Latest news with #LeoHighSchool
CBS News
6 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Chicago Leo High School students welcomed back by alumni on first day
Leo High School in Auburn Gresham returned to school on Thursday for the school's 99th year. The 270 students were greeted by two long lines of alumni and a marching band for a years-long tradition The alumni then joined the freshman class for a continental breakfast in the cafeteria. the school's principal told students they have a lot to be excited about this year. "All of a sudden, young men on the south side have a national presence, they have a sense of agency, they have a sense of purpose, and we want to bring that sense of pride to them," Principal Shaka Rawls said. Also on Chicago's South Side, the nonprofit "Ignite" is hosting a back-to-school event this afternoon in Bronzeville. Chicago-area families are invited to visit the Rosenwald Courts courtyard until 4 p.m. for free school supplies, food, activities, and access to local services. This event also kicks off the organization's year-long 50th anniversary celebration.
Chicago Tribune
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Leo High School choir headed to ‘America's Got Talent' quarterfinals in August
Imagine heading out to pick up your father's medicine at the neighborhood CVS one day, only to be stopped by four strangers who ask: 'Can I take a picture with you?' That's was what happened to Kriston Bell, 17. When approached, the Beverly resident asked if they knew him from somewhere. Their response: 'From 'America's Got Talent.'' The admirers took pictures to share with their kids. 'I'm just walking into Chick-fil-A, next thing I hear is someone say, 'Ain't that the people from 'America's Got Talent?'' said Dolton resident Stephen Jackson, 17. This is the new normal for members of Leo High School's choir after their performance on the 20th season of NBC's reality talent show aired June 10 — now that the melodic prowess of the 22 young men from the South Side Catholic school for boys has gone global. And while its choir has stepped to the forefront as of late, Leo High School has been known as a place where young Black and brown men are nurtured to succeed. And they do — from sports to academics . 'Since I have been at Leo, more than 90% of our graduates have gone on to college,' said Leo President Dan McGrath. On 'America's Got Talent,' the choir wowed all four judges and the audience with a resounding rendition of The Score's 'Born for This.' The team heads back to California in August to participate in the talent competition's quarterfinals. Choir members were rehearsing for hours at the school every Thursday in July. If they advance after this round, the group will be closer to winning the $1 million grand prize. The choir had a certain amount of notoriety locally prior to 'AGT' — from taking the stage at the Democratic National Convention last summer, to performing at Millennium Park's Holiday Sing-Along this past December, to singing for the city of Chicago during Black History Month — but the 'AGT' platform is its biggest yet. The young men caught the attention of the show's scouts when an Instagram video of their singing was posted by CBS Chicago in early 2024. The rest is history. By June of this year, the choir was performing at the Archdiocese of Chicago's celebration of Pope Leo XIV at Rate Field and at a Juneteenth event at Wrigley Field. 'National reality TV shows, multiple different news networks, sports games, I think I've ticked off the whole bucket list,' Jackson said about his involvement with the choir. Some Leo choir members juggle rehearsals with summer jobs. From restaurants like iHop (Jackson says his manager is 'very forgiving' with his choir commitments and scheduling) to retailers like Menards and Stein Learning Gardens at St. Sabina the young men are working hard on their futures — futures that gel well with not just the choir's success, but also with Leo's philosophy of working hard for success, according to choir director LaDonna Hill. 'Most people are average … getting up every day trying to figure it out, willing to try and not quit. Those are the things I like to build on. That's why I'm so proud of these 22 guys,' she said. Having performed publicly at 60 events last year, the men committed themselves to the work. 'To have these young men show up, be committed, not afraid to try something new, and legitimately give themselves to it 100% — it's inspiring,' Hill said. Leo Principal Shaka Rawls is not surprised the choir is getting the recognition it is. A Leo alumnus, Rawls has led the school since 2016 and said 'it was only a matter of time' the national spotlight found the choir, given the hard work that goes into supporting Leo students' mental health, educational growth and service to the community. All are part of Leo's mission of making good people and stewards of the community. 'I want to make the next generation of men better than the last generation — particularly Black and brown men,' Rawls said. Parents credit the choir's momentum to the synergy between Yolanda Sandifer-Horton, Leo High School's choir manager and coordinator of student engagement, and Hill. According to Hill, many members of the choir did not know how to sing or did not possess any musical background before they became part of the team. Hill — who is retiring from Leo after 25 years to pursue ministry — looks back at helping the choir grow through a lens of creativity, patience, hard work and fun. 