Profiles

Refueling fighter jets during Desert Storm, Dominic Guerrieri flew over burning oil fields, saw bomb flashes and witnessed artillery launches into Kuwait. The youngest of six children, Dominic Guerrieri was born in Chicago and grew up on the Far Northwest Side of Chicago near Foster and Cumberland. His father, Carmen, and mother, Rita (Mariano) were born in Chicago. His grandparents emigrated from Basilicata and Bari, Italy. One of the youngest of 28 cousins, Guerrieri enjoyed his close-knit family. Christmas Eve was celebrated at home with the extended family enjoying the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes. A favorite Easter dish …

A former Chicago Cub with 237 games under his belt, Carmen Fanzone has been denied benefits accorded other short-term players in the wake of a 1980 rule change. Former Cubs player Carmen Fanzone still has fond memories of his time in the Windy City. “When I was there, if people found out you played for the Cubs, you were treated like royalty,” the 78-year-old Fanzone says. Sadly, the same cannot be said of Major League Baseball and the union representing today’s players, the Major League Baseball Players’ Association. Fanzone is among the over 600 retirees who do not receive MLB …

A respected travel and hospitality expert and author, Robert Allegrini now takes on a one-of-a-kind role as honorary consul for the republic of San Marino. When Michigan Stadium is sold out for a Wolverines football game, it fits three times as many people as live in all of San Marino — a nation within Italy that’s so small, it’s referred to in geographic terms as a “microstate.” Its 33,000 residents, spread out over 24 square miles, occupy the fifth smallest country in the world. It also stands alone as a priceless curiosity, with a style of government and copious architectural …

di Olimpia Giacalone e Daniel Fecko Quando la Professoressa Anna Clara Ionta della Loyola University di Chicago è venuta nella nostra classe d’italiano AP, sapevamo che avrebbe dato una lezione sui gesti degli italiani, però non avremmo mai immaginato che sarebbe stata una lezione così divertente. Non sapevamo che i gesti fossero una lingua per sé e fino a quel momento non eravamo sicuri del loro significato. Ma quando ci ha insegnato gesti per esprimere “Chi se ne frega,” “Basta,” “Che paura,” e tante altre espressioni, abbiamo capito che i gesti mostrano un altro lato della cultura italiana: la vitalità, …

di Sydney Lupo, Hailie Barone e Addison Prince È incredibile che siamo all’ultimo anno di italiano a South. Abbiamo scelto l’italiano tre anni fa – Tre anni di divertimento! Dunque, quest’anno è più difficile perché ci stiamo preparando per il liceo. La grammatica, i verbi regolari e irregolari, gli aggettivi, gli articoli determinativi/indeterminativi — UFFA! Ma Prof. Sasso ha molti giochi per aiutarci a imparare le regole. Abbiamo cominciato questa unità con i vestiti, lo stile dei vestiti e dove possiamo comprare gli abbigliamenti! Poi, abbiamo scritto un dialogo al negozio. Al negozio abbiamo scelto qualcosa da comprare e abbiamo …

di Lily Nyman Il programma d’italiano alla nostra scuola è piccolo, ma speciale. La cultura italiana è ricca e la lingua è bellissima. Per festeggiare Halloween quest’anno, la mia classe ha fatto un progetto di ricerca su vari italiani famosi e poi abbiamo creato maschere con le loro facce. Poi abbiamo presentato una breve biografia su di loro davanti alla classe. Ad esempio: alcuni studenti hanno scelto di presentare su Giorgio Armani, Leonardo da Vinci, e Galileo Galilei. Era un progetto interessante e divertente! Studiamo l’italiano con la Professoressa Barbanente da tre anni. Con il suo aiuto, abbiamo imparato molto: …

di Effie Kalkounos Sono una professoressa d’italiano qui al liceo di Elk Grove. Insieme con la mia collega, la professoressa Anna Izzo Glinski, abbiamo ospitato il nuovo gruppo di studenti e professoresse della Sicilia al nostro liceo. Il Signor Giovanni Gullo, con la sua famiglia, ha iniziato questo scambio vent’anni fa tra le organizzazioni del Sister Cities di Elk Grove e di Termini Imerese. Quest’anno è il decimo anniversario dello scambio con Termini, con il Liceo Gregorio Ugdulena. Gli studenti italiani sono stati in Elk Grove dal 19 novembre fino al primo dicembre e sono stati ospitati dai suoi gemelli …

Casa Italia honored tireless community leader Jo Ann Serpico as Woman of the Year at its Golden Anniversary Gala on Feb. 8 at Belvedere Banquets in Elk Grove Village. “Jo Ann has been a pillar of the community for decades,” says Casa Chairman Peter Volpe. “We’re so lucky to have her as a board member, and we’re so honored that she has agreed to be our Woman of the Year.” Jo Ann has been immersed in the activities of the community since birth, thanks to the unwavering involvement of her father, Joseph R. Salerno. “My father was a member of …

Mario Salerno has been elected president of the Calabresi in America Organization. A member for eight years, Salerno served as an advisor for two years and worked his way up through the vice presidential ranks before being elected president. “Being involved has given me the opportunity to share my Calabrese background with others and celebrate it as well,” he explains. “I like being able to provide outreach not only to other Calabrese but to members of other Italian-American organizations.” Being elected president is both on honor and an opportunity for Salerno, who follows in the footsteps of his father, Frank, …

Stan Kuczynski has been elected president of the Chicago West Suburban Chapter of UNICO National. Kuczynski was inducted into the organization in 2014, and served as recording secretary and chairman of the Scholarship, Fundraising and Bylaws committees before ascending to the presidency. “To be president of this 61-year-old organization comes with a lot of history and responsibility,” he says. “I only hope I can live up to the expectations of the generations that came before me.” Kuczynski says that he joined the chapter because he wanted to be a part of an organization that not only did charitable and patriotic …