Latest news with #WestLeydenHighSchool
Chicago Tribune
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Elmwood Park's Jordan Arredondo brings a lifetime of acting experience to the stage at Steppenwolf
Jordan Arredondo was in third grade when he first realized that he loved being onstage. The 30-year-old Elmwood Park resident has been nurturing that love ever since with a career that includes performing with some of Chicago's most prestigious theater companies. His latest is a role in Steppenwolf Theatre Company's Chicago premiere of 'You Will Get Sick' by Noah Diaz, running through July 20. While Arredondo was growing up in unincorporated Leyden Township near Franklin Park, he performed in that first show — an elementary school musical, 'It's Saturday.' 'It was very, very fun,' he recalled. 'I got so excited and it didn't feel scary.' He decided, 'I can get down with this because I do this by myself in my room with my toys.' Arredondo admitted that his parents didn't necessarily expect that experience would lead him to a career in the arts. 'My dad was very excited about the potential for having a sports son,' he said. Arredondo performed onstage all four of the years that he attended West Leyden High School. 'I started with plays and then slowly got roped into musicals even though I wasn't fully wanting to do those,' he said. 'That was my little segway into the choir in high school as well.' The actor had high praise for choir director Stacy Cunningham and her influence on him. 'She really instilled a lot of love for the arts in me,' he explained. 'She took us to a bunch of shows. And also instilled a very good hard work ethic.' One of his favorite roles at West Leyden was playing Dr. Herman Einstein during his freshman year in a production of 'Arsenic and Old Lace.' 'I had never auditioned for a play before that,' Arredondo said. 'The farcical aspect of that show was so fun to do.' He particularly enjoyed doing the part with a German accent. Arredondo credited his high school teacher Mark Bernstein, who directed him in several shows, with encouraging him to pursue a professional acting career. 'He saw something that I was not super aware of at the time,' Arredondo observed. He decided to attend the University of Illinois Chicago where he earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in acting. Arredondo's first professional production was playing the role of Lucky in 'Waiting for Godot' with Tympanic Theatre in 2017. 'The director had a very fun twist on it,' Arredondo recalled. 'We had just come out of the 2016 election. He placed it at the border and the cast was all Latino. We were able to try anything. That was a really fun and wonderful way to enter the professional world.' He fondly recalled his experience playing the role of Oscar in 'Sweat' at Paramount Theatre in Aurora in 2022. 'Something clicked there for myself and my family,' he recalled. 'I felt I had found a character connected to me as a person. You feel like all the training that you have done finally becomes an unconscious competence situation — something so ingrained in you.' Arredondo has been in a number of high-profile musicals, including 'In the Heights' at Marriott Theatre, 'Grease' at Drury Lane Theatre,' and 'Fun Home' at Paramount Theatre, among others. To prepare for these roles, the actor has been taking vocal training since graduating from college in 2017. He also praised the help he received by working with music directors on those projects. 'I have taken some dance lessons,' he added. 'I intend to still get better at dance.' He particularly loved the production of 'In the Heights' at Marriott last year, where he played Sonny. 'That production changed my life in so many ways,' he declared. 'It was a production I'd been chasing for a while, and the stars aligned. That was a show where I could bring so much of my acting training into it and go really deep into the characters and the situation. It was so wonderful to do that show in a community where that show had never been done.' That's also where Arredondo met his future wife, Addie Morales. They will be married in August. Even though he has had great experiences in musicals, Arredondo admitted that he prefers performing in plays. 'It's where I got my training in high school,' he explained. 'It's where I found a deeper love for what we do.' His latest project, 'You Will Get Sick,' by Noah Diaz, at Steppenwolf Theatre through July 20, is a play in which the actor takes the role of #5. 'All the actors are labeled numbers 1 through 5,' Arredondo said. '5 for most of the show is the voice that you'll be hearing — the narration.' He is enjoying the challenge of this role — but he can't explain why without giving away too much. You'll have to see the show to understand. For details, visit To unwind, Arredondo likes to hang around with his dog Liora, watch films and TV shows, and go to the movies. 'I'm also a big hotdog connoisseur,' he revealed. Arredondo is convinced that he made the right career choice. 'More and more I find comfort and a home on the stage,' he declared.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Daywatch: High school graduation ceremony held at Lurie Children's
