Sir Alex Ferguson, the legendary British Soccer Manager, said, “Rookies bring the spark; veterans build the fire.”

The 2025-2026 Oak Lawn Community High School Journalism Team used a competitive fire and mix of students with various levels of experience to win their Journalism Sectional against some impressive programs such as Argo, Evanston, OPRF, and St. Laurence on Saturday, April 10th. The team consisted of experienced veterans who have that desire to win at the Sectional, and some new members enthusiastically learning about their competition on the fly. 

One of those seasoned Journalism veterans was Rawan Ali, who commented, “Getting All-State as a sophomore showed me what’s possible. Now, as a senior, I’m determined to make the most of my final opportunity and go for the state title.”

Students at Oak Lawn Community High School are earning statewide recognition for their creativity and artistic expression, with several advancing in the prestigious Illinois PTA Reflections program under this year’s theme, “I Belong.”

The Reflections program, now in its 55th year, is a nationally recognized arts initiative that encourages students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 to explore their talents in a variety of arts, including dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, and visual arts. Each year, more than 300,000 students across the country participate by submitting original works inspired by a unifying theme. Entries are judged based on interpretation, creativity, and artistic technique.

Oak Lawn Community High School saw an impressive 37 student submissions this year. Of those, 15 advanced to the state level, with four students receiving Honorable Mention distinctions. As an added highlight, three students have progressed to the regional level and will now compete nationally.

The Oak Lawn Community High School baseball made memories to last a lifetime on Sunday. The Spartans got the rare opportunity to play an Illinois High School Association game on Wrigley Field following a Chicago Cubs game. The day did not disappoint.

The Cubs came back after being five runs down to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, then two hours later, Oak Lawn rallied from down five runs to defeat Reavis, 10-7.

It was a doubleheader for the ages.

On Tuesday, April 7th and Wednesday, April 8th,  Oak Lawn Community High School will conduct its statewide testing of the ACT with Essay, PreACT Secure, and PreACT Secure 9 exams for all current grades 9-11 students. There is NO LATE START for Wednesday, April 8th. 

Oak Lawn Community High School is proud to announce that sixteen students have been awarded College Board Recognition

Oak Lawn Community High School Science Department Chair Michael Bielski is passionate about ecology, and he shares his knowledge generously with his students at the Indiana Dunes National Park.

Senior Sara Abdelrahman does a little bit of everything for the Oak Lawn Community High School badminton team. She competes at number-two singles, and she plays on the number-one doubles team. She is 7-0 at number-2 singles, and she was part of a recent third-place finish with her doubles partner.

“Sara is proving herself as a key contributor in multiple roles,” head coach David Early said. “She showcased her competitiveness by placing fifth at a highly-competitive Lockport Invitational. Beyond her strong performances on the court, Sara consistently leads by example through her work ethic, composure, and commitment to the team. She sets a high standard in everything she does and serves as an excellent role model for the underclassmen.”

Senior Isaac Bayas is facing one of his biggest challenges of the year in boys tennis this week for Oak Lawn Community High School as he battles the best player from Richards for the number-one seed in the upcoming South Suburban Conference Red meet.

He is poised and prepared for the showdown.

“Isaac is having a dominant senior season, currently competing at the top of the conference,” head coach Kate Madsen said. “He shows up to his matches ready to hit shots with precision on the court. Isaac has mastered the art of staying composed under the intense pressure of high-stakes matches.

“He leads the Spartans by example, holding his teammates to a high standard and pushing everyone to be their best versions on and off the court.”

Returning starter Clark Zylius is cleaning up for the Oak Lawn Community High School softball team this year. With a new spot in the batting order as the clean-up hitter, she is doing the job and clearing the bases as a junior shortstop.

Zylius is batting .424 on the year with 14 hits and two doubles. She is also leading the team in RBIs with 12. The Spartans will continue to battle in South Suburban Conference action.

Senior Jack Reilly is living up to expectations this year for the Oak Lawn Community High School baseball team. A four-year member of the program, he has been one of the best defensive outfielders on the team for the past two seasons. 

In the future, he is planning on attending the University of Illinois at Chicago, and he will study to become a lawyer.

“Jack has really impressed in the classroom over the past four years,” head coach Bill Gerny said. “He is taking Advanced Placement classes and doing very well on the AP exams.”

Records are made to be broken, and top times are meant to be set.

Sophomore sensation Anneli Misner is doing both. She is currently leading the Oak Lawn Community High School girls track team in three different individual events including the 800-, the 1,600-, and the 3,200-meter runs. Misner also competes and excels in a relay. Her outstanding times have launched her onto three All-Time Top 5 performances                  

“Nelly’s friendly smile betrays the competitive engine inside,” head coach Joe Butler said. “She has attacked the OLCHS charts like no other. The best is definitely yet to come.”

Although she is only a junior, Kamya Feigl is taking on a leadership role for the young Oak Lawn Community High School softball team. She is excelling at the plate and behind the dish. She is doing it all for the Spartans.

In the month of March, she batted .667 with three doubles, four RBIs, and five walks. Defensively as a catcher, she shut down the opponent’s run game by throwing out two would-be base stealers.

Feigl’s fast start helped the Spartans open the season with a 4-0 record, and it earned her honors as the Spartan Athlete of the Month for March. In addition, Feigl was recently recognized as Player of the Week in the Daily Southtown.