(L-R) Mark, Edward, and Donald On May 13, 2017, while attending the wedding of one of his nephews, Mark presented his two brothers with a signed copy of his recently released book, “1917-2017: One Hundred Years of White Sox Baseball.” In his Acknowledgement section, Mark wrote: “I wish to acknowledge my two older brothers, Don and Ed, who were role models to me while growing up in the Windy City. They taught me many things including sportsmanship, fairness, and always to do your best, even in the face of overwhelming odds. Little did they know that allowing me to tag along with them while they played sports “with the big kids on the block” when we lived on 57th and Neva and later when we moved to 48th and Keeler in Chicago would give me the confidence to know that I could do anything I made up my mind to do.” Don is Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee specializing in Political Science. Ed is a practicing surgeon in the field of Urology.
3 Comments
State Superintendent Tony Evers praised Washington-Caldwell for being among 178 schools in the state that received Wisconsin Title I School of Recognition honors for the 2016-17 school year during a special May 1 ceremony at the State Capitol in Madison. Evers welcomed, from left: Jill Saltzmann, Washington-Caldwell Principal, Dr. Evers, and Dr. Mark Pienkos, Washington-Caldwell Superintendent, to the recognition event. The state superintendent recognized 21 High-Achieving schools and 21 High-Progress schools as identified by results from 2015-16 statewide assessments; nine schools earned both High-Achieving and High-Progress honors. Four schools earned the award for a 10th consecutive year, while nine schools earned the award for a fifth consecutive year. “Our Schools of Recognition are staffed by dedicated educators,” Evers said. “Their success is something to celebrate; it serves as an example of the importance of schools, families, and communities working together to ensure that every child graduates ready for college and careers.” This is the third consecutive year that the Washington-Caldwell School District has received Wisconsin Title I School of Recognition honors. Mark was invited to talk about his book, “1917-2017: One Hundred Years of White Sox
Baseball” on the award-winning “Sports Jam” radio show. For nearly 25 years, “Sports Jam” has entertained its listeners during its weekly Saturday morning talk show (7:00- 9:00 a.m.). WKLG is owned and operated by Barb and Tom Kwiatkowski, who live in Lake Geneva, but are originally from the Chicagoland area. Tom is a White Sox fan, too! WLKG has won numerous awards over the years and is one of the most popular radio stations in southeastern Wisconsin. Prior to the May 6 th broadcast, Mark was photographed with members of the “Sports Jam” team. (Front Row Seated, L-R): Bill Blakeley, Mark Pienkos, John Handel; (Back Row Standing, L-R): Jerry Stelse, Ryan Marks (Intern), and Mike Coolidge, host. Mark explained to listeners why he wrote his book highlighting the great 1917 World Series Champion Chicago White Sox. The book is grouped in three parts: the 1917 White Sox, a brief history of the White Sox over the past century, and Mark’s own personal vignettes about following the Pale Hose over his lifetime. It’s a fun read that will have readers reminiscing about their own memories and attachments with their favorite baseball team – which Mark hopes is the White Sox! GO WLKG! GO “SPORTS JAM!” GO WHITE SOX! On May 4, 2017, Mark Pienkos, author and Interim Superintendent for the Traver School District located in Lake Geneva, WI, donated a copy of his book "1917-2017: One Hundred Years of White Sox Baseball" to the school library. Accepting were librarian, Carol Van Arsdale (center) and Interim Principal, Allyssa Andersen. Mark was recently appointed Traver's Interim Superintendent for the remainder of the school year, as well as the 2017-2018 school year. Traver School is a Kindergarten through Grade 8 school that sends students to Badger High School upon graduation.
|
Mark Pienkos
Dr. Mark Pienkos was born in Chicago. His parents were Stella and Edward who worked in factories to support their family of three boys. Mark’s mother only attended school through the 8th grade, while his father went to one year of high school. Mark’s oldest brother, Don, is professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Political Science and his other brother, Edward, is a surgeon specializing in urology. Archives
September 2017
Categories |