Good morning, Chicago. It had all the makings of a typical graduation party. Blue and yellow streamers lined the room. Signs were posted on the walls that said 'Congrats Grad 2025,' 'You did it' and 'Made the grade.' In the back, there was a table full of Chips Ahoy and Oreos and even a cake that read 'Congratulations Taevion' in blue frosting. Except, the party was held on the 22nd floor of Lurie Children's Hospital in honor of one of the hospital's patients: 18-year-old Taevion Norris. He had been attending West Leyden High School in Northlake when his senior year was suddenly interrupted in March due to heart failure, forcing him to spend the tail end of his final year of high school in the hospital. But Norris refused to let his condition stop him from graduating on time — and succeeded. Yesterday, Norris — wearing a blue cap and gown — was handed his diploma. Graduation music played in the background as he traversed from one end of the hospital hallway into the room of the ceremony. Read the full story and see photos from the ceremony. And here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including an effort in Dolton to force the purchase of Pope Leo XIV's childhood home, a look into the archives at a passenger who lit dynamite on a plane that departed from O'Hare and a review of Disney's latest live-action remake. Today's eNewspaper edition | Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History Two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington were shot and killed Wednesday evening while leaving an event at a Jewish museum, and the suspect yelled, 'Free, free Palestine' after he was arrested, police said. The suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, was observed pacing outside the museum before the shooting, walked into the museum after the shooting and was detained by event security, Smith said. House Republicans stayed up all night to pass their multitrillion-dollar tax breaks package, with Speaker Mike Johnson defying the skeptics and unifying his ranks to muscle President Donald Trump's priority bill to approval. With last-minute concessions and stark warnings from Trump, the Republican holdouts largely dropped their opposition to salvage the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' that's central to the GOP agenda. It next goes to the Senate. The effort to give Chicago's police superintendent the power to declare 'snap curfews' to curb large teen gatherings stalled yesterday in the City Council. While Dolton is moving ahead with negotiations to buy Pope Leo XIV's childhood home in the village, it's unclear how trustees were consulted about the decision, which hasn't been discussed at an open meeting. As Mayor Jason House seeks to come to terms with the home's owner, at the same time the village attorney is threatening court action to acquire the property via eminent domain. In a lawsuit brought by Calumet City alleging she illegally destroyed records, city clerk Nyota Figgs testified that she was given proper authorization. Though Figgs' supporters claim the records lawsuit represents a targeted political attack from Mayor Thaddeus Jones, its trial has continued, with closing arguments scheduled for June 18. Jim Irsay, the Indianapolis Colts owner who leveraged the popularity of Peyton Manning into a new stadium and a Super Bowl title, died yesterday at age 65. Irsay, a Lincolnwood native who attended Loyola Academy in Wilmette, had a profound impact on the Colts franchise. First-year coach Ben Johnson doesn't have a lot of bandwidth for dissecting what has kept the Bears in their current quandary, without a playoff victory since January 2011, writes Brad Biggs. So whatever happened in 2024 and during the lead-up to last year's draft — when No. 1 pick Caleb Williams and his father, Carl, explored ways to avoid landing at Halas Hall, according to an excerpt from Seth Wickersham's upcoming book 'American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback' — it is what it is. Joe Thuney extension a sign of his faith in Bears: 'This is something I want to be a part of' Photos: What we saw at Chicago Bears OTAs On this day in 1962: Continental Airlines Flight 11, en route from Chicago to Kansas City, Missouri, crashed in Centerville, Iowa, after a bomb apparently brought onboard by a passenger exploded, killing all 45 occupants of the Boeing 707. Federal authorities determined passenger Thomas G. Doty, of Merriam, Kansas, had lit sticks of dynamite that he purchased at a hardware store inside a trash bin within the plane's lavatory, then returned to his seat. Tribune TV and film critic Nina Metz can't remember the last time a TV series started off with so much promise, only to fall apart in its final act. Metz suspects that won't deter audiences from 'Sirens,' which premieres on Netflix less than a year after the arrival of 'The Perfect Couple,' with which it shares many similarities. Stitch and Lilo are now in a live-action movie, writes Tribune film critic Michael Phillips. The new 'Lilo & Stitch' constitutes adequate if wearying fan service at best, and at worst, a new reason to check in with your dentist about a mouth guard for apparent teeth-grinding. Police have found a bust of Jim Morrison that was stolen nearly four decades ago from the Paris grave that has long been a place of pilgrimage for fans of the legendary Doors singer and poet.
