Find out what’s happening in your neighborhood with our weekly calendar of events
6 north shore sports
We lob questions to a state tennis champ and revisit a hoopster's magnificent playoff gamey
LIFESTYLE & ARTS
8 hashtag
Meet Erin Clifford, author of Wellness Reimagined: A Holistic Approach to Health, Happiness, and Harmony
12 freshly picked Kate Cole, manager of the Lake Bluff Farmers Market, shares a message of health
14 man about film
Our critic calls the re-released version of Jaws (50th Anniversary Edition), a filmic riptide of fear
16 north shore foodie
If summer had a flavor, it might be this Grilled Peach & Burrata Salad with Basil Vinaigrette recipe
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
18 sunday breakfast
The seeds of Golden Apple Award winner Jennifer Sobel's teaching career were sown in her high school year
NORTH SHORE DOINGS
EDITED BY CHEYANNE LENCIONI THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
NOW THROUGH JULY 31
JULIA JENSEN EXHIBIT
See Julia Jensen’s work this month at Vivid Art Gallery in Winnetka. Jensen is an Impressionist painter who creates landscapes based on the expansive views she experienced in Vermont and Nantucket. vividartgallery.net
NOW THROUGH AUGUST 2
“WHERE WE DWELL”
The Art Center of Highland Park, in partnership with Echt Gallery, presents “Where we dwell,” a new group show that explores the interplay between art, interior design, and the natural world. Featured artists include Michelle Peterson Albandoz, Arlene Byster, and Michael McGuire. theartcenterhp.org
NOW THROUGH AUGUST 18
"MARCIA’S ART"
Come check out a new exhibit by North Shore Art League
Member Marcia Maltz, running now through August 28. This show will be on display in a first-floor gallery space at 620 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka. Artwork is available for purchase, and a portion of the sales will be donated to the North Shore Art League, Meher Spiritual Center, Paws, The Cancer Wellness Center, and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. northshoreartleague.org
NOW THROUGH AUGUST 25
FOOD TRUCK MONDAYS
Enjoy food trucks and live music at Kenilworth Assembly Hall from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. kenilworthparkdistrict.org
NOW THROUGH AUGUST 26
“VISUAL RHYMESDIPTYCHS, TRIPTYCHS
AND MORE”
The Chicago Photographic Arts Society latest exhibit is on display now in the secondfloor gallery space at the North Shore Art League. Artwork is available for purchase, and a portion of the sales will be donated to the North Shore Art League. northshoreartleague.org
NOW THROUGH AUGUST 31
FLOW: PAINTINGS ABOUT WATER
“Flow: Paintings About Water” is on display at Grove Gallery in Evanston through August 31. Forty percent of all sales from this exhibit will be donated to Alliance for the Great Lakes. grovegallery.shop
NOW THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21
PATTERNED BY NATURE
Celebrate our universal attraction to patterns through playfully planted gardens and nature-inspired artistic installations that stretch the imagination at the Chicago Botanic Garden’s “Patterned by Nature” event. Visitors are invited to explore garden beds and installations throughout the garden that feature dynamic patterns, transformational art, and upcycled fashion. chicagobotanic.org
JULY 26 TO 27 GREEK FESTIVAL
Join Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Glenview from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. for a festive Greek Festival. Celebrate faith, community, and culture while raising funds for Glenview’s Family Service Center. ssppglenview.org
JULY 28 TO AUGUST 24
OUT OF OFFICE: ON THE TRAIL
Join coach Dave O’Connor at Middlefork Farm Nature Preserve’s George Beach Trail
from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. for a private, small-group coaching experience designed for senior-level leaders who are navigating tradition, burnout, or big decisions. lfola.org
JULY 29 TO SEPTEMBER 23
SUNSET YOGA
From 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. each Tuesday, immerse yourself in the beauty of Lake Forest Open Lands Association’s Mellody Farm Nature Preserve while relaxing into a gentle, restorative yoga session that will incorporate breathwork and mindfulness. All abilities welcome. lfola.org
JULY 26
CENTRAL STREET SIDEWALK SALE
FAIR
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Central Street in Evanston will be lined with merchants with their best deals. Shoppers can expect discounts up to 80 percent, local eats, lively entertainment, and fun for the whole family. centralstreetevanston.com
JULY 26
THE GULF OF GLENVIEW
Enjoy an evening of improv comedy from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Northfield Public Library. This adult program requires registration. wnpld.org
JULY 26 TO 27
SUPERBLOOM
