All State Musicians Depart for Peoria, IL

DGN Winter Guard - 1st Place at Steperette Winter Guard Contest

Congratulations to the DGN Winter Guard on their 1st place finish at the Steperette Winter Guard Contest this past weekend - their very first winter guard contest of the 2020 season! The team's score of 49.47, made the team the clear front runner of their round. These ladies have been more determined than ever to put on a great show, and they did just that on Sunday! Congrats, Winter Guard!

DGN Visual Artists Honored - 2020 Scholastic Art Awards

Gavin Crowson

The Fine Arts Department at Downers Grove North High School is proud to announce the results of the judging from the 2020 Scholastic Art Awards held at Downers Grove North High School and hosted by the Community High School District 99 Fine Arts Departments.  1,038 student artists representing 135 arts educators submitted 2,188 works of art for

Kristen Karam

adjudication. 638 total works were honored with recognitions. North High artists won 70 awards, including 21 Gold Key Awards, 23 Silver Key Awards, and 26 Honorable Mention Awards.

“We are very excited to host the regional exhibition at North High,” said Brayer Teague, Fine Arts Department Chairman. “This show is always an amazing display of student creativity and a testament to the wonderful art teaching that is happening in District 99.”  According to Teague, the art teachers from both North and South High School play an important role in putting the exhibition together.  “Our District 99 art teachers are the engine behind this regional affiliate of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.  Their dedication and tireless commitment enables student artists from all over the suburban region to have their work evaluated by professional artists.”

Eliot Michaels

Community High School District 99 will host the Scholastic Art Show Regional Exhibition from February 2-7, at the North High School campus Main Street Lobby (4436 Main Street, Downers Grove, IL 60515).  The public is cordially invited to attend the Exhibition Opening and Artists Reception on Sunday, February 2, from 1:00 – 4:00 pm. 

Alexandria Johnston

GOLD KEY AWARDS (21)

CLICK HERE to view a portfolio of all DGN Gold Key Awards.

David Adelman (Jewelry)
Adam Blair-Smith (Photography)
Belle Blanchard (Jewelry) 2
Belle Blanchard (Art Portfolio)
Gavin Crowson (Photography) 2
Sophie Dalen (Sculpture)
Audrey Dwyer (Design)
Audrey Dwyer (Design)
Danielle Gargiulo (Drawing and Illustration)
Danielle Gargiulo (Painting)
Zack Gaytan (Sculpture)
Zack Gaytan (Mixed Media)
Brooke Hazen (Jewelry)
Alexandria Johnston (Ceramics and Glass)
Kristen Karam (Jewelry)
Eliot Michaels (Drawing and Illustration)
Katherine Morrissey (Photography)
Jocelyn Novielli-Mahr (Sculpture)
Jocelyn Novielli-Mahr (Mixed Media)

SILVER KEY AWARDS (23)

Emily Allen (Ceramics and Glass)
Annie Bieda (Jewelry)
Nolan Brezina (Jewelry)
Lillian Cawthorne (Drawing and Illustration) 3
Alexis Dorion (Ceramics and Glass)
Audrey Dwyer (Art Portfolio)

Zack Gaytan

Danielle Gargiulo (Painting)
Zack Gaytan (Jewelry)
Zack Gaytan (Sculpture)
Brooke Hazen (Jewelry)
Julia Isoniemi (Drawing and Illustration)
Ohana Jeron (Drawing and Illustration) 2
Meghan McConaughy (Photography)
Anika Oplanic (Jewelry)
Nathan Pautsch (Photography)
Gema Perez (Photography)
Sophie Peters (Art Portfolio)
Cecily Pope (Ceramics and Glass)
Elena Tomchek (Jewelry)
Gabrielle Walters (Ceramics and Glass)

HONORABLE MENTION (26)

Elyse Adams (Jewelry)
Adam Blair-Smith (Photography)
Belle Blanchard (Ceramics and Glass)
Nolan Brezina (Jewelry)

