2013 Illinois Reporter

Illinois Reporter A publication of the Eastern Illinois University/Illinois Press Foundation Summer Journalism Workshop • illinoisreporter.wordpress.com • Friday, June 28, 2013

Reporting for duty

Aspiring journalists from the IPF Workshop: In front from left, Pierre McCauley, McKayla Braid, Melissa Svec, Emily Scott, Michaela Rutledge, Anna Konstant, Michaela Daly, Paulina Martinez, Serah Welborn. In back from left, Sydney Edwards, Kaylee Georgeoff, Sara Dust, Robert He, Kevin McLurkin, Eduardo Martinez, Albert Henderson, Erika Meza.

Students gain experience at EIU/IPF journalism workshop

By Michaela Daly and Sara Dust Seventeen young journalists.

Two weeks.

One dance battle.

A plethora of stories.

A wealth of knowledge shared.

Many, many laughs.

One unforgettable experience.

Throughout the course of two weeks, we formed a family during the Illinois Press Foundation/Eastern Illinois University Journalism Workshop in Charleston.

It would be difficult to tell that the 17 teenagers that came were from opposite parts of Illinois – and even New York City.

“It’s interesting how we all came from different communities, but instantly became close,” said Kaylee Georgeoff, a student from Bethalto.

It was a common assumption between most of us that the workshop would be an educational and informative workshop, but it would end at that. It was a pleasant surprise to many that it has been not only informative, but also a good time. Unexpected friendships have emerged during the short breaks from the lectures, through group interviews, and by working with one another on stories.

“The one thing I have enjoyed most about the IPF camp was

Inside this issue:

meeting all the amazing people,” said Melissa Svec, a student from Mother McAuley High School in Chicago. “The other attendees really made it worth my while and kept me going. I know these friendships I’ve made these past two weeks are friendships that will last a lifetime.”

In addition to long days in the newsroom and a three-day internship, the evenings and a weekend away from campus were spent together on more leisurely activities. More than two-dozen meals were spent with each other. A trip to Turkey Run State Park ended with fellow camper Robert He petting a snake and a group of campers wading across a river and trekking through the woods.

“The state park was something I’ve never experienced before,” said New York City native, Robert He. “I loved being immersed in nature with my friends.”

The most memorable event for campers and counselors alike was the epic dance battle that escalated from simple dancing between opposite vans to a stand off in the dorm lobby. There were even judges - the two on duty RA’s at the front desk.

“I never thought I’d make to a final round of a dance battle and win, especially not at journalism camp!” said Svec.

Although the laughs and fun times were a great plus to the workshop experience, the main goal of the workshop is to expose high school students to careers in journalism.

“This camp helped me realize my future as a journalist,” said Anna Konstant, a student from Hinsdale Illinois.

Profiles on all 17 campers

Stories from internships

One participant, McKayla Braid of Romeoville, is preparing to work for MASH, a teen publication run by the Chicago Tribune.

She is relishing every experience from this workshop.

“I think this camp has been very beneficial,” said Braid. “We got a lot of real world experience. I got to meet a lot of really great people and created friendships, which is great because I thought everyone here was going to be crazy.”

Braid is looking forward to her future endeavors at MASH. “I’m excited to work at the MASH because I’m getting paid to do what I love. Who could ask for more?” Braid said with a smile.

More than 30 professional journalists and editors from throughout the country came to the workshop to advise and help us high school students with our writing and reporting.

“You can see the improvement in my writing thanks to the professionals that came and edited,” said Michaela Rutledge, another Mother McAuley student. “It renewed my excitement to go back to school and work on my school’s paper.”

Whether the students that attended the workshop go on to be journalists or not, the camp has been a good experience for everyone involved.

“I really enjoyed the idea of the camp,” said Kevin McLurkin from Urban Prep Charter Academy. “It was educational and a great learning experience for me.”

The IPF/EIU Journalism Workshop is expected to continue to benefit young journalists for many more years.

Students’ tweets from the workshop

Page A2 • Friday, June 28, 2013 Illinois Reporter

Bill’s Toasty tradition lives on Photo by Michael a Rutledge

By Anna Konstant Hinsdale Central High School

McKayla Braid

Braid: A shining star

By Michaela Rutledge Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School

When McKayla Braid was in elementary school, she did not always excel.

“They had to pull me out of class because I had trouble reading and writing,” Braid said.

Imagine Braid’s shock when her sophomore English teacher at Plainfield East High School encouraged her to try journalism.

At first, Braid was not sure journalism was for her, but she soon found herself sneaking out of lunch and study hall and into the newspaper classroom to help the older students write for the paper. This fall, she will start work as a student reporter for Chicago’s largest daily newspaper.

When Braid was a junior, Plainfield East cut its journal-

ism class, and all but one of the returning seniors deserted the paper, which left Braid and the senior as the only students with newspaper experience.

