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PRIDE As I walk through the building and look into classrooms I am amazed by the things students are making. Amboy students strive to meet our district’s vision statement of “Empowering World Class Learners and Responsible Citizens.”

— Janet Crownhart, Amboy High School principal

Academics What a great staff and a great group of students to push everything out the window that we have done in education and changed in the face of COVID-19. After full remote learning from March to the end of the year, we came back to school full force this fall. Who would have ever thought that we would still be in school 5 days a week, well into October? These first 9 weeks of school have been great, with students in the building wearing their masks, practicing social distancing, and learning while others are at home, learning virtually through live-streamed classes and even participating in some of the science labs with their peers.

Our theater department tested out their virtual capabilities, too, by recording scene by scene their performance of “Phantom of the Country Opera.” Students came in over the summer to maintain social distancing and record scenes by their parts, which were then put into a video for them to watch in whole. While it was not the same as performing live, students were pleased to be able to share their hard work with family and friends.

Congratulations!

Amboy FFA has a long-standing tradition of performing well in district and state competitions, but with COVID-19, many of these competitions moved to virtual venues. We would like to congratulate Margaret Vaessen (at right) on being elected as the 2020-2021 Illinois FFA State Reporter.

Community Outreach Students enrolled in our senior-level government classes choose a project as a service learning activity. Many years the projects revolve around volunteering at animal shelters, nursing homes, and helping those in the community rake leaves or clean gutters before winter. This year, however, has been different and students have had to go outside of their comfort zone to complete these projects.

One group is planning to collect hats, gloves, and coats for those in need around Amboy, along with Christmas presents for children in need. Another group plans to do a clothing drive and donate their collection to Gianna’s house in Rock Falls, a pregnancy resource center. Other groups will be donating their time and talents to help local non-profits clean, paint and organize.

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PRIDE Our co-op golf team ended the season with sophomore Wes Wilson making it to the St. Bede sectional at Spring Creek Golf Course.

Athletics With the announcement that some fall sports would be moved into the spring due to COVID-19, our golf and cross country teams experienced larger than usual participation this season. Amboy, La-Moille, Ohio, and AFC boys cross-country has had an excellent season with a record of 10-1, not losing to a 1A team all year, even with multriple races where members were quarantined for various reasons. The girls finished the season 3-0 at home and both teams are excited to head to St. Bede for regionals.

Great job to all the student athletes this fall. It has been quite the season.

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PRIDE

AFC FFA: Full of Farm Activities Students keeping busy in school’s popular ag program

Ashton-Franklin Center’s FFA is always busy and involved with so many activities!

Mrs. Viall, AFC’s FFA adviser, runs a high-achieving and popular agriculture program at AFC Jr./Sr. High School and the FFA has participated in a variety of events that deserve celebration.

Five AFC students are currently participating in a cooperative that provides them the experience of having pigs and caring for them. These students care for 15 pigs and each student goes once a week to complete chores, which includes cleaning out pens, feeding and watering the pigs, and a variety of other tasks.

Students keep track of their hours worked and what chores they completed in their record books. Each student needs a certain amount of hours if applying for degrees through the FFA. FFA challenges students to go through a sequence of degrees. AFC had five State Degree recipients last year, two American Degree recipients two years ago, and a Discovery Degree was earned by one of our junior high students, Mallory Henert, who was also a state finalist in Discovery Placement for her work with the AFC FFA Farmers Market. Mallory said “the experience was nerve-wracking and scary.” We are so proud of the way she represented her peers and AFC! Keep up the good work, AFC FFA!

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FFA planning to add livestock lab Another activity that FFA, in conjunction with the AFC FFA Alumni and supporters, has been planning for is a livestock lab that can hopefully begin next summer. This lab could house the cooperative’s hogs and sheep and would be closely located to AFC Jr./ Sr. High School.

The close proximity would allow more opportunities for students to participate in this hands-on experience.

PRIDE The 2019-2020 Bureau Valley FFA officer team, from left: Bre Broers, Dane DeSplinter, Shelby Hardy, Wyatt Wessel, Jade Abers, and Mason Lemons.

Bureau Valley FFA twice named national finalist, 3-Star Chapter Bureau Valley FFA of Manlius, Illinois, has been named a 2020 Top Ten National Finalist in the areas of Premier Chapter: Strengthening Agriculture, and the Model of Excellence awards, out of 8,739 total chapters across the nation.

Bre Broers, 2019-2020 Bureau Valley FFA President, said, “An accomplishment like this does not come around often. It is crazy how all our hard work and long hours have finally paid off with something so rewarding. The officer team and I are working so hard to bring home some gold as we compete at the National FFA Convention for the overall awards!”

The National Chapter Award program recognizes outstanding FFA chapters that actively implement the mission and strategies of the organization. These chapters improve chapter operations using the National Quality FFA Chapter Standards and a Program of Activities that emphasizes growing leaders, building communities, and strengthening agriculture. Chapters are rewarded for providing educational experiences for the entire membership.

Chapters eligible to compete for the National Premier Chapter: Strengthening Agriculture award demonstrate competency in doing innovative things or taking traditional concepts and applying a creative twist in the Strengthening Agriculture division of

the chapter’s Program of Activities. Ten three-star chapters will compete in a presentation process for the top honor during this year’s national convention. Bureau Valley FFA chose the graduation program to promote FFA to its junior high members and supporters, ultimately improving the recruitment and retention of the chapter. Members used social media, videos, and presentations to encourage enrollment in the program while educating on the importance of joining FFA. Bureau Valley FFA was recognized on RFD-TV for the Model of Excellence on October 27, the Three Star Chapter on October 28, and the National Premier Chapter: Strengthening Agriculture on October 29.

The National Chapter Award program is sponsored by John Deere.

The National FFA Organization provides leadership, personal growth, and career success training through agricultural education to more than 760,113 student members who belong to one of the more than 8,700 local FFA chapters throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The organization is also supported by more than 8 million alumni and supporters throughout the U.S.

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PRIDE

National Honor Society Milledgeville High School’s chapter of the National Honor Society promoted living happy, healthy, drug-free lives with Red Ribbon Week activities for the students in the district during the week of October 23-31, 2020. In addition, members will complete their own individual service projects and participate in various other group service projects, including National Student Leadership Week in the spring. Pictured is the 2020-2021 National Honor Society: Bottom row, from left: Ella Covey, Carissa Hubbard, Faye Moeller, Secretary Ali Mertz, President Grace Jakobs. Top row, from left: Treasurer Madison Tarbill, Matthew Lapp, Vice President Nick Smith, Noah Newstrand. Not pictured: Ethan Bradley

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PRIDE

Students are singing a happy tune Music Department wins state championship at Sweepstakes Tournament CHERYL NEUMANN Milledgville High School is proud to celebrate its state championship music department. Under choir director Scott Mattison and band director Cheryl Neumann, MHS won the 2020 IHSA Class D Music Sweepstakes Tournament.

In normal years, the tournament is based on points accrued while participating in the March solo and ensemble contest as well as the April organization contest. With schools moving to online formats in the middle of March, IHSA adapted the parameters this year and based it solely on the March contest.

In March, MHS band and choir students performed 54 solos and ensembles at the contest held at West Carroll High School. Four of these performances were judged “Best of the Day” in their respective rooms: Ali Mertz and Anthony Lapp for their vocal solos as well as Marissa and Olivia Sturrup, Sydney Pauley, and Kyle Lapp for their vocal duets. The MHS choir ended the day winning first place for the choral solo/ensemble contest throughout the state and the MHS band claimed second place for statewide band solo/ensem-

ble contest in Class D. The students and directors were actively preparing for their organization contest entries before schools went online. Choral students were preparing for mixed, treble, and bass choirs while band students were preparing for concert and jazz bands.

Mr. Mattison and Mrs. Neumann are proud to teach these students and recognize that this championship is due to the hard work of the students. After earning third place and second place in two preceding school years, the students set the goal of aiming for the championship and put in the work needed to succeed.

While we were unable to celebrate with the entire MHS student body, a group of parents planned a parade of students, parents, directors, and emergency vehicles from three communities to parade through Milledgeville and Chadwick after the championship was made official. We were so proud to share this happy milestone with the communities that support is!

Cheryl Neumann is the Chadwick-Milledgeville CUSD No. 399 District Band Director, CJHS Computer Teacher, CJHS Student Council Adviser, CJHS Quiz Bowl Adviser

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PRIDE Blended learning comes to high school District committed to student, staff safety during pandemic DR. MICHAEL GRADY

Dixon High School Principal COVID-19 wreaked havoc throughout the entire country, leaving no institution unaffected. Educational leaders collaborated with health officials to determine what education could look like for the 2020-21 school year. After numerous meetings, Dixon High School created a blended learning plan, providing parents with the option of having their child come to school 2 days per week or learn remotely, entirely at home. The student body at Dixon High School was divided into two groups; the first group attending Mondays and Wednesdays while the second group attends Tuesdays and Thursdays. Additionally, any student can come to Dixon High School on Fridays to receive individualized help from their teachers. All classrooms at Dixon High School practice social distancing and the wearing of masks.

The staff at Dixon High School is committed to ensuring that our students learn in a safe environment and will continue to provide them with educational support.