'We push them to do their best, but at the same time, we try to know what's going on in their lives, so we can talk them through things. We want them to feel safe, respected, and looked after,' McGrath said. McGrath considers the choir members ambassadors for the institution, which will celebrate 100 years in 2026. A 1968 graduate of Leo, McGrath has seen firsthand the neighborhood's demographics change from predominantly white to Black and brown, with businesses and churches abandoning Auburn Gresham in the process. They stayed the course in the South Side community with their motto: 'Deeds not words.' 'Oftentimes, we say teachers inspire students … but they've inspired me,' Hill said. 'I teach them four golden rules: discipline, dedication, being responsible and being a team player. I build on that. You get to the end of the process — the results — and you can feel good about whatever the outcome is because you did your best.' While current Leo Lions are making plans for the 'AGT' prize money (college funds feature prominently) Sandifer-Horton said she would like the limelight to offer more exposure for the colleges recent Leo graduates attend. Nine choir members graduated last year. 'It's bringing exposure not only to Leo, but to nine other colleges and universities,' she said. 'Many people who don't win, get so much exposure and opportunities; a lot of people come out winners in other ways.' For twins Steven and Stephen Jackson, 17, their Leo choir experience has helped them with their public speaking skills and confidence. Bell is looking to use his voice more when working on his own melodic hip-hop music. Rios is looking forward to joining Clark Atlanta University's choir when he attends in the fall. 'Leo's choir has done what most professional musicians are still trying to do,' Rios said, looking back at the group's trajectory. 'We definitely did the best we could as far as us being teenagers.' After their first appearance on the show, an anonymous donor gave each choir member $5,000 to be used for their educational pursuits after high school. 'They are very humble,' said Chatham resident Latonya Smith, parent to 17-year-old choir member Xavier Smith. 'These are some really gifted, locked-in young men, but I don't think they know the impact of being on national TV; for my son, the reality hasn't hit him yet.' Sondrae Lewis is looking forward to accompanying her 16-year-old Michael Lewis to California in August for a two-week stay. The Lewis family relocated six months ago from Auburn Gresham, where Leo High School sits, to Griffith, Indiana. Lewis, a rising senior and first tenor, is adamant about graduating from Leo and plans to travel to school at 6:30 a.m. to attend hour-and-a-half choir rehearsals before classes begin, five days a week. 'We've all been so excited that our boys are being exposed to things they wouldn't be able to if they weren't a part of the choir,' Sondrae Lewis said. 'With the choir, they're covering ground on what they're exposed to, who they're being exposed to. … These young men haven't been in those kinds of environments, places or travels, and they have been picking up momentum.' Now that the school choir is in high demand, McGrath said parents are coming into the school saying they'd like to see their son get into the choir. The search for the next choir director has already begun. But whoever takes up the mantle will have to have a family mindset, Hill said. She considers her arrival at Leo divine. It all started with a phone call from a friend after the loss of her child. She lost one soul to connect with many others. 'I gained all of these amazing young men — that's why I describe it as divine. Look at how far they've come. I just pray that whoever comes will be fascinated with that process,' she said. ''AGT' is great and I hope we win the whole thing, but my goal is the Vatican in March,' Rawls said. 'There's no reason why the Leo High School choir, with its newfound fame, should not perform for Pope Leo. That just makes sense to me.'
Chicago Tribune
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Veteran Chicago defense attorney Thomas Anthony Durkin dies at 78 after short illness