Braid, now a 16-year-old senior at the southwest suburban Chicago school, used her passion for journalism and photography to help restart her school’s student newspaper as an extracurricular activity. She will be the chief editor next year.

Braid, of Romeoville, isn’t afraid to take on challenges and says she takes pride in the fact that she “made it this far.”

Although she loves John Green books and romantic comedies, and can talk for hours about “Teen Wolf,” Braid’s real love is still journalism.

To take her journalism skills to the next level, Braid would like to attend Eastern Illinois University or a university in Chicago. She would like to major in journalism and minor in

photography, but also is interested in studying psychology.

Although she has high academic goals for herself, Braid admits her biggest goal is just to be “happy and healthy” and doing what she loves.

“As long as I have money to pay for water and electricity, I’ll be happy,” she said.

Her positive attitude also applies to failure. Braid believes you only truly fail if you refuse to try. “It is when opportunity comes knocking and you deny it,” Braid said while smiling, noting she is not the type of person to deny opportunity.

As a kickstart to her career, Braid has joined the reporting staff of MASH, a teen newspaper run by the Chicago Tribune.

“I’m very, very excited! I will be getting paid for doing something that I love, and what could be better?” Braid says.

Braid strongly believes “every day is a gift,” and she doesn’t intend to waste any.

Behind the counter of Bill’s Toasty Shop employees grill their famous hamburgers, make milkshakes and place orders from customers. Teenagers, adults, children and elders sit among the red stools socializing while eating.

Bill’s Toasty is located on 111 N. Main St. in downtown Taylorville and opened approximately 80 years ago.

Toasty’s is described as a place where teenagers went on their first dates and now many of them return to commemorate the past. “It’s kind of like a right of passage that the locals go through as they go through high school. You step into that world of being able to stay out late,” said Mayor Greg Brotherton.

Cindy, daughter of owner Calvin Scallions, said, “All kinds of people come in, young to old.”

When people get together for class reunions they go to Bill’s because it is spot that was important for them throughout their high school career.

“People come home after not being here for 20 years and they want to hit Bill’s up,” said Chris Biondolino, owner of Bailey’s Pub next door to the infamous diner. “There’s not a lot of small businesses that have been around to get that kind of nostalgia of home.”

Robert Bass, a regular at Bill’s, loves to order a hamburger and coffee.

“Toasty’s is tradition,” said Bass who has eaten there for the past 30 or 40 years.

Bass worked for the fire department many years ago and described how after a fire, a group of volunteers would eat at Toasty’s.

Locals continue to return to Toasty’s because of the atmosphere, food and the social environment.

“It just reminds you of an old time diner,” said Scallions.

Consistency is another reason why people return to Bill’s.

Biondolino has been a customer at Bill’s ever since he can remember and usually orders a hamburger and a shake.

“They give a consistently good product year after year.

It’s the same stuff. They don’t change it a lot. They add some stuff here or there, but you’re basically still going in there for a horseshoe or a double cheeseburger,” Biondolino said.

Biondolino says there have been many restaurants and pubs that have come in and out of Taylorville over the last five years. However, Bill’s has stayed.

Mayor Brotherton agrees that Bill’s has been able to thrive over the years. “Bill’s Toasty has found the magic formula to stay in business,” Brotherton said.

According to Brotherton, Bill’s encourages financial stability in a small town,“If we’re going to have any kind of economic growth, it has to come from small businesses.”

Besides other small businesses, Bill’s has to compete with franchises like McDonald’s and Wendy’s.

Pub owner Biondolino finds little competition between Bill’s and its neighbor Bailey’s Pub. In fact, both businesses actually help each other out.

“We compliment each other really well. I mean, I’m a pub without food and they’re kind of a greasy spoon,” Biondolino said.

Bar patrons are just one of many types of customers that frequent Bill’s.

People from Japan, Kansas, California, Hawaii, New York, Oklahoma and overseas come to Taylorville to dine at Bill’s Toasty Shop shown by the wall of gratitude, a prominent feature of the small restaurant.

Customers show their appreciation for the restaurant by writing compliments and thank you notes and posting them along the wall.

“James fixed a perfect burger. Edges were crispy and rather thin.” and “Most definitely the best burgers in Taylorville,” are some of the notes people have left.

One customer even returns to Bill’s Toasty Shop to eat after moving to California to work as part of the film crew for the hit TV show the “Deadliest Catch.”

“It’s a common experience that so many people here in town have and I think that’s what pulls them together and what’s made Bill’s famous,” Brotherton said.

Over the years, going to Bill’s is tradition for many families. From generation to generation Brotherton’s family is an example of a long line of diners.

Not only is Bill’s Toasty a legacy among families, “It’s one of those landmarks in Taylorville,” Brotherton said.