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PRIDE Dixon High School gets new scoreboard at AC Bowers Field AC Bowers Field at Dixon High School recently got a much needed scoreboard update, putting up a new Nevco digital scoreboard. This project was made possible through advertising efforts and the support of Ken Nelson Auto Group, AZZ Galvanizing, Sauk Valley Bank, Angelo’s Pizzeria, KSB Hospital, and Edward Jones Investments (Chad Weigle) .

Riley Bally wins Rochelle Tennis Sectional!

Riley Bally, a Dixon High School senior, won the class 1A sectional held at Rochelle High School on October 16 and 17.

The sectional was an 11-team event that saw Riley cruise to the sectional championship. Riley defeated Zofia Prasher (6-3, 6-2), Sarah Tunink (6-0, 6-1), and Anika Fosler Anika Fosler (6-1, 6-0) on her way to claiming her first tennis sectional title of her career. During her freshman, sophomore, and junior season Riley placed third at sectionals. Her first-place finish this year made her a four-time IHSA tennis state qualifier.

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PRIDE Record-setting siblings carry their weight Eastland High School senior Cadin Colehour and his sister, Natalie, a freshman, overcame gym closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic to turn in impressive performances at a couple recent powerlifting meets. Training out of their basement in Lanark, the two teens are proud holders of newly set state, national, and world records in the sport of powerlifting.

Powerlifting is a strength sport based on the squat, the bench press, and the dead lift. The heaviest successful attempt for each event is then added together, resulting in a lifter’s “total.”

Cadin and Natalie recently competed at the APF (American Powerlifting Federation) Summer Bash “17” meet in Lombard, Illinois. Competing in the Raw Teen 16-17 100 kg. Division, Cadin turned in an impressive performance with a 202.5 kg. squat (446 lbs.), a 152.5 kg. bench press (336 lbs.), and a 232.5 kg. dead lift (512 lbs), for a 587.5 kg. total (1,295 lbs.). Little sister Natalie, competing in the Teen 13-15 67.5 kg. Division for her first-ever powerlifting meet, squatted 62.5 kg. (137 lbs.), bench pressed 40 kg. (88 lbs.), and dead lifted 87.5 kg. (192 lbs.) for a 190 kg. total (418 lbs.).

Natalie’s bench press and dead lift resulted in an AAPF (Amateur American Powerlifting Federation) Illinois record.

A few weeks earlier, Cadin traveled to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to compete in the AWPC (Amateur World Powerlifting Congress) Worlds powerlifting meet. The meet featured both national and international competitors. In this meet, Cadin competed in the Teen 16-17 90 kg. Division. He turned in a 202.5 kg. squat (446 lbs.), a 152.5 kg. bench press (336 lbs.), and a 230 kg. dead lift (506lbs) for a 585 kg. total (1,287 lbs.). His performance in the squat, bench and his total broke AAPF (Amateur American Powerlifting Federation) American records and his bench press broke the AWPC World record.

Earlier this summer, Cadin also participated in the Online Powerlifting Nationals meet, hosted by the Good Athlete Project.

This was a unique event in which competitors filmed their squat, bench press, and dead lift attempts and then submitted the film to a panel of judges for evaluation. In this competition, featuring high school lifters from all over the country, Cadin won the 220 lbs. high school division with a 1,250 lbs. total, earning the title of National Champion.

Cadin and Natalie are planning to continue their training and will next be in action at the APF Illinois State Meet in November.

Natalie and Cadin Colehour turned in impressive performances at the APF (American Powerlifting Federation) Summer Bash “17” meet in Lombard

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PRIDE

Perfect teamwork on the court

BY ERIN HENZE We all know that the greatest teams in history have had several things in common: an intense passion for the game, a willingness to work hard at all times, and a dedication to their trade that is second-to-none.

But, the aspect of a “perfect team” that is often overlooked is the bond crafted amongst the people who are a part of it.

The success that the Eastland Girls Basketball team experienced during this last season was due largely in part to the strong relationships that we created with both the sport and one another.

For the last four years, we’ve spent the cold winter months in the gym.

As anyone who has played high school sports can attest to, after-school practices can be a drag. After a long seven-hour school day, most teenagers are ready to head home when the bell rings, and curl up on their beds with the TV remote and a snack.

But, for us, practices were genuinely fun.

As Coach Brinker can attest to, “practice” oftentimes became more of a social event than anything else.

We had all known each other for so many years that being around one another became second nature. We could talk about our days with ease, discussing upcoming homework assignments and updating each other on any fresh high school drama.

Sure, there were times when we were all irritated and tired, ready to go home, take a shower, and go to bed. There were tough days, long days, and days when running up and down a court for two hours sounded less than appealing.

But our undisputed love for the game, and each other, kept us coming back for more every day when the bell rang.

Like me, most of the girls on last year’s state championship team had spent a solid chunk of their lives in the gym- whether it be playing, practicing, watching games, or just shooting around. Because of this, we all came to truly love basketball.

With this love of the game also came an understanding. An understanding of one another, of what we each need to succeed, and what we each need to feel valued and supported. Before long, we became a family.

It was also imperative that we all develop an understanding of what it meant to be a team. Being a team means giving your all, no matter how difficult it may seem. Being a team means being willing to sacrifice your own glory for a victory. And being a team means playing for one another, not yourself.

Because of our close relationships with our teammates and the coaches, this season was particularly special. We got to spend every day playing the sport that we love with the people that we love. And when you truly enjoy what you are doing, it makes it much easier to give it your all, every day.

Our dedication to the sport and the team took us far this year. We each accepted our roles, and stepped into them gracefully. We weren’t the flashiest team, or the tallest, or even the most athletic. But we did have one thing that many other high school girls basketball teams don’t: a true understanding of what it means to be a team, and a deep cognizance for what it takes to be successful.

Without these characteristics, it would

have been impossible for our team to be as successful as we were. We would have fallen short in the close games, instead of fighting hard to make a comeback until the buzzer sounded. We could have easily become jealous of one another, fracturing the bond that we had carefully crafted over years and years of playing basketball together.

But, thankfully, our love for one another, and the sport, prevailed.

Eastland is a remarkable place- to grow up in the community is to feel supported and cared for in anything that you choose to partake in. And I hope that future teams and athletes embody the spirit of their community, buying into the mindset that a love for the game and your teammates is far superior to the taste you may have for your own personal success and victory.

A great team must first work together, and learn to appreciate the simple moments spent together: dancing in the locker room before games; sweating it out during long practices; long bus rides through the hills of rural Illinois; and sitting in the quiet reflection after a tough loss. Above everything else, a team must first come to fall in love with the idea of their teammate succeeding.

They must not dream of their own success, but of that of their fellow player. They should fantasize about their teammate making the game-winning three-pointer, not themselves. Everyone must make a silent pact to put aside their own desire for glory, and accept whatever role they are called upon to fulfill.

Then, and only then, does a good team become great.

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PRIDE Band pops up for a wonderful world of music Eastland Cougar Marching Band members held a Pop-Up Performance for their parents and the community on October 3. The parents got to enjoy the band’s Disney halftime performance from the comfort of their vehicles. The Eastland Music Department is planning, and saving money, for its Disney Trip that will hopefully take place in June/July 2021. The band is under the direction of Mrs. Sara Swart, drum major Shelby Homan, and color guard coach Ashley McKinney.

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PRIDE Erie High School adapts to changes Erie High School is still adapting to its new education system. The students returned to EHS this fall with a hybrid schedule and some students 100% remote for the year. Another adaptation for them was the receipt of MacBook Pro laptops this year. The students seemed to be thrilled to no longer have to deal with the iPads in completing their assignments.

The second quarter of the 2020-21 school year has begun with all four grades now in attendance at school for four days a week.

The students and staff have adapted well to everything this COVID pandemic has given us so far. The staff has received a great deal of praise from the students, parents, administration, and school board for the diligence it has taken to adapt lesson plans and adjust teaching styles to accomplish the sound education we provide.

The present seniors could not take their SAT’s last year as that junior class event

was slated for April. With more preparation time, the test was finally administered in October. This years juniors are getting ready for the PSAT. Our school has even implemented a SAT preparation class for anyone who wants to learn more about this test and to become better prepared.

Other new classes introduced this year

were in our English department. We now have a class devoted to the reading and study of graphic novels. This course offers the opportunity for students to study and reflect upon the themes presented through graphic novels. Students improve their critical-thinking skills as they determine the underlying assumptions and values within the reading selection as they understand how the work reflects society’s problems and culture.

There is also another new class, From Cover to Cover, which explores in-depth a book and a subsequent film adaptation. The

class has student-chosen literature that helps with the classroom discussions. Cover to Cover also focuses on viewing the film adaptation to decipher how the similarities and differences are represented from the printed word to the film version.

The STEM curriculum has been embraced in our science department with many students signing up for that course. This very interactive, but socially distancing, class is a welcome change of pace for students when much of the rest of their day is spent sitting in assigned, socially distanced seats.

Erie continues to teach dual enrollment courses with Black Hawk College. We have 37 students enrolled in the Literature 190 class this semester, 20 students in the Sociology 102 class, and seven students in a Welding 101/102 class. This class is emphasizing the arc weld beads and how to assemble a variety of weld joints.

