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Area students named state scholars By RHONDA GILLESPIE rgillespie@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Dozens of students in DeKalb County public high schools have packed such a strong academic punch that even the state has taken notice. Thirty-seven students at DeKalb High School and 47 at Sycamore High School are
among the 129 total for the county to be named to the 201617 list of Illinois State Scholars by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, the agency announced earlier this month. “At a time when postsecondary education could not be more important to future job and career success, these students have demonstrated the
kind of effort and dedication that will help them advance not only their futures, but the future of the state as well,” ISAC Executive Director Eric Zarnikow said in a written statement announcing the nearly 19,000 students statewide bestowed the honor. ACT scores and class rank were among the criteria used to select the students.
ISAC sent each of the honorees a letter of congratulations, and they all will get a certificate of achievement. The accolade does not come with scholarship money for college, but ISAC encouraged the students to mention it on college and university applications. Sixteen students at Genoa-Kingston High School were named state scholars and
will have their picture posted on a wall celebrating the laurel, according to Principal Brett McPherson. “This says a lot about our staff and our students,” said McPherson. “It starts with the parents of the students and the commitment that they’ve made to make education a priority. And then, here at the high school, we’ve worked
hard to make sure that our curriculum is aligned and make sure our instructional practices are strong.” Sandwich High School Principal Tom Sodaro said the state designation lets students know that their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. “What’s nice is that it kind
See SCHOLARS, page A6
President aims to allay concerns with terror strategy
HELPING TORNADO SURVIVORS MOVE ON
By JOSH LEDERMAN The Associated Press
Photos by Mary Beth Nolan for Shaw Media
Partygoers clap for 12-year-old Samuel Love of Chicago who gathered and delivered toys for children in Fairdale during a Christmas party at the Kirkland Community Fire Protection station Saturday. The town was severely damaged by a tornado April 9th.
Spreading some cheer Christmas party honors Fairdale tornado survivors
from Santa. Mary Jo Marshall, the volunteer coordinator and a board member of the DeKalb County Long Term Recovery Corporation, said the party was a good way to get to the Fairdale residents together for a celebration. “We wanted to bring them back together for something positive,” she said of the event, which took place at the Kirkland Fire Department. Samuel Love, a 12-year-old Chicago resident, also brought 200 toys to give away to the children. Love’s father, Victor, said his son collected the toys from their southside community because he likes to bring toys to kids who’ve been
By AIMEE BARROWS Shaw Media correspondent Susan Meyer of Fairdale has found one important blessing from the tornado that destroyed her home last April. She’s developed a stronger bond with her neighbors, and was happy to celebrate the holidays with them Saturday at a Christmas party for the tornado survivors hosted by the DeKalb Long-Term Recovery Corporation. “This party just continues to strengthen those bonds, and shows how strong and resilient we are as a community,” Meyer said. “We continue to support each other and I’ve gotten to know my neighbors a lot better.” About 180 people enjoyed a catered lunch from Hy-Vee, which donated all the food, and a visit
Donna Turner, coordinator of the Longterm Recovery Corporation thanks 12-yearold Samuel Love of Chicago for his toy drive for children in Fairdale.
See PARTY, page A6
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WASHINGTON — Fears of terrorism are hanging over America’s holiday season, so President Barack Obama is planning a series of events this week aimed at trying to allay concerns about his strategy for stopping the Islamic State group abroad and its sympathizers at home. Obama’s visits to the Pentagon and the National Counterterrorism Center are part of a push to further explain his terrorism-fighting strategy, White House officials said, after a prime-time Oval Office address last Sunday that critics said failed to do much to reassure the public. Another goal is to draw a contrast with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his inflammatory remarks about Muslims. The Obama ad“Terrorists like ministration has warned Trump’s ISIL are trying to rhetoric embolddivide us along ens extremists looking to pull the lines of religion U.S. into a war with Islam. and background.” “Terrorists President like ISIL are tryBarack Obama ing to divide us along lines of religion and background,” Obama said Saturday in his weekly radio and Internet address, using an acronym for the extremist group. “That’s how they stoke fear. That’s how they recruit.” In the coming week, he said, “we’ll move forward on all fronts.” The public relations campaign, one week before Christmas, comes as the public is jittery about the specter of terrorism after the mass shooting in San Bernardino, California this month and the Paris attacks a few weeks before. Seven in 10 Americans rated the risk of a terrorist attack in the U.S. as at least somewhat high, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll. That was a sharp increase from the 5 in 10 who said that in January. U.S. officials have insisted there are no specific, credible threats to the United States. But the apparent lack of warning before San Bernardino has fueled concerns about whether the U.S. has a handle on potential attacks, especially during
See STRATEGY, page A4
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