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Welcome to Sauk Valley Media’s annual Pride magazine. In this edition, you will learn about achievements at our local high schools, whether in academics, sports or extracurricular activities. We extend a special thank you to the schools, who submitted the copy for this magazine, and the advertisers who support it. Pride would not have been possible without them.
Amboy.......................................................................... 4-6 Ashton-Franklin Center...................... 7 Bureau Valley..................................................8-9 Byron................................................................................10 Chadwick-Milledgeville.............. 11-12 Dixon..........................................................................13-15 Eastland................................................................16-19 Faith Christian.................................................20 Forreston...........................................................21-22 Fulton...................................................................... 23-25 Morrison..............................................................26-27 Oregon...................................................................28-29 Prophetstown...........................................30-32 Rochelle..............................................................33-34 Rock Falls.........................................................35-36 Sterling..................................................................37-41 Unity Christian................................................42 West Carroll.........................................................43
Sauk Valley Media
Pride is a specialty publication of Sauk Valley Media.
113 S. Peoria Ave., Dixon, IL 61021 | 1-815-284-2222
Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of Pride should
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be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. Sauk Valley Media cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this publication.
PROUD SUPPORTER OF OUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS PROUDLY SERVING: MORRISON
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Positivity + Respect + Inspiration + Determination + Excellence = PRIDE
Clipper pride is on display in the mural in the new area of the school.
Academics After a year like last year, it’s nice to see some normalcy returning to our building. Students are working together, learning together, teaching each other. This year, engineering technologies and astronomy have been added to the course selections. Students are able to create programs to use the new GlowForge machine. They are making trinkets for the annual Amboy Christmas Walk. Our Ag Construction class has been busy making picnic tables for the football field and building the sets for our fall play. Amboy High School has been involved with the Education Pathway Grant through the ROE, which sets criteria to help current students decide if they would like to become teachers.
AMBOY cont’d to page 5
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Suppo d u o Pr
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www.cityofamboy.org John Schamberger, Mayor
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AAMBOY cont’d from page 4 Students have started to check out the education pathway by helping elementary school students with reading, and both junior high and high school students with math. Dana Merriman is the senior this year who is teaching our Discovery Ag Course. She goes to the eighth grade daily and teaches an introductory ag course under the direction of our high school Ag Department. Social Emotional Learning has also really started to take shape here at Amboy High School. On the first day of school, the students were welcomed with a pep rally and lots of games.
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Senior Dana Merriman teaches a lesson to eighth-grade students
For All The Stages of Your Life,
Sensient Flavors is very proud of all of the achievements of the students at Amboy High School and our neighboring community schools. Continue to work hard and take pride in everything you do!
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ANBOY cont’d from page 5
RIGHT: Students work on team-building activities. BELOW: Some of the designs and items the Engineering Technology class has created with the new GlowForge Machine.
Daily homeroom classes include lessons to help students find out who they are and what type of person they want to be. Many students enjoyed decorating their hallways for Homecoming week and putting up posters and signs throughout the building with their personal strengths or positive quotes. Every day, students are encouraged to pursue Clipper P.R.I.D.E., which includes having a Positive mindset, giving and accepting Respect, being Inspired to follow dreams, being Determined to work hard, and pursuing Excellence daily!
New Construction The last couple of years have been filled with construction. The addition of the junior high to the high school has added new opportunities for all students in grades 5-12. We have been busy getting our new areas up and running, with some areas taking longer than others to complete. Our new gym and new high school offices along with our new common area are starting to look and feel a little more like home.
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Homecoming 2021 ...
Taking their pride to the streets “You Can’t Tame Our Pride,” the slogan for AFC Homecoming 2021, was evident in the weekly events put on by the Student Council. Students participated in daily dress-up days and had the first parade through town in the school’s history. Students, community members, fire departments, and local law enforcement all showed up to support the AFC Raiders and the 2021 AFC Homecoming Court. AFC Student Council ended the week hosting an outdoor, carnival-themed dance for the student body.
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Poetry, leadership and a brighter future at Bureau Valley Leadership Class In 2018, BVHS implemented a leadership class into its curriculum that can be taken by any student, freshman through senior. While the course includes a study of different leaders and leadership theories, its foundation is built upon providing students with opportunities to design and engage in a variety of service projects. Students have taken on a wide range of projects that work to benefit our school and surrounding communities over the years. In the last year alone, leadership students have created an annual holiday gift drive in conjunction with the local food pantry, hosted a BV student and staff tailgate, established relationships with local nursing home residents, and raised money to support an area teen center. Our students do a tremendous job of not only identifying areas of need around us, but also of creating and executing plans that produce really terrific outcomes. Each semester students seem to raise the bar for what they wish to accomplish, and it’s been really exciting to witness this type of growth as the course continues to evolve.
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Poetry Out Loud
Since 2005, Poetry Out Loud has grown to reach more than 4.1 million students and 68,000 teachers from 17,000 schools and organizations in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa. Poetry Out Loud encourages students to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure that starts at the classroom level. Students advance to a school-wide competition, to a regional con-
BVHS Drama
The BVHS Drama Department embraced the challenges of the last year and a half to make our program even better. Performing our last live show on March 14, 2020, we were thankful that all the work we had put into “Hunchback of Notre Dame” got to have a last live audience before the world of live entertainment shut down. Without being in the same room after that final bow, we had to strengthen our purpose of bringing people together no matter the circumstance or distance. In the fall of 2020, students created a series of original radio variety shows we called “Top of
test, to State Finals, and ultimately to the National Finals. Bureau Valley High School has participated in Poetry Out Loud at the local, regional, and national level the past three years. In 2019, Regan Cook and Paige Twidell won first and second in the Northern Regional, respectively, qualifying them for the state competition. In 2020, Regan Cook and Hailey Tranchita represented Bureau Valley in the Western regional competition. Regan earned first place and advanced to the state competition. In 2021, the contest was held virtually. Regan and Paige both advanced to the western regional competition where Paige placed first and Regan placed second. They advanced to the state competition as well.
the Valley.” All from our own homes, we wrote, rehearsed, recorded, and edited five shows that brought our voices together in shows we were so proud of. Our 2021 spring musical, “Hello! My Baby,” streamed online after countless hours of rehearsal, audio recording, lip syncing in front of green screens, and video editing. You would believe students were standing together on stage! In our hearts, we were. This year, we return to the stage with our own student-written adaptation of “A Christmas Carol.” This story invites us to learn from the past, appreciate the present, and work toward a brighter future together!