A good season for cross country Our cross country teams have had a great season so far. Each team (boys 17 and girls 9) has twice had perfect scores this fall. They are looking forward to the completion of their season, hopefully progressing all the way to Sectionals. In a meet against Princeton and Orion the perfect score of 15 was not only met, the top five Panthers finished only 25 seconds apart. Of that, the top runner of the evening, junior Andrew Bomleny, finished the course just a half-second ahead of EP Panther senior Carter Jepson, with a run of 18:46. As a result of the change in fall sports, the cross country teams had two volleyball players and one football player join the team. It was exciting to see them embrace the strenuous practices and courses taking the whole process in stride.

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PRIDE Golf teams rack up some wins

Girls golf team

Bryce Rosenow

The boys golf team was comprised of 18 members. The varsity managed to beat Oregon, Bureau Valley, Hall, and St. Bede. The JV team also won against Oregon, Bureau Valley, and Hall. At the Pearl City Tournament the Panthers achieved a 4th place finish out of nine teams present. In Regional play we ended the team season by once again placing 4th of the nine teams. One senior, Bryce Rosenow, advanced to Sectional with his score of 88. His season ended on Oct. 14 with his final high school score of 98 for the 18 holes played that day.

The girls golf team had seven members. This team had two sisters from Erie who spent a good portion of the season scoring within six points of each other. As a team, they collectively beat West Carroll and Bureau Valley and Newman. Junior Malory Eggers scored her first birdie at the Prophet Hills Country Club.

As EHS awaits to start the next sporting season, the football players and volleyball players are staying active waiting for their turn to shine for the EP Panthers in the spring. In the meantime, some of these same athletes look forward to when they can get back on the mats and courts.

Boys golf team

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Malory Eggers

PRIDE

New procedures Faith Christian School is working hard to keep students and staff safe

BY SARAH-ELIZABETH WW

After leaving school in April, our students and faculty were more than ready to go back to school. Faith Christian School is open for students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. FCS has three campuses for various grade levels: A building for the preschool in Dixon, an elementary building for our kindergarten through fourth grades, and the main facility for fifth through twelfth grade, both of which are located in Grand Detour. Our school has been able to keep its doors open five days a week for all students. Because of COVID-19, we have implemented many new procedures, one of which is our outdoor classrooms. While indoors, mask wearing is enforced, but several breaks and extra passing periods have been added into the daily schedule to allow time for students and staff to step outside and remove their mask if needed. To keep our students socially distanced, we have limited the amount of students in each classroom. During the passing periods, teachers sanitize the desks and students are required to walk in one direction through the halls. Through it all, we would not be able to keep our doors open without the support and grace of the students and their families. For more information about Faith Christian School, go to our website at www.fcsfalcons.com or visit our Facebook page.

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PRIDE Students continue to lead the way Forreston Junior-Senior High students continued to develop their Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Engineering Pathway Courses during the 2020-21 school year and beyond, thanks in part to the Northern Illinois Community Foundation and Project Lead the Way Inc. Through these generous grants, Forreston Junior-Senior High School was able to extend our Engineering Pathway with the addition of Introduction To Engineering, Principles of Engineering, and now, Civil Engineering classes at the high school level. The courses build upon our seventh and eighth STEM programming, Design and Modeling, Introduction to Robotics, and PLTW foundation classes.

Groups of local engineers across all specialties have joined in and will provide practical application experiences for students. We are particularly excited to get our Civil Engineering Students out in the field to gain some practical, hands-on experience. This group of professionals has opened the eyes to the many high demand career opportunities in the local area.

Students get a taste of teaching Forreston Jr./Sr. High School also implemented a brand new Student Teacher Assistant Program for Juniors and Seniors during the 2019-2020 school year. The district believes the field of education is a valuable and rewarding career path for many students. In an attempt to expose students to the variety of careers in education prior to their college experience, Forreston Jr./Sr. High School is offering an opportunity for students to serve as Student-Teacher Assistants. This experience allows students the opportunity to work with an assigned mentor teacher to gain insight to the instructional process throughout our educational system. Students will be assigned to volunteer teachers at Forreston Grade School or Forreston Jr./Sr. High School, with efforts to place students with their preference for grade level and subject area. Once selected and approved, students must participate for at least one full semester. We are very excited about this new opportunity and are looking for ways to even further develop this program for our students.

Pushing on through the pandemic Not to be overshadowed by our great advancements and achievements academically, Forreston Jr./Sr. High School continues to operate in person during a global pandemic. We are thankful for the time and commitment of all of our staff and students as we continue to operate under new protocols and guidelines keeping the health and safety of all involved as our highest priority. Cardinal Pride is abundant at Forreston Junior-Senior High School and we have never been more proud of our students, families, and staff.

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With a solid foundation, art students can advance to the next level The Forreston High School Art Department is proud to be able to offer Advanced Art Courses to our students for the second year running. Students are selected for this class after completing at least one year in the Foundations of Art course and showing an advanced level of technique and concept. Students design their own projects, and work toward specific art standards in collaboration with their instructor. The key objectives of our Advanced Art Program are to help students create a body of artwork to develop a high-caliber portfolio demonstrating mastery. Students may take this portfolio to showcase their talent during college interviews and career opportunities.

Advanced Art Students will explore ideas using the design process and Montanna Heinz, senior, “Untitled,” acrylic on incorporate art history canvas. and culturally relevant concepts into their artwork. Students develop confidence and continual improvement through self-reflection, peer conversation, and critique.

Advanced Art Students have shown their artwork at Higher Grounds Coffee Shop in Freeport, the Freeport Art Museum, Highland Community College, and the Forreston Art Show. Advanced Art Students also run demonstrations using different art media, showing their advanced techniques during the Forreston Art Show.

Above: Emma Manus, sophomore, “Creative Mind,” acrylic and mixed media on canvas.

Top left: Chloe Reubin, sophomore, “First Burn,” colored pencil and acrylic on paper.

Bottom left: Hailey Shultz, sophomore, “Don’t Forget to Stop and Smell the Roses,” acrylic on canvas.

PRIDE

B.L.I.N.D. program rises to new challenges For the B.L.I.N.D. program at Fulton High School, 2020 has brought new challenges, but also a continued focus on Building Lasting Impressions that Never Die. Every summer, junior and senior leaders attend a three-day retreat to become better equipped in the areas of asset building, developing relationships, and suicide awareness.

This year changed the tune and left leaders with a four-hour retreat instead. However, Fulton missed the retreat due to rises of COVID cases in the area. Because of this, leaders were taken through a 90-minute training session, with a focus on mentorship, assets, relationships, and an emphasis on personal care both mentally and physically. The message was to take care of oneself to be strong enough to take care of others.

The leaders were given the challenge to meet with their small groups of freshmen for two minutes every week for ten weeks. They have been presented with a task during a pandemic that is more challenging than years past, but they have not backed down. They have actually stepped up to the challenge and have been communicating more with the freshmen. It is difficult with social distancing and not being back in school, but hopefully with the schools’ change to a hybrid plan, everyone can start putting faces to names from an e-mail, a messenger message, or a snapchat.

The leaders at Fulton High School are part of a powerful leadership program in our county working with Rock Falls, Newman, Morrison and Prophetstown. Although the program continues to look different at all of the schools, they continue to work for the betterment of their districts and communities. The students are eager to get back to some normalcy and look forward to working with the freshmen and school districts in our area.

September was Suicide Awareness Month. The B.L.I.N.D. leaders of Fulton High School volunteered on September 27 at the Breaking the Silence Suicide Awareness walk held in Camanche, Iowa. The leaders helped with T-shirt and raffle sales, putting awareness signs around the track, and taking care of other various needs for the walk itself. This year, Fulton High School lost one of its own to suicide, so this event had a personal connection for our leaders. These young leaders work in their community as mentors to their peers and are there to provide a listening ear and a helping hand. They strive to remind everyone of the importance of being kind ALWAYS.

B.L.I.N.D. leaders of Fulton High School volunteered on September 27 at the Breaking the Silence Suicide Awareness walk in Camanche, Iowa.

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River Bend Team No. 11177 gears up for another season After moving on to the state competition the last two seasons, the team is excited for another year of new challenges and more opportunities. The team has learned a lot from our past four years and we will be sharing our experiences with more students as we begin our fifth year with the addition of new members. Our team’s goal is to promote FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics through hands-on experiences in designing, building, programming and operating robots. Guided by coaches and mentors, team members develop STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) skills and practice engineering principles, while realizing the value of hard work, innovation, and working as a team. 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 Ultimate Goal, in which two alliances compete against each another to collect and throw rings into various goals. The matches are each 2 1/2 minutes. The first 30 seconds is the autonomous period. The students cannot drive the robot during this portion; the robot moves around the playing field based on a w code the students write. The last two minutes is a driver-controlled portion where a pair of students control the robot’s movements and functions. Even though one of our main goals is to build and design a robot, our team feels giving back to the community is another major part of FIRST robotics. Our team hosts educational STEM events for younger kids, robotic summer camps, trips to businesses and colleges promoting STEM careers. Finally, our team could not accomplish our goals without the support of sponsors and volunteers. Follow our team’s progress this season or contact us about sponsoring our team by reaching us on Twitter: @GrearGrindersFHS or Email: geargrinders@riverbendschools.net.

