Local teachers receive honor
From Staff Reports March 9, 2013 1:10AM
Marge Lakota
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Updated: April 11, 2013 6:28AM
(Editors note: These five teachers were omitted in a March 3 story announcing the awards.)
Sixteen area teachers will be honored by the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry. An awards banquet will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Jacob Henry Mansion. Teachers to be honored include the following:
Marge Lakota
Lakota, a resident of Joliet, has been an educator for 35 years. Since 1990 she has taught mathematics at Joliet Catholic Academy and has been the department chairwoman since 1997.
She developed a High School Accelerated Algebra 1 Course for eighth-graders for students from the feeder schools of JCA.
She and her husband, Jerry, have five children: Kris Garland, Greg Lakota, Bill Lakota, Karole Lakota-Treese and Laurie Lakota-Gudas.
Lakota earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Xavier College, education certification from Joliet Junior College and St. Francis College, and did graduate studies at Northern Illinois University.
Nadia Crisostomo
Crisostomo, of Joliet, earned a bachelor’s degree in teacher education and English from the University of St. Francis, a master’s in reading from USF and is working on a master’s in education in curriculum and instruction through Concordia University.
She is in her 11th year teaching at Joliet Township high schools and teaches college prep English.
Joe Gura
A Joliet resident, Gura teaches world history and sociology and coaches varsity boys basketball at Joliet Catholic Academy. His prior teaching experience includes stints at Bromberk Grade School, St. Rita High, Lockport High, Thornton Fractional, Pontiac High, Plainfield North and Bishop McNamara.
He is married to Karen and they have three children.
Gura earned a bachelor’s in history from Lewis University and a master’s in cultural studies from Governors State University.
Kelley Minogue
A resident of Plainfield, Minogue is in her eighth year teaching third grade at Troy Crossroads School.
Before she pursued a master’s in education, she worked in sales for 10 years.
Minogue and husband John have two sons, Colin, 15, and Kyle 11.
She earned a bachelor’s from Miami of Ohio and her master’s in education from the University of St. Francis.
Diana Coveny
Coveny lives in Joliet with husband Bryan and their two children, Natalie and Nicholas.
She is in her seventh year teaching in Troy School District — teaching third grade her first year and fourth grade for the remaining six years, currently at Troy Hofer.
A graduate of Joliet West High School, Coveny earned an associate’s degree at Joliet Junior College and bachelor’s in elementary education at University of St. Francis.