“When you think of Taylorville,” Biondolino explained, “you think of a couple things and Bill’s is one of them.”

Colleges in Illinois grapple with hazing issue

By McKayla Braid Plainfield East High School

As the college school year begins some students contemplate joining a sorority or fraternity, in which they might be illegally hazed.

Hazing is essentially any physical, psychological, or mental harassment that comes with the initiation to a club, sorority or fraternity.

Despite the efforts to inform, prevent, and even make it illegal hazing is still an ongoing problem. College students The Illinois Reporter is produced by students attending the Illinois Press Foundation/Eastern Illinois High School Journalism Workshop. Funding is provided by the Illinois Press Foundation, the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund, the Robert McCormick Foundation, EIU’s Student Publications and department of journalism.

Students McKayla Braid, Romeoville Michaela Daly, Buckingham Sara Dust, Chicago Sydney Edwards, Mattoon Kaylee Georgeoff, Bethalto Robert He, Brooklyn, N.Y. Albert Henderson, Mattoon Anna Konstant, Hinsdale Eduardo Martinez, Blue Island Paulina Martinez, Alsip

are still being humiliated, injured and in some cases even dying.

“Hazing is a national issue that every-one deals with on college campuses,” Brandon Common, director for Fraternity and Sorority affairs at University of Illinois said.

Although the U of I has not encountered many problems with it, hazing in general is a major issue. “Because its gaining momentum in the media Universities are becoming more conscious of the problem” Common said.

Because students grow up seeing and hearing about haz-

ing, they become de-sensitized to it “it’s something that is what it is as opposed to being something that is wrong and does not need to happen,” Common said.

In response to the increase in media attention Common, along with teachers from different parts of the University formed a hazing prevention group in fall of this previous school year. “It’s not about being reactive, but being proactive,” Common said.

“If you say hazing the first thing people think of are fraternity’s and sorority’s,” Common said.

Hazing is not just a problem in the Greek community. “The Greek community just gets more publicity for it,” Common said.

The issue is also difficult to solve because, “the typical student doesn’t know what hazing is,” Common said. “Say you’re trying to get into chess club, and they say every Tuesday you have to bring them a number one from McDonalds, and you think ‘its not that bad’, but its still hazing.”

Although the issue of hazing is unresolved, the consequences are not, “college kids have gotten prison time for hazing,”

Common said.

“If one of the sorority’s or fraternity’s were brought up on allegations of hazing they will have a lot of people to answer to,” Common said.

The allegation is sent to the office of conflict resolution board. The severity of the punishment depends on how many rules were said to be broken.

The alleged sorority or fraternity would also have to face the University, state laws, national laws, and national organizations Common said.

“In a perfect world you could eradicate it, but I don’t know if that is possible, be-

cause you will always have people who do what they want to do” Common said.

Although we do not live in a perfect world, the hazing prevention group is trying for the next best thing, “Create an environment where students don’t feel like they have to go through that in order to get into a fraternity, sorority, chess club, intramural sports or anything at the university,” Common said.

The U of I does its best to prevent hazing, but if there are students being hazed they can call the Dean’s Student office at 217- 333-0050.

Pierre McCauley, Carbondale Kevin McLurkin, Chicago Erika Meza, Blue Island Michaela Rutledge, Oak Lawn Emily Scott, Bethany Melissa Svec, Chicago Serah Welborn, LeRoy

(Robinson) Chris Boghossian, Chicago Tribune Eric Cravey, Clay (Fla.) Today Matt Daniels, News-Gazette (Champaign) Paul Davis, Illinois News Broadcasters Assoc.

Jeff Egbert, Pinckneyville Press Dan Friedell, ESPN/Fast Company Jay Grabiece, Eastern Illinois University Lisa Green, Journal Gazette (Ft. Wayne, Ind.) Ted Gregory, Chicago Tribune Dan Hagen, Eastern Illinois University Nora Maberry-Daniels, St. Joseph Leader Colin McAuliffe, free-lance journalist Dave McKinney, Chicago

Sun-Times Herb Meeker, Effingham News Odell Mitchell, free-lance journalist David Porter, Illinois Press Association Kristina Peters, Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake) Chet Piotrowski, Piotrowski Photos David Porter, Illinois Press Association Brian Poulter, Eastern Illinois University John Ryan, Eastern Illinois University Kathy Rynearson, Peoria Journal-Star Marco Santana, Des Moines Register Jennifer Shapira, DC.gov Keith Stewart, News-Progress (Sullivan)

Katie Anderson-Tedder, freelance journalist Adam Testa, The Southern (Carbondale) Stan Zoller, Buffalo Grove

Effingham Daily News – Cathy Griffith, Nicole Dominique, Cassie Porter, Alexa Rogals.