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A lot to be happy about Pandemic put the kibosh on Paint the Town, but MHS still found something to smile about On September 15 and 16, staff members at Morrison High School came together to host “Paint the Parking Lot” at MHS. Sensing students needed a culture boost and a sense of normalcy, MHS’s Student Council and Art Department collaborated on a school-wide picnic and painting opportunity for the student body. The event happened to coincide with what normally would have been Morrison’s annual “Paint the Town” event, which would have celebrated its 25th anniversary had it not been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Upon request, the Children’s Art Preservation Association (CAPA), the organization responsible for Paint the Town, donated supplies for the parking lot event.

The Morrison School District is on a hybrid schedule, with half of its students attending on alternating days. As such, the parking lot event became home to a two-day festival of sorts. Students were treated to grilled food, chips, cookies and soda. They had the opportunity to express their creativity by painting a parking spot. They could also “Hulk” smash a car, thanks to the Band Department, which provided a car for students to bash with a sledgehammer. Social distancing was adhered to as outlined by the IDPH. The event was a great success and provided a much-needed break from the isolation being experienced within the walls of the building.

We had beautiful warm, sunny weather and the students and staff had the opportunity to connect in a relaxed atmosphere.

Students could also work out some pent-up energy during the Paint the Parking Lot event by “Hulk smashing” a car with a sledgehammer.

Sensing students needed a culture boost and a sense of normalcy, MHS’s Student Council and Art Department collaborated on a schoolwide picnic and painting party Sept. 15 and 16, “Paint the Parking Lot” at the high school.

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PRIDE Open house gets some help Morrison High School staff members and members of the Morrison Athletic Boosters gather to celebrate a $536 grant to Morrison High School from the Illinois Education Association (IEA) for Morrison High School’s 2021 open house event. Meredith Byers, IEA Early Career Development and Student Director, presented the Morrison Education Association and Morrison High School with a ceremonial check recognizing the grant on Sept. 9.

Mustangs finish season with 11-1 record, first-place finish in Three Rivers Conference The Morrison Mustangs finished the 2019 season with an impressive 11-1 record and participation in the IHSA playoffs for the first time since 2012. The season was defined by specific milestones that helped the team build its confidence and reach progressively greater levels of success. By outmaneuvering the on-field competition, the Mustangs were able to reclaim the coveted Wooden Shoe Trophy from the Fulton Steamers following Morrison’s thrilling 24-0 victory against rival Fulton High School on Sept. 20. The following week, the Mustangs delivered a solid, 18-6 win on Sept. 28 over perennial state-level contender Newman Central Catholic High School.

Team chemistry and athletic prowess proved pivotal to the season’s success. Class of 2020 alumni Keegan Anderson, Nathan Mickley, and Nick Allen were state-level track athletes in 2019, which allowed them to outpace their competitors on the field throughout the season. Teamwork forged through summer workouts, after-school practices, and late-season, near-freezing practices allowed players to trust each other and work to advance the team’s success in tough, game-changing situations.

Coach Ryan Oetting noted that he considers the team’s work ethic and closeness to be the team’s greatest assets. Although fall sports are suspended at present in Illinois due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Morrison looks forward to competing on the gridiron once again this spring.

A trophy-winning day at the Quiz Bowl Morrison High School Scholastic Bowl alumni (from left) Hannah Stralow, Kara Saville, and Griffin Vos, and current team members Aaron Freeman and Lorilee Hutson, celebrate Morrison’s second-place finish with Stateline Quiz Bowl host Eric Wilson on July 10 at the Nordlof Center in downtown Rockford.

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PRIDE Editor’s note: Bryan Commisso, journalism teacher at Newman Central Catholic High School, had his students write articles for this year’s Pride publication.

The top three articles, as voted on by students, appear on this and the following page.

Jacob Ackman – 12th grade Newman Central Catholic High School. A school held to higher standards. A school in which students are pushed to their breaking point. A school in which athletes pursue greatness at every opportunity. Schools around the area look at Newman differently. We are looked at as a school which excels in sports, and a school which holds all students accountable.

Unfortunately, sometimes our school is judged as a school full of rich Catholic stuck-ups. However, NCCHS is more than that. We are precisely what our motto says we are: Faith. Family. Tradition.

Faith is something taken for granted in schools. Unfortunately, public schools can’t pray in session, even if students of the school are Catholic. A 2019 survey taken by Pew Research Center showed that at least 4 out of 10 teens in public school say they commonly see student athletes praying before sporting events.

While prayer should be, but isn’t, a pivotal part of every student’s life, and should never be forced on anyone, it also has its benefits, including major stress relief as well as freedom of expression. As a Catholic school, we take complete and utter advantage of our ability to profess our faith. Even in classes which do not teach religion, we pray and offer petitions for those in need. In her math classes, Melissa Rhodes has kids offer prayers before each test.

Our social sciences department head and head football coach, Brandon Kreczmer, prays before each class starts. Even in controversial classes, such as English, Paul Magnafici prays too.

Magnafici stated: “In speech class, we pray before all of our speeches to give us the strength and ability — not only to share our own thoughts and ideas, but to listen to our other classmates as well.”

Magnafici has his kids pray to St. Joseph of Cupertino, the patron saint of examinations.

Magnafici believes that speech students feel much more relaxed and relieved after the prayer. “Without being able to pray in school, we’d have a difficult time being able to express ourselves and relieve stress,” said Magnafici.

Faith is something we forget about in our daily lives, Catholic or not. Fortunately, at Newman, our faith-filled outlook on life makes us a unique school to attend.

Newman embraces all of our students and treats them like children. When one of our children is going through a hard time, we take it as our priority to comfort and take care of them; not because we have to, but because they deserve it. Karlie Hey, a student at NCCHS, was unfortunately recently diagnosed with sarcoma.

The Newman family has tried their hardest to be there for Karlie during her toils and strife.

Andrew Velasquez, a student at Newman and close family friend of Karlie’s, explained how

everyone has been hospitable and trying their best to raise money for her.

“People have done so much to help Karlie because we care so much about her. Whether it’s buying bracelets, running a 5K for her, buying shirts, or just being there for her, we want to show ways she can benefit from it,” said Velasquez.

Velasquez as well as a couple of other athletes have thought of possibly wearing yellow to spread awareness for sarcoma. Family may come second in the Newman motto, but it comes first when one of our children is in need.

Traditions at Newman are very sacred. Most sports programs at other schools participate in traditions, but none of them are like the ones here at Newman. Our successful football program, coming off of a state championship season, had a change in personnel this past year.

Longtime coach Mike Papoccia handed the keys to the kingdom over to defensive coordinator Brandon Kreczmer. Many were concerned that Kreczmer might change the traditions since he perhaps had a different coaching style; however, they didn’t need to worry, as Kreczmer never thought of doing anything of the sort.

Kreczmer stated, “It was very important to keep the traditions that were in place before me when I became the head coach. The program has been built on these traditions and what makes the program so special. Coach Papoccia would say the same as I do, that the program is more than one person and that it is the traditions that make the program. The traditions that we have are so special and unique and the traditions are what the student athletes remember more than any of their wins.”

Some traditions Kreczmer kept were the Camp Benson father-son campout at the beginning of the season, the shaving of heads at the beginning of playoffs, as well as Walk of Champions. The Walk of Champions is where the coaches lead the student-athletes across campus, stopping at specific locations to discuss the milestones that were included in it. One pivotal stop is Cory’s Tree. Cory Dawson, who suffered from focal glomerulosclerosis, passed away at the age of 15 in 1989. Dawson was a special member of the Newman family, and the class of 1990 planted a tree in his honor. Players gather there after practice to go over their performance as well as participate in a team prayer and school fight song.

It is really simple why Coach Kreczmer kept these traditions: He realized that Newman football was bigger than him. This act of selflessness helped carry the Comets to a 2A football state championship, capping off the season at 13-1.

To summarize, Newman isn’t just a Catholic school full of rich kids. It’s a top-notch educational facility which focuses not just on academics, but also professing our faith, building our family, and carrying out tradition.

Blake Wolfe – 12th grade “Newman Family” Newman Central Catholic High School is a school that prides itself on a family experience. If you attend Newman Central Catholic High School or are around someone who does, you will probably hear them refer to the Newman family. The Newman family has been a huge part of Newman experience for many years now. If you ever had the chance to walk the halls of Newman prior to the pandemic, you would have noticed that Newman is a very tight knit school. Furthermore, having the chance to attend a school mass, you would have noticed during the sign of peace there was less hand shaking and more hugging. Newman encourages the dynamic that is created between close knit students at this school. As students, we enjoy the Newman family, and we feel we are a part of a home away from home.

Newman tries to create a welcoming space for all who join the school.

Peter Amoto said, “Yes, it was welcoming. When I walked into my first class one of the students jumped up to say hi.” Newman accepts new students and faculty with open arms.