The Seldoms present a weekend of dance, live music, animation, and costume and lighting design at Chicago Botanic Garden’s Superbloom event. Watch five dancers in a multimedia performance about radical beauty, wildness, and wildflowers. chicagobotanic.org
JULY 26 TO 27
CHINATOWN SUMMER
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., enjoy a unique outdoor event in Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood—a celebration of beauty and culture including art, food, and music. chicagoevents.com
JULY 26 TO AUGUST 3
HAIRSPRAY
The Grand Theater at Highland Park High School presents the high-energy production of the Broadway smash hit, Hairspray. Tickets are on sale now. uptownhp.org
JULY 30
CHICAGO CHORALE SING ALONG
The Music Institute of Chicago Chorale offers its annual Sing Along performance conducted by Daniel Wallenberg and accompanied by Gregory Schifrin. Rehearsals are $75 and the sing along is $15. Performers will rehearse on July 29 at 7:30 p.m. at Nichols Concert Hall. The performance is at 7:30 p.m. Audience attendance is free. musicinst.org
JULY 31
FAMILY BINGO NIGHT
From 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.,
bring your family to Family Bingo Night at Lake Bluff Library. Prizes will be available for all ages. Registration is required. lakeblufflibrary.org
AUGUST 6
LEGO DROP-IN
Children ages 6 to 11 can stop by Lake Bluff Library to play with LEGO bricks from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Children under the age of 8 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. lakeblufflibrary.org
AUGUST 9
HISTORY LOVER’S GUIDE TO CHICAGO
From 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., awardwinning writer Greg Borzo will share Chicago’s unique history at Northfield Public Library. Hear about all of the city’s fascinating nooks and crannies. Registration is required. wnpld.org
AUGUST 13
GARLIC FEST
Highwood’s 14th annual Garlic Fest returns. Sample a variety of sweet and savory dishes, partake is garlic trivia, live music, and family friendly activities and this fun event. celebratehighwood.org
AUGUST 14
FOOD TRUCK THURSDAYS Food Truck Thursdays continue in Highland Park’s Ravinia District from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. More than a dozen food trucks will service food accompanied by live music and a family-friendly atmosphere. cityhpil.com
AUGUST 17
BLOODY MARY FEST
Highwood’s Bloody Mary Fest returns from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Everts Park. Peruse more than a dozen vendors from near and far who share their unique concoctions and compete for the Proud Mary award. celebratehighwood.org
AUGUST 17
MOLLY SHANAHAN
At 1 p.m., 2010 Meier Award-winning choreographer Molly Shanahan will perform Spiral Body Techniques with the Mad Shak ensemble. All proceeds will benefit the Woman’s Club of Wilmette and the performers. womansclubofwilmette.org
To submit your event for consideration, please email events@nsweekend.com
Andy Kaplan, North Shore Art League
BY BILL MCLEAN THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGE PFOERTNER
SIMON SAYS THANKS
Simon Moschin expresses heaps of gratitude for others after becoming the all-time leading scorer in Highland Park High School boys’ basketball history.
It’s one thing to score 19 points in a basketball game. But to pour in your team’s first 19 points at the start of a playoff game?
That’s something unusual—something spectacular.
That’s what recent Highland Park High School (HPHS) graduate Simon Moschin did against visiting Oak Park and River Forest High School (OPRF) in the penultimate game of his historic career this past winter.
“That was Simon’s way of calming everybody down,” recalls Giants coach Ross Deutsch. “All those points in a row, that was Simon saying, ‘Hop on, all, I’ve got you.’”
The 5-foot-11 guard and future Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) hoopster needed 10 points to supplant Fred Lind (HPHS, Class of 1965) as the program’s all-time leading scorer on that night.
Moschin finished with 32 in the Giants’ 57-41 win February 26, and wound up with 1,416 points in three varsity seasons.
“What I’ll remember most about that night was the team’s players running to the stands to celebrate the win with our parents,”
Moschin says. “We didn’t win a regional championship, but the victory that night was a big one for our program.”
Quintessential Moschin: team first and foremost, individual record dead last. The team’s Most Valuable Player and recipient of the inaugural Paul Harris Leadership Award would much rather talk about the people in his life because of basketball than his point total or clutch performances atop hardwood.
“My dad (Adam) was right when he told me the two most important things I’d gain from playing basketball would be developing meaningful relationships and learning the importance of establishing a strong work ethic,” Moschin says. “I’ll always be thankful for the people—teammates, players from other teams, coaches—I’ve met through the sport I love the most.”