Mattoon Journal-Gazette & Charleston Times-Courier – Penny Weaver, Dawn Schabbing, Rob Stroud, Dave Fopay, Cal Walworth, Samantha Bilharz, Kayleigh Zyskowski.

Robinson Daily News – Greg Bilbrey, Graham Milldrum, Tom Compton Taylorville Breeze-Courier – Laura Wolfe, Marylee Rasar, Andy Lasswell, Derek Parris

Staff Joe Gisondi, director Lisa Green, associate director Beth Kastl, assistant director Bryan Murley, online adviser Dwayne Kennedy, counselor Jaida Moore, counselor Journalism Faculty Thanks to the following journalists who volunteered their time during the 13-day workshop Bob Best, News-Progress (Sullivan) Greg Bilbrey, Daily News

Professional internship staff Champaign News-Gazette – Dan Corkery, Bob Brown, Matt Daniels, George Dobrik, Steve Hall, Debra Pressey, Mary Schenk, Julie Wurth.

Corty Hatfield, Convention of Visitors Bureau, University of Illinois football staff, Carle Foundation Hospital.

Decatur Herald & Review – Dave Dawson, Tim Cain, Theresa Churchill, Huey Freeman, Nicole Harbour, Austin Hourigan, Allison Petty, Scott Perry, Jim Vorel, Ryan Volves, Jean Zerfowski.

Illinois Reporter

Friday, June 28, 2013 • Page A3

Konstant-ly Anna

By Kaylee Georgeoff Civic Memorial High School

Anna Konstant, 17, of Hinsdale, is at a pivotal part of her life where most teenagers are unsure of their career path.

This is not the case with Konstant. Her problem is choosing between three completely different careers; journalism, engineering and meteorology. Konstant aspires to go to college in the Midwest. She is trying to decide between a career in journalism, meteorology and civil/industrial engineering.

Konstant said, “It’s hard, because there are so many things I can see myself as.”

Konstant’s interest in civil and industrial engineering has

progressed over time.

She recently attended the Explore Engineering Summer Program at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville that allowed her to uncover her interests further. She mentions if she entered industrial engineering she would like to be a CEO of a company in the Chicago area.

K o n s t a n t ’s f r e s h m a n high school teacher introduced her to journalism and she thinks that broadcast journalism would be the path she would take.

The idea of being in the spotlight and dazzling people on TV sounds appealing to her.

Meteorology was alongside the idea with wanting to be on TV. Broadcast journalism and meteorology go hand in hand with the desire and aspiration to be on TV. Konstant says, “I

Photo by K aylee Georgeoff

Anna Konstant

always wanted to be the weather girl.”

Kindergarten was the first time Konstant got a taste of something she knew she want-

ed to do in the future. She discovered her love for the game of soccer. Konstant has been playing as a forward/midfield since and plans to play casual-

Hinsdale student finds her love for multiple interests ly throughout college.

Although Konstant is busy determining what her future holds she still makes time to volunteer within her community and have some fun.

Konstant has volunteered at the Hinsdale Police Station and helped by grading Drug Abuse Resistance Education program (DARE) papers, putting away storage, and giving tours of the station to Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts.

Konstant participated in many things a long with several others including water and winter skiing, going to the mall and pool, diving, bowling and organizing her own dance camp.

“It’s important to me to stay on top of my school work and extra activities come second,” Konstant said, “I’m never bored.”

“It’s important to me to stay on top of my school work and extra activities come second,” Konstant said.

Palestine fest filled with wine and art

By Michaela Daly Herscher High School

Photo by K aylee Georgeoff

Michaela Daly

Daly inspiration Herscher native has compelling story to share

By Melissa Svec Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School

Michaela Daly gladly took one for the team.

The Herscher native has played forward for most of her youth soccer career.

Right before her freshman soccer season, she was asked to play sweeper.

The sweeper is the last line of defense before the goalie.

That same season, her team made it to the state championship match and took second place.

Since then she has stayed at the position ­— and flourished.

“I like it because I get to slide-tackle people,” Daly said with a laugh.

Daly has four older brothers: Patrick, Sean, Tyler and Matt.

She has two younger siblings, a brother, Noah, and a sister, Delaney.

Being one of the middle children, Michaela never let the “middle-child” stereotype define her.

A natural leader, Daly, 17, continuously exhibits her sense of leadership through guidance, advice and some tough love.

Surrounded by a small group of tight-knit friends, Daly emerged as the “mother” figure of the group.

Not one for parties, Daly willingly drives her friends to social events, and keeps an eye on everyone she cares for, just like her role model.

Kathy Nowacyk. Nowacyk is a New Jersey native and her mother’s best friend and the type of woman who tells it like it is. From the soccer field to just a casual night in her friend’s basement, Daly’s uplifting spirit is easily spotted despite her personal struggles.

