Marquis Energy partners with Princeton High School for ‘Energizing Education’ program

from PCR-07-07-2021

HENNEPIN Marquis Energy partners with Princeton High

School for ‘Energizing Education’ program

PRINCETON — Hennepin-based ethanol producer Marquis Energy has partnered with Princeton High School for its ‘Energizing Education’ program.

The program, which Marquis has implemented with several area schools beginning with Putnam County, focuses on mentoring students one-onone, goal-setting by students to improve academic performance, providing financial incentives to encourage and recognize success and identifying students who are under performing or are at risk.

According to Dennis Thompson, who oversees the program, the Marquis family started the program at Putnam County High School during their second semester about six years ago.

“The family, through Marquis Energy company, spends about $150,000 per year and without COVID, would have spent almost twice that much had we had a normal school year,” Thompson said.

The primary source for mentors is teachers and other personnel who are employees of the school district and who volunteer to participate in the program. The main objectives of a mentor are to help students set and meet their individual goals and to model, through his/her own personal character, a commitment to student success.

Students who are striving to improve their academic experience, are accepted into the program and required to set two goals for the semester and to meet regularly with their mentor for 30 minutes each week throughout that semester. The students’ objective is to reach their stated goals by the end of the semester.

Students must set two goals for a semester. The first goal must be a quantitative goal, i.e. one that can be measured to show improvement in academic performance. The second goal can be either quantitative or qualitative in nature, but in either case, the second goal should support the first goal. A qualitative goal is one that facilitates and helps to improve the quality and degree of the quantitative goal; it can be observed rather than measured.

PHS Principal Andy Berlinski said school administration is looking forward to the partnership and right now they are working on their end to finalize the program, application process and specific expectations they will have for the mentors and students who will take part in the program.

“We are excited to partner with Marquis Energy in order to help support our students who will benefit from this program,” Berlinski said. “At this time, we are still working to finalize what will be presented to both students and staff in the early fall.

“Our goal is to have everything in place so that we can meet the recommended time frame for implementation that was given to us by Marquis Energy. Dennis Thompson has been a fantastic resource through all of this.”

Thompson said Marquis Energy, through the Energizing Education program, has helped some students complete their graduation requirements, improved the GPA of many students, helped to promote a change in student behavior, allowing them to succeed in school and in some cases to be a better employee, broadened the future horizon for a few, even helped many of the students to earn money.

U OF I EXTENSION

Raffle winners announced

Friends of 4-H & Extension who help to support outreach educational programs for the Extension Service and 4-H/Youth Development Programs in Bureau County is pleased to announce the winners of the cash raffle fundraiser. The drawing was held June 18 at the Becker Professional Suites Building in Princeton.

Gerri Frank of Beck Oil Company drew the winning tickets. Four cash prizes were awarded: John Boroski of Spring Valley, $2,500; Dennis Hickey of Bradford, $1,000; Sandra Morse of Tiskilwa, $500; and Kay Taylor of Princeton, $250.

The Friends of 4-H and Extension volunteer group thanks the public for their support. The support of all individuals and groups who purchased the tickets will help maintain its county-wide University of Illinois Extension and 4-H Program.

All proceeds from the event will be used to support the 4-H and Extension educational programs in Bureau County. The proceeds will be used for local services and programming.

Ruth Hayward Bill & Norma Hrovat Eugene & Patricia Houghton Sherry & Lee Boedigheimer Sue Lanzotti Robert & Janette Dunn Scott Shore Carol Safranski Diane Wilson Tom & Elaine Lorinczi Sally Schmidt Jean Skutt Linda Bean Bill & Alba Ellena Robert Bean Michelle Halm Shauna Greenwood Kelly Keegan Peter Piccinelli Marguerite Sons Jody & Pat Piccinelli Bill Sanders John Price Crossroads Community Church Janice Holst Fran & Helen Aimone Jim & Linda Carboni Doug & Elaine Ossola Donna Forney

Your support means so much to us and to the people we serve. THANK YOU!

