James Cuci:  

In March of 1973 a few months before we graduated my Father passed away from Cancer. Although it was difficult at 17 I realized I had learned so much from my parents that I was equiped to take on anything that came my way in the future and pledged to do so on my own without any financial support from my parents. Many Wonderful events have happened since graduation. I earned a Baccalaureate degree in Biology minoring in Education. Earned Masters in multiple areas. I did my Student Teaching at Stagg H.S. and then started my teaching career at St. Rita H.S. A few years later I also started teaching at Moraine Valley for 33 years including filling in at Morton College and Joliet Junior College as well as teaching at the Top H.S. in the West Suburb of Glen Ellyn. We had the number one Science ACT Average of any H.S. in DuPage County every year that I was teaching there. We were the only H.S. in DuPage County that had all students take the ACT. It was great to see the transformation that all students achieved because half of the students were from the lowest performing Jr. High in DuPage County for their Science Achievement Exams. The classes I taught at the High School level were Earth Science, Physical Science, Forensic Science, Nucleonics, Oceanography, Biology, and Environmental Science. The College level classes I taught were various levels of Biology which included units on Anatomy, MicroBiology and Chemistry up through Biochemistry. I also taught College Physics and Education. I have had over 12,000 students in my classes over the years. For many years I spent 10 hours a day in the classroom. I often will ask a Grandparent who introduces me to their Grandchild if the child is in Pre-School or Kindergarten and after waiting for the response will tell them, "That is good because I never went to Pre-school or Kindergarten and they kept in school for 53 years." The Grand parent usually says, "It didn't hurt you any." Of which I agree. Although I have an Administrative Degree and License I used what I learned in that degree along with 40 years of experience being a member of an advisory, philanthropic, education etc. board for the benefit of the students and the Teachers Union where I was the Legislative Chair. I also was on the Advisory Board for 6 years for The Regional Superintendent of Schools for DuPage County. I lobbied State Legislators, Governors and Speakers of the House on behalf of teachers and Education Legislation. Sometimes I wondered how could a kid from Hickory Hills be in Springfield sitting in the private office of the Speaker of the House discussing Education Legislation issues with only 5 people present? I had a Newsletter that reached 120,000 Illinois Teachers and was trained as a Grassroots Political Activist by and for the Illinois Education Association. We focused on every piece of Education Legislation in the State. I have been active at St. Patricia in Hickory Hills since 1974 where I taught Religious Education for 6th, 7th and 8th Grades as well as Adult Formation. I served on the Parish Board when I was 22 and a second time when I was 53. I was the Co-Director of the Advance Commitment Committee that Raised $800,000 and helped another committee raise an additional $400,000...Expand for more