Suburban teacher inspiring students decades into career

Yahoo

26-03-2025

OAK LAWN, Ill. — Dale Hillegonds teaches history and science and coaches three sports at Chicago Christian Schools Oak Lawn. He is celebrating his 37th year at the school and both parents and students he taught say his enthusiasm for teaching has never waned.
Since 1988 Mr. Hillegonds has been quizzing middle schoolers at Chicago Christian Schools in oak lawn. While some questions are your standard fare, when the students hear a familiar theme song, they know what's going to happen next.
Mr. H has been using jeopardy to help students prep for upcoming tests.
'I picked up that whistle when I was kid. We do a jeopardy review before every test. We divide the kids in half, we put up a board up of questions, we have a scorekeeper, we keep score, we have daily doubles,' he said. 'And so the Jeopardy song got picked up by myself and I have students that picked up the whistle.'
His love for teaching and care for his students are just a few of the reasons he is a beloved teacher here. Eli Workman and his older brother Micah nominated Mr. H for WGN's Teacher of the Month.
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'He's kind, funny, he has a good work ethic…and he always wants us to be the best we can be,' Eli Workman said.
And genuine. The enthusiasm he shows for teaching is reflected in the way his 7th and 8th graders respond to him.
He originally set out to pursue higher education, but fell in love with middle school.
'They are still very eager to learn and they are excited to learn about learning and they are excited about school,' he said. 'It's really a neat age level to be in involved in. They are excited about school and excited about their teacher, yet they are old enough to impart a great deal of education upon them. And they are awesome.'
And he is truly woven into the fabric of this school. Many of his kids in his classroom are children of his former students.
More: Celebrating Teacher of the Month!
't's a real sense of community here, to be a part of it is a pleasure,' he said. 'Any field trip, bike trip and I'll have 25-30 parents who come with. I have had a tremendous support over the years.'
Mr. H has embraced the school in the same way they have embraced him over the years. He coaches soccer, basketball and even volleyball. And pushing his classroom outside the boundaries of their community.
'We've done a number of field trips. We take a big bike trip along the lakefront in the spring. We have been to the Holocaust Museum. We are going to go Cantigny,' he said. 'One of the things about Chicago is that the resources are unbelievable. The city is a great places. At this level the kids are eager and excited. There is a great amount of enthusiasm here, you just got to tap into it.'
And it's the ability to spark curiosity in the classroom and out of the classroom that sets him apart.
'Each day is a brand new day. I am a guy who has never been to work. I enjoy my job immensely,' he said.
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Eric revels from Ankin Law presented Mr. H with a $1,000 check.
Mr. H refuses to take credit for the award. He says it belongs to the entire school.
'The teachers here are awesome. This award could've gone to any teacher,' he said. 'The fact they selected me, it was a great honor. I'm humbled by that, but it's really a reflection on our whole school.'
Mr. H tells says he plans to use the money to buy microscopes for his science classes. He and his wife Cami raised four children, three of whom went into education.
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