Chicago Tribune
22-05-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Daywatch: A high school graduation ceremony held at Lurie Children's
Good morning, Chicago. It had all the makings of a typical graduation party. Blue and yellow streamers lined the room. Signs were posted on the walls that said 'Congrats Grad 2025,' 'You did it' and 'Made the grade.' In the back, there was a table full of Chips Ahoy and Oreos and even a cake that read 'Congratulations Taevion' in blue frosting. Except, the party was held on the 22nd floor of Lurie Children's Hospital in honor of one of the hospital's patients: 18-year-old Taevion Norris. He had been attending West Leyden High School in Northlake when his senior year was suddenly interrupted in March due to heart failure, forcing him to spend the tail end of his final year of high school in the hospital. But Norris refused to let his condition stop him from graduating on time — and succeeded. Yesterday, Norris — wearing a blue cap and gown — was handed his diploma. Graduation music played in the background as he traversed from one end of the hospital hallway into the room of the ceremony. Read the full story and see photos from the ceremony. And here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including an effort in Dolton to force the purchase of Pope Leo XIV's childhood home, a look into the archives at a passenger who lit dynamite on a plane that departed from O'Hare and a review of Disney's latest live-action remake. Today's eNewspaper edition | Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History Two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington were shot and killed Wednesday evening while leaving an event at a Jewish museum, and the suspect yelled, 'Free, free Palestine' after he was arrested, police said. The suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, was observed pacing outside the museum before the shooting, walked into the museum after the shooting and was detained by event security, Smith said. House Republicans stayed up all night to pass their multitrillion-dollar tax breaks package, with Speaker Mike Johnson defying the skeptics and unifying his ranks to muscle President Donald Trump's priority bill to approval. With last-minute concessions and stark warnings from Trump, the Republican holdouts largely dropped their opposition to salvage the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' that's central to the GOP agenda. It next goes to the Senate. The effort to give Chicago's police superintendent the power to declare 'snap curfews' to curb large teen gatherings stalled yesterday in the City Council. While Dolton is moving ahead with negotiations to buy Pope Leo XIV's childhood home in the village, it's unclear how trustees were consulted about the decision, which hasn't been discussed at an open meeting. As Mayor Jason House seeks to come to terms with the home's owner, at the same time the village attorney is threatening court action to acquire the property via eminent domain. In a lawsuit brought by Calumet City alleging she illegally destroyed records, city clerk Nyota Figgs testified that she was given proper authorization. Though Figgs' supporters claim the records lawsuit represents a targeted political attack from Mayor Thaddeus Jones, its trial has continued, with closing arguments scheduled for June 18. Jim Irsay, the Indianapolis Colts owner who leveraged the popularity of Peyton Manning into a new stadium and a Super Bowl title, died yesterday at age 65. Irsay, a Lincolnwood native who attended Loyola Academy in Wilmette, had a profound impact on the Colts franchise. First-year coach Ben Johnson doesn't have a lot of bandwidth for dissecting what has kept the Bears in their current quandary, without a playoff victory since January 2011, writes Brad Biggs. So whatever happened in 2024 and during the lead-up to last year's draft — when No. 1 pick Caleb Williams and his father, Carl, explored ways to avoid landing at Halas Hall, according to an excerpt from Seth Wickersham's upcoming book 'American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback' — it is what it is. On this day in 1962: Continental Airlines Flight 11, en route from Chicago to Kansas City, Missouri, crashed in Centerville, Iowa, after a bomb apparently brought onboard by a passenger exploded, killing all 45 occupants of the Boeing 707. Federal authorities determined passenger Thomas G. Doty, of Merriam, Kansas, had lit sticks of dynamite that he purchased at a hardware store inside a trash bin within the plane's lavatory, then returned to his seat. Tribune TV and film critic Nina Metz can't remember the last time