Daly has a history of depression in her family, and she battled it as a freshman.

She doesn’t specifically put the blame on any-

one, but she did say an exboyfriend and a few friends didn’t exactly treat her the way she wanted.

Like a leader should, Daly overcame her personal struggles.

In her free time, Daly writes for her school newspaper, pens short stories and reads a variety of books. Her favorite book is “The Fault in Our Stars.”

She plans on continuing her journalistic career and hopes eventually to have one of her books published. She believes that is a reachable goal based on the dedication she puts into everything she does.

Daly is a big and little sister, the rookie sweeper on her state-qualifying soccer team and the motherly figure to friends who need some structure.

She has overcome personal struggles many her age have not experienced, and this natural born leader said she has no plans to back down anytime soon.

For the 11th year in a row, wine, live music, food and art will pack Main Street in Palestine, Ill., on the first weekend of October.

Fourteen wineries from throughout Illinois will be in Palestine on Oct. 5 and 6 for the 11th annual Wine and Art Festival.

More than 2,500 people are expected to attend this year’s festival, according to Jim Ellis and Susan Goodwine, members of the committee that plans the festival. It is planned to be the largest festival yet, with more wineries and vendors than past years.

“It [the festival] grows every year,” said Ellis, who owns a framing store in downtown Palestine.

The newest addition to the winery selection is Sleepy Creek Vineyard from Fairmount.

Many of the wineries that are on board for this year are from the southern Illinois area and also travel to other, larger wine tasting festivals. However, despite Palestine’s secluded area, many of the wineries make just as much money at the Wine and Arts Festival as they do at others.

“Several of the wineries that come here also go to Starved Rock which is a huge festival because of where it’s located,” Ellis said.

The goal of the festival is to bring people to Palestine to help promote the town and bring in extra business to local shops and stores.

“It’s a different group of people that we’re exposing to our community in hopes that they’ll come back,” Goodwine said.

Most of the profit from the festival is put toward community projects such as Fort LaMotte, local art buildings and parks. This year’s profit is expected to be put toward new playground equipment for the

Robinson Daily Ne ws Photo by Tom Compton

A group of wine aficionados gets a taste of one of the booths offered at the 11th annual Wine and Art festival in Palestine.

Palestine park. Another small portion of the profit is used to put on next year’s festival.

The atmosphere of the Wine and Arts Festival is described as casual and comfortable. People in the past have spent the entire day wine tasting, shopping and eating from both local and out of town food vendors. Although wine tasting is the biggest attraction to the festival, food and art vendors also thrive at the festival.

“The larger the crowd gets, the better the vendors do,” Ellis said.

The art that is sold at the festival is limited to ‘fine arts, fine crafts.’ Most everything is handmade and ranges from homemade soap to paintings to baskets and jewelry. Every year, the arts and craft vendor numbers seem to increase.

“We must be doing something right because I’ve gotten four requests this year from art vendors that have never been here before, asking if they can come to the festival,” Goodwine said.

As well as arts, food is also kept at a higher scale. Things like hot dogs are not prohibited, but are discouraged.

“We try to get people to do things that are a little unusual,” Ellis said of the food. “If our community garden does well this year we may have a salsa and chip booth.”

Live music is also being lined

up to play during the festivities.

Although one of the former bands has disbanded, a favorite from last year, Three, is expected to return.

Another unique aspect to the festival in comparison to other wine tasting festivals is the ticket style. Instead of selling tickets for a limited amount of tastings, one ticket allows a person unlimited tasting for the whole day.

“They [the customers] probably spend more money at the food vendors and wineries and that sort of thing, because aren’t spending it all on the tickets,” Ellis said.

The unique system of ticketing works well for the wineries and other businesses, and is not expected to be changed for future years. General admission to the festival is free, and tasting tickets can be purchased in advance or at the gates on the day of the festival. Advanced tickets are $11.50 online and tickets at the gate are $15. One ticket allows tasting for the entire day as well as a commemorative tasting glass, which can be used to taste the different wines during the festival.

The Wine and Arts Festival is considered an adult event due to the presence of alcohol.

However, children are neither encouraged nor discouraged to attend. The Palestine Development Association, a non-profit organization, sponsors it.

daily eastern ne ws file photos

ABOVE: Justin Moore performs during the 2010 Red, White and Blue Days celebration. LEFT: A parade participant carries the American flag while riding a horse during the 2010 Red, White and Blue Days parade. BELOW: Toby Lucas and Dallas Corbin were named Little Mr. and Miss Firecracker at the 2010 Red, White and Blue Days.

‘Only in America’ Red, White and Blue Days quickly approach

BY SYDNEY EDWARDS Mattoon High School

The annual Red, White & Blue Days is celebrating its 23rd anniversary this year by keeping the tradition of free concerts in Morton Park.