Moschin, a two-time varsity captain, averaged 20 points, four rebounds, 3.5 assists, and three steals per game for the 21-11 Giants in the 2024-2025 season. His 15.4 points-per-game career average ranks No. 2 all-time in program history.
“High basketball IQ, savvy in games, tremendous skills and abilities—Simon provided all of that, along with being a mentor for his teammates and our program’s freshmen and sophomores,” Deutsch says. “He respects the sport and his teammates and his opponents. I told every college coach considering him, ‘You get Simon, your team is better immediately.’”
Moschin and 2025 Niles North High School graduate Reid Olson, another guard, ran a youth basketball camp in Highwood June 11 to 13. Basketball had given the pair oodles; time to give back. Helping the kids improve their hoops skills was Moschin’s second priority during the three days.
“We put them in a lot of game situations, knowing an emphasis on team aspects of basketball would go a long way in establishing their love for the game,” he says. “Basketball isn’t just about taking shots or making shots.”
The former Giant plans to major in business as a CWRU Spartan in Ohio, and dreams of becoming a general manager of a professional basketball team someday. His room mate will be 6-foot-9 Alex Vincent, who knows a thing or 32 about that blistering playoff show Moschin put on in late February.
Vincent played for OPRF that night.
Q & A with New Trier township high school tennis player JAYDEN DUSSIAS
Freshman Jayden Dussias played only 12 doubles matches alongside New Trier Township High (New Trier) senior partner Chris Ackerman this past spring.
The rookie won all 12 with the accomplished veteran, none bigger than the 7-6, 7-5 defeat
of a Hinsdale Central High School pair—topseeded Nicholas Marringa-Kyle McCain—in the Class 2A boys’ tennis state doubles championship in late May.
“Pretty cool,” says Dussias of “state champion” forever being associated with his full name.
Ackerman-Dussias, seeded second, downed a Glenbrook North High School (GNHS) tandem 6-3, 6-7, 6-1 in a state quarterfinal. Dussias’ father, Dean, is a GNHS graduate.
A singles player for most of the 2025 season, Jayden Dussias was thrilled when Trevians coach Tad Eckert first deployed the Ackerman-Dussias duo. Ackerman had won a state doubles title with Jovan Morales in 2024.
Ackerman-Dussias’ state-title effort paced New Trier’s fourth-place showing (19 points) in the team standings.
We caught up with Dussias, a Winnetka resident, early this month near the end of his family reunion in
Canada.
How’s your summer going? Working on transitioning back to singles and getting ready to teach junior players at the Glenview Tennis Club.
Your style as an instructor? I’m pretty relaxed, not hardcore.
You get to borrow any professional tennis player’s shot for one of your matches. The shot and why? Carlos Alcaraz’s drop shot. It’s pretty. Before hitting one, it always looks like he intends to rip a groundstroke.
Your best shot? Forehand, but my favorite shot is down-the-line backhand.
Your favorite class and why? History. I like learning more about past events that I didn’t know much about beforehand.
Say tennis was never invented. Which sport would be your main one today? Golf (Dussias played for New Trier’s freshman golf squad last fall).
The best part of your golf game? Short game.
Why is Chris Ackerman so good in doubles? He stays calms and manages pressure well. And he has amazing hands at the net; some of his volleys are absurd. No doubles player in the state anticipates as well as Chris does.
What was the post-state meet celebration like? The team got together with parents and alumni. It was nice. The players left early; we’d attended team dinners all season.
Any other memories of your first state tennis tournament? I studied for the four final exams I took the following week. I sat at a little desk in the corner of a hotel room, grinding away. Brutal. History, English, and math went well. Biology—not so great.
Any idea where Eckert will put you in his lineup next spring? Probably a good balance between doubles and singles. I’m thinking mostly doubles.
Is college tennis in your future? Yes, I’d like to get that opportunity.
Simon Moschin
Jayden Dussias
#HASHTAG
EDITED BY REDDING WORTH ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL
#ON MY NIGHTSTAND
A good fiction book for nighttime reading—usually something immersive but not too intense, so I can wind down without overthinking. A well-loved copy of To Kill a Mockingbird—one of my alltime favorite books. From the first time I read it, the book’s focus on empathy and the significance of understanding others’ perspectives to create a more compassionate world has stayed with me throughout my life. A real alarm clock, because I keep my phone out of reach so I can get a good night’s rest without distraction. And a glass of water waiting for me when I wake in the morning so I can hydrate before starting the day.
