A writer whose stories have carried the spirit of a small Southwest Side suburb to readers across the country returned home this week for a lasting honor.
David McGrath, a 1967 graduate of Evergreen Park Community High School, was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame during Honors Night on May 4, recognizing a decades-long career in education and storytelling.
McGrath built a professional life rooted in the written word, teaching English and journalism at Chicago Vocational School before moving into higher education. He later served as a professor of English and Native American literature at the College of DuPage and held writing positions at the University of South Alabama and Florida Southwestern State College.
Alongside his teaching career, McGrath developed a prolific voice as an author and essayist. He has written four books, “Siege at Ojibawa,” “The Territory,” “South Siders” and “Far Enough Away,” and more than 700 essays published in outlets including The Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times.
Many of those essays draw on his upbringing in Evergreen Park and life on Chicago’s South Side, blending personal reflection with broader themes of family, community and place. Over the past quarter century, his work has reached readers nationwide, offering a distinctly local perspective with universal appeal.
His writing has earned recognition over the years, including honors from the National EdPress Awards, American Educator magazine and listings in “Best American Essays.” More recently, his work received citations for heartfelt commentary in the Chicago Tribune.
McGrath continues to write and remains active in the field as a contributing editor for Florida Sportsman magazine.
School officials said his body of work and commitment to education made him a natural choice for the Hall of Fame, celebrating not only professional achievement but also the enduring connection between the writer and his hometown roots.