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Crossing paths with a brighter future Byron High School has committed to increase educaStudents tional pathways for students. Tyler Reed The first step in this process (left) and was approving and hiring a Denise College and Career Counselor. BraithThis position allowed for one waite high school counselor to be practice focused on creating paththeir skills ways that are aligned to labor at wirmarket trends and supporting ing light the attainment of stackable switches credentials. In the past two in conyears, Mrs. Amber Swanson, struction the Byron High School Staff, class. and community and business partners have been able to do just that. In addition to the existing Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways of agriculture, family and consumer science, and automotive, five pathways have been established or realigned; these pathways include business and technology, education, medical science, law enforcement and construction. As a result, students have the opportunity to attain a paraprofessional certificate, CNA (certified nursing assistant) license (in partnership with Generations at Neighbors Nursing Home), the potential for up to 13 college credits in the field of business, or hands-on experiences in the construction industry or law enforceSenior Kennedy Roth, observing a sevment. In total, students at enth-grade science classroom, gained Byron High School have valuable insights from veteran teacher 31 college credits that Susan Prusator. they can potentially earn across a variety of academic and CTE domains. During the 2021-22 school year, Byron High School will potenFrom left: Byron CNA students Josie Roth, Maci Roschi, tially be issuing more than 850 college credits from Tracee Nelson, Addyson Myers, and Jennifer DeHahn Rock Valley College to 160 students. took part in clinicals at Generations at Neighbors.
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A day of blue and gray for Karlie Hey On December 8, students wore gray and/or blue to show their support for Karlie Hey. Karlie attends Newman Central Catholic High School and she is the granddaughter of our custodian, Theresa Pidde. The students were showing their support because Karlie has cancer. We had a great turnout supporting her!
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A busy year for the National Honor Society The National Honor Society at Milledgeville High School has been busy this school year with activities promoting the NHS principles of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Committee members put up a bulletin board promoting scholarships with tips for earning a high GPA. Members are beginning their individual service projects; they are volunteering at animal shelters and food pantries, raising money for charities, and more! Red Ribbon Week activities were put on in the K through 6 classrooms at the end of October, and NHS members welcomed and assisted guest speakers for a Career Day in September. NHS members are promoting leadership and service through a Homeroom Tutoring program started this year with junior high and high school students. Current members are: Cayden Akers, Bryce Aude, Ethan Bradley, Ella Covey, Eric Ebersole, Lydia Faulkner, Emma Foster, Carissa Hubbard, Linsey Lapp, Matthew Lapp, Ali Mertz, Caley Munz, Zach Pauley, Isabella Pena, Breanna Schroeder, Lily Smith, Marissa Sturrup, and Ainsley Yingling.
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The King of the Castle The Start Long before he was known as Dr. Grady, a young man from Amboy was an inexperienced math teacher and assistant basketball coach at Dixon High School. In just his third year teaching, he began what would become a lifelong career in education at DHS. Mike Grady started his career in Dixon in 1991 as a math teacher and assistant boys basketball coach for the Dukes. After several years he moved into an administrative role and
became the dean of students, a job he held until he took over as the school’s principal in 2003. The rest, as they say, is history.
Along the Way
31 years. 372 months. 11,315 days. That’s how long Dr. Grady has been a part of our school. In fact, for many of these years he was not only a part of our school, but was the educational leader of our school. Over the course of this time he no doubt made a lifetime of memories.
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Teachers who have come and gone. Retirement parties. Coaches. Megaphone announcements from “Math Man.” Immeasurable impacts on countless students. Snow days. A global pandemic and E-learning. Failed school initiatives and successful school initiatives. Board meetings, tough decisions, building changes, and awards nights. Supporting and leading his school after a school shooting. Mourning the loss of students and celebrating their individual successes. Through all of these things and many more, Dr. Grady has been here and done that. In addition to the great administrator that Dr. Grady has been, he’s also been keeping a secret through all of these years: DR. GRADY IS CORN COB CARL! CORN COB CARL IS DR. GRADY! His commitment to DHS over the years proves that Mike will do whatever it takes to reach a student, empower a teacher, or bring a smile to someone’s face, and he doesn’t take himself too seriously while doing it.
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GRADY cont’d from page 13 Teacher institute days. Students in math class. Daily announcements. Watching his own children go through DHS. Helping students with math. Lunch supervision. Good days and bad days. Sporting events and senior nights. Band concerts, fall plays and spring musicals. Dr. Grady has seen, heard, and participated in them all. Graduation speeches. State champions and teams who struggled. Student discipline. Bad jokes (which are legendary!). Lunch detentions and school assemblies.
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GRADY cont’d from page 14
Final Hoorah The 2021-2022 school year marks Dr. Grady’s 33rd year in education, with 31 of those at Dixon High School. In a world where change is inevitable and many adult Americans switch jobs and careers up to six or seven times, one thing has been constant at DHS: Mike Grady. This school year will be his final one. Dr. Grady officially retires at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. At the end of their careers, many people are tempted to rest, ride it out, and be content with whatever happens around them, knowing that they have limited time left. That is certainly not the case with Dr. Grady. While he is excited for the
new chapter in his life, he is attacking his last year in school with the same energy, effort, and passion that he always has. You can routinely find him doing student discipline at the start of the day, followed by supervising lunch detention where he helps students with missing homework. He can oftentimes be seen meeting with teachers and staff, listening to questions or issues that may arise, and working to find solutions to keep DHS moving forward. Although the old saying goes, “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone,” we are well aware of what we have had with Dr. Grady as our principal, and will miss him when this year is over. He has given his professional career to our kids, teachers, staff, and Dixon High School. His impact will long be felt and we appreciate all that he has done along the way.