#IN MY EARBUDS
I love wellness podcasts, especially Dr. Andrew Weil’s Body of Wonder podcast. He is a New York Times best-selling author and an internationally recognized expert on integrative medicine and mindbody interactions. When I’m in the mood for some motivating music, my playlists are a mix of feel-good nostalgia and inspiration. You’ll find country music for its storytelling charm and ‘90s jams for a dose of pure throwback energy.
#ON MY MOBILE
The first thing I see when I unlock my phone is a photo of my adorable dog, Daisy! Lately, my go-to app is Step It Up with Steph by Stephanie Mansour, a Chicago-based fitness influencer and a Fitness Contributor on the TODAY Show. Her meditations help me start the day with ease, and her yoga sessions and workouts are fun to do whether I’m at home or traveling.
ERIN CLIFFORD, is a wellness consultant, speaker, national board-certified health & wellness coach, and author of Wellness Reimagined: A Holistic Approach to Health, Happiness, and Harmony. She has dedicated her career to helping people lead happier, healthier, more fulfilling lives. As the Managing Director at her family’s law firm, Clifford has an in-depth understanding of the unique challenges that professionals face, enabling her to design customized coaching and programs for those in the corporate world. Born and raised in Chicago, she began her career in education with the Chicago Public Schools. Clifford holds a Juris Doctor from DePaul College of Law, is certified as a holistic wellness coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and earned a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University. She lives in Chicago with her husband and their golden retriever, Daisy.
BY MONICA KASS ROGERS
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BY ANN MARIE SCHEIDLER
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
FRESHLY PICKED
As Kate Cole enters her second year as the manager for Lake Bluff’s beloved Farmers Market, she reminds us that healthy communities start with happy families.
Kate Cole is a farm girl at heart. So, when she applied to be manager of the Lake Bluff Farmers Market two years ago, no one was surprised.
“I grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin,” says Cole, the married mother of two. “Whenever I can bring some of my childhood into our village, I do. The Farmers Market has been a great way for me to reconnect with some of that, and I’m hoping to help those who come to the market experience that, too.”
For those unfamiliar, Lake Bluff Farmers Market is a seasonal outdoor market that brings people into Lake Bluff’s Central Business District and provides easy access to high-quality fresh produce plus appetizers, baked goods, cheeses, flowers, sauces, soups, and more. It gives shoppers the satisfaction of knowing they’re supporting small farms and small businesses.
The Farmers Market was started in 1993 as part of a plan to revive downtown Lake Bluff, which is now a vibrant shopping area full of cafes, restaurants, pubs, stores and more. The market is open on Fridays from 7 a.m. until noon until October 10.
“The village and our volunteers actually run the market,” Cole says modestly. “My job is to be on site every Friday to make sure all of the vendors are safe and have what they need to be successful.”
For this year’s market, Cole hopes to unveil children’s programming to create a more meaningful relationship between the vendors and those who visit them on Friday mornings.
“I love that I get to welcome everyone to the market,” she says. “For someone who loves her community, being the market manager is the perfect job for me. It doesn’t feel like work at all. It feels like family.”
Cole’s position with the Farmers Market is just the latest of the community roles she’s embraced since moving to Lake Bluff four years ago.
“I came to Lake Bluff with a lot of experience helping children and families,” Cole says, owning a consulting business called Parent Like a Pro where she shares her insights on raising young children.
“That’s my passion. Everything I do now has a piece of that built into it.”
That includes Lake Bluff’s newly founded softball league for girls.
“Baseball is such a part of living in Lake Bluff,” Cole says. “I was surprised when I got here and there wasn’t a team specifically for girls. A year after my daughter started playing T-ball, I joined the Lake Bluff Youth Baseball Association and organized a softball league for girls in first through fourth grades. We now have two leagues with more than 90 players who participate. It’s all in-house, which means we only play other Lake Bluff teams. We focus on teaching the skills needed to play softball. This is my fulltime volunteer job and I’ve been rewarded non-stop for it. Today, families in our community can watch their girls compete on the diamond at Artesian Park and have a picnic afterwards. This is the perfect way to spend a summer night.”
As if being a market manager and softball commissioner wasn’t enough, Cole is also the Director of Community Life for the Community Church of Lake Forest & Lake Bluff where she leads community outreach.
