Scolaro named Person of the Year by SADIA

The Sons and Daughters of Italy in America will honor veteran educator Lyn Scolaro as Person of the Year at a gala on July 13 at Elmcrest Banquets in Elmwood Park. For details, call 630-913-7654.

The following profile was provided by the organization.

Lyn Scolaro

Professoressa Lyn Scolaro is the daughter of Veneto parents Mary (Cecchin-Galliera Veneta) and Attilio (Loreggia), sister to Lori (Robb) Vasilevich, and the proud ZiZi of Luc and Giuliana. She has been at Prospect High School for 28 years, and has been teaching Italian for 37 years, beginning her career at Mother Guerin High School in River Grove. Lyn earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Rosary College, now Dominican University, in River Forest. She holds a minor in Spanish and a Master’s Degree in Administration and Supervision from Roosevelt University as well as a Master of Arts in Teaching Degree from Aurora University.

Lyn is a longtime member and officer of the American Association of Teachers of Italian-Midwest Chapter, where she currently serves as Co-President. She is on the Board of the Osservatorio in Chicago and Italidea-Midwest. She also serves as a Board Member for the Illinois Directors of Student Activities. Lyn has recently been re-elected to serve another three-year term as the Vice President, K-12, of the AATI-North America and is serving a four-year term as a member of the College Board Development Committee for the AP Italian Language and Culture Exam. And she enjoys membership in various Italian American organizations in the Chicagoland area including SADIA, IAET, JCCIA, and the JCCIA-Women’s Division.

Lyn’s AP Italian Class was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Frantoi Redoro in Grezzana (Verona) in 2016. Her Italian 4 Honors class is currently working with the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in Chicago to create a visitor’s guide in Italian and in English for the museum. Her dedication to career pathways for students in Italian doesn’t stop at the high school. She is currently piloting a work-study program through Idea Verona (a branch of the Uof I in Verona) and the Arena of Verona (the historical outdoor ampitheater) for students in college pursuing careers in vocal music, drama, marketing, and orchestra. She hopes to collaborate with the connections she has made in her 41 trips to Italy for other careers such as journalism, medicine,

international business and more.

A regular presenter at conferences and symposiums, Lyn has represented Italian on Capital Hill during Advocacy Week. She has contributed to Fra Noi, Il Canguro of the A.N.E.A, the book “Italians in Chicago,” and to the North American supplement of the Italian pedagogy journal In.it. She was recently featured in the Chicago Voyage Magazine. Among other recognitions, Lyn received the Distinguished Service Award from the National AATI, the Shining Star Award from Mt. Prospect, the Heart of Gold Award from Arlington Heights and the Caradinal Bernardin Humanitarian award in the field of Education.