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Eastland students can do it all!
EJSHS Music Department After a year off, the Eastland Marching Band and Color Guard have made a comeback! We have performed at Shannon Labor Day, Lena Fall Festival, our home football games, and the homecoming parade in Lanark. We just performed our halftime show at the fall concert on October 6. We have one more parade left this year, which is on October 30 in Galena. The High School Choir was excited to perform at the Fall Concert on October 6. They sang “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Something Told the Wild Geese,” and “From Now On” from the “Greatest Showman.” This was their first public performance since December 2019. The music department is currently preparing for the Winter Concert, which will be in the EJSHS gym on December 8. We have also received some exciting news regarding ILMEA. Congratulations to Hudson G. and Keegan S. for being selected for District 8 Senior Honors Mixed Chorus. Congratulations to Jocelyn G. for making District 8 Senior Honors Band on flute. Congratulations to Emma L., Ava P., and Nataleigh T. for being selected for ILMEA District 8 Jr. Treble Chorus.
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Eastland High School band, color guard, and choir students are earning money this year toward a summer 2022 music trip to Florida, where they will perform at Universal Studios and have a backstage music workshop at Disney World. Band/Choir Director Sara Swart said that the school has been promoting to students the idea that they don’t have to choose between sports, activities, and fine arts — there’s room for all three in their lives.
Winter Spirit Week 2020 With Covid halting most school activities last fall, including most sports, Homecoming activities, concerts, and various other school events, the Eastland Student Council hosted a “Winter Spirit Week.” The council wanted to find a way to keep the students upbeat as we approached the holiday season and give them some sense of normal activities. Events during the week included a white elephant gift exchange, hidden candy canes that could be turned in to the adviser for prizes, and a door decorating contest. Students were also encouraged to dress up throughout the week in various outfits, including ugly sweaters!
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Thank-you Letters On February 23, 2021, the Eastland FFA sent 170 thank-you letters, handwritten by its members, to those serving in our military. The activity was one of many organized by the FFA as part of the yearly FFA Week.
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FFA team competes in national contest Eastland’s National Dairy Judging Team competed in the online portion of a national contest this fall. The team took a herd analysis test, general knowledge test, and prepared and presented a team problem. The team competed last spring and was awarded High Dairy Cattle Judging team on June 9 at the Illinois FFA State Convention! Team members have spent countless hours preparing for the contests and hope to place at the national competition, with the results being announced at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis.
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An atmosphere of Faith and pride By Elyse Stevens
New faces Faith Christian School in Grand Detour is proud to say that we have a new principal this year: Mr. Aaron Fassler. We were blessed to have Mrs. Foster as our principal for many years. When she decided to retire last year, all of us were curious who the next principal would be. It has only been a few months and he has already been a great asset to the school. We are excited for the leadership Mr. Fassler will bring to our school. “Every day I am excited to come to a place where students are educated with a Biblical worldview,” Fassler said. “The students, staff, and families have been extremely welcoming, and I look forward to what God has planned for the future of our school.” We are so happy to welcome 40 new students this year, making a total of 196 students. All of us are excited to be getting back to a little more normalcy. This year, Faith Christian School was able to bring back most of the electives we had
before, including music, choir, art, piano, yearbook, Key Club, and student council. Faith is also hopeful to have an end-ofthe-year school musical. In the past, these musicals have been outstanding.
Looking ahead Looking forward to the rest of our year, we are all excited for the upcoming boys and girls basketball season, boys volleyball, girls soccer, and trap shooting. We wish these teams the best of luck!
Winterim In the spring, students are eager to bring back Winterim. This is one week that we take a break from some of our normal classes and learn life skills and do service projects in the community. Often, a mission trip is taken during this week. Students love the atmosphere at Faith. The faculty and staff really care about each student and help us develop in many different areas of our lives.
Volleyball
Girls volleyball had a fun season this year. Even though we didn’t win the tournament, we were sad that this was our last year to play with our seniors: Rachel Barret, Alyssa Moss, and Catherine Bloemker.
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Soccer
The boys varsity soccer team of 2021 is currently undefeated and is going on to the nationals. The soccer team has two seniors: Nathan Hodson and Evan Fassler. It also has a foreign-exchange student, Nico Triguero, who won 1st team all-conference during two tournaments. Jonathan Harrison, a sophomore, won MVP during the NICC tournament. Our school is extremely proud of the players as well as coaches Jim Kaufman, Robb Rydzynski, and Karl Arellano.
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Forreston students keep going and keep growing Forreston Junior-Senior High School is proud of the progress of our students, despite the challenges they have experienced over the past two school years.
The Student Services Department recently hosted Unity Day.
A focus on students
One area of great focus for the upcoming school year is the socialemotional learning for both junior high and high school students. This has led to the addition of counseling services in the junior high school. Navigating a different building, new staff, and the developmental changes that occur in grades six through eight can at times being arduous. Equipping students with the relational and self-management skills will lead to a smoother transition as well as prepare for the rigors of high school coursework. Another area of focus in socialemotional learning is the creation of a positive learning environment for ALL students. This includes antibullying efforts. The Student Services Department has hosted speakers, led in-class activities, and most recently, hosted Unity Day. Staff and students were invited to wear orange and sign the pledge to “Speak Up, Reach Out, and Be a Friend.” FJSHS has also updated its incident reporting system. Students can scan QR codes on posters located throughout the building. The link takes them to an online form where they can anonymously report occurrences of bullying. The form is also located on the district website for parent/guardian access. When completed, the responses are sent to both school administration and counselors.
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Being all that they can Be Teachers have also played a dynamic role in helping students develop the “soft skills” needed for success in the workplace. This year’s focus? Starting the day with “Making Your Bed.” This work is centered on the graduation speech by U.S. Navy Admiral William H. McRaven. All staff members were asked to come up with three statements that embodied what they learned. This led to the three “B’s”: As a building, we will “Be Prepared,” “Be our Best Self” and “Be Engaged and Interact.” We are incredibly proud of how our students have embraced adversity and continue to flourish, regardless of the obstacles placed before them.
