Features

Ancona saw the sign of LHS

McKenna Crane, Lauren Magdziarz, and Leila Rexhepi

September 29, 2023

While ASL has a variety of signs, it is important to be able to fingerspell for names, pronouns and more. To practice, Ancona starts every class with a quick quiz which students participate and pick words for.

Just like every kid having a dream job, Jeslynn Ancona always had her eyes set on being a teacher. From the time she asked for a projector in third grade to now teaching high school students a visual language, Ancona has never doubted her choice to teach.

“I [have] always wanted to be a teacher,” Ancona said.

After high school, Ancona attended MacMurray College for her degree in Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Special Education.

“…For a while I double majored in interpreting,” Ancona said.

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With six years of teaching deaf and hard of hearing students prior to making her big entrance at LHS, Ancona shares her excitement for the upcoming school year as she explores a new avenue in her teaching career. Along with ASL, she teaches English I, Health/Communications and Resource.

“I worked two years in Maywood as a deaf and hard of hearing teacher for preschool through third grade and then I did four years in Mid Valley special education co-op,” Ancona said. “ASL teaching as a language is very new.”

In addition to teaching, Ancona also has a knack for a variety of athletics. She loves to play pickleball, golf, volleyball and water sports.

“[My family and I] go on a lake and do a lot of wake surfing or water skiing. And I enjoy volleyball. I used to be on a league,” Ancona said.

While Ancona may be on a new journey she has already felt the “welcoming” and “super friendly” environment LHS has shown her. She cannot wait to see where it takes her.

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About the Contributors

McKenna Crane, Staff Writer

McKenna Crane is a sophomore at LHS and a first-year staff member. During school hours, she loves everything having to do with reading, writing and science. In her freetime, she enjoys playing sports and hanging out with her friends and family. She has played a number of different sports over her life, but volleyball and softball stuck. McKenna is a middle hitter on the JV volleyball team and a pitcher for the JV softball team. As for after high school, she would like to use her love of science to go into the medical field.

Lauren Magdziarz, Staff Writer

Senior Lauren Magdziarz is a first year Journalism member. She is super excited to share all that she has to offer with you this year. Lauren is a very dedicated student in the classroom and beyond. If not in school or studying, she is working to better herself in her craft of dance. Lauren has been dancing competitively for four years and is ready to carry her dancing career beyond high school . She is also involved in NHS and loves to volunteer whenever she can! Lauren is very ready to apply all that she has learned in high school to her future college career.

Leila Rexhepi, Coeditor-in-Chief

Leila Rexhepi, 17, is a third-year Tom-Tom member and is ready to wrap up her senior year. With big goals of playing in the LPGA, she has been working tirelessly this summer to make her dream come true. While many people think she works at Cog Hill & Country Club, she is actually holding it together while doing infuriating putting drills. All this work has paid off though with winning a tournament with a score of 79 and earning Junior PGA Player of the Year. Although she may be aiming for the lowest scores on the golf course, she is not aiming for low goals and grades. She has earned student of the month, won IHSA sectionals for Photo Storytelling, first place for her ceramics piece in the LHS winter exhibit and secured qualifying scores for her AP classes. Currently, she is taking two dual-credit classes this year and is exploring her interests with Sports & Entertainment Marketing, Ceramics and ASL II.