This year we have created a support system for one of our own. Karlie Hey was diagnosed with cancer early this fall. As a school, we have raised a lot of money and have created as good a support system as we can for her. Karlie has brought the whole Newman family together: the students who still attend Newman as well as everyone who has graduated.

The Newman family prides itself on its ability to help members of the family who are struggling.

Caitlin Foust said, “I enjoy knowing that even after I graduate I will be able to help members of the Newman family, but I also know that if I ever need any help the members of the family will be there to help.”

Newman’s family extends to the surrounding community as well. A year ago Newman partnered with Sterling High School for a teacher’s daughter who was born with a heart condition. We hope that anyone who is thinking of coming to Newman — please come give us a shot, as we will welcome you with open arms.

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PRIDE Claire Crisham – 10th grade

For many people, when they think about Newman, the word “family” isn’t far behind. Family can be found in every corner at Newman; through our faith, our academics, and our sports. It’s not unreasonable to say it’s the center of our small world.

It’s no secret this year has been one full of challenges. Particularly, the recent pandemic has flipped the routine of our regular school year into one filled with lots and lots of hand sanitizer.

One area hit hardest by the safety restrictions placed on us is our athletics. Cross country, one of the few sports allowed to continue as planned, has seen their season turned upside down. Masks, social distancing, and small meet sizes have all played a role in the unique environment of this season. Kenny Boeson, a sophomore in his fourth year of cross country, has noticed a huge difference in the attitude during races, “It’s hard to stay competitive with smaller meet sizes. The adrenaline just isn’t as strong when there’s only three other teams,” said Boesen.

From warming up to cooling down, masks and social distancing have made it hard to ignore the glaring differences between previous seasons and this one. Even important meets like regionals have had to bend to fit the safety guidelines required. Specifically, this year there are four races for each gender, stretching out the meet through the entire day and ensuring no one is too

tightly packed in together throughout the race. These rules have easily changed the dynamics of this year, and many are currently struggling with the adjustment to our new normal.

Yet, as strange as this season has been, the Newman cross country team has still found ways to lean on each other. Ana Jungerman, a freshman and newbie runner, has appreciated the little moments this season has given her.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited for when I’ll be able to experience a normal season, but small things like cheering on the boys and even making TikToks in our masks have made this season memorable. “Though physically separated, it didn’t take long for the team to become much closer. “I think the pressure and stress of the pandemic has bonded us a lot. We’ve come together, and it’s a really nice feeling,” Jungerman commented.

Even in a global pandemic, the team has found a sense of unison. Clearly the season has been nothing near typical, but the negative effects of our Covid-19 reality, haven’t reached the mindsets of the runners at Newman. Disappointment and change hasn’t slowed us down, and like a real family, the one of a kind experience has only strengthened the bonds between teammates.

Hopefully, we’ll be back in full swing next year, but until then, you can find the cross country team running in rain, snow, and heat (six feet apart, of course).

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Hawk pride in the midst of a pandemic It is difficult to look back on the 2019-2020 school year and remember what was happening before March 12, 2020, when we were told we would be closing down our schools because of a highly contagious virus that was spreading through our country. We had hope that we might return after Spring Break or after Easter, but things continued to get worse and we found out in mid April that we would not return to school at all. We lost an entire quarter of the school year, and many things that come with spring: spring sports, Prom, our musical, and we had to delay graduation. It was a challenge to stay positive is such uncertain times. However, we had many things to celebrate from the 2019-2020 school year. Here is a recap of work we are proud of at Oregon High School.

In the summer of 2019, as a community we developed the Oregon High School Athletic Action plan. This collaborative effort involved over 100 student athletes, coaches, administration, community stakeholders (such as the park district) and parents. Together, we discussed our vision and purpose for athletics. After five working sessions, and many smaller task force meetings, we developed an action plan to guide our athletic programs from the earliest, developmental teams through the varsity level. The plan included six focus areas with measurable action steps.

The focus areas include athletic mindset, athletic philosophy, public relations, athletic vision, articulation and professional development.

This action plan will connect all areas of athletics in our community and will continue to be a working document to building excellent athletic programs for all youth involved.

dents in the Open Program led a Complete Count initiative in Ogle county for the census. These students were recognized for their work by the state superintendent of schools, Dr. Carmen Ayala. These students dedicated their time and efforts, even into the 2020-2021 school year, reminding members of the county how important the census is to our overall funding levels.

In January we recognized our five talented Illinois State Scholars: Tanner Clayton, Josey Fox, Lauren Montavon, Cynthia Nyderek and Elizabeth Villareal. These students are going on to the University of Iowa, Illinois State, the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, and the University of Illinois Chicago. They were recognized for the academic success by being awarded thousands of dollars in scholarships at the end of the school year. We are proud of these, and all the graduates, of the class of 2020.

As graduation rolled around, and it became evident that we would not be conducting a normal ceremony, we began to brainstorm ideas for an

alternate celebration.Thankfully, with some creativity and help from an OHS graduate and some community members, we were able to hold a drive-in ceremony that the class of 2020 will never forget. Much like a drive-in movie, graduates and their families came in cars and waited in the parking lot until it was their turn to cross the stage. The stage, which was much like something at a fair or festival, allowed students to walk across, individually, with a spotlight and a biography/ photo of them on the screen behind them as they walked.

It was a gorgeous summer night that allowed us to recOregon High School continognize the resilience of the Oregon students in the Open Program were recognized by the state superintendent of schools, class of 2020, as well as their ues to build a schedule that Dr. Carmen Ayala (front center), for their work on the Complete Count initiative. The students numerous accomplishments. includes rigorous coursework dedicated their time and efforts, even into the 2020-2021 school year, reminding county Oregon High School and the options for students. In the residents how important the census is to our overall funding levels.

Oregon School District recog2019-2020 school year, we nize the importance of academics, activities, service and leadership. were able to partner with local community colleges to bring two addiStudents who excel in all of these areas are called Premier Scholars. tional dual college opportunities to our students, which they could The Premier Scholars from the class of 2020 were: Tanner Clayton, take as part of their school day at OHS. In total, we now have a full Zachary Crandall, Jacob Davis, Ryker Finch, Josey Fox, Lillian Gansemester of possible college courses for students to take prior to gradcarz, Meghan Gracyalny, Holly Handschuh, Brandon Hyde-Jones, uation. We also added an additional Advanced Placement (AP) Lauren Montavon, Cynthia Nyderek, Keshon Reed, Matthew Shere course, AP Biology, which also includes an opportunity to earn coland Elizabeth Villareal. lege credit. We continue to build our college and career pathways to We also give special recognition to students who give 400 hours or offer students opportunities to earn industry certifications in the more of community service. These students earn the honor of Silver areas of Welding, Food Handling and the OSHA 10 certification. Our Service. The Silver Service recipients this year were Nathaniel Artz, Changemaker pathway is one of the only such pathways in the counBrayden Bradshaw, Megan Buttens, Zachary Crandall, Holly Handtry. The pathway, which includes the Open Program, Social Entreschuh, Karlie Hughes and Lauren Montavon. preneurship, and Senior Capstone, offers students the opportunity to The 2019-2020 school year was certainly one many will never forget. At select a problem or project and immerse themselves into all aspects Oregon High School, we are proud of the hard work and dedication of as they are related to the academic program (i.e. math, English, science, social studies). Students involved in this pathway have won our students, our staff and our community. In a year that was difficult, we showed our resiliency and courage. Our students flourished entrepreneurial competitions, as well as garnered much attention for academically, athletically and grew. We are Hawk strong. their work in social impact projects. This year, in particular, our stu-

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Another good year for Oregon High athletics Oregon High School had another successful year in athletic competition during the truncated 2019-20 school year. Highlights for the Hawks included: • Trey Woolsey became Oregon High School men’s basketball all-time leading scorer in January.

• The Oregon boys’ soccer team won the IHSA Class 1A Regional and finished with a 16-9 overall record.

• The Lady Hawk volleyball team won 22 games and finished with a fine 8-2 Big Northern Conference Record.

• Oregon freshman Ava Hackman won the individual medalist honor at the IHSA Class 1A Regional golf tournament. As a team, the girls finished in third place and advanced to the Sectional round.

• The Oregon Hawk boys basketball team were champions of their own annual 12 team Thanksgiving Tournament and went on to win 19 games during the season.

• The OHS girls’ basketball team were champions of the annual Polo Holiday Tournament.

OHS 2019-20 ALL CONFERENCE ATHLETES C CHEER Ashley McCormick AC FB Wylee Rice 2nd The following athletes earned Big Jacob Milliman 2nd Northern Conference All-Conference FB WR Jokiah Sewell 1st FB Breccan Burns – 2nd honors: WR Lane Halverson 1st FB Ryker Finch 2nd Sport Name Type WR Seth Stevens 2nd FB Adam Glendenning HM GXC Leah Watters HM WR Adam Glendenning HM FB Kyle Strite HM BXC Andrew Harshman HM BBB Trey Woolsey 1st VB Jenae Bothe 1st BSOC Josh Sitze 1st BBB Ryker Finch HM VB Ella Martin 2nd BSOC Alvaro Soler 1st Note: 1st = First Team Selection; VB Alice Stenico HM BSOC Owen Ketter 2nd 2nd= Second Team Selection; AC = GBB Olivia Lambrigtsen 2nd BSOC Eli Rufer HM All Conference (general) ; HM = GBB Jenae Bothe HM BSOC Alan Acosta HM AC BOWL Gavin Bradshaw 2nd FB Garret Moser 2nd Honorable Mention • The Hawk boys bowling team finished the regular season with a fine 18-2 dual meet record. Sophomore Isaac Kaltenbrun qualified for the IHSA State Finals.