Getting ready for college and a career College and Career Readiness activities will also be expanded with additional junior high counselling services. Through the generosity of the ROE No. 47 Educational Pathway grant, all students at FJSHS will have access to career exploration tools. Junior high students have already begun using the interactive platform, Xello, to learn about their interests and related career clusters. Starting this important work early will help students be prepared for post-secondary education, the workforce, or the military. Forreston High School students also have had new opportunities to explore in-demand careers. The Teachers Assistant Program, more commonly known as TAP, is designed to inspire talented young people to enter the field of education. Students in 11th and 12th grades can earn high school credit working with students in the elementary grades, special education classes, agriculture programs, and STEM courses. Resources from ROE No. 47 have allowed for training of mentor teachers, expansion of career exploration tools, and future opportunities for dual credit through Highland Community College.
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B.L.I.N.D. Building Lasting Impressions that Never Die is in full swing at FHS after a year of minimal activity. Our junior and senior leaders are mentoring our freshmen and helping them navigate the first year of high school. The leaders participated in the freshmen retreat, which included Fulton, Newman, Rock Falls, Prophetstown and Morrison. It was an outdoor event this year, and the weather was beautiful and the relationships built were outstanding. With the pause on many events last year, the current sophomore class was not able to experience a freshman retreat. Fulton took on the event and various teachers took the role of leaders so that the freshmen could have a similar experience.
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Gearing up for another great season The FHS Robotics Team No. 11177 is excited for yet another great season with the Gear Grinders. New opportunities and obstacles are what this team is about — they’re always striving for success and learning a great deal of skills along the way! Alongside coaches and mentors, students/team members learn STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) and engineering skills that help them on their journey toward their own careers outside of robotics. Our team competes in the First Tech Challenge (FTC), a national competition for students in grades 7 through 12. This year’s competition is called Freight Frenzy, in which two teams each have two drivers work together to score points in a round against two other teams by starting off with a pre-coded platform. They then count up the points at the end and determine the winner. Though our main goal is to create and design a robot we can compete with, we also like to give back to the community. We do this through events with outreach and STEM, including hosting group events with younger kids, robotic summer camps, and trips to businesses and colleges to promote STEM careers.
We are especially grateful to our sponsors and volunteers, for this wouldn’t be possible without their endless help and support. Follow our team’s progress this season or contact us about sponsoring our team by reaching us on Twitter: @GearGrindersFHS or Email: geargrinders@riverbendschools.net
Full STEAM ahead at Fulton High This fall, students at Fulton High School had an opportunity to enroll in a newly offered STEAM class. To complement the school’s current Exploring Computer Science class, the STEAM class was developed to give students an additional year-long opportunity to study a variety of topics including the subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics. Throughout the school year, the students will be introduced to a variety of STEAM activities and projects such as computing using Raspberry Pi’s, coding Tello drones, creating art using Adobe Creative Suite software, Autocad design and 3-D printing, and learning the basics of the computer language, Python. In the photos at left, students ranging from freshmen to seniors are shown creating interactive games using Scratch and Raspberry Pi’s. The students were challenged to create a game using LED’s, buttons and buzzers attached to their Raspberry Pi breadboards to enhance their games being created in Scratch.
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A Pathway to a career in education In 2016, the State of Illinois passed the Postsecondary and Workplace Readiness Act (PWR Act), which was enacted in all Illinois schools. This bill gives high school students the opportunity to participate in programs that are designed to support students in preparing for future education or careers. The Education Pathway Endorsement provides students professional learning and academic readiness as they prepare for a career in the education field. A student who earns the endorsement will complete high school committed to the education field and have a leg up on college success. The student gains both technical and essential employability skills provided throughout the endorsement process. The Lee-Ogle Whiteside Regional Office of Education has partnered with Sauk Valley Community College to facilitate the implementation of college and career pathway endorsements through a grant from the state. River Bend Community Unit School District 2 has been a part of this grant and is working to provide opportunities for their students to be prepared for their futures. Last year, Fulton High School had 3 students who graduated with this endorsement and will have 3 more students graduate this year with the endorsement. Students are required to complete a multitude of tasks in order to qualify for the endorsement. They have to spend 60 hours inside a classroom, teach multiple lessons, be observed by the pathway coordinator, present two team-based challenges to a group of school personnel, and much more during their time in the pathway. Gaining experience like this in high school, will set them up for success in their future careers as teachers.
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Students explore future choices Thirty-three entities, including businesses, colleges, career training programs, armed forces branches, government agencies, and other organizations, participated in Morrison High School’s third annual College and Career Fair on October 6, 2021. The event was designed to encourage students to explore careers across the 16 major career clusters. Morrison High School worked diligently this year to reach out to trades programs, including carpentry and pipefitting, to provide a range of options for students to consider. Among local firms that participated: ADM, CGH Medical Center, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, Timken Drives, Walmart Distribution Center No. 7024, and oth-
ers discussed opportunities in their fields with students. Morrison also welcomed the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and National Guard to this year’s event. Colleges and career training programs represented included Sauk Valley Community College, Highland Community College, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology, Morrison Tech, Northern Illinois University, and Western Illinois University. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) also provided information to students about the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) during the event.
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Student landscape project helps grow future leaders
Students in Mrs. Prombo’s (above) classes spent weeks researching and designing a landscape project at the high school’s front entrance.
Students in Morrison High School’s Natural Resources classes made the outdoors their classroom in October 2021 as they planned and implemented a landscaping project designed to beautify the school’s front entrance. Using $542 in funding from an Illinois Education Association (IEA) SCORE grant written by Morrison High School teachers Brian Bartoz and Toni Prombo, students in Mrs. Prombo’s Natural Resources classes are installing the plantings around the school’s electronic message board sign. With support from Principal Cory Bielema and Facilities Director Jon Heusinkveld, students in Mrs. Prombo’s classes spent weeks researching potential plant species, measuring the project area, sketching and evaluating potential landscape designs, installing edging and landscape fabric, and planting the selected perennials. Community donors have contributed to the project as well,
through both financial contributions and in-kind donations of plants and materials. Letters of support from Janice McCoy, County Director of the University of Illinois Extension, and LeAnn Schaefer, Executive Director of the Morrison Chamber of Commerce, paved the way for Morrison’s selection as an IEA SCORE grant recipient. Students will present the finished product to community groups, including the Morrison Chamber of Commerce, later in 2021. Check back next year for an update on how things are going — and growing — at Morrison High School!