Longtime criminal defense attorney Thomas Anthony Durkin, known as a tireless advocate for his clients who enjoyed holding the government accountable for overstepping authority in everything from terrorism investigations to electronic surveillance, died Monday after a brief hospitalization. He was 78. A 1964 graduate of Chicago's Leo High School, Durkin was as South Side Irish as they come, a mustachioed, sometimes salty and always quick-witted litigator who loved going toe-to-toe in court with opposing counsel and judges alike. Durkin was hospitalized in June with an undisclosed illness that worsened quickly, according to friends who spoke to the Tribune. Relatives were not immediately available for comment Monday. A former federal prosecutor, Durkin represented an impressive roster of well-known clients over his five-decade legal career, from Guantanamo Bay detainees to Margarito Flores, the Chicago drug trafficker who along with his twin brother Peter helped build one of the first cases against Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman. Durkin most recently was in the news for representing former Chicago Ald. Carrie Austin on corruption charges. In one of his last courtroom appearances in May, Durkin questioned a doctor over her opinion that Austin was not fit to stand trial — ultimately leading to the judge scuttling a trial planned for November. He also represented Thomas Cullen, a lobbyist and former political director for then-House Speaker Michael Madigan, who testified before a federal grand jury and also twice at trial as part of the sprawling corruption investigation that ultimately led to Madigan's conviction. But those who worked closely with Durkin said he toiled equally hard on cases that never made headlines. He looked out for people whether they had money or not, and lived for the moments in court when he could take on what he felt were overwrought arguments, several of his former colleagues said. 'Absolutely nothing got by him, said Chicago attorney Robert Rascia, who worked with Durkin on many cases over the past 46 years. 'When we would go to court, I always had this feeling it was going to go our way. It didn't always, of course. But I was never worried.' Rascia said Durkin had a 'huge impact' on lawyers across Chicago and beyond, mentoring them and offering counsel not just on legal matters, but on life itself. 'As a young lawyer, sometimes you're more interested in getting the case, in chasing the money,' Rascia said. 'But he was never cutting corners, never making a promise he couldn't keep. He didn't pump anybody's tires.' Josh Herman, another longtime colleague who partnered with Durkin on many big cases, told the Tribune Monday night that Durkin was 'a tremendous presence, whose loss will be felt by many.' 'In an old office, he had a bust of Clarence Darrow and a statue of Don Quixote, which perfectly captured his blend of fierce creativity as a lawyer and teacher,' Herman said. One of Durkin's longest running legal sagas was the terrorism case against Adel Daoud, a Hillside teenager who was arrested in 2012 after attempting to detonate what he thought was a car bomb outside a crowded downtown nightclub. After Durkin challenged the government's eavesdropping methods in the case, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals federal appeals court in Chicago in 2013 held a highly unusual closed-door session with government officials over whether Durkin should be allowed to view confidential surveillance documents. As famously acerbic appellate Judge Richard Posner ordered the stately courtroom cleared so the three-judge panel could hold a 'secret hearing,' Durkin rose dramatically to object but was kicked out of the room by deputy U.S. marshals. Never one to avoid controversy, Durkin stuck it to Posner outside the courtroom, telling reporters he was not notified in advance that there would be a secret hearing and called the move unprecedented. 'Not only do I not get to be there, but I didn't even get to object,' Durkin said. 'I had to object over the fact that I couldn't even make an objection.' According to a biography on his law firm's web site, Durkin received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1968 and later attended the University of San Francisco School of Law. After earning his law degree in 1973, Durkin served as a law clerk to the U.S. District Judge James B. Parsons in Chicago. He set up a private practice and tried a large number of jury cases as federal defender panel member before moving to the other side, serving as an assistant U.S. attorney in Chicago for six years. During his time as a prosecutor, Durkin led several cases 'involving systemic corruption in the Electrical Inspection Department of the City of Chicago,' as well as health care fraud and income tax evasion matters involving political corruption, the bio stated. After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, Durkin made a name for himself nationally by being one of the first to criticize the overreach of the War on Terror, particularly the Patriot Act, which allowed unprecedented surveillance on American citizens. In 2008, Durkin was selected as part of a joint effort by civil liberties advocates to provide civilian defense counsel to assist in the trial of five Guantanamo Bay detainees charged in the 9-11 attacks, according to his biography. Durkin represented Mohammed Hamzah Khan, a suburban Chicago teen charged with providing material support to ISIS by attempting to travel to Syria along with his two juvenile siblings, as well as Jared Chase, one of the so-called 'NATO 3' defendants accused of terrorism charges for planned activities during the NATO summit in Chicago in 2012. In his closing argument in that case, Durkin scoffed at the Cook County state's attorney's office for bringing terrorism charges, describing the three defendants as 'goofs' who 'can't even agree on what to have for breakfast.' 'If these people can be labeled terrorists, we're all in trouble,' he told jurors.
