ENGLISH SUCCESS AWARD RECIPIENTS  2007-2008

Antonia Bakomitrou-Lekas is the librarian of the Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center, where she oversees the museum’s collection of books and archives. She was born on the island of Aegina near Athens, Greece. At the age of 25, she arrived in Chicago and enrolled at Oakton Community College. Motivated by a desire to teach others about Greek art and culture, she majored in art history and minored in classical civilizations at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is currently completing a master’s in library science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and plans to use her degree to continue connecting people with good books in Greek and English and enhancing their understanding of Greek art and literature. She says she holds the position of her dreams because of the many educational opportunities available in America. She lives with her husband in Skokie, Illinois and also works at the Lincolnwood Public Library. 

Joanna Bohdziewicz-Borowiec is executive director of the Polish American Association (PAA). She left her native city of Gdanski at a time of political turmoil in Poland after finishing her university studies in the ancient civilizations of South and Central America. After arriving in Chicago, she worked odd jobs in housecleaning, construction and retail and helped other immigrants learn English. In 1983 she began working in libraries. Her love of books led her to earn a master’s in library science from Dominican University. In 1986 she was hired by Malcolm X College as an ESL instructor and helped launch the first off-site campus for Polish immigrants at St. Hyacinth Church. She began working as an ESL teacher at the PAA in 1988 and developed the ESL curriculum. She has served as the adult education director at Erie Neighborhood House and immigrant community liaison to Congressman Rahm Emmanuel. As the director of Education and Employment at the PAA, she developed the association’s adult education programs, including ESL, citizenship classes, and vocational training. She lives in Rogers Park in Chicago and has a daughter who is an artist.

Emilio Gervilla was crowned “the King of Tapas” by Crain’s Chicago Business. He was born in Granada, Spain, where he spent his youth working at his grandfather’s bakery and tapas bar. He arrived in the United States in 1973 and started as a kitchen assistant in a Florida restaurant. In 1980 he began working for the Lettuce Entertain You Restaurant Group. As Chef at Lettuce's Cafe Ba Ba Reba, Chicago's first Tapas Bar and Restaurant, he introduced American diners to “tapas” (“little dishes” of Spain). He opened his first restaurant, Emilio’s Tapas Restaurant, in Hillside in 1988. He now owns five award-winning Spanish restaurants in Chicago and the western suburbs. He is an avid supporter of anti-hunger efforts. He lives with his wife, Ann Marie, in Brookfield, Illinois.

Rosa Ibarra is an assistant vice president and branch manager for the Cicero area of MidAmerica Bank. After landing a job as an administrative assistant at Citro Mexicano, an exporter of Mexican citrus products, she realized she had to learn English to advance her career. With this goal in mind, she arrived in the United States at age 24. She began learning English by watching “Sesame Street” while babysitting. She enrolled in English classes at Truman College and soon went from working at a food stand to being a teller and becoming the first Hispanic manager at Uptown National Bank. In 2000, she was hired as a branch manager at MidAmerica Bank. She is a board member of the Hispanic Business Association of the Cicero Chamber of Commerce, the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County (C.E.D.A.), the Boys Club of Cicero, and the Chicago Latino Book and Family Festival. She is also a member of the Rotary Club of Cicero. She lives with her husband and two daughters on Chicago’s Northwest side.

Josette Mentesana Weber was an Italian teacher for 25 years and is a founding member of the Italian Cultural Center at Casa Italia in Stone Park, Illinois. She was born in Campofelice diFitalia, a province of Palermo, Sicily and came to America as a teenager. She received a bachelor’s degree in French from Mundelein College, a bachelor’s in Italian from Loyola University, and a master’s in languages from the University of Chicago. She was motivated to become a teacher to help parents who were Italian immigrants who did not speak English. She has taught for the Chicago Public Schools, Morton Junior College and Triton College. She devised the first bi-language Italian curriculum that has been used throughout the Chicago public school system. In 1970, she helped found the Italian Cultural Center to preserve and promote the Italian culture in the Chicago area, where she has been its driving force as director of cultural programs. She serves on several Italian American organizations and is the president of M and G Management and vice president of Midway Dodge, family owned companies.  She has two children and lives with her husband in Glenview, Illinois.

[Irma Capuzano accepts award for....]

Javier Salas hosts "Un Nuevo Día" ('A New Day'), a morning talk show on Univision Radio. He was born in Mexico City and arrived in the United States 18 years ago. He found work in a restaurant and immediately began taking English classes. His interest in radio led him to WCYC, a small station in Pilsen, where he learned radio production.  Soon afterwards, he was hired as on-air talent at his first commercial radio station.  At the same time, he began volunteering reading the news in English and Spanish at the Chicagoland Radio Information Service (CRIS), a radio station for the blind. With great perseverance, he learned English while achieving a successful career in Spanish broadcasting. He has received numerous awards for community service and is a 2007 finalist for the National Association of Broadcasters Radio Marconi Awards. He is also producing a documentary tracing the history of Mexican immigrants in Chicago. He lives on the Northwest side of Chicago with his wife, Roberta, and his two children.

ENGLISH SUCCESS AWARDS SPONSORS

The English SUCCESS Awards presentation was made possible with the contributions of these generous sponsors:

2007 Silver Sponsors

Turano Baking Company

Midway Dodge

Midway Kia

Friends of Literacy Sponsors

MidAmerica/National City Bank

Mary and Ray Schulte

TeleGuia Publications

The delicious tapas and appetizers served at the Englilsh SUCCESS

Awards reception were contributed by some of the area’s best food establishments, including:

   Emilio’s Tapas Restaurants in Hillside / 708-547-7177

   Marconi Ristorante in LaGrange / 708-352-1621

   La Belle Catering in LaGrange / www.labellegourmet.com

   Café Salsa on LaGrange Rd.in Countryside / 708-352-6840

   Courtright’s Restaurant in Willow Springs / 708-839-8000

   Casey’s Market in Western Springs / www.caseysmarketonline.com

   Kirschbaum’s Bakery in Western Springs / 708-246-2894

   The Fruit Store in Hinsdale 708-655-1893 &Western Springs 708-246-0893

Abel Torres is a department manager at the LaGrange Country Club, where he has worked for 30 years. He came to the United States from Mexico at the age of 17. After a brief stay in Iowa, he moved to the Chicago area and found employment at the LaGrange Country Club, where he began working as a maintenance assistant, waiter and bartender. His dedicated study of English and his strong work ethic earned him a promotion to department manager. At his citizenship ceremony, Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas R. Fitzgerald, who had encouraged him to become a citizen, was among those who spoke on his behalf, praising his exceptional character and his love of reading and education. He reads the dictionary daily to improve his English and preserves the transcript of his citizenship ceremony as a priceless keepsake. He paid for his brother’s education at an agricultural college and his three children are enrolled at the University of Illinois, Dominican University and Morton College. He lives with his wife and children in Berwyn, Illinois.

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