For 18 years, Dolores Fischer has called Sun City home. Like many residents, she initially moved here for a personal reason; to be closer to her children and grandchildren. However, what began as a move centered around her own family quickly developed into a serious commitment to the wider community. Over nearly two decades, Dolores has had a profound effect on local education, transforming the lives of many students and molding the fundamental fabric of our neighborhood through her passionate leadership and firm devotion. Her voyage here actually began with a blueprint from her own family history.
“My parents retired at 55 and moved to the original Sun City in Arizona,” Fischer shares. “They loved Sun City and truly lived their best life.”
In 2008, Sun City Huntley was still building new homes.
Dolores Fischer’s leadership and volunteerism runs deep in the Sun City community and beyond. (Photo by Christine Such/My Sun Day News)
“There were only 15 homes in Neighborhood 35 in September, 2008. After hearing about the Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC), I chose to host our first neighborhood meeting at my home. Following some careful research, I chose to volunteer as our Neighborhood Representative. The NAC members were extremely friendly and I quickly grew to appreciate NAC’s collaborative spirit and round-table discussions. I proudly served in this role for three years. Today, our neighborhood has grown significantly to 106 homes. In 2025, I decided to get involved again as a NAC member”.
Fischer is a highly accomplished educator and leader with a distinguished career in mathematics education and fostering student leadership and mentorship. She attended the University of Illinois, Urbana campus for her undergraduate degree and holds a Master’s degree in Mathematics Education from DePaul University, along with extensive graduate coursework
in teaching and reading from National Lewis University and Northeastern Illinois University.
Fischer began her teaching career at Evergreen Park High School before joining Stevenson High School in 1972, where she spent more than 40 years teaching mathematics and inspiring students through leadership development and mentoring. Throughout her distinguished career, she earned recognition for creating innovative curriculum and leading a wide range of academic and extracurricular programs. In addition to her classroom leadership, she coached cheerleading, the dance team, the math team and served as Stevenson’s ice hockey manager.
She is best known as the co-creator and director of Stevenson High School’s Freshman Mentor Program (FMP), a nationally recognized program designed to help incoming freshmen successfully transition to high school. Led by highly respected upper-class role models, the year-long program provides guidance, support, and encouragement to freshmen while fostering leadership, communication, and mentoring skills for the upper-class leaders.
“I had amazing opportunities to present this innovative concept at major educational conferences and consulted with schools across the US and Canada assisting with the development and implementation of a freshman transition program.” Her dedication to education has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Distinguished Service Award from the Illinois Directors of Student Activities as well as Stevenson’s Heritage Award. Even after retirement, she continues to mentor students, support neighborhood initiatives, and foster educational partnerships, exemplifying a lifelong devotion to student growth.
Fischer reflected, “Shortly after moving to Sun City, I spent some time substitute teaching mathematics at Huntley High School. It was there that I learned about opportunities to mentor students in the Engineering Academy. I reached out to Eileen Delahanty, the volunteer coordinator for Huntley schools, to let her know I was very interested in the position. That decision opened the door to an incredibly rewarding experience.
Delahanty agrees.
“Dolores perfectly represents my philosophy that there is a place for everyone in District 158 if they want to volunteer,” she said. “A few years ago, she responded to an article published in the newspaper about our need for volunteers in the Engineering Program. After explaining that she was a lifelong high school math teacher, she told me, ‘I’d love to volunteer with your engineering students, but I don’t know how I could help them.’ Here we are four years later, and the impact Dolores has had on our students has been immeasurable. She is 100% committed and faithfully works with our Engineering Design & Development students every week throughout the school year. She has even shared her personal email address and meets with students outside of school when they need extra help or simply want her advice.”
In early 2025, Fischer took the floor at a Sun City Huntley Community Association Board meeting with a clear, transformative vision; closing the gap between generations. Drawing on her
firsthand experience volunteering with students and faculty, Fischer passionately advocated for a formal partnership with Sun City and Huntley High School. She illustrated how a structured
alliance would improve both ends of the age spectrum, offering high school students’ valuable mentorship while providing active adults with meaningful civic engagement. The Board voted unanimously to pass the motion, cementing a joint framework that will benefit Huntley residents for years to come.
Delahanty said, “Dolores exudes a love of learning and an energy that is contagious. She has also been a wonderful ambassador, encouraging more Del Webb residents to visit our schools, see what they’re missing, and discover how they, too, can make a meaningful difference in the lives of our students.”
According to Fischer, the program experienced immediate success. It promoted unique collaborations, such as the railroad club partnering with engineering students on a display project, the “Sew n Sews” hosting crocheting workshops, and nurses supporting
the Medical Academy. And recently, she has taken on a more active role in the ongoing Medical Academy Pen-Pal program. Fischer actively serves the Sun City community through her roles on the Lifestyle Committee and the NAC Executive Board.
Fischer’s continued leadership and commitment reflect a lifelong dedication to fostering meaningful connections between education and community, ensuring that both students and residents benefit from shared learning, mentorship, and collaboration.