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Perservering, overcoming and excelling at excellence Hawks fly high during a challenging year
All-Conference honorees
Despite the unusual circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic that affected athletics throughout Illinois schools, Oregon High school athletes and coaches were able to persevere and overcome to produce several outstanding accomplishments. Highlights include: • Senior track athlete Brenna Noon became the second ever female state champion from Oregon High School by winning the IHSA Class 1A shot put title at the state track and field finals in June. Brenna’s winning throw was 12.30 meters (40 feet, 4.25 inches). Also at state, Jenae Bothe finished 8th in the discus and 9th in the shot put. Lydia Cermak finished 10th in the long jump. • Junior Daniel Dominguez took 7th place in the boys discus event at the IHSA Class 1A boys state track and field finals in June. • The Oregon High School softball team captured conference co-championship, a regional title, and advanced to the Sectional final game and “Sweet Sixteen” on its way to an outstanding 24-8 overall record. • The OHS volleyball team finished its “spring” season with an outstanding 16-3 overall mark and a third-place finish at the Big Northern Conference tournament • Oregon had two wrestlers place at the Illinois Wrestling Coaches Association state finals in June. Senior Andrew Herbst took second place at 145 pounds while sophomore Seth Stevens took fifth at 138 pounds. As a team, the Hawks finished in second place in the Big Northern Conference and tallied a fine 17-5 dual meet record. • The OHS Bass Fishing team took third place at the Sectional and advanced to the IHSA State Finals for the first time in school history.
honorees for 2020-21. 1st = First-team selec-
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The following athletes were All-Conference tion, 2nd = Second-team selection, AC = All Conference (general), and HM = Honorable Mention Sport......... Student..................................Type SOFT............Lena Trampel..................................2nd SOFT............Ella Martin........................................ HM SOFT............Ava Hackman.................................. HM WR.................Edwin Estrada..................................AC WR.................Grant Stender...................................AC WR.................Lane Halverson................................AC WR.................Seth Stevens.....................................AC WR.................Andrew Herbst.................................AC WR.................Gabe Eckerd......................................AC WR.................Adam Glendenning.......................AC WR.................Jonathan Alaniz...............................AC WR.................Anthony Bauer............................... HM BTR...............Daniel Dominguez..........................AC BTR...............Riley Benton......................................AC BTR...............Nate Schone......................................AC BTR...............Joey Gelander...................................AC BTR...............Isaac Reber...................................... HM BTR...............Austin Ebert..................................... HM GTR...............Brenna Noon.....................................AC GTR...............Lydia Cermak....................................AC GTR...............Jenae Bothe.......................................AC GTR...............Jadyn Bothe..................................... HM GTR...............Lillian Gillingham.......................... HM
Student accomplishments
Students earn Oregon High School Premier Scholar honor — These students have participated in at least two sports, clubs The 2020-21 school year was a lesson in grit, determination or activities per year or a total of 8 seasons; demonstrated and perseverance. Oregon High School students worked their community involvement by doing at least 60 hours of comhardest to return to as much “normal” as possible. Starting munity service; earned with Homecoming and a GPA of 3.0 or higher or ending with Prom and improved their GPA by 1 graduation, we did as point between the end of much as we could to celetheir freshmen year and brate our return to school. the end of first semester of At Oregon High School, we their senior year; are good were able to be in-person citizens with no major for most of the school year. disciplinary infractions; We only had to close down, completed at least one AP preventatively, for three or dual credit class and met weeks in November-Deor exceeded in both areas cember 2020. We are proud of the SAT. The students of this fact because it is an are: Jadyn Bothe, Jed indication of how imporBothe, Samantha Bowers, tant attending school was Heather Braden, Dylan to our students and our Burke, Grant Cermak, Lydcommunity. ia Cermak, Austin Ebert, The Class of 2021 was Lillian Gillingham, Nico one of the highest achievGiuffre, Adam Glendening classes that has walked ning, Conner Harshmen, the halls of OHS. As a class, Sydney Hermes, Elizabeth they contributed over Hinshaw, Helena Holden 10,000 hours of commuFox, Lyndi Kenney, Ashlyn nity service; 32 of these Kitzmiller, Colton Manser, The Oregon High School Prom Court: Alan Acosta, Taylor Sheely, seniors have donated over Ella Martin, Brody MasGatlin Good and Ashlyn Kitzmiller. 210 pints of blood. They solle, AlexaLin Moses, Tyhave planned community ler Mowry, Isabella Olalde, Katlyn Ramirez, Claudia Reckamp, events, fund-raised over $10,000 to support girls soccer, started Nathaniel Schone, Abigail Tomlinson, Isabella Tranchina, their own businesses, won numerous athletic and art compeMcKenna Tremble, and Leah Watters. titions, and did all of these things while maintaining a strong focus on their academic achievement. In the Class of 2021, 72 Our Student Council planned many successful, Covid-safe students had a grade point average of 3.0 or better, and 22 had events for their peers during the 2020-21 school year. We had a a GPA of 4.0 or higher. successful Homecoming week in the fall, even though we didn’t have football. There were class games, dress-up days and an Students who have earned the Silver Service Award for outdoor drive-in movie night, complete with food trucks. This over 400 hours of community service — Madyson Black, event replaced the traditional Homecoming dance. We were Samantha Bowers, Gavin Bradshaw, Dylan Burke, Madisyn able to safely put on a fall play and spring musical. We also had Byerly, Sydney Hermes, Elizabeth Hinshaw, Helena Holden a beautiful spring night for our Prom and danced the night away Fox, Sophia Hughes, Tyler Mowry, Brenna Noon, Isabella under a tent on the front lawn of Oregon High School. Olalde, Claudia Reckamp, Taylor Sheely, Kyle Strite, Isabella Given the craziness of the 2020-2021, we are so proud of the Tranchina, successes of our Oregon Hawks!
