District 181 Summer Camp Expo - A Community Guidebook​

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​Learn about  a variety of organizations providing summer activities for students.  Sports, Arts, Academic Enrichment and Support, Day Camps, Overnight Camps, Park District Programming- there's something for everyone. This event is free and open to the entire community.  

  • Exhibitors Register Here  Registration accepted through May 31, 2021. Guidebook will be updated as registrations are received.
  • Summer Camp Guidebook

A Visit with Writing Couple - Ben & Tonya Mezrich


Ever wonder what it’s like to work together as a couple? Find out first hand as you meet with the husband and wife team: Ben and Tonya Mezrich. They will be interviewed by a team of CHMS and HMS students as they discuss their newest STEM middle grade fiction book from their Charlie Numbers Series, the writing process, how to inspire budding authors, as well as how they found their way into writing and share tidbits about bringing a book to film, what it’s like to be a consulting producer on the TV show "Billions," and how being parents themselves helps them in the writing process for the 8-12 age set.​​

Community Speaker Series Webinar

Julie Lythcott-Haims - How to Raise An Adult

Based on her New York Times bestselling book by the same name, in this talk Julie draws on her own insights as a mother and as a student dean to highlight the ways in which overparenting harms children, their stressed-out parents, and society at large. While empathizing with the parental hopes and, especially, fears that lead to overhelping, Julie inspires audiences to examine their behaviors and join the growing movement to allow children to develop the resourcefulness, resilience, and inner determination necessary for success.

Youth Author Webinar

Nathan Hale - How to Raise An Adult

Author, illustrator, and cartoonist Nathan Hale illustrates as he speaks, drawing live on the screen.  He will fascinate you with history and the art of drawing comics

District 181 Parent Program

Dr. John Duffy

Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety and Covid-19

Dr. Duffy is a clinical psychologist, bestselling author, podcaster, and parenting and relationship expert. Along with his clinical work, Dr. Duffy is the author of the number-one bestselling Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety and The Available Parent. He appears frequently on national and local television and radio outlets and is cited regularly in national print and online publications.


Community Speaker Series Webinar

​Madeline Levine - Preparing Our Kids to Thrive in an Uncertain and Rapidly Changing World

​Increasingly, the world we know has become disturbing, unfamiliar, and even threatening. In the wake of uncertainty and rapid change, many adults are doubling-down on the pressure-filled parenting style that pushes children to excel. Yet these daunting expectations, combined with the stress parents feel and unwittingly project onto their children, are leading to a generation of young people who are overwhelmed, exhausted, distressed—and unprepared for the future that awaits them. Dr. Levine identifies the skills that children need to succeed in a tumultuous future: adaptability, mental agility, curiosity, collaboration, tolerance for failure, resilience, and optimism. Most importantly, Levine offers day-to-day solutions parents can use to raise kids who are prepared, enthusiastic, and ready to face an unknown future with confidence and optimism.

Young Writers  - The 2020 Project: Student Reflections on a Pandemic Year

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  • 2020 Experience Exhibit at Immanuel Hall, June 16 through July 3, Wed - Sat, 10am - 12pm. Stop by to see the book, student art, student videos and much more.
  • Limit quantities of books on sale at the Immanuel Hall Exhibit and at The Community House. $25 

Young Writers Night celebrates the power of writing and encourages students to share their writing with others, receiving feedback, encouragement and support in their writing. This year, Young Writers Night focused on our students collective memories about the year 2020. The student work has been compiled into a commemorative hardcover book. Students attended special webinars with youth authors and a celebration of the student writers at Immanuel Hall.

Community Speaker Series Webinar

David Epstein

Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World

  • Tuesday, November 17, 2020 - 7:00pm

New York Times best-selling author and science writer David Epstein has made it his mission to uncover the keys to achieving high performance in any domain, and to debunk popular myths along the way. Epstein shows that at every stage of life, from the development of children in math, music, and sports, to students fresh out of college trying to find their way, to midcareer professionals in need of change, to retirees looking for a new vocation—generalists triumph as the world around them becomes increasingly specialized. Unpacking the science of success —Epstein leaves audiences with actionable takeaways to improve how they live, work, and prepare themselves and their children for the future.
More information about David Epstein

2020-2021 Events

AND EVEnts

We organize and host events for District 181 families to enrich our students' educational experience. 

more info

 speakers

The District 181 Foundation promotes community-wide learning through special speakers, performers, and programs that are available to everyone.  

Virtual D181 Middle School Student Art Show


  • 63 student artists from Hinsdale Middle School and Clarendon Hills Middle School are featured in this video presentation, with a sound track provided by the HMS and CHMS Jazz Ensembles. We hope you enjoy these creative, thoughtful, fun and challenging pieces.  View the Virtual Art Show.

Community Speaker Series Webinar

Nicholas Epley - Mindwise: A Guide to Understanding the Minds of Others

 In this high-energy, illuminating presentation, Nicholas Epley takes the audience on an exploration of one of the great mysteries of the human mind. How good are you at knowing the minds of others? How well can you guess what others think of you, know who really likes you, or tell when others are lying? How well do you really understand the minds of those closest to you at work or at home? Why are we sometimes blind to the minds of others? Why do we sometimes talk to our cars, or the stars, as if there is a mind that can hear us? Why do we so routinely believe that others think, feel, and want what we do, when in fact they do not? And, why we do we believe we understand our fellow workers, customers, competitors, spouses, family, and friends so much better than we actually do? While Epley’s presentation will not turn others into open books, it will give you the wisdom to revolutionize how you think about them—and yourself.