Chantele returns to inspire students to follow in her footsteps

CALUMET CITY | For Nina Chantele, a Chicago broadcaster who appears on both local radio and television, Wednesday was a moment of personal excitement.

Chantele was returning to her old grammar school — Lincoln Elementary, 410 W. 157th St. — where officials used her as part of an effort to inspire the students to take their academic studies more seriously.

Students soon will be taking the ISAT tests that help state officials determine how successful the schools are at educating students.

That led them to Chantele, who graduated from the school in 1992 before going on to Thornton Fractional North High School and later, a career in broadcasting that has her with three current jobs: disc jockey with KISS-FM and WGCI-FM and a contributor to the "Windy City Live" program on WLS-TV.

"I'm so proud that I can represent all of you guys," said Chantele, who lives in downtown Chicago and whose family has since moved to Hammond.

Chantele told students they should not feel discouraged because of the fact their hometown is not a pristine suburb free of crime.

"Do you feel discouraged because of the neighborhood you come from," she said. "If you feel it's tough living here ... remember that it is what you make of it."

Chantele made of her Lincoln experience extensive athletic participation in track, volleyball and basketball along with being a cheerleader and president of the Student Council.

Personally, Chantele said, she would like to someday be an actor.

"I want to do acting, that's my next thing," she said — even though her theatrical "experience" to date was being in the Lincoln eighth-grade play, portraying "Pablo the reindeer."

"Lincoln Elementary meant so much to me," she said.