Margaret Ellen Russell and Max Thomas Hellermann, both of Chicago, are announcing their engagement and approaching marriage. She is the daughter of Robert and Debra Russell of Princeton. He is the son of Kurt and Jennifer Hellermann of Shorewood, Wis.

The bride-elect graduated from Princeton High School in 1998 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received a Master of Education from Loyola University of Chicago. She is employed as a Spanish teacher at Lyons Township High School in LaGrange.

Her fiancé graduated from Shorewood High School in Shorewood, Wis., in 2001. He graduated from Oberlin University with a degree in performance jazz guitar and is currently completing his Master in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. He is a member of many bands in the Chicagoland area, and is a private, music instructor.