2014 Alumni Achievement Awards
District 128 Foundation for Learning Alumni Achievement Awards, established in 2014, are presented annually to individuals who graduated from a District 128 high school at least five years prior to nomination, and who have made significant contributions, and demonstrated leadership and character in his/her field and to his/her community. Nominations are accepted on an ongoing basis and remain active for three years. The Foundation for Learning Board of Trustees comprise the selection committee.
2014 Honorees
Dale Eggert
LHS Class of 1974
Dale is a life-long Libertyville resident who is known not only for his outstanding wresting achievements while at Libertyville High School, in college and post-college, but also for his long-time dedication as a coach for Wildcat Wrestling. Dale taught Health Education, Driver Education, and Physical Education at LHS for 33 years and, in 2007, was named the LHS "Teacher of the Year." In the 2014-15 school year, Coach Eggert began his 37th year coaching in the LHS Wrestling program and his 28th year as the Head Coach. In addition to wresting, Dale has also coached 23 years of Freshmen Football, 16 years as the Freshmen Head Coach, 8 years of Boys' Soccer, 6 years of Freshmen Baseball, and 6 years of Freshmen Softball. He has also served as a faculty sponsor for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes since 1996. Dale's wrestling coaching honors include the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials (IWCOA) "Assistant Coach of the Year" in 1987, the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) "Illinois Coach of the Year" in 2008 and 2014, being named to the IWCOA Hall of Fame in 2000 and to the Lake County High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2004, named a State Tournament Grand Marshal in 2014 by the IWCOA, and was a top five finisher for the IWCOA Illinois Coach of the Year in 1995, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010, and 2014.
Matt Nuernberger
VHHS Class of 2007
Matt was active in all areas of performing arts while he attended Vernon Hills High School, holding lead roles in numerous musical and theatrical productions. After graduating from VHHS, he attended Carnegie Mellon University. While at Carnegie Mellon, he met and became friends with five classmates who would ultimately join him in founding the theatre troup and band, PigPen Theatre Co. PigPen Theatre Co. began creating their unique brand of music, film, and theatre as freshmen at the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in 2007. They have since produced their original plays Off-Broadway and toured the country - earning them critic's picks from The New York Times, Time Out New York, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Boston Globe, and many more, ranking them in the top 10 theatrical events of 2011, 2012, and 2013. They were the first group to win the NYC Fringe Festival's top honor for a play two years in a row (2010/11) and have gone on to win IRNE (2012) and Jeff Awards (2014) for their touring productions. The group's debut indie-folk album, "Bremen," was named #10 album of the year in The Huffington Post's 2012 Grammy preview. Their follow up EP, "The Way I'm Running," was premiered by American Songwriter and released on Oct. 8, 2013. PigPen is currently working with Writers House, one of the world's leading young adult literary agencies, to develop its debut children's novel.