a TV series started off with so much promise, only to fall apart in its final act. Metz suspects that won't deter audiences from 'Sirens,' which premieres on Netflix less than a year after the arrival of 'The Perfect Couple,' with which it shares many similarities. Stitch and Lilo are now in a live-action movie, writes Tribune film critic Michael Phillips. The new 'Lilo & Stitch' constitutes adequate if wearying fan service at best, and at worst, a new reason to check in with your dentist about a mouth guard for apparent teeth-grinding. Police have found a bust of Jim Morrison that was stolen nearly four decades ago from the Paris grave that has long been a place of pilgrimage for fans of the legendary Doors singer and poet.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
West Leyden High School senior awaiting heart transplant graduates at Lurie Children's Hospital
It had all the makings of a typical graduation party. Blue and yellow streamers lined the room. Signs were posted on the walls that said 'Congrats Grad 2025,' 'You did it' and 'Made the grade.' In the back, there was a table full of Chips Ahoy and Oreos and even a cake that read 'Congratulations Taevion' in blue frosting. Except, the party was held on the 22nd floor of Lurie Children's Hospital in honor of one of the hospital's patients: 18-year-old Taevion Norris. He had been attending West Leyden High School in Northlake when his senior year was suddenly interrupted in March due to heart failure, forcing him to spend the tail end of his final year of high school in the hospital. But Norris refused to let his condition stop him from graduating on time — and succeeded. On Wednesday, Norris — wearing a blue cap and gown — was handed his diploma. Graduation music played in the background as he traversed from one end of the hospital hallway into the room of the ceremony. 'This is a very good day. Despite what he's going through, he was still able to graduate with his class,' Tainica Norris, Taevion's mother, said. 'It's good that he has a big crowd to see him achieve and accomplish one of his dreams and his goals, and just to be loved by everybody, because nobody knows what it's like to face what he has.' In 2019, her eldest son was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a neuromuscular condition where the body is unable to make dystrophin — a protein that helps keep muscles together. Without dystrophin, muscles in various parts of the body — such as the legs, arms and heart — get replaced with fibrous tissue. That can lead to bigger health issues, such as heart failure and losing the ability to walk. Norris was in elementary school when one day, his mother received a phone call from the gym teacher. 'I was at work and he told me that I needed to get Taevion tested,' she recalled. 'And I'm like, 'What's going on?' He was like, 'I noticed that Taevion is not moving like he used to move, like his pace has slowed down.'' Norris was eventually referred to Dr. Katheryn Gambetta, a pediatric cardiologist at Lurie Children's Hospital. Gambetta said that Norris 'was around 12 or 13' when he was diagnosed and said that he was 'coming in at least every six months.' 'But he actually had heart dysfunction, probably when he was around 15, and then over time, that just got worse and worse,' Gambetta said. 'This is what we see — that heart dysfunction gets worse over time in boys and that the leading cause of death in boys who have Duchenne muscular dystrophy is due to heart failure.' In the past year, Norris — who uses a wheelchair — had been admitted to the hospital multiple times, but his admittance about two months ago was unlike any of the others. 'Two months ago, he got really, really sick. He wasn't sleeping, he wasn't eating, he was just throwing up,' his mother recalled. One morning, around 3 a.m., Norris called his mom and she found vomit everywhere in the bathroom, prompting her to call the ambulance. On March 11, Norris was admitted as an inpatient to the hospital, which he was not happy about. 'And he said, 'Mama, see I told you I didn't want to come here because I knew they were gonna keep me here. I want to go back to school,'' his mother said. 'I said, 'Taevion, it's either that or you're not gonna be here.'' The journey to get her son to graduation has not been an easy one. 'I stopped working because it started getting tough,' Norris' mother said. 'Kept going to the doctor, he kept getting more sicker, missing a lot of school, calling the school, let them know what's going on. It's just been hard.' Norris' mother initially did not think that her son would be able to graduate on time while in the hospital. 