The Guardian
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘South Side' Pope Leo offers video message to Chicagoans at ballpark mass
Pope Leo XIV, born in Dolton, Illinois, and a White Sox baseball fan, has been anointed by Chicagoans as the 'South Side Pope', appearing via video on Saturday at the White Sox ballpark to offer a message to young people. At a mass organized by the archdiocese of Chicago in honor of the new pope, attendees wore baseball jerseys while nuns in habits congregated near the entrance. Others dressed up in slacks and ties, and the sound of 'Pope parking!' echoed through a megaphone from a nearby parking lot. There were Pope Leo jerseys, fans wearing head-to-toe papal outfits, and even a mural painted at the stadium. Fans made pilgrimages to seat two in row 19 of section 140, where he sat at the playoff game. Last year, the team set the record for most losses in a single season. Some are hoping for a little holy intervention in this year's season. Saturday's event kicked off at 2.30pm with an introduction from Chuck Swirsky, the play-by-play voice of the Chicago Bulls, music from the Leo high school choir and Luis Galvez, and a panel discussion with Pope Leo's former teacher and a high school classmate. The first American pope, although unable to attend the mass in person, shared a video message addressing the youth of the world displayed on the jumbotron at the stadium. In his video, Pope Leo said that young people, having lived through times of isolation and great difficulty in the pandemic, may have missed out on the opportunity to live as a part of a faith community. He encouraged young people to look into their hearts, 'to recognize God is present', in a 7-minute video message. The pontiff informed those watching that they are giving hope to many people in the world and that they are a source of 'promoting peace [and] promoting harmony among all peoples'. Sandra Alders, from the Auburn-Gresham neighborhood, brought her two children to the event to experience this unique moment. 'I just wanted my children to hear a message of inspiration,' she said. Alders hopes Pope Leo will appeal to young people who don't feel connected to any church or any religion. 'I want my children to feel like they belong, and I think him being someone we can connect to in our community is a great start,' she said. Jenn Wilson, a South Side transplant living in Evanston, said: 'I don't know if a ballpark mass will make mainstream Catholicism cool for the kids. My own kids thought it was cool to have a Chicago Pope, but they're also not rushing to mass.' Before the mass, Wilson said she was hopeful that there would be remarks that defy the current political state of America, as 'they are in direct conflict with the philosophy of the Catholicism I was taught.' Starting at 4pm ET, an extravagant mass began at the stadium when the smell of incense wafted in the air as the entrance procession began. Like most masses, priests, bishops and altar servers walked with crosses and candles – except this time it was on a baseball field that holds 40,000 spectators. Underneath the Miller Time and Caesar's Sportsbook signs, the Chicago cardinal, Blase Cupich, led the mass by saying, 'I think I'm going to remember this moment as a sermon on the mound.' While Pope Leo didn't directly touch on politics, Cardinal Cupich said in his homily that while countries have a duty to secure their borders, 'it is wrong to scapegoat those who are here without documents, for indeed they are here due to a broken immigration system.' Cupich has long been an advocate of respecting human rights and has spoken out against deportations. He went on to say that immigrants are here not by invasion but by invitation. 'An invitation to harvest the fruits of the Earth to feed our families, an invitation to clean our tables, hotels and motel rooms. An invitation to landscape our lawns and, yes, even an invitation to take care of our children and our elderly,' he said. Ray Pingoy, the senior coordinator for Respect Life and Chastity Education for the Archdiocese of Chicago, asked world leaders in the Tagalog language to 'respect in both word and deed the dignity of human person, especially immigrants and refugees.' The mass notably coincided with the thousands of 'No Kings' protests around the country, and right before Donald Trump's military parade. Words of pro-immigration were met with cheers and applause. Andrew DiMaggio drove from the suburbs and said he 'couldn't miss out on this opportunity as a White Sox fan. He's our South Side Pope!' Wilson said she 'never expected an American Pope, much less a Chicago Pope'. 'At this moment, it feels like we have some acknowledgment as American Catholics to bring important things to the faith as a whole,' she said. 'We bring a different sensibility that is based on basic kindness and pragmatism.'
CBS News
14-06-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Pope Leo XIV delivers message of hope on video played at Rate Field celebration
Pope Leo XIV delivered a message of hope by video message on Saturday at a celebration and mass at Rate Field, honoring the papacy of the city's native son. In an eight-minute video played during the celebration at Rate Field, Pope Leo XIV urged Catholic faithful to be a "light of hope," to serve others, and to make the world a better place. "As you gather today in this great celebration, I want to both express my gratitude to you, and also an encouragement to continue to build up community, friendship as brothers and sisters in your daily lives, in your families, in your parishes, in the Archdiocese, and throughout our world," the pope said. "When I see each and every one of you, when I see how people gather together to celebrate their faith, I discover myself how much hope there is in the world in this jubilee year of hope." The event was emceed by Chicago Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky. Cardinal Blase Cupich was the main celebrant and homilist at the Catholic Mass that was the final element of the celebration. The Chicago Archdiocese estimated some 30,000 people bought tickets to the celebration. It was a packed program that included interviews with the Pope's former classmate and former college professor, and songs of praise from the choir at Leo High school. CBS News Chicago's Dorothy Tucker spoke to people at the celebration about their impressions of the pope's message. "I think the fact that he's reaching out to the youth across the world," Chris Poindexter said. "You can tell that he really cares. I mean it's hot in this stadium today. I know I felt that everyone got chills," Beatrice Poindexter said. The event also included an invitation from the Chicago White Sox for Pope Leo XIV to throw out a ceremonial first pitch at a future White Sox game. The pope — a lifelong White Sox fan — was in the stands in Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, and earlier this week donned a White Sox cap given to him as a gift at the Vatican. Leo XIV, formerly Robert Prevost, was elected May 8, becoming the first U.S.-born pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic church.