Born: October 24, 1938; Streator Died: May 10, 2021; Peru

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 10, 2021, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Granville. Fr. Patrick DeMeulemeester will officiate. Cremation rites have been accorded. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, Granville. Visitation will be from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 10, 2021, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Granville. Dysart-Cofoid Funeral Chapel will be assisting the family with the arrangements.

Ann Theresa (Forino) Kettman was born on October 24, 1938, in Streator, IL to Anthony and Ann (Novak) Forino. She graduated from Streator High School. She married Frank Kettman on October 25, 1958, in St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Streator. Ann and Frank moved to Granville and raised their family. In 1966, they established Kettman Heating and Air Conditioning.

Ann celebrated her life to the fullest. She enjoyed square dancing, bowling, fishing and traveling to faraway places with her beloved Frank. She and Frank enjoyed many nights out with family and friends. It was known that martinis were her favorite, and occasionally she ended the night dancing on top of the table. She always had bird feeders by a window where she could especially watch the cardinals and the hummingbirds. She enjoyed visits with her grandchildren, her great-nieces and her close friend Joan. She was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Granville. Her faith was seen by all as she daily prayed for hours. Her faith was as strong as the kind and encouraging words she had for all. She is smiling from heaven proudest of her family and all of their accomplishments.

Survivors include two sons, Craig Kettman of Granville and Kory (Julie) Kettman of Ottawa; two daughters, Kim Kettman of Granville and Kelly (Jim) Haun of Mark; one brother, Paul (Delphine) Forino of Ottawa; one sister, Patti (Scott) Vogal of Streator; 10 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Frank, on June 24, 2007; and one sister Marion Yuhas.

Honorary pallbearers are her grandchildren, Daniel, Matthew and Luke Haun, Aaron Kettman, Alexa, Connor and Michael Kettman, Katie Fleming, and Lauren and Elyse Bowers.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the donor’s choice.

Online condolences may be made to her family at www.dcfunerals.com.

ALICE DRAKE

A celebration of life for Alice Drake, who passed away April 11, 2021, will be at 11 a.m. July 10, 2021, at the main shelter at Fish N Fun in rural McNabb. A dish to pass is optional.

How to submit

Send obituary information to obits@putnamcountyrecord.com or call 815-632-2534. The deadline is 5 p.m. Friday for Wednesday’s edition.

NEWS BRIEF

Lovejoy Homestead reopens for public tours

PRINCETON — Princeton’s historic Lovejoy Homestead is once again open for public tours. The home is open for tours Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. To schedule a tour, or for more information, call tour guide Lois Peterson at 815875-1508 or visit https://owenlovejoyhomestead.com/.

PRINCETON

Geneseo’s Mark Breeden joins Freedom House Board

Freedom House is pleased to announce that Mark Breeden, a retired farm manager in Geneseo, has been elected to the Board of Directors.

“Mark brings an abiding commitment to the Freedom House mission – and a wealth of knowledge about Geneseo and all of Henry County. He is a welcome and valuable addition to the Board of Directors,” executive director Michael Zerneck said.

Breeden’s area of expertise is professional farm management, consulting, and brokerage of farmland sales and acquisitions. He feels strongly about what Freedom House does: “To help alleviate silent suffering and by lessening trauma to all members of the family, we can lead people to more meaningful and productive lives.”

About Freedom House Inc.

Freedom House, a non-profit 501(c) (3) corporation, is the domestic and sexual violence agency for Bureau, Henry, Marshall, Putnam and Stark counties in Illinois. Headquartered in Princeton, with satellite offices in Kewanee and Cambridge, Freedom House employs compassionate and skilled professionals to provide free, confidential, quality services to victims of abuse and their families, including a 24-hour crisis hotline (800-474-6031), emergency shelter, medical and legal advocacy, adult and child counseling, awareness and prevention education, and training for volunteers and professionals. In the past year, Freedom House staff provided needed services to more than 900 victims (and families) of domestic violence and sexual assault.

For more information about their services or to make a donation, call 815-872-0087 or visit http://www. freedomhouseillinois.org and find it on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Mark Breeden

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