The main stage concert this year features Tate Stevens, the 2012 X-Factor winner, who is scheduled to perform at 8 p.m. on July 3.

The free Red, White & Blue Days concerts began 23 years ago and have attracted a variety of musicians over the years.

“We have had Jake Owen, Trace Adkins, Heidi Newfield, Tracy Byrd and Ronnie Milsap performed over the past years, ” said Betty Coffrin, one of the first committee members for Red, White & Blue Days.

As national stars have arrived to perform at RWB Days, they have brought fans from outside of Coles County.

“When Jake Owen came, I had calls from people asking about the concert and I had to convince them that it was free,” Coffrin said.

The theme for this year’s event is “Only in America.”

“Only in this country can you go on a show and win and then you’re a mega star,” Coffrin said, referring to Stevens.

During RWB Days events, Mayor Larry Rennels said, Charleston economically improves.

“Through the hotel and motel packs, the added sales taxes benefit the community,” Rennels said.

According to Rennels, he started attending the RWB Days festivities when it first started. Through his attendance, he has

seen an increase in activities for the event.

“It is a patriotic celebration that has grown into a festival with a parade, games for kids and local vendors, ” Rennels said.

At RWB Days, local organizations even offer entertainment for every age.

“The fire department has a swimming pool full of foam,” Coffrin said. “Usually, the kids go crazy for it.”

The Independence Day celebration also offers children a way to be patriotic artists.

“The Great Chalk-In is held by the Coles County Arts Council,” Coffrin said.

“They give kids a square and all the colors of chalk they want.”

The RWB Days festivities are set to kick off from 2-5 p.m. Sunday at Morton Park with bingo, where community members can play to win cash and prizes. The Red, White & Blue Days events resume July 3 and then continue through July 4.

According to Coffrin, at Morton Park, event organizers ask all organizations to be non-profit.

Members of the Knights of Columbus will be a primary vender and plan to sell hamburgers and lemon shake-ups.

For $2, the Red, White & Blue Days committee is offering the traditional of allyou-can-eat ice cream on the Fourth. All venders open at 3 p.m. July 3 and will be open all day on July 4.

“I tell people to come out and support the vendors because the money they get goes right back into the community, ” Coffrin said.

Events next week also include the 4 on the 4th run/walk for Habitat for Humanity; registration starts at 6:30 a.m and the run is at 7:30 a.m.

On July 3, the Farmer of the Year award will be announced, in addition to the crowning of Little Mr. and Miss Firecracker following the 6:30 p.m. main stage performance by the Lemon Brothers Band.

At 2:15 p.m. on July 4, there will be a bell-ringing ceremony for the late John Morrisey, one of the first Red, White & Blue Days committee members, and in honor of the late John Daum, founding director of the Charleston Com-

munity Band.

“Red, White & Blue Days is just a fun event, it’s free and I hear from people that they plan their Fourth of July celebration around it — that’s our motivation to keep it going,” Coffrin said.

Mattoon teen has so much to say, she yodels in her sleep Family-oriented Edwards makes the most of her quirk

By Sara Dust Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School

Photo by Paulina Martinez

Sydney Edwards, 15, of Mattoon, has an amaxing sense of family and hopes to make the world a better place.

Journalism, family, drama club and community are amongst the top priorities of Sydney Edwards.

The 15-year-old contributed to the Mattoon school news publication, the MHS Mirror, during her freshman year.

Even though she was the only freshman, she proved her worth by her hard work. She is proud of her journalistic work.

A gratifying moment happened when she covered the school’s talent show.

She was less than excited, initially, for the assignment, but she produced

some of her best work.

The event showed her journalism is something that she wants to pursue.

Edwards has an incredible sense of family.

Her great-grandmother, Mary Lou, is her biggest role model.

Her great-grandmother stayed at home and raised a family of four.

“She shows you how to be a lady and stay true to your morals,” Edwards said.

Besides her grandmother and mother, Edwards has a close relationship with her father.

Edwards also has a strong relationship with her step-dad, who adopted her after her dad died.

She has a 12-year-old brother, Ian French.

They, like basically every pair of siblings, alternate from worst enemies to best friends within a split second.

They are, however, a little closer than some siblings due to summers

apart.

Time apart makes the time they have together even more special.

Like every person, Edwards has her quirks, which makes her who she is.

She describes herself as extremely dramatic, and a bit of a delayed reactor, such as when a door slammed shut recently.

It would appear she was unfazed until she suddenly gasped long after the door was loudly shut.

She talks in her sleep, and sometimes even yodels in her sleep loudly enough to wake her grandmother through a separating wall.

Once you experience the interesting quirks and characteristics of Edwards you open the doors to her views on changing the world.

“I want to be one of those people who changes the way things are so when my children and my grandchildren come into the world they feel safe and it is a place they want to be and love to be in,” Edwards says.