• Oregon’s girls bowling team finished with an outstanding dual meet record of 15-1, took second place at both the IHSA Regional and Sectional Tournaments, and advanced to the State Finals where they finished in 10th place overall.

• Eight OHS Seniors earned Ultimate Hawk

SAUK VALLEY TEAM UP WITH PRINTING

honors for their participation in three sports each year for all four years of their attendance at Oregon High School. They are Eddie Buttens, Jacob Davis, Breanna DeHaan, Ryanne DeHaan, Ryker Finch, Lauren Montavon, Lorena Nava-Moyotl,and Eli Rufer • In addition to their fine accomplishments on the field, court, mat, or diamond, OHS athletes again donated close to 1,000 hours of community service back to the area through various events.

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Read all about it again Students bring back school newspaper Reading the newspaper with your morning cup of coffee might soon be a thing of the past, but at Polo High School, students wanted to do just that – so they brought the district newspaper back to life.

Two years ago, English teacher Betsy Scott was approached with this idea by two enthusiastic students: Summer Linboom (now at NIU) and Patricia Plachno (now at Augustana). The Marcolite sounded familiar to locals, but it actually hadn’t ever been a stand-alone paper. As recently as the early 2000s, there was a club that wrote articles to send to local newspapers – and the featured articles stood together as the “Marcolite.” As a nod to their predecessors, the newly formed Creative Writing class, under teacher/editor Miss Scott, dubbed their new outlet The Marcolite, and charged ahead, creating journalistic fare, creative pieces, and even school scavenger hunts for their fellow Marcos to

Nine of the Marcolite’s 10-student staff: Bre Cisketti, April Calderon, Autumn Gilbert, Emileigh Williams, Madelynn Jones, Ben Plachno, Logan Runte, Kaylee Lowry, and Ashia Maginnis. enjoy every Wednesday.

Now on its third trip around the sun, The Marcolite is an established part of Polo School District’s weekly routine. A new staff is trained each

semester in Miss Scott’s Creative Writing class (this semester’s group creating online-only issues), and they truly enjoy coming up with new content each week.

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PRIDE Keeping students safe and successful From bus drivers, to custodians, to classroom teachers, it has been a group effort keeping our students safe and successful as we have started the 2020-21 school year.

COVID has certainly thrown some curveballs as we work together to figure out how best to serve our students in this new environment. We have re-imagined and re-tooled what learning looks like this year to support our fully remote, hybrid, and fully in-person learners. PLT has had a few administrative changes in cast to lead us through this transition.

First, our new Superintendent, Dr. John Petzke, joined the PLT team in early March. His transition to PLT this summer found him leading discussions with stakeholder teams on social distancing, face coverings, and how best to respond to the COVID pandemic. Before coming to PLT, Dr. Petzke served as Chief Technology Officer at North Shore ESD No. 112.

lead our district through this challenging time.

Also joining the PLT administrative team is our new Dean of Students and Athletic Director, Derick Cox. Mr. Cox was approved by our Board just before the emergency closures in March, and he has been working diligently to ensure student success and safety since joining the PLT team. Mr. Cox is a 1998 graduate and former faculty member of Prophetstown High School. Most recently he taught industrial technology and coached wrestling at Rock Falls High School.

“It is great to be back, and although this is a challenging time to take over as Dean and Athletic Director, I am excited about joining the PLT team.” Mr. Cox has already revamped our highly popular “positive referral” student recognition system, and we look forward to seeing the many positive changes he will bring during his time here.

Mr. Cox has worked tirelessly to ensure that as many athletic opportunities as possible are available to our student-athletes as we work through the challenges of COVID19.One of these opportunities, “Panther Workouts,” are available to Erie and Prophetstown students three days a week after school.Panther Workouts provide a safe and structured way for student-athletes to stay fit and socialize following IHSA guidelines while we await more athletic opportunities in the future.

Under Dr. Petzke’s leadership, PLT has also created a new position, the

PLT’s new Superintendent, John Petzke, joined the schools’ team in early March.

Dr. Petzke’s vision for the PLT school district includes engaging students in high-quality and authentic learning, utilizing best-practice educational technology, and providing a world-class education for all students. “I have been very impressed with the engagement, preparations, and enthusiasm staff have shown for their students during these unprecedented times. Students, parents, and staff have shown incredible patience and flexibility as we continue this journey together, and I am proud and grateful to be learning and serving the PLT community these past few months.” Organizing a school district in the midst of a pandemic is no small feat, and we are glad to have Dr. Petzke

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Director of Instructional Innovation, filled by one of our talented teaching staff, Mrs. Kara Kullerstrand. Mrs. Kullerstrand is looking forward to working with teachers and students to develop our district’s use of digital instructional tools, support teachers in this new learning environment, and increase learning opportunities for all students.

We are glad to have Mrs. Kullerstrand share her instructional expertise as we work together to strengthen teaching and learning at PLT. It certainly hasn’t been business as usual to begin the 2020-21 school year, but our staff has been working together, with a new set of leaders and fresh perspectives, to ensure student safety and success as we navigate the many challenges COVID presents.

New Dean of Students and Athletic Director, Derick Cox recently revamped the “positive referral” student recognition system, which encourages PRIDE in students: Pride, Respect, Integrity and Excellence.

PRIDE

Pandemic won’t stop Panthers’ workouts Erie and Prophetstown students were able to get together for some exercise this year, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the Panther Workouts.

The workouts provided a safe and structured way for student-athletes to stay fit and socialize.

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PRIDE Rochelle High School accomplishments for 2019-20

Student’s artwork catches congressman’s eye The U.S. Congressional Institute sponsors an annual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in our youth. U.S. Rep Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) chose “El Loro,” a color pencil work (above)

by Rochelle Township High School sophomore Marlen Hueramo (in photo at left).

“It is such a great honor to have my work selected and to be given this opportunity to showcase my artwork. It means a lot to me to know that the many hours I spent at my desk working on my art has paid off in such a wonderful way.” Marlen continued, “I am also extremely grateful to all of the teachers and administrators at RTHS for providing me with so much support and encouragement. None of this could have been possible without the endless love and support from my family, friends, and teachers.”

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Strategic Partnerships makes two degrees in three years possible – Rochelle Township High School and Kishwaukee Ed Consortium schools partner with Kishwaukee College and NIU. RTHS leads DeKalb and Ogle counties in dual credit and AP course offerings to this end.

Illinois State Scholars – Seven members of the RTHS Class of 2020 were recognized for superior academic achievement by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. They rank in approximately the top 10% of 2020 Illinois high school graduates and were selected based on their ACT and SAT exam scores as well as sixth semester class rank. Take a bow: Maggie Duval, Sean Flanagan, Cara Forsberg, Charles Jandak, Micah Koziol, Madelyn Ohlinger, and Morgan Schabacker.

All-State Musicians – Nick Hansen in Honors Choir, Jon Hansen in All-State Choir, and Uzi Zarate in All-State Vocal Jazz.

Jason McQuillian won the WYSE computer science competition and regional, advancing to the state competition in Charleston.

Drafters Ortega, Vondergathen at state – Logan Ortega and Aaron Vandergathen qualified for the I.D.E.A. State Drafting Competition in Intro CAD and 3D Architecture drafting.

RTHS FFA wins Illinois Horse Judging title! Mary and Ava Coglianese, Mark Hopkins, Josie Lundquist and adviser Donna Page also rank 28th nationally.

Cara Forsberg won a bronze medal in Radio Speaking at the IHSA Speech Tournament RTHS Service Clubs answered many calls to community service: Heritage Fest, RTHS concessions, AYSO, Little League and RJT, Creston Booster Days, Fiesta Hispania, Tyler Smith 5K, Creston-Dement Library, Peanut Days, elementary funfairs, Autumn on Parade, Hay Days, Feed My Starving Children,Peanut Day, Kiwanis Bake Sale, Rochelle Rescue Mission Socktober drive, Kyte Creek cleanup, Volley for the Cure, Operation Christmas Child, Support our Troops.

Hubs joined the I-8 Athletic Conference with Kaneland, LaSale Peru, Morris, Ottawa, Plano, Sandwich, Sycamore.

Golf – Megan Thiravong, the I-8 Conference champion, competed for her third consecutive year at the state tourney; our only three-time state qualifier.

Lady Hubs set a new standard: 20 wins in a volleyball season Alli Cole medaled twice at IHSA swim championships: 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle. She’s the only swimmer in RTHS history to qualify for the IHSA State Championships 3 times.

