School News

Celebrating Women's History Month by recognizing the great work of our female colleagues at De La Salle.

Competing against 48 schools in the ISBA Mock Trial State Invitational, De La Salle placed as a state finalist, finishing in the top eight in the state of Illinois.

Briana Steffenhagen PuliaGrade School:St. GabrielGraduation Year:2008After Graduating from De La Salle:Concordia University Chicago – Major: natural science, Minor: psychology, Dean’s List all 4 yr.Rush University College of Nursing – MSN, RNRush University College of Nursing – DNP, FNPCurrent Occupation:I was an inpatient oncology nurse for six years and currently I am a nurse practitioner at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. I work in the outpatient oncology department and care for patients with multiple myeloma and other plasma cell disorders.Why did you choose to attend De La Salle?I attended De La Salle because of its academic reputation, faith-based education, small classroom sizes with dedicated teachers, and strong athletic programs.Influential classes while at De La Salle:I wouldn’t say there was a specific class that led me to nursing particularly. I loved my Anatomy and Physiology class with Ms. (Colleen) Mills, but I was very torn on career paths as I entered college. I couldn’t decide between education or medicine. I loved being around children and was inspired by my teachers and the impact they have had on my life. However, when I started to have experiences caring for family members and working as a nursing assistant, I realized this is what I wanted to…

The Women of D: Mrs. Carrie Contreras During the month of March, we are taking time to highlight several of our esteemed colleagues and reflect on all they do to ensure that De La Salle is a safe, vibrant, and wonderful institution of learning. The Women of D are a vital part of our community. We are grateful for your contributions. Meet Mrs. Contreras.She is the Dean of Language Arts and has been at De La Salle since August 2002. She teaches and oversees three departments including English, languages, and fine arts. In addition, she helps edit the yearbook and is a junior class co-moderator. Background and Journey to De La Salle“I taught English and theater in public schools before arriving at De La Salle 19 years ago,” she notes. “I decided to apply for a job here at De La Salle where I could still teach and also work with teachers to help them reach their goals while encouraging them to strive to be their best.” What inspires you about De La Salle?“I enjoy the diversity of our student body,” she described as part of her daily inspiration at De La Salle. “I am blessed to work closely with the teachers in my…