Heritage Award
The Heritage Award is given annually to individuals who have made a significant impact on Adlai E. Stevenson High School. Since its inception in 1985, Heritage Award recipients have included former faculty and staff, community members, and alumni. Their contributions have been vast and varied, providing powerful legacies for the current members of the Stevenson community, and for those to come.
2010-11 Heritage Award Recipient: Chris Franken
Chris Franken joined the Stevenson High School faculty in 1977 and retired in 2005. During his 28 years at the school, Chris was a transformational figure whose imprint was deep and long lasting — and will continue to be for many years.
When he arrived in 1977 after graduating from St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, Chris was the de facto art department. The department chairman was ill and nearing retirement, so Chris put the department in his hands and molded it into something bigger and better. He started the photography, ceramics, sculpture and Advanced Placement Art programs. All of the art shows at Stevenson can trace their origins to him.
While developing the art curriculum, Chris also was leading the Student Council, something he would do for 13 years. He also served as chairman and organizer for the 1989 National Student Council Conference, which was held at Stevenson. He spent four years raising funds and organizing committees for the conference, which drew 1,500 students and 500 adults from around the country. He also arranged for guest speakers including Olympic track star Jackie Joyner-Kersee and the president of McDonald’s.
In 1991, Stevenson’s Fine Arts Division was singled out for praise by the National Endowment for the Arts. Chris was chosen by his colleagues to fly to Washington, D.C. and receive the award. The next year, he was named Art Teacher of the Year by Eastern Illinois University.
In 1994, Chris was elevated to student activities director. Under his guidance, the number of clubs and activities at Stevenson exploded from 40 to 104, and the number of club and activity sponsors jumped from 48 to 140. He developed a unified student government structure, and created a student leadership training program to ensure continuity.
The number of programs developed under Franken’s direction is impressive: Give-A-Thon, the Homecoming Spirit Walk (which has since become Spirit Fest), community service, Winterfest, Spring Fling, the Patriot Superstore, video morning announcements and the student radio station WAES-FM all feature his imprint. He also played an active role in the promotion of the Freshman Mentor Program.
In 2002, Chris was named Student Activities Director of the Year by the Illinois Directors of Student Activities.
District 125 Heritage Award Recipients
| 2010-11 |
Chris Franken (former teacher, administrator) |
| 2009-10 |
John and Dottie Westerberg (residents) |
| 2008-09 |
Oscar Muniz (former staff member) |
| 2007-08 |
Dr. Richard DuFour (former superintendent and principal) |
| 2006-07 |
Elliott Hartstein and Barbara LaPiana (former school board members) |
| 2005-06 |
Sam Ritchie (former teacher and academic division director) |
| 2004-05 |
Richard Cromartie, Roger Nelson, Travis Nelson, William Salzman, Daniel Schuffman,
Lorenz Schmidt and George Weiland (founding school board) |
| 2003-04 |
Tom Hoyne (resident) and Bill Misik (former teacher) |
| 2002-03 |
Andrea Jaeger (alumnus) |
| 2001-02 |
Tom Baumann and Jim McGrath (former teachers) |
| 2000-01 |
Inez Freed (resident and former Patriot Parent Association president) |
| 1999-00 |
Kelly Cox (former teacher and athletic director) |
| 1998-99 |
Pat Wilder (former school board member) |
| 1997-98 |
Dr. Harold Banser (first superintendent) |
| 1996-97 |
Frank and Verna Clayton (former school board member - Frank) |
| 1995-96 |
Dr. Milton R. Herzog (former superintendent) |
| 1994-95 |
Bill Salzman (former school board member) |
| 1993-94 |
Dave Hanson (former teacher) |
| 1992-93 |
Ralph and Bev Valdes (residents) |
| 1991-92 |
Bill Ebenezer and June Bergquist (former teachers) |
| 1990-91 |
Alice Moody (former school board member) |
| 1989-90 |
Ed Ellis (former business manager) |
| 1988-89 |
William and Virginia Park (residents) |
| 1987-88 |
Conrad Thorne and Gloria Helke (former school board members) |
| 1986-87 |
Lydia Jesse (former staff member) |
| 1985-86 |
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Ward (residents) |