'I thought it was gonna be a struggle, but he proved me wrong,' she said. While it was not the first time Lurie Children's Hospital had a graduation for a student, the level of care from West Leyden High School that was put into helping Norris graduate was noted by the staff at Lurie Children's Hospital, making this one feel extra special. Hana Herrick, a school services coordinator for Lurie Children's Hospital, said that she started working with Norris when he was admitted about two and a half months ago. 'Taevion can be very stoic at times, and he is very shy,' Herrick said. Finishing up school for Norris looked like a hybrid model, where he would have online classes with an instructor from his high school and Herrick by his side for additional in-person support. Providing those online classes, Herrick said, was 'out of the norm.' 'Most schools don't do that for their students, so that was awesome,' Herrick said. One of Herrick's favorite moments with him was when she told him that he had one task left, which was around the same time the two started working together: tackle George Orwell's novel 'Animal Farm.' 'The smile that came across his face was just so memorable,' Herrick said. 'And he was like, 'Whoa, really.' Like he couldn't believe it.' Herrick said she was worried initially about how Norris was going to perceive the book, but those worries soon faded into the background. Not only did Norris finish reading the whole book, but he watched both movie adaptations and came up with rigorous reading comprehension questions. As for next steps, Norris is on a waiting list for a heart transplant. According to Gambetta, he's been on the list for a heart transplant since May 1. Gambetta said she is hopeful that Norris will get his heart transplant soon, noting that he's been given an Impella ventricular assist device to allow him time to get a transplant. His family is also fundraising for a minivan through the Jett Foundation in order to make traveling together as a family easier. Beyond the heart transplant, what career path Norris will pick is still up in the air, but his mother did note that he had previously considered being an NBA commentator. 'He wanted to be that. So I said, 'OK, well, you're gonna have to work for it. You're gonna have to learn how to do what they do and say what they say, and learn how to dress — well, he knows how to dress himself,' his mother said. 'So hopefully that might still be his pathway.' But regardless of his journey, one thing was made clear as he was handed his diploma by Nick Polyak, superintendent of Leyden High School District 212. 'No matter where you go and what you do, you will always be a Leyden Eagle,' Polyak said.
Chicago Tribune
21-05-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
West Leyden High School senior awaiting heart transplant graduates at Lurie Children's Hospital
It had all the makings of a typical graduation party. Blue and yellow streamers lined the room. Signs were posted on the walls that said 'Congrats Grad 2025,' 'You did it' and 'Made the grade.' In the back, there was a table full of Chips Ahoy and Oreos and even a cake that read 'Congratulations Taevion' in blue frosting. Except, the party was held on the 22nd floor of Lurie Children's Hospital in honor of one of the hospital's patients: 18-year-old Taevion Norris. He had been attending West Leyden High School in Northlake when his senior year was suddenly interrupted in March due to heart failure, forcing him to spend the tail end of his final year of high school in the hospital. But Norris refused to let his condition stop him from graduating on time — and succeeded. On Wednesday, Norris — wearing a blue cap and gown — was handed his diploma. Graduation music played in the background as he traversed from one end of the hospital hallway into the room of the ceremony. 'This is a very good day. Despite what he's going through, he was still able to graduate with his class,' Tainica Norris, Taevion's mother, said. 'It's good that he has a big crowd to see him achieve and accomplish one of his dreams and his goals, and just to be loved by everybody, because nobody knows what it's like to face what he has.' In 2019, her eldest son was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a neuromuscular condition where the body is unable to make dystrophin — a protein that helps keep muscles together. Without dystrophin, muscles in various parts of the body — such as the legs, arms and heart — get replaced with fibrous tissue. That can lead to bigger health issues, such as heart failure and losing the ability to walk. Norris was in elementary school when one day, his mother received a phone call from the gym teacher. 