On the Road with Ava Rose Doty
Downers Grove’s young star shines in the Mrs. Doubtfire national tour By Maureen Callahan Ever wonder if the actors in a Broadway national tour get tired of show business? Not for nine-year-old actress and Downers Grove resident Ava Rose Doty! Since September, Doty has been on the road playing Natalie Hillard on the Broadway National…
Read MoreCONDUCTING COMMUNITY
Volunteer music group brings classical music to the western suburbs BY ANNA HUGHES | PHOTO CREDIT: DAVE NAPRSTEK Over 15 years ago, a passionate group of local musicians, vocalists, and volunteers came together with a shared vision: to bring an elite musical experience to the western suburbs. In July 2010, Sinfonietta Bel Canto (SBC), a…
Read MoreA Little of Everything
DGN football team experienced a season of defining moments in its state semifinal run BY JEFF VORVA | PHOTOS BY JEFF VORVA It seemed like Downers Grove North’s football team experienced a little bit of everything in 2025 and gave fans their money’s worth. You want close games? The Trojans gave you some close games,…
Read More14 Minutes Later
Cupial claims DGN’s first cross-country title BY JEFF VORVA It was 14 minutes and 3.2 seconds of greatness. And it took nearly a lifetime to achieve. Downers Grove North senior Philip Cupial won the Illinois High School Association Class 3A boys state cross country meet on Nov. 8 at Detweiller Park in Peoria. He became…
Read MoreFrom Classroom Lessons to Recording Sessions
Students at Henry Puffer Elementary School take learning to the next level through their after-school podcast club BY VALERIE HARDY When Lilla Bethell was in third grade, she was a self-described “quiet kid” who “didn’t like talking to new people – or people in general.” However, this all changed, thanks to the new club her…
Read MoreIsrael Larry Blackburn
A Soldier, Settler, and Village Founder BY HINSDALE MAGAZINE GROUP STAFF In the mid-1800s, a man named Israel “Larry” Blackburn made a journey few could have imagined—one that began in slavery in Kentucky and ended in Downers Grove, Illinois, where he became one of the village’s early founders. Born into bondage, Blackburn’s life…
Read MoreTime Well Spent
Young Men’s Service League invites mothers and sons to serve the community together BY MAUREEN CALLAHAN It’s been said that you must be the change you wish to see in this world. Just ask the 81 moms and 92 high school students who make up the Clarendon Hills/Hinsdale chapter of the Young Men’s Service League…
Read MoreTITANIC TURNAROUND
Tortorello, Surowiec lead Nazareth to second in state after tough 2024 BY JEFF VORVA | PHOTOS BY JEFF VORVA Hinsdale’s Tess Tortorello comes from a volleyball family that includes three aunts and a cousin who played at Division I colleges. Her sister, Lola, plays at Tufts University. Tess also has uncles who have competed in…
Read MoreDancing Through Life
Clarendon Hills dance studio inspires next generation BY ANNA HUGHES Sheetal Dhanani started dancing at age five — and never stopped. As a child in India, her mother liked to joke that the moment music started, Dhanani’s feet started moving. “It’s so beautiful that you fall in love with it,” Dhanani said. When she immigrated…
Read MoreReviving the Silent Screen
A new generation tackles silent filmmaking with annual festival By Anna Hughes In a world where advanced technology defines modern filmmaking, one local festival is going back to the basics. The Student Silent Film Festival is an annual competition for Chicago-area high school students that puts their skills to the test with the ultimate challenge:…
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