Oak Park Awards

The rich tradition of excellence in Oak Park has earned the city, its institutions and residents a wide variety of nationally-recognized awards in recent years. Ranging from its prestigious city alumni to the quality institutions which dot the city’s landscape, Oak Park has won a number of prestigious awards:

Educational Awards

The tradition of excellence in Oak Park’s school system begins with its elementary school system, which comprises eight top quality schools. Local students at the Abraham Lincoln Elementary School were awarded a Gold Award in the Global Virtual Classroom competition last year, and the innovative curriculum ranges from creative educators to dedicated community involvement. Local teachers have won the Edyth May Sliffe Award for Mathematics education, and the district itself has been recognized as a “Red Apple” school for ranking in the top 10th percentile in the state for academic performance and quality. Oak Park high schools have a tradition of excellence in academics and athletics, and prestigious local alumni include Ernest Hemingway, Tony Award winning director George Schaefer as well as former National Science Foundation director Robert Atkinson.

Athletic Awards

While Oak Park has won a number of awards in the classroom, its notable list of athletic accomplishments is equally impressive. The city’s athletic teams are accomplished in a wide variety of sports including basketball, swimming, track, football, basement, softball and golf. In recent years, the women’s softball team won the State championship (2005), the men’s wrestling team won the state title (2009) and several local area players have gone on to successful collegiate careers. Alumni include Heisman Trophy winners, professional athletes and Olympic Gold Medalists. The local high school athletic programs are considered one of the top in the region, and compete for State titles on an annual basis in many sports. A high proportion of student athletes go on to achieve success in academics and athletics at the collegiate level, and the city has a proud tradition of training elite level athletes in a wide variety of sports.

Cultural and Arts Awards

The center of Oak Park is replete with an impressive arts district that features leading local music, theatre and cultural groups. Within the city, you can find award-winning architecture by and inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, who hosted a studio in the city, as well as a variety of his students who produced award-winning home designs. The city’s Oak Park Concert Chorale has performed internationally, and features 30 talented singers who have won numerous awards between them. The group is led by master conductor Paul Lindblad who is a nationally renowned music educator. The city also features a renowned professional theatre company which dates back to 1975 and has been recognized for its Shakespearian adaptations. There are dozens of individual award-winning artists in the community, as well as local alumni who have won Tony awards and performed in international shows.  The city is known for its vibrant arts scene, and has cultivated a wide variety of local talent which has gone on to international acclaim.

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