Student Council
Honors and awards
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A reason to cheer loud and proud Students and community welcome back a return to traditions The pandemic changed how schools operate academically, but also reduced the opportunities that students had to build school community and pride. With the return to a more conventional schedule and school year, Prophetstown students were eager to re-establish traditions that they had missed during the previous year and a half and show up to support one another with renewed enthusiasm. Whether during the day or after school, in the classroom or from the sidelines, they have demonstrated that the school community is a vital piece of their experience.
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TRADITIONS cont’d from page 30
Student Council Student Council had missed the opportunity for homecoming activities last year, so knew that this year would bring increased participation. Through their planning, the Student Council was adamant about creating opportunities where everyone was recognized and able to participate. The week of competitions, dress-up days, pep assemblies, a homecoming parade, and the dance may not have been drastically different from those in the past, but felt more significant this year, especially to seniors. Homecoming activities were led by Student Council officers President Brinley Tucker, Vice President Madison Grennan, Secretary Tinley Wetzell, liaison Ryan Roman; and Head of Digital Arts Jaiden Oleson. At Prophetstown, the parade showcased true skills in float-building and was a source of community pride. This year,
the downtown was lined with community members of all ages who had missed the tradition as much as the students.
Student section — Panther pride
With the number of spectators limited last year for athletic events, our students missed cheering on one another from the sidelines. This year, they have not taken the opportunity for granted. Student sections for both volleyball and football are packed with students coordinating for the night’s theme and cheering in unison. As senior Dominique Robinson reflected on the student section for football: “We realized how much we missed cheering on the Panthers over the past year. As a senior, I wanted to make this year’s student section the best it could be. No matter the circumstances throughout the season, I believed in those boys. I saw something in this team. Everybody in the student section is so proud of these boys and will be cheering them on every step of the way.”
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TRADITIONS cont’d from page 31 However, it is clear that the students in the stands are also here for one another, and not just the team. At volleyball, there is jostling to make sure that seniors have the floor to teach the traditions to underclassmen, especially the unified counting each time the team scores. Their positive energy has increased the number of students involved each week.
B.L.I.N.D.
While B.L.I.N.D. is not new for Prophetstown, last year impacted the program by limiting how much the leaders could interact with their peers. Tegan Miller, faculty sponsor for the activity, is excited about this year’s opportunities. She and the B.L.I.N.D leaders of 2021-22 are working hard to make sure freshmen get to have new experiences as they begin their high school journey. Ms. Miller explains: “B.L.I.N.D is a leadership program that promotes acceptance and builds relationships with students from surrounding high schools. Prophetstown High School joined four other high schools in 2018 with the B.L.I.N.D program: Newman, Rock Falls, Morrison, and Fulton. Every year, all five schools join together with a B.L.I.N.D Retreat in September for all freshmen to build relationships and break down stereotypes. Last year, with the pandemic, we were not able to do much with the program; however, this year, we have come back full force. Not only have the freshmen participated in the September B.L.I.N.D Retreat, but now we have incorporated monthly activities with leaders and freshmen to continue to build these connections and relationships through the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets.” This year, B.L.I.N.D has nine Junior/Senior leaders: Lexi Miniel, Liz Hinton, Mira Reneau, Ally Wisely, Charitee Burger-Owen, Naudia Ritemon, Kerie Battaglia, Corey Barnes, and Connor Poff. Ms. Miller has recognized that, similar to our other student activities, participation of those involved is impressive. “This group of young men and women are phenomenal to work with. I want to give them a shout out for all their hard work that they put into this program. This program wouldn’t be as successful as it is without them!”
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A history-making year for the Hubs Speech team defends 2020 Regional Championship!!!
Rochelle Township High School Lady Hubs doubles teams made history At the IHSA Girls Tennis Sectional, the underdog Lady Hubs battled tough opponents as well as the wind for a third-place team finish and medals. Were it not for the pandemic, the RTHS Lady Hubs would have had two doubles teams competing in the state tourney: Sawyer McGee and Sylvia Hasz, and MeLisa Young and Jordin Dickey. That was a first! Coaches are Lizzie Cartwright and Jeff Truckenbrod. MeLisa and Jordin competed for the 2021 State doubles title Oct 21. This Rochelle HUB has drive — Megan Thiravong won the Greater Rockford Womens Classic on August 2, 2020, at Aldeen Golf Course. Megan’s 1 under par on her home course earned her a medal and a spot in golf history. She is the first girl to shoot under par in a meet playing on the Boys Golf Team. Due to Covid, there was no gallery to cheer. The RTHS FFA Non-Reasons Horse Team successfully won a second state title — Congratulations to Josie Lundquist, Mary Coglianese, Ava Coglianese, and Mark Hopkins! These Hubs won the state title in another horse event last year. This year they bested teams from 70 schools. Fifty teams, including 214 individuals, competed. Owen Hasz and Griffin Ohlinger fish for the title — The Bass Fishing Team competed at the State Bass Fishing Finals. It made the Hubs’ sixth consecutive trip to state; our ninth since the program began. Bassmaster Curt Samo is the coach.
Individual regional champion designations were awarded to: Faith Worthington in Informative Speaking and Extemporaneous Speaking Ariel Zuercher and Jenn Heinrich for Dramatic Duet Acting Paul Swartz and Mikayla Preston in Humorous Duet Acting Morgan Haas for Oratorical Declamation Ava Coglianese in Special Occasion Speaking Layla Pelan for Prose Reading The Performance in the Round team won, too. The cast included: Mateo Hughes, Heidi Cruz, Bella Nauman, Jaela Ludwick and Jessica Nguyen.
Sectional Speech champs The Hubs competed at state in eight events. The Speech team emerged from the 30-team IHSA Sectional in second place, including a pair of Sectional Champions! Megan Thiravong earned hers in Radio Speaking and qualified for state in Extemporaneous Speaking. The Performance in the Round cast was another 2021 IHSA Sectional Speech Champion.