Retiring in 2020 • Duval Ron – 44 years in music education (band director) • Oldenburg David – Science • Jordal Gail – Science • Hill Jodi – English, Speech • Kooy Janette – Spanish, ELL • Patricia Kerwins – Bus driver • Eva Medine – OCEC employee Work Experience coordinator • Cheri Brodzik – Resource Officer Deputy, Ogle County Sheriff’s Department

PRIDE

The art and soul of RFHS

Small department makes a big difference in students’ lives Tucked away in the highest corner of the school and hidden from those who don’t know where to look for it, is the Rock Falls High School Art Department. The Department is made up of just two teachers and two rooms but this little department has a big impact on the school and its students.

“We know not every student in our classes is going to pursue art after graduation, but we also know that every one of them is going to need the creative thinking skills we sharpen in our classes, no matter what they do after high school,” said art teacher and department chair Heather Shore.

Shore, along with fellow art teacher Mark Johnson, has worked to develop a program that meets the needs of the students regardless of the students’ interests. One key component to their successful program is that several years back they made the conscious decision to create two separate but overlapping tracts within the art department, one a more traditional studio-based curriculum and the other a more trades-based curriculum focused on Graphic Design and digital art.

Veteran teacher Mark Johnson is the heart and soul of the tradi-

 

tional Studio Arts at Rock Falls High School. With his background in ceramics and love of craft-based art, he helps his students appreciate art simply for “art sake.” Students enrolled in his classes have come to appreciate his laid-back approach and his passion for the arts. RFHS currently offers a wide variety of drawing and painting courses as well as sculpture and ceramics. Students enrolled in these classes are immersed in the art making process where they learn to problem solve while they explore topics and issues personal to them. For many in these classes, the art room is a respite and a break from traditional studies. That is not to say that there isn’t serious work being done. In each and every studio class, students are pushed to think outside the box and speak and write about their works. Johnson, who also studied English in college, spends much of his energy helping students express themselves, not just in their artwork but in their writings as well. Students are taught how to explain their thought processes and write in a way that supports their claims. It is these skills that students often use in many of their other classes.

ART cont’d on page 32

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 p r i d e

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PRIDE ART cont’d from page 31 Below the studio art room sits the graphics lab where Mrs. Shore teaches a number of digital art courses. Down in this room it’s all business, literally. In this lab the RFHS Yearbook is produced annually as are a large number of graphics and other products for the school. Graphic Arts students learn Adobe Software programs to produce a wide range of products, from logos and snapchat filters to printed textiles and video animation. Visual Communications students learn how to take, edit and write about photos for the yearbook and social media. Although the focus in these classes is creating art with a function and purpose, Mrs. Shore helps her students understand how art and design impacts the world around them.

Through these classes students learn the true impact of design; how design can foster social change and has real world effects. They learn that design affects everything from what we buy to how we vote in an election. Her students begin to see how interconnected the arts are in our everyday lives and how important it is to understand them.

It is rare that a school of this size has an Art Department that is so extensive and has so much to offer its students. Students at Rock Falls High School have the opportunity to explore within the arts far beyond what many rural high schools can offer. The commitment to the visual arts at Rock Falls High School by the administration and its community is why so many of the students within its program excel. Students enrolled in its AP Studio Art Program continuously score well above the national average in AP Scores and many of its students have gone on to successful careers in the field of art and design.

The Art Department may be hidden away, tucked away at Rock Falls High School, but it isn’t hard to see the amazing work and students that are coming out of it.

The following are quotes from some former Art students now working in the field of art/design.

Coordinated Abe Dickison: Class of 2004 Custom Designs

Currently I own two businesses, live in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and am married to a wonderful partner. I spend my days as Creative Director running my marketing and design agency, ABE Studios. I am also an adjunct instructor at Southern New Hampshire University teaching Graduate students the value of Search Engine Marketing. My newest business, Brave Bear, helps to connect LGBTQ folks and their allies together to build a stronger community through celebrating the unique milestones in LGBTQ people’s lives.

What at RFHS helped get me ready for what I am doing now: The RFHS Art Department helped prepare me for what I am doing today by helping to inspire me to dream. I had not imagined myself going to art school, but when I visited the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) I knew that was where I needed to be. The Art Department helped develop my creative abilities so that I could attend MIAD. I fully believe that my art education challenged me and pushed me further than my MBA ever did. Today’s toughest challenges require creative skill to solve open ended problems, and that all began for me at RFHS Art Department.

agement from the great teachers (Mrs. Shore & Mr. Johnson) and loving parents, I gained confidence as I failed quickly through the early years of my art career. I’m grateful that I found what I love to do early on in life and haven’t stopped doing it since.

I don’t believe talent is something you’re born with. I believe if you want to be good at anything you need to start early and put in the time and energy to nurture and grow it into something great. Through perseverance, and finding what I love to do early, I’ve grown my career into something I can be proud of.

Katarina Horwedel: Class of 2014

Recently, I graduated with my Master’s degree in Communication and Media Management from Colorado State University. During my time there, I worked professionally as a graphic designer and marketing manager. Currently, I’m looking for my next fit in the Denver metro area. Having a traditional art background has definitely helped me in my career. I use traditional art in a lot of my digital materials, which take it to the next level, and I’ve painted a few murals professionally as well. Learning what I did at RFHS helped me be a step ahead of my classmates in undergrad. Mrs. Shore pushed me to be better and ultimately she helped me decide what I wanted my career path to be. I couldn’t have done it without her and my classmates at RFHS. Turn the page to see some examples of Rock Falls High School art students’ work

We are proud of all our

Local High Schools’ Achievements

Mitchell Vizensky: Class of 2007

I’m currently at Amazon’s headquarters Seattle, Washington, Let usworking create the perfect corsage and in boutonniere as a User Experience Designer on unreleased products related to Mobile to complement your at look, fromI’ve thespent classic to the unconventional Games.

Prior to working Amazon about 8 years in the mobile. gaming industry working as a User Experience Designer and Art Director. In 1709 E. Third St. my spare time I enjoy collecting, playing, and learning to make my own Sterling games.

My time at Rock Falls High School was where I815-625-0080 began to explore different aspects of my identity. I tried sports and found out that I’m not very good and didn’t enjoy basketball much, I ran for class president and learned quickly that I www.lundstromflorist.com didn’t want to be a politician. Art class at Rock Falls High school helped me find my passion and love for art and it’s where I began to form my sense of identity as an artist. Thanks to the guidance and encour-

Lundstrom Florist & Greenhouse

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and Ogle County Newspapers

EXPERIENCE

PRIDE In the 3 photos at left and below: Examples of students’ work showcasing how to edit photos for both photojournalism purposes and for fine art and more creative purposes, in the Yearbook class.

Left: Some examples of textile design done in the Graphics Department. Students created original patterns in the Illustrator program, and then printed them on masks.

Artwork they

can take

in E D PRI

Two works below: Graphic Arts students learn Adobe software, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, to create both fine art and graphic designs.

On this page are just a few samples of work done by Rock Falls High School art students.

Two examples at left: Work done by AP Studio Art students.

For the past 5 years, more than 90% of students who took the course earned high marks, well above the national average, and earned college credit.

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PRIDE

SHS keeps on growing, and going School gets new greenhouse, adds ag mechanic class, and adjusts to a pandemic world

BY JAZMIN MARTINEZ Over the summer Sterling High School experienced many exciting changes. SHS planned to welcome new teachers, finish building the innovative greenhouse, and prepared for students to jump back into at home or hybrid learning in the fall, all while adjusting to the new world with COVID-19.

SHS worked over the summer to finish the new greenhouse for students who want to take Enriched Agricultural classes. Newly welcomed SHS teacher Ms. Megan Barnhart will be utilizing this new building for her greenhouse management/floral design and horticulture classes. These are two classes recently added as an option in the 2020-2021 school year. The greenhouse allows SHS to hopefully achieve new goals, such as “grow fresh produce year-round to be used in the cafeteria. Grow and sell plants in the spring to sustain the costs of running a greenhouse. Grow and house plants to be used as instructional material for Agriculture courses,” said Megan Barnhart. Once the planting process in the greenhouse starts, students in foods and nutrition hope to implement the fresh grown produce into their own class.

Although many may believe the start of this building happened easily, it took a lot of planning and preparation.

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SHS obtained a grant to use toward the completion of this new facility. Sterling High School’s associate principal Mrs. Janet Barnhart is the one who put all the work in for the funding.

Janet Barnhart describes: “The grant is a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm to School grant.

The purpose is to help students eat more local food and understand the benefits of growing or sourcing locally.”

SHS cont’d on page 35

Work was recently completed on the new greenhouse at SHS, for students in the Enriched Agricultural class.

PRIDE SHS cont’d from page 34 Trying to compete for a grant against many other applicants can be challenging, especially considering the detailed guidelines that there are, but it was a challenge that Janet Barnhart was up for.

“All in all, it can take several weeks of work to write the grant, and once it is awarded, the work continues through the year as we have to submit reports and work with the oversight agency to make sure we are in compliance with their expectations,” Janet Barnhart said.

Not only are the horticulture and the greenhouse management/floral design classes new, but SHS has also introduced an agriculture mechanics class this year. The ag mech shop is located in an old study hall room in the school. In this class students have the ability learn more about the technical side that goes into Agriculture.

