While attending the Czech School Without Borders conference in Prague this summer, our teacher Irena Čajková was interviewed by Zdeňka Kuchyňová of Radio Prague International. Toward the end of the interview, Zdeňka asked about one of our former students, Jerry Mech, whom she had first met ten years earlier, when Jerry was only nine years old.

In 2016, Jerry traveled with his father on his very first trip to Prague to receive a very special honor: he became the first Czech child living abroad to be named a Knight of the Order of the Beautiful Word (Rytíř Řádu krásného slova). ⚔️ 📚

Ten years later, Jerry’s story came up again during the interview with Irena. And if you are wondering about the phrase “we couldn’t get rid of them” in the headline — it refers affectionately to Jerry – who is now a student at the University of Wisconsin in Madison – and his classmates, who continued attending Masaryk School even throughout high school, something that had not been common at our school before.

We are very proud that the children who once filled our classrooms are still part of our school’s story many years later. ❤️

Both the new interview with Irena and the ten-year-old report about Jerry are in Czech — yet another good reason to sign up for our Czech classes! 🇨🇿

🎙️ Recent interview with Irena – #player=on" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">https://cesky.radio.cz/nemohli-jsme-se-jich-zbavit-z-malych-zaku-masarykovy-skoly-v-chicagu-jsou-dnes-8898399#player=on

🎙️ Interview with nine-year-old Jerry Mech – #player=on" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">https://cesky.radio.cz/rytirem-radu-krasneho-slova-se-stal-devitilety-jerry-jiri-mech-z-chicaga-8695703#player=on

Last Friday, as part of the 3rd Annual Czech Heritage Week, T. G. Masaryk Czech School teacher and University of Chicago professor Irena Čajková led a walking tour of Chicago’s historic Pilsen neighborhood. ⛪️🚶🏻‍♀️🏫
One of the highlights was a visit to St. Procopius Church, where participants had a chance to see TEMPUS FUGIT II, a photography exhibition celebrating the beauty and heritage of Broumov’s Baroque churches, which had opened just a few days earlier.
Another special stop was Thalia Hall, where Director of Music Operations Bobby Ramírez welcomed the group and gave participants the opportunity to roam through the beautifully restored historic building and explore spaces they might not normally get to see. The group visited the magnificent main hall as well as the Tack Room and Punch House, getting a closer look at one of Pilsen’s most remarkable surviving buildings from its Czech past.
The tour explored the history of Pilsen as a once predominantly Czech neighborhood and traced some of the Czech landmarks and institutions that shaped the area. Irena, who has worked closely with Chicago’s Hispanic community for more than a decade, also introduced participants to important community institutions, murals, public art, and cultural landmarks that reflect Pilsen’s Mexican American heritage and make it such a vibrant neighborhood today.
The tour brought together a wonderfully diverse group of people with a shared interest in the Pilsen neighborhood and its Czech past. Along the way, stories were exchanged, new connections and friendships were made, and we hope to see many of these new faces again at future Czech community events.
Judging by all the positive feedback, this was most likely not the last Pilsen tour Irena has organized for fellow Pilsen fans. 🍻

This year, our school participated in Czech Heritage Week with a lecture by Czech author and diplomat Jaroslav Olša, Jr., fittingly titled “Preserving Czech-American Heritage.”

We are proud to partner with Mr. Olša and important Czech institutions, including the National Museum, the National Library of the Czech Republic, and the Náprstek Museum, in their efforts to locate, document, and preserve publications that tell the story of Czech America and the generations of Czechs who built communities here.

Preserving Czech-American heritage is not only about remembering the past—it is also about making sure that these books, newspapers, and other historical materials remain available for future generations.

We were very happy to make this important topic part of the 3rd annual Czech Heritage Week in Chicago. 🇨🇿🇺🇸

Last but certainly not least, the ladies in charge of the Masaryk School would like to express their gratitude to all the strong gentlemen in the audience who were “forcefully volunteered” to carry numerous boxes filled with donated books up two flights of stairs—so that we didn’t have to start the new school year with broken backs. 💪📚🙏