Katherine Morrissey

Jarrett Brogan (Ceramics and Glass)
Samuel Carter (Jewelry)
Daniel Chaidez (Mixed Media)
Gavin Crowson (Photography)
Sophie Dalen (Ceramics and Glass)
Maddy Dvorak (Ceramics and Glass)
Audrey Dwyer (Design) 2
Rylee Fox (Jewelry) 2
Faith Gaydusek (Painting)
Zack Gaytan (Jewelry) 2
Julia Isoniemi (Drawing and Illustration)
Clark Kelly (Ceramics and Glass)
Claire Meyers (Jewelry)
Alexa Moy (Photography)
Tabaaraka Muzammil (Ceramics and Glass)
Jack Oakes (Digital Art)
Gema Perez (Photography) 2
Ian Wachel (Sculpture)

Belle Blanchard

DGN Jazz Musicians Swing Home with Awards and Recognition

Congratulations to the student musicians of the North High School Jazz Program for an outstanding showing at the 2020 Purdue Jazz Festival. The DGN Jazz Ensemble and DGN Jazz Lab Band performed and competed with more than 100 high school ensembles from five states across the Midwest. 

In addition to receiving a score from the panel of adjudicators, each group received real time formative feedback from each judge in an audio recording. This feedback is essential to the continuing growth of both individual students and the musicianship of each ensemble.  

The DGN Jazz Ensemble and DGN Jazz Lab Band both received Division I ratings from the panel of judges. This is the highest possible rating on the scoring rubric. The DGN Jazz Lab Band received the prestigious "Outstanding Performance" Citation in their competition room, finishing in second-place, just one point behind the first-place ensemble.

In addition to the terrific ensemble performances, 5 Outstanding Solo Awards were given by the panel of judges to DGN students for displaying outstanding musicianship:

Derek Ferraro (Trumpet)

Owen Nystrom (Bari Sax)
Jonathan Orjala (Trumpet)
Amy Spreitzer (Bass)

Miles Teague (Piano)

Bassist Amy Spreitzer was named the most outstanding soloist of the Stewart 302 competition venue, and with the recognition received a scholarship to the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. 

2020 DGN Choral Festival Welcomes Partner School Musicians

Today North High welcomed student vocalists from Herrick Middle School and Jefferson Junior High School for the 2020 DGN Choral Festival. Donning DGN Choir t-shirts, students participated in large group rehearsal, vocal sectionals, had dinner together, and presented a performance in the Clarence Johnson Auditorium. 

Special thanks to the students and directors from our partner schools for taking the time to provide this experience for these singers. Based on what we heard and saw today, the sonic future is bright for our DGN Choirs at North High School.

"Parent Night" with the DGN Pep Band!

Many thanks to the parents, guardians and family members who joined our Pep Band Saturday evening. Our 80s setlist never sounded so good!

DGN Jazz Cafe 2020

Congratulations to the musicians of the DGN Jazz Ensemble, DGN Jazz Lab Band, Herrick Middle School Jazz Band, Jefferson Junior High School Friends of Jazz, and the Westview Hills Middle School Jazz Band for their spirited and exciting performances at the 2020 DGN Jazz Cafe!

DGN Thespians Selected for All-State Musical!

Congratulations to DGN Fine Arts students Renee Boone (Ensemble), Travon Moore (Ensemble) and Matthew Spencer (Lighting Crew) for their selection to the 2020 Illinois High School Theatre Festival "All-State Musical" AIDA. We are proud of your amazing accomplishment. BREAK A LEG this weekend!

Renee Boone

Travon Moore

Matthew Spencer

DGN Bands Announce 2020-21 Tour

The Downers Grove North High School Marching Band will travel to Tampa, Florida to perform at the Outback Bowl on January 1, 2021. 

CLICK HERE for additional details and information about the Tour Kick-Off Meeting scheduled for April 9, 2020.

https://tinyurl.com/DGNOutbackBowlAnnouncement