Megan Barnhart explains,: “Students in Ag Mechanics are just starting their carpentry projects, which entails building storage and work space solutions for the shop. The shop will be used for all three sections of ag mechanics, technical math, and eventually as a space for the robotics team to practice in.”

With all of the new advancements at SHS, administration and teachers are taking all the precautions to make sure students will be able to stay in school to use them. With COVID-19

related obstacles, teachers have concentrated on keeping students and everyone safe. Teachers have sanitized desks, tools, and so much more in order to combat spreading any germs from class to class.

Some students and coaches were busy with preparing for the changed sports seasons during summer. During this

time summer workouts also started, and it was quite hectic to adjust to the modifications. Masks were required the entire time, which was a challenge for some students to get used to, but certainly they have now adapted to this change well. There were some big shifts in the scheduling to practice and camps that many were not used to.

Senior football player Nick Simister said, “We didn’t start practices until much later in the year.”

Now that school has started and students have rehearsed the steps of mask wearing and sanitizing since the summer, it has become a little less challenging, even considering these times.

Summer helped many students prepare for what the soon leading fall and winter would be like at SHS. Although they are different, both the SHS faculty and students enjoy having in-person days and truly try to keep everyone safe so they can spend as much time as possible in school. Having the social interaction with friends and the environment from school is something that many missed, so having the option to return to school brings a little normality back into 2020.

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PRIDE

It was a Jungle out there The show must go on – even during a pandemic – and it did, thanks to the resourceful cast and crew of the SHS Theater Department

GABRIELLA LAW It’s that time of year again: Sterling High School’s theater department put on its annual fall play! This year, the directors picked “The Jungle Book” for the cast to perform. You could see the production for free under the big tree at Hoover Park, Oct. 15-17.

The play depicted Mowgli, a human cub, played by junior Tori Arduini, as she was raised by wolves in a forest. Mowgli was befriended by Baloo, a bear, played by junior Jenica Francis, and a panther, Bagheera, played by freshman Henry Oberg. Throughout the journey, Mowgli was threatened by a tiger, Shere Khan, played by junior Logan Moreno. Along with Mowgli’s story is the story of Rudyard, also played by Arduini.

Rudyard is sent from his home of Bombay to a British boarding school and faces his own challenges, which mirror those of the jungle characters.

The cast also faced major challenges during the performance. Two shows in, a lead character had to quarantine.

This wasn’t a problem for Director Tim Schlegel – he stepped on stage without hesitation to fill the role. It may be nerve wracking to get on a stage and only perform on the last day, but Schlegel handled the situation well.

When asked how it felt to get back on a high school stage, Schlegel said. “I have been here 22 years and this is the first time we have had to replace a lead on show weekend. We are very lucky.”

The production was a perfect fit for the special conditions that were faced this year. With new social distancing and mask regulations, many were surprised that the performance was able to take place, but the Theater Department made the changes to keep everyone safe.

“We chose a show where we could wear masks. ‘Jungle Book’ has many animals, and each of them can have face coverings,” said Schlegel.

Another new touch that was added to the production was the outdoor stage.

The cast got to step outside of their comfort level of the auditorium and embrace the outdoors, for a true jungle feel. The set was made on a larger scale than normal and placed outside to ensure cast members remained socially distant.

“After performing in the Centennial Auditorium throughout my high school career, it [was] exciting to perform on a different stage in a new environment,” said senior Danae Palmer, who played Rann, a bird, in the production.

The show was shorter than previous fall performances and only lasted an hour. The cast had to move much faster to put it all together. It was exciting to see the department take on this challenge and allow students to continue expressing themselves through theater.

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PRIDE

Equipped and empowered Of course, the memorable aspect of 2020 will be the Coronavirus pandemic and the impact it had on education and athletics. Even with the challenges and changes, Unity Christian School’s students are not only equipped to handle the new challenges they face but they’re also empowered to achieve victory.

The annual back-to-school 7th-12th grade retreat, an event hosted by the student council, was the first event to face challenges during the 2020-2021 school year. The student council did not back down from the obstacles that lay in front of them, but instead, they changed the outlook to service.

Junior high and high school students and faculty enjoyed outdoor activities that allowed them to use the blessings they have been equipped with in order to serve others.

The derecho also left an impact in the community, but our teams rose to that challenge, too, helping in the clean-up efforts. Unity Christian students encountered victory by helping those around them.

Another challenge that was met and defeated was the fall concert.

Students had already missed their final concerts of the 2019-2020 school year, so efforts were put forth to host the concert in an alternative setting. Unconventional as it was, the junior and senior bands and choirs performed an outdoor concert for the Unity family. The students performed at safe distances in the bus garage while the audience viewed from lawn chairs and vehicles in the parking lot and grass field.

Even though challenges may arise, we can recognize the blessings God has equipped us with and continue to achieve victory while glorifying Him not only in class but also through music, athletics, and service.

Unity Christian School’s annual fall concert was held, despite the challenges of doing it during a pandemic. Junior and senior bands and choirs performed the concert outdoors.

Unity Christian School students and staff helped with clean-up efforts in their community following a wind storm in August.

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PRIDE

WCMS: Striving to be our best We’re student-centered, community supported, responsible, respectful, and safe We here at West Carroll Middle School are very excited about this year as we place our focus on the things we can do, with progress and safety at the forefront. We are motivated and grateful for in the 20202021 school year. Our staff and students alike are working hard each day to thrive while we adjust our mindsets toward growth, and continue learning in a positive way.

We have advanced a great deal with our in-person and remote learning strategies and look forward to continuing to growing in that capacity as needed. Our school has countless items to be proud of and share.

Here are a few to highlight ...

School library We love to read at WCMS! Reading is even more exciting when fun activities are involved!

Each year grades 6-8 have the chance to participate in the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award. Students who read three or more of the Caudill books get to vote on their favorite book. Last year, we had 10 teams participate, and each team had the opportunity to try their luck at a breakout box that was based on the Caudill nominee, “Restart,”

by Gordon Korman.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss

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Disc Golf Course We were fortunate enough to be able to participate in Frisbee golf this fall on our brand new course right outside the Middle School! The course was put in last spring and has been a hit in P.E. and for recreational use as well. The course has nine holes that wrap around the whole school.

There are seven holes that are par 3 and two holes that are par 4, including one nestled in the trees.

The holes can be as far as 200-350 feet. We received our discs through the Education Foundation Grant, which consists of 30 brand new distance drivers. In Frisbee golf there are four different types of discs: distance, fairway, midrange, and putting discs. If the students really enjoy Frisbee golf at the Middle School and want to advance to the next stages of the game, they could purchase these different types to maximize their potential. Not only do they have fun competing and learning different skills but they also get a lot of exercise walking the course!

Frisbee golf at the West Carroll Middle School has been very fun and is here to stay!

PRIDE

Tallo-AET SAE (supervised agricultural experience) grant winner: Olivia Charles, West Carroll FFA, Mount Carroll, for breeding rabbits Teachers: Don Mathey and Christina Polk Said Olivia: “I breed show-quality Flemish Giant and Dwarf Hotot rabbits. During a typical year I usually have 20-30 litters, and both show the babies and sell them to other 4H and FFA members from several different states. I plan to use this $1,000 to make up for the profit loss from not being able to sell or show my rabbits this year. The money that I would typically make during the year goes toward the purchase of new breeding stock, my feed costs, and new cages or cage repairs. I will be a senior this coming year, and I plan to continue with my project. In my future, I hope to pursue a career in the agricultural industry.”

Of Olivia, Mathey said she’s “one of the best students I have had in 30 years.” Added Polk: “She is a go-to for many members in our chapter, and helps manage our chapter milk and snack vending machines. Olivia’s SAE is incredibly detailed and mentors members from our chapter on best SAE practices.”

West Carroll Middle School Thunder Jazz Around 6 years ago a handful of dedicated musicians needed more than “just” what middle school concert band could offer at West Carroll. Those students developed a passion for jazz music through their experiences at the Carroll County Middle School Band Camp (yet another special musical event hosted by West Carroll). Just playing jazz at summer camp for a week proved to be not enough for those students, and they requested jazz during the year. This core group started as a “jazz combo” and met during study hall time, after school, whenever they could to continue their jazz experience.

This original group got so comfortable in the jazz genre that they auditioned for the ILMEA All-District Middle School Jazz Band, and for their years in middle school band made the district jazz band. What started as a combo grew to an even larger combo as more and more students got interested in jazz. The original jazz combo and the slightly larger jazz combo both competed at the district level and advanced to state, a first for the West Carroll Middle School. The fervor for jazz grew when newer, younger musicians were bitten by the jazz bug. Before long West Carroll Middle School had a full scale jazz band with complete instrumentation.

The full jazz band competed as the combo had before and also advanced to state, eventually rounding out four straight years of state accolades for the West Carroll Thunder Middle School Jazz Band. Those musicians have taken this love of jazz to the high school level and continue to participate in local and state competitions for both concert and jazz band. The original jazz combo members started with a love of jazz and their enthusiasm began a proud history of jazz at West Carroll Middle School!

Thank you for taking the time to read about our school. Our future looks bright as we all work together to learn and grow through education. With Thunder Way as our guide we are full of pride and traditions that lead us to be nothing less than our best!

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