Illinois Reporter

Friday, June 28, 2013 • Page A5

Triple Threat: Athlete, journalist, friend Sara Dust is a lacrosse star, reporter for her school paper and a flat out crazy friend

By Sydney Edwards Mattoon High School

Sara Dust

Photo by Melissa Svec

As a lacrosse player, Sara Dust has scored five goals in a single game.

That spectacular feat isn’t her most memorable moment playing a game.

That is only part of who she is.

The Chicago native and co-captain of her high school lacrosse team remembers how a little luck can score a goal even if you don’t expect it.

“I was trying to pass the ball to a teammate, and it went over her head.

It did a super-weird bounce and went into the goal,” Dust said, smiling, as she recalled her top moment on the lacrosse field. “It was one of those moments when everybody asked themselves, ‘What just happened?’”

Dust started playing lacrosse her freshman year, where she served as cocaptain for the team, and she said she is proud of the accomplishments she has earned over the past two years.

“I basically start every game. My highest amount of goals I have scored is around five goals in a game,” Dust said.

Before Dust started playing lacrosse, she had planned to be on the basketball team, but her mom suggested lacrosse and thought that she’d

do well in it.

“Both tryouts were on the same day, so I had to make a decision. I listened to my mom and it was a great decision,” Dust said.

Dust developed a passion for the sport because it’s a challenge.

“It takes a lot of practice to catch and throw a ball from a stick. It’s just another object to learn how to control,” Dust said. “I am very energetic so running gets my energy out.”

But her on-the-field accomplishments at Mother McAuley High School on the city’s south side give only a partial glimpse of what sets Dust apart from her peers. She tries not to take her family for granted and enjoys spending time on and off the field with her friends.

“I have a lot of interests, like sports and journalism. I can be girly, but then I’m not,” she said. “My friends would say I’m an introvert, and I am.

But, when I get uncomfortable, I can be quiet and shy. Overall, my friends would just flat out call me crazy.”

On weekends, she likes hanging out with her best friends on the lacrosse team, Brenna and Maggie, doing typical teenage stuff like going to a movie, having a sleepover or even sharing thoughts on what they’re

reading together.

“My good friend, Brenna, and I had three classes together my freshman year, and we never talked. But, one day her and Maggie were talking about a book I really wanted to read, and we basically bonded over the book,” she said, describing what brought her best friends together.

When Dust is not on the lacrosse field, she is reading and writing for Inscape, her high school newspaper and yearbook.

“I love to read, so I like to write.

When you read, you listen to stories.

So when I write, I want to be the one telling the stories,” said Dust.

Dust became fond of writing after her seventh- and eighth-grade teacher, Daniel Gargano, taught her writing could be fun.

“He’s phenomenal teacher,” she said. “He used to have poetry slams.”

Dust looked up to Gargano as a role model, but she said her mom and brother, Patrick, are others whom she admires.

“My mom is a major role model. She works hard; I really don’t tell her enough that I love her,” Dust said. “She worked hard to put me and my three brothers through Catholic school.”

Photo by Tom Compton

Steve Meadows sits in the shop above his home while being surrounded by his art work. Meadows has been an artist since his college days.

Palestine artist looks to God for inspiration

By Sara Dust Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School

Steve Meadows started his artistic career carving wood sculptures, but over the course of the past 10 years he has moved onto a new chapter of his life creating eclectic folk art.

For 25 years, Meadows crafted woodcarvings, which he sold wholesale. About 10 years ago the economy was changing and the “country of cutesy stuff was going out,” Meadows said. He always played with the “junk art” and always enjoyed it, so he decided to do it full time. Now he has a workshop/gallery filled with oneof-a-kind folk art pieces made of very unique mediums, such as old wagons, spoons and bottle caps. All of his items are available for sale.

Meadows gets his inspiration from God.

“God shows me everything,” he said, “I’m just a dumb old farm boy who was gifted with a talent.”

He prays every night to thank him for talents and the visions that he does have. On most of Meadows’ woodcarvings he has a branding on them, which states “created by God through the hands of S.D. Meadows.”

Other than God, Pablo Picasso inspires Meadows. When Meadows was 12 years old he had a dream that he walked on the beach with Picasso, who is his favorite artist. When he was young he thought an artist was someone who was “dead and gone,” but Picasso showed him otherwise.

Meadows always wanted to be an artist, but classes were never available to him throughout grade school and high school. He attended four years of junior college, double the usual two years. He was staying in college to avoid fighting in the Vietnam War. Meadows was a bit of a “hippie,” he

“God shows me everything,” he said, “I’m just a dumb old farm boy who was gifted with a talent.”

said. Alas, the draft was changed to a lottery and he was forced to pick up arms in the Marine Corps.