“Immediately after the pandemic, our pastor, [Rev. Dr.] Tom Dickelman, asked if I would be interested in helping out with the children during our services on Sunday. Today, with Rev. Sean Miller, we’re delivering programming for small children and families that encourages coming together through meaningful play,” she says. “I can’t help myself. If I see something I can do, or a process I can make better, I have to do it—especially if it can add to our community. I am all about that.”
JAWS (50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION)
Five decades later, this re-released filmic riptide of fear is back with a renewed menace.
BY FELIX MCMILLAN,
BACHTELL
VERDICT:
This 50th Anniversary Edition of Jaws is not a mere restoration—it is a resurrection. Steven Spielberg’s homage to primal fear, carried on Williams’s score and driven by magnetic performances, is tempered yet intensified by this presentation. Though you remain aware of its mechanical shark, that’s precisely the point. Fear needn’t be flawless to be terrifying. A deserving restoration of a film that taught us to fear the water beneath our feet.
Half a century on, Jaws resurfaces in a 4K remaster that does more than merely polish its grainy texture—it reawakens the instinctual dread that defined a genre. The anniversary edition offers not just cleaner visuals and richer audio, but a poignant reminder of why Spielberg’s summer blockbuster remains the primal measuring stick for cinematic suspense.
The real potency of Jaws lies in its restraint. Crafted on a famously troubled mechanical shark, the film often withholds the creature from view, relying instead on John Williams’s iconic two-note motif to telegraph impending doom. The remaster preserves this choreography of anticipation. The swell of Williams’s score now feels more scarring than exhilarating; its bass notes rumble through home sound systems as if the shark lurks beneath your coffee table.
Robert Shaw’s portrayal of Quint is the thorniest gem in this polished crown. His eloquent, gravel-toned speech about USS Indianapolis stands unbowed, even more sonorous in HD. This is no mere scene; it is oratory underpinned by trauma.
The remaster gleans newly visible beads of sweat, microphone interference at the fringes—a testament to raw performance rather than studio artifice.
Richard Dreyfuss’s Matt Hooper, wide-eyed and inquisitive, pops with intellectual curiosity, balancing Quint’s gravitas. His marine-scientist persona gains clarity in closeups, aligning nearly seamlessly with Spielberg’s vision of nature as both wondrous and terrifying. Roy Scheider, as the shrewd Mayor Vaughn, remains the pragmatic lynchpin—his “You’re gonna need a bigger boat” moment never felt sharper.
Visually, the 4K restoration bathes Amity Island in tropical warmth while sharpening the contrast between its sunlit calm and stygian terror. Subtle textures—the weave of Scheider’s
shirt, the glint of ocean spray—gain tactile resonance. Yet the shark’s mechanical aspects are still occasionally discernible, a reminder of its analog origins. Far from detracting, these imperfections humanize the beast—it’s flawed in ways that digital monsters seldom are.
The supplemental materials included in
this release—which cover behind-the-scenes challenges, archival interviews, and newly remastered storyboards—provide an illuminating companion piece. They underscore how Jaws became the template for the modern blockbuster: lean, tension-driven storytelling, national release strategies, merchandising, repeat viewership.
MAN ABOUT FILM ILLUSTRATION BY TOM
MURRAY RYERSON
NORTH SHORE FOODIE
GRILLED PEACH & BURRATA SALAD WITH BASIL VINAIGRETTE
If summer had a flavor, this might be it. Sweet grilled peaches, creamy burrata, peppery greens, and a bright basil vinaigrette come together in a dish that’s as effortless as it is elegant. Perfect for patio lunches, weekend entertaining, or simply making the most of the season’s finest ingredients.
SERVES 4–6
TOTAL TIME: 20 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS
• 4 ripe but firm peaches, halved and pitted
• 2 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)
• 2 balls fresh burrata cheese
• 4 cups baby arugula or mixed greens
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
• Flaky sea salt & cracked black pepper
FOR THE BASIL VINAIGRETTE
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp white balsamic or champagne vinegar
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE In a blender or food processor, combine basil, garlic, mustard, and vinegar. Pulse until smooth. With motor running, drizzle in olive oil. Season to taste.
GRILL THE PEACHES Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Brush peach halves with olive oil and grill cut-side down for 2–3 minutes until softened and marked.
ASSEMBLE Arrange greens on a platter. Tear burrata over top. Add grilled peaches. Drizzle with vinaigrette and sprinkle with pine nuts (if using). Finish with flaky salt and cracked pepper.
MARKET TIP
Look for freestone peaches—ideal for grilling and typically in peak condition at North Shore farmers markets by late July.
