Glen Ellyn’s own Driveway Band is something to hear.  This local band of talented youngsters started when Hadley Junior High added the 'Garage Band Jam' to its' yearly Musical Mayhem event.  George Mugnani and his pals began the search for other musically inclined peers to add to their group. After a lot of lobbying, he formed a group with Eric Shanahan, Geo Smith, another guitarist, and that boy’s sister as the vocals. They played the Garage Band show and shortly after the second guitarist and his sister left the band. That's when Kyler Kotsakis was brought in on vocals. The name 'Driveway' …

Some fifth-grade kids from Forest Glen were part of the school's first ever online newspaper this year. The school created the program with the help of parents Dena Napoli and Natalie Miscinski. The children met once a week after school in the computer lab and worked on their stories. Many of the students had flash drives which allowed them to work on their stories at home as well as in the lab. Students also used digital cameras and learned how to download pictures and edit. Some of the articles the students came up with included reports on school events, such as the Science Fair, D.A.R.E …

Meet the Hernandez kids, Connor 16, Molly 14, and Erin 12. All three of these kids are incredible performers and they some how find the time to sing, dance and act among a slew of other activities. Connor, who attends Glenbard West, is an actor. Molly, who attends Hadley, plays both the piano and clarinet while younger sister Erin, who also attends Hadley, plays the flute, piccolo, piano and guitar. After attending many theater productions at the age of nine, Connor told his mom he wanted to try acting.  That fall he auditioned alongside 100 kids for a part in the community theater production…

The Guapo Team is an incredibly talented skateboarding group made up of four sophomore boys from Glenbard West High School. Charlie Knapp, Jack Crowe, Will Stephan and Luke O’Brien are the talent behind the Guapo name.  The boys explained that their interest began when several kids at school had long boards and they decided to give them a try and thought it was really fun.  Luke and Jack had their own, but Charlie and Will received theirs as eighth grade graduation gifts. I decided first to investigate the difference between a skateboard and a longboard. One of the main differences between …

This column began several weeks ago as a way to spotlight the wonderful and talented children in and around Glen Ellyn. We have been so fortunate to meet many children already. In my research looking for new children to spotlight I keep getting  the same responses when I ask people if they know anyone. They respond, “I don’t know anyone gifted enough,” or “He or she is good, but not a star. So you probably wouldn’t want them.” Those responses could not be further from the truth. A Whiz Kid is a person or group of any age from pre-school through high school who is good at something or has an …

Camden Repking is quite the actor! Camden is 12 years old and in seventh grade at St. Petronille School in Glen Ellyn.  He began his acting back in second grade when he performed in the St. Pet’s production of Annie.  He had the role of the dog catcher.  He thought it was a great role to start out with as it was not too big, or too small.  Camden recommends starting out with a role that falls into this category because it is not too overwhelming when you are just beginning. Camden has been in several productions.  At the Christian Youth Theater he had parts in Suessical the Musical, Narnia, …

Meet Corinne Payne. Corinne is 11 years old and a sixth grader at Hadley Junior High. She is a girl with many talents and interests. Corinne plays the cello, and has for several years. She also plays field hockey and is a wonderful ice skater. Corinne has been playing the cello since third grade and has been taking lessons with Jeanne Johanessen of Wheaton College’s Community School of the Arts since she started playing. Corinne is currently one of only three sixth grade cellists in the Hadley Strings program. She was the only one that got in last spring by audition. She loves playing with …

Meet Carley Jackman. She is 10 years old and in fourth grade at Forest Glen School. Carley is an avid horse rider. Carley has been riding since she was 5 years old. Her mom told me she was fascinated by horses even at the age of 2. She saw a rocking horse in a store and began riding it and did not want to get off. She still has the rocking horse in her room to this day. She first learned how to ride at Kingsway Farm in Winfield and continues to take lessons and do much of her riding there. She has also been able to ride in Harbor Springs, MI during family vacations and one of her favorite …

Olivia Demeris is an 11-year-old girl in fifth grade at Forest Glen School.  She is also an exceptional artist.  Demeris has been drawing since she could hold a pencil.  Although she has done much of her drawing on her own, she did take some lessons from a professional artist for about three years and has also learned much through the many art books she has received from her grandpa. Olivia has also taken a few classes through the Dupage Art League.  Her mom said that, although she enjoyed the teachers and her weekly time set aside to draw, Olivia prefers to draw on her own at home. Olivia …

Meet 12-year-old Serena Harnack from Glen Ellyn.  She is a 7th-grader at St. Petronille School. Serena is an incredibly talented violinist. She began playing the violin when she was just 4 years old.  She began taking lessons at that age and has had three different teachers along the way. Serena has never missed a day of practice in her eight-year career. Serena auditioned and was accepted into the Youth Symphony of DuPage when she was just 7 years old. Serena is also a scholarship recipient of the Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy program for gifted pre-college musicians where she studies…

Meet Christopher Maltby from Forest Glen School. Christo, as his friends and family call him, is in the fourth grade and is 10 years old  He is an incredible tennis player.  He started playing tennis six years ago, and has since taken all kinds of classes and lessons. I personally remember taking a few classes with my son Jacob, and Christo was in the same group. He was practicing with older kids even back then Christo was very excited to answer all my questions and, although not quoted, most of this article consists of his actual responses. Currently, Christo is taking tennis lessons at …