St. Laurence Students Earn History Honors

Four Southwest Siders are among eight St. Laurence High School juniors cited for excellence in the prestigious annual Chicago Metro History Fair .

They are (left to right) Scottsdale residents Joe Russell and Tom Hodur, and Garfield Ridge residents Raul Smith and Kyle Martinez.

Smith is a finalist in the competition. Russell, Hodur and Martinez earned "honorable

mention" praise.

Smith's entry examines the role of the 1903 Iroquois Theatre Fire on safety regulations. Russell's takes a look at the 1958 fire at Our Lady of the Angels School. Hodur's explores Chicago's role in the Civil War, and Martinez analyzed Bill Veeck's impact on baseball.

The History Fair finals will be held later this spring.

Other St. Laurence students taking home honors are finalists Patrick McQuinn from Oak Lawn, who wrote the Pullman porters strike of 1894; Edward Smith of Morgan Park, who

wrote about the impact of the Irish on Catholic schools; and honorable mentions Logan Landers of Burbank, who wrote about the effect of the Cold War on Chicago; and Sam Kazmierowicz of Brookfield, who examined Frank Lloyd Wright's impact on architecture in the suburbs.

“These young men did a great job researching and putting together their material. I am proud of them, and I congratulate them,” said longtime St. Laurence teacher John Kroc.

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