Serve with crusty bread and chilled rosé for a summer meal worth lingering over.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY VAASEENAA
TRUE TO THE CORE
Golden Apple award winner Jennifer Sobel teaches as passionately as she roots for her students at Northwood Middle School in Highland Park.
BY BILL MCLEAN ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT
More than 20 years later, Jennifer Sobel can still hear the hallway shout for joy that she helped unleash at Niles West High School (NWHS) in Skokie.
A fellow student Sobel had tutored in math hollered, “We passed! We passed!”
“I was an unofficial tutor for many of my high school classmates,” says Sobel, seventh-grade dual language Spanish/Spanish language arts teacher at Northwood Middle School (NMS) in Highland Park. “Helping people understand things made me feel good. But teaching wasn’t a career choice for me; it was a calling.”
Sobel, 40, has been dialed in and making a difference ever since she entered the field of education as a Loyola University Chicago graduate. A native of Mexico who arrived in the United States at the age of 13, Sobel taught for six years at Waukegan High School (WHS) before accepting the post at NMS in 2019.
On May 13, in the middle of one of her classes at the school, she had to abruptly stop instructing. Folks had entered the room to stage a surprise celebration for the recipient of the 2025 Highland Park Community Foundation (HPCF) Golden Apple Award.
Established in 2010 by HPFC in partnership with a local family foundation, the HPFC Golden Apple award honors outstanding teachers in the Highland Park public school system. To be eligible, nominees must have completed at least four years of teaching. The award rotates annually among the elementary, middle, and high school levels. This year, full-time teachers working in grades 6 to 8 were eligible. The two semifinalists work at Edgewood Middle School: seventh-grade social studies teacher Michael Buss and art teacher Sharon Steckel.
A selection committee of current and retired teachers, administrators, and past award recipients evaluated each application
Jennifer Sobel
I had really good teachers in my corner when I was a student in Mexico and in this country, and I want to be there for my students every day.
and conducted a full day of observation for the final contenders, assessing instruction, content knowledge, interactions with students and staff, and contributions to the school and community.
On that mid-May day students served as proud audience members at desks, Sobel received her Golden Apple statuette and The Sara Sher Excellence in Teaching Prize—a $2,000 honorarium and $500 Apple Store gift card.
“I was very, very happy and a little surprised,” says Sobel, who lives in Franklin Park with her husband, Klajdi, and their 3-year-old
daughter, Kjari. “I’m not doing what I’m doing for the recognition. I had really good teachers in my corner when I was a student in Mexico and in this country, and I want to be there for my students every day.”
Her sixth-grade teacher in Mexico, Miss Maru, was as relatable as a peer to Sobel, and Mr. Weathering, a social studies teacher at NWHS, taught with passion but was “really chill and approachable” between classes.
“Miss Maru,” Sobel recalls, “was very much a person to her students. A lot of times, teachers come across as authoritative. She liked sharing her life experiences with her stu-
dents—something I like to do, too. You share, you get to know your students better. We’ve talked about puppies in class.
“I found out a student likes lizards, so I researched them in order to be able to talk about them.”
To say teaching is in Sobel’s blood is akin to saying blood circulates in arteries and veins. Her father, John, taught in Mexico, as did her great-grandmother, who instructed students in a small factory town. Three of Sobel’s aunts, including one who became a teacher at the age of 17 and continues to teach at 70, have prepared lesson plans and graded exams.
“That one longtime teacher has been saying, ‘This is my last year in the classroom,’ for several years,” Sobel says with a laugh.
Canadian novelist and poet Margaret Atwood once said, “A word after a word after a word is power,” an adage referring to the strong influence of language.
Sobel teaches, in part, to give power to her students.
“You acquire skills through education,” says Sobel. “I feel strongly that having control of a language helps empower students who seek access to opportunities. One of the first things I say to my students at the beginning of a school year is, ‘I’ll always be in your corner,’ followed by, ‘You’re mine until you don’t need me anymore.”
One of her English as a Second Language (ESL) male students at WHS was on a path to a dead end when she and another ESL teacher met with the youth and his parents one day.
“That boy was brilliant but disruptive in classes,” Sobel says. “I told him again, with his parents nearby, ‘I’m here for you and I care about you.’ Years later, right before he had to complete one more assignment to graduate, he and I were in a room together when he told me, ‘I’m thinking about going to college.’” Music to Sobel’s ears no doubt, on a par with, “We passed! We passed!”