'I was at work and he told me that I needed to get Taevion tested,' she recalled. 'And I'm like, 'What's going on?' He was like, 'I noticed that Taevion is not moving like he used to move, like his pace has slowed down.'' Norris was eventually referred to Dr. Katheryn Gambetta, a pediatric cardiologist at Lurie Children's Hospital. Gambetta said that Norris 'was around 12 or 13' when he was diagnosed and said that he was 'coming in at least every six months.' 'But he actually had heart dysfunction, probably when he was around 15, and then over time, that just got worse and worse,' Gambetta said. 'This is what we see — that heart dysfunction gets worse over time in boys and that the leading cause of death in boys who have Duchenne muscular dystrophy is due to heart failure.' In the past year, Norris — who uses a wheelchair — had been admitted to the hospital multiple times, but his admittance about two months ago was unlike any of the others. 'Two months ago, he got really, really sick. He wasn't sleeping, he wasn't eating, he was just throwing up,' his mother recalled. One morning, around 3 a.m., Norris called his mom and she found vomit everywhere in the bathroom, prompting her to call the ambulance. On March 11, Norris was admitted as an inpatient to the hospital, which he was not happy about. 'And he said, 'Mama, see I told you I didn't want to come here because I knew they were gonna keep me here. I want to go back to school,'' his mother said. 'I said, 'Taevion, it's either that or you're not gonna be here.'' The journey to get her son to graduation has not been an easy one. 'I stopped working because it started getting tough,' Norris' mother said. 'Kept going to the doctor, he kept getting more sicker, missing a lot of school, calling the school, let them know what's going on. It's just been hard.' Norris' mother initially did not think that her son would be able to graduate on time while in the hospital. 'I thought it was gonna be a struggle, but he proved me wrong,' she said. While it was not the first time Lurie Children's Hospital had a graduation for a student, the level of care from West Leyden High School that was put into helping Norris graduate was noted by the staff at Lurie Children's Hospital, making this one feel extra special. Hana Herrick, a school services coordinator for Lurie Children's Hospital, said that she started working with Norris when he was admitted about two and a half months ago. 'Taevion can be very stoic at times, and he is very shy,' Herrick said. Finishing up school for Norris looked like a hybrid model, where he would have online classes with an instructor from his high school and Herrick by his side for additional in-person support. Providing those online classes, Herrick said, was 'out of the norm.' 'Most schools don't do that for their students, so that was awesome,' Herrick said. One of Herrick's favorite moments with him was when she told him that he had one task left, which was around the same time the two started working together: tackle George Orwell's novel 'Animal Farm.' 'The smile that came across his face was just so memorable,' Herrick said. 'And he was like, 'Whoa, really.' Like he couldn't believe it.' Herrick said she was worried initially about how Norris was going to perceive the book, but those worries soon faded into the background. Not only did Norris finish reading the whole book, but he watched both movie adaptations and came up with rigorous reading comprehension questions. As for next steps, Norris is on a waiting list for a heart transplant. According to Gambetta, he's been on the list for a heart transplant since May 1. Gambetta said she is hopeful that Norris will get his heart transplant soon, noting that he's been given an Impella ventricular assist device to allow him time to get a transplant. His family is also fundraising for a minivan through the Jett Foundation in order to make traveling together as a family easier. Beyond the heart transplant, what career path Norris will pick is still up in the air, but his mother did note that he had previously considered being an NBA commentator. 'He wanted to be that. So I said, 'OK, well, you're gonna have to work for it. You're gonna have to learn how to do what they do and say what they say, and learn how to dress — well, he knows how to dress himself,' his mother said. 'So hopefully that might still be his pathway.' But regardless of his journey, one thing was made clear as he was handed his diploma by Nick Polyak, superintendent of Leyden High School District 212. 'No matter where you go and what you do, you will always be a Leyden Eagle,' Polyak said.
