TV studio, the botany/zoology lab and the field house.
He arrived for the early morning 7:30 a.m. period and greeted students as they arrived off the bus. Then he followed H-F Principal Jerry Anderson, who was happy to introduce DeLuca to Golden Apple teacher Catherine Cook, show him the broadcasting studios, the Applied Academics wing and other stops along the way.
DeLuca was introduced as the “principal” in one class, but quickly stipulated that the title didn’t come with any power. He was interested in the work of the teachers he met, the specialty classes such as Project Lead the Way and the computers and equipment provided for H-F students.
“When I’m not in Springfield, I visit stops in the community and I try to visit schools. I am very impressed with what is going on at H-F. I’ve been in the school for different things but not a tour like this,” DeLuca said.
