Studious Spartans Snag Championship In Illinois Vocabulary Bowl

OAK LAWN, IL — Oak Lawn Community High School students are celebrating their Illinois Championship in the Vocabulary Bowl Fall 2023 season. The competition, sponsored by Volcabulary.com, took place in October and November.

Students from all English classes mastered 18,296 words to come in first place in the state. The studious Spartans are placed fourth in the Top 5 Rookie School category.

This honor reflects the collective effort of the English department. All teachers who use Vcabulary.com in their classroom challenged students to master words, and the students rose to the occasion.

Some vocabulary lists were tied to the curriculum in the classroom, such as words found in the novels students were reading, while other lists were tied to SAT preparation, word roots, and lists by theme. Students then used the words in their writing and in their conversations and discussions.

In addition to winning the state title, the English department also recognized the top student: Smantha Ramirez. A student in the college prep writing class, Ramirez mastered 490 words and was awarded an Amazon gift card. A celebration will take place in January.

~ Contributed by Jennifer Jepsen, OLCHS Staff Writer