Silver Service Honor Cord The Silver Service program honors students who volunteer 400 hours of community service while in high school. Recipients for 2021 were: Melanie Gonzalez, Clare Green, Morgan Haas, Zoe Hardcastle, Ben Harvey, Sofia Lenkaitis, Sawyer McGee, Noah Messer, Alexis Sanford, Ayah Sbeih, Jesenia Solano, Megan Thiravong, Sam Villalobos and Mary Wall.
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Here we R again Senior swimmer Alli Cole won a sectional championship in the 50-yard freestyle. Had there been a state swim meet (it was cancelled due to Covid-19), it would have been Alli’s fourth consecutive swim for the title. At right, Alli’s dad’s 1986 letter jacket got an update, with a “21” and Alli’s letter.
Students’ artistic talent shines at invitational Marlen Hueramo’s “Nuestra Cena de Nochebuena” won Best In Show, first place among all works submitted, at the Kishwaukee Art Invitational. Other winners were ... 1st Place Drawings in Color: Leslie Rodriguez Sassy 2nd Place Drawings in Black and White: Kiley Frankenberry Fine 3rd Place Drawings in Black and White: Azeneth Milan Clinophobia 2nd Place Digital and Mixed Media: Emily Ward Removing the Mask Honorable Mention: Grayson Yates Statue Hubs earn $1.48 million institutional and $170,000 in local scholarships
Students’ academic achievements honored Chellettes dance their way to state Alexis Huerta won the Chellette Dance team award. Kayla Keilman was Chellette of the Year. All Conference dancers included: Jessica Vagle and Makaila Crump. Macy Ramos received Honorable Mention. Academic All Conference Dance honors were awarded to Keilman, Taylor Ponto and Kelsey O’Brien. For the third consecutive year, the RTHS Chellettes Dance Team was 10th at the IHSA Dance State Finals.
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Students and presenters appeared in person at the RTHS Auditorium for Honor Night, while family and friends viewed the ceremony through a live stream, at https://bit.ly/2021HonorsNight.
Education Pathway students attended a Future Teachers Conference at ISU on Oct 22. The students attended various workshops and a table fair to learn more about teaching.
RFHS leads students down a pathway to a career in education
Here to help life go right.
By Heidi Ripley
Rock Falls High School began an Education Pathway this year for its students. According to the Illinois State Board of Education, in 2021 the state will have about 1,700 unfilled teaching positions. Due to this growing shortage of teachers, the State of Illinois has initiated an Education Pathway that gives students a path to follow starting in high school that will allow them to earn an education endorsement on their diploma to prepare them for a career in the field of education. To receive the endorsement, students will complete education-focused coursework, including Dual Credit courses in education, and have completed a minimum of 60 hours of hands-on experience working directly with students. The student gains both technical and essential employability skills provided throughout the endorsement process. This opportunity provides students with early learning in the field of education that will give them a leg-up when they enter postsecondary education.
EDUCATORS cont’d to page 36
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EDUCATORS cont’d from page 35 RFHS has six students enrolled in the education pathway — four seniors and two juniors — and is taught by Heidi Ripley. The students are enrolled in EDU 105, a dual credit course from Sauk, and are also working on the Education Pathway endorsement. Students attend class at RFHS on Monday and Friday and are placed with mentor teachers Tuesday thru Thursday at Montmorency Grade School and at Rock Falls District 13. At these schools, the high school students assist their mentor teachers in the classroom as needed. Senior Ellie Wasson, who was placed at Dillon School in a kindergarten classroom, said “I help students stay on task and I assist the teacher in group activities.” Said Senior Hailey Vos: “I was in the first grade and I came in during their math stations. I supervised a station of a small group of kids and we played games like equation card games, or subtraction bowling, and solved equations with unifix cubes.”
When students were asked why they wanted to be a teacher, junior Alyse Bryant said, “There are many reasons I would love to be a teacher. I love kids, and I have always loved to help others. The most amazing thing to me is seeing the kids’ faces brighten when I help them finally understand something. I also love working with the kids and taking my time to give them a deep understanding of the topic.” During the semester students will not only assist the mentor teachers in the classroom but also teach a lesson. They will also complete a team-based challenge in which they will identify a problem schools face, research the problem, and suggest a solution. When asked what she hopes to gain from earning this endorsement, senior Breanna Morgan said, “During the pathway experience I hope to become more confident in front of others. I also hope to learn the good attributes I need to become an effective teacher.”
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Their moves are in a groove SHS Chess Team learns the secrets to success
Over the last 12 years, I have been privileged to coach the Sterling High School Chess team. My name is Joel Penne and I started the chess program at Sterling when I arrived in 2009. My previous chess coaching job taught me that the first step to building a chess program was simply getting players interested in joining. We started as an after-school club and I shamelessly used food to draw players in, hoping that the game in front of them would be as tempting as the treats. The players who stayed helped Sterling Chess join the 128 other teams that were officially competing in the IHSA State Tournament that year. We finished 127th out of 128 teams. It is still unclear whether that 128th team stayed to finish the event or not. Needless to say, we had work to do. Ten years later, the same school that finished next to last was winning the 2A State title followed by a national title in the unrated division of the United States Chess Federation Tournament. This didn’t happen by chance and I feel there are “secrets” that have allowed us to reach this level of success.
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MOVES cont’d from page 37
Secret No. 1: Team building Early on, I believed that team chemistry is important, even in a game like chess where players compete as individuals. I strove to implement team-building activities whenever possible —and some turned into traditions that still stand today, such as our team BBQ and football game. In the fall we play the game Left Right Center with leftover Halloween candy. At the annual Pineapple Games we get together over winter break to play basketball, eat pizza and play video games. We even have a Secret Santa gift exchange. Our team goals include treat each other like family, improving, and learning to love chess. Winning is secondary but also a by-product if the team succeeds in those areas.
Secret No. 2: A feeder program I knew that if we were going to keep improving and getting more players interested we had to reach them earlier than their freshman year. My assistant coach and I established the Challand
Middle School chess team in 2015. With an outstanding success rate, the players who we meet in middle school will walk through our door to play chess as a high school student. Since 2015, we have consistently had over 40 players in our Chess Program from grades 6 to 12 each year. We also consistently have more players than any school in the Sauk Valley area, and most of the time we have more players than schools that are five times our enrollment.
Secret No. 3: Mentoring
In 2018, we found ourselves with 26 players and six coaches. That year we discovered the power of mentoring, where older, more experienced players and coaches took younger players under their wing and taught them what they have discovered about chess. Mentoring has helped us to guarantee that younger players will be ready to succeed and fill the shoes of the mentors that are guiding them when the time comes. I’m grateful for the way the chess program has grown through the years with the assistance of our chess graduates and coaches and am excited about where our program will go.
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Coping with Covid By Anna Meltzer
Since the pandemic started, Sterling High School staff and students, like all others in education, have had to adapt to new guidelines. With a year of changes under their belt, the staff and students of S.H.S. have welcomed a year that is getting closer to resembling normal. This year, students and staff attend school every day on a regular schedule from 8 a.m. to 2:50 p.m., with a full 30-minute lunch. Due to the inability to house students for lunches with the pandemic guidelines set in place by the
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state during the 2020-21 school year, students had a brief snack break with serving stations set up throughout the school. While necessary at the time, snack break wasn’t always a favorite of students. Senior Hailey Garcia said, “It is better to have a full lunch because people who struggle at home are looking forward to lunch and need the food.” With or without the vaccination, everyone is required to wear a mask inside of the building.
COVID cont’d to page 41
COVID cont’d from page 40 Teachers are also adapting to the new Covid guidelines, modifying classroom rules and activities. Science teacher Steve Johnson said, “The amount of group work that the students are asked to do is limited to their lab partner and the students around them.” During other years, students were allowed to move around the room and work with people they choose to. AP Biology teacher Nicole Schlemmer said, “Being here every single day continuously has made it so much easier for my students, especially in AP Biology. We were so behind last year, by about a month, and now we are right on track!” Last year, AP testing was on a regular schedule, so students had to work twice as
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hard to stay on track to cover the criteria needed for the tests. Homecoming is a school activity that happens every year. Last year, it took place in the spring and students put their names into different raffles. This year, however, there was an actual dance. The only rule change from prior years: everyone who attended had to wear a mask. Senior Samantha Feather said, “I appreciated being able to come together as a school again and put on the best dance we possibly could. It was so nice to return to some normalcy.” While there is still a pandemic going on, students and staff have adapted the best they could under the circumstances given. Sterling High School will continue to follow guidelines in hopes that in years following activities and classes will be back to normal.
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Students are shining examples of faith Even with all the challenges students encounter these days, students continue to make a difference and share their faith. Unity Christian School’s students are not only ready to deepen their own relationship with Christ, but they are also ready to shine for Him. Each year our students participate in regular season games and sponsored tournaments, culminating in awards. This year, Unity Christian School has had many athletes who have impacted their teams as well as their conference, the Northern Illinois Christian Conference (N.I.C.C.). The volleyball seasons ended up being Unity Christian’s varsity volleyball team and coaches. back-to-back due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and that allowed them to not only grow in skill but also spiritually. At Unity’s fall home tournament for volleyball, the teams vote on a Christian Witness Award, which is given to the team who exemplifies Christ in their actions and words on and off the court, and continues to encourage everyone regardless of the wins and losses. Our Lady Knights were honored to not only host this tournament but also receive this Christian Witness Award! We are proud of their leadership and the impact they make in our school community as well as in the broader communities in which they interact. Sophia Leathers Another highlight to the fall sports season came with the N.I.C.C. all-conference awards. earned a 2021 NorthBoth volleyball and soccer players received honorable mention, 2nd team all-conference, and ern Illinois Christian 1st team all-conference awards, which is fantastic. Yet again, the conference also votes for an Conference’s Chrisathlete who exemplifies Christ in all they do, both from the soccer teams and volleyball teams. tian Character Award. This year, Unity was honored to have the seven schools vote for freshman Sophia Leathers as the volleyball recipient of the Christian Character Award. While she is one of the youngest teammates, she is already a soldier for Christ. Sophia is always encouraging and positive and takes the time to individually pray for her teammates, classmates, families, and faculty and staff at Unity. While we can always strive to be more like Christ, Unity is proud to recognize and foster the spiritual growth of our students through academics, fine arts, athletics, and service. They are ready to grow closer to God personally, set on the path for their lives, and off to share Him in everything they say and do!
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West Carroll FFA Greenhands, from left: Dalton Duggan, Allison Duggan, Ashlyn Foster, Aubrey Wurster, Caitlyn Stingley and Elliana Harding.
All Greenhands on deck for sectional conference West Carroll Greenhand FFA members Ashlyn Foster, Allison Duggan, Dalton Duggan, Elliana Harding, Aubrey Wurster, and Caitlyn Stingley attended the Section I FFA Greenhand Conference at Eastland High School on September 8. The evening started out with pizza, cookies, and water. Members were then split into four breakout sessions: Session No. 1: Leadership, problem solving and teamwork — Members had to work together to stack as many nails as they could on one single nail. Session No. 2: FFA CDE’s — Members learned about the available FFA CDEs (Career Development Events). A couple highlighted were the Dairy Foods CDE and Livestock Judging. Session No. 3 — Included topics in animal science. Members had to work on correctly tying a dog harness in this session. Session No. 4 — This session was split between learning about the many opportunities available in the FFA and learning about the Highland Community College Ag Program. The conference was hosted by the Eastland FFA Chapter and led by the Section I FFA Officer team of President Ross Stabenow of Le-Win, vice president Ben Bremmer of Pearl City, secretary Conor DeZell of Le-Win, treasurer Ashley Carroll of River Ridge, and reporter Aly Anderson of Galena.
The West Carroll FFA participated in one of largest Labor Day parades in the state, the Shannon Labor Day Parade, on September 6, 2021. Members participating were, from left: Aubrey Charles, Max Eaton, Tori Moshure, Miranda Floming, and Brad Huizenga.
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