After he served, he went to Eastern Illinois University for a year where he took five studio classes at the same time, something he would not recom-

mend to anyone.

“I turned out with three A’s, two B’s, and a son,” he said.

He left his schooling to provide for his family. This was his only formal training. He is, for the most part, selftaught, which he looks at as a good thing.

He does not think he would be where he is today if he had more formal schooling.

Instead of being a stereotypical retiree, Meadows is far from throwing in the towel. His new chapter of his life is slowing down a little bit.

“What makes it good is I can actually slow my life down now and travel,” Meadows said He is working on new ideas and projects, such as his project to make pieces for Palestine’s Main Street. He has a shop on Main Street, and places his work along different points of the street. He likes that this allows people of all ages and incomes to enjoy

his work.

His name in the folk art community is still continuing to grow, and he is producing piece after piece after piece of incredible artwork. This is all despite the unfortunate passing of his wife, along with a semi-unsupportive community. Some people in the community have complained about the one piece of artwork already along Main Street.

His day-to-day life has changed a lot since his wife died. He wakes up every morning without an alarm clock. He works all day and has dinner at 5 p.m., and then he takes his dog for a walk.

His night shift ends at around 9 p.m. He enjoys logging on to Facebook in his free time.

Meadows is far from the end of his career. He’s getting ready to change things in his life again and God is showing him things “I’m here because he put me here.”

Page A6 • Friday, June 28, 2013 Illinois Reporter

Meza creates global network New worlds open through friendship

By Robert He Stuyvesant High School

Erika Meza from Blue Island has made friendships on a global scale.

Meza is a senior at Eisenhower High School and has connected and kept in touch with pen pals from around the world.

“I heard my friend had a pen pal from England and I wanted to meet someone that I could talk to about their culture,” she said.

Two years ago, Meza asked her Spanish teacher and mentor, Ms. Michelle Alfano, about connecting with a pen pal. Her teacher connected Meza with her own pen pal’s family. Alfano had traveled around the world and made many connections with people from different countries.

Meza’s first pen pal was a girl from Greece named Sophia.

“It didn’t really work out because there was a language barrier,” she said.

“She only spoke a little bit of English.”

Alfano continued connecting Meza with her other pen pals’ children, with whom language is less of a problem.

Since her first pen pal, Meza has gotten into contact with people from various countries.

“I have eight pen pals that I met through my Spanish teacher. I have one from Ireland, a girl from India, two from Russia, one from Jamaica, France, California and Argentina,” she explained.

She keeps in touch with them daily through email and Skype, an online chatting service.

“We talk about the differences in the customs in our countries,” she said. “For example, we talk about the differences in use of words, food, traditions, family life and so on.”

Meza has also made pen pals without the help of her teacher. When she was in Chicago, she met a boy who

Photo by Robert He

Erika Meza hopes to maintain connections with her pen pals and meet more in the future. “Basically they tell me to be open to anything, because you never know what you’re going to learn from new experiences,” she said.

“It’s always good to know that there are other things going on in the world — they offer a fresh perspective.”

— Erika Meza was touring downtown Chicago.

“I noticed that he seemed unfamiliar with the area, and I went up to him and I asked if he needed help.

It was pretty interesting because he didn’t speak English; he just spoke French and Spanish. So being bilingual, speaking English and Spanish,

helped,” she said.

After that, they exchanged contact information and still talk today. This boy is also the only pen pal Meza has met in person.

All of Meza’s pen pals are older than she is, and she has recently started discussing the college admissions process with them. But the pen pals also occasionally have some tips for Meza.

“I’m going to be graduating in one

year and they give me valuable advice,” she said. “Basically they tell me to be open to anything because you never know what you’re going to learn from new experiences.”

Meza hopes to maintain her connections with her pen pals and to meet more in the future.

“It’s always good to know that there are other things going on in the world ­— they offer a fresh perspective,” she said.

U of I welcomes diverse freshman class Programs seek to engage international students on campus

“I like the work experience, the inspiring staff, and we explore our skills.”

By Erika Meza Eisenhower High School

This year the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will be welcoming 7,200 to 7,300 freshmen this fall, 900 of which will be international students.

The university is well known for its vast amount of international stud ents with 8,000 international undergrads.

The school offers help that focuses on making sure all students feel comfortable using the programs and participating in activities.

As freshmen, it is natural to fear the unknown. Therefore, the school encourages students to visit before the school year begins to get a real feel of the new environment.

The U of I offers more than 100

— Annie Lin, Multimedia/ Graphic Design intern Robert K. O’Daniell/ The News-Gazette

A rhetoric class on the UI Quad.

enrichment programs to the incoming freshmen, some in the summer which are optional, and one in the fall, which all freshmen attend.

During the summer, families can visit and the university even has programs for the parents which helps them understand the transition for their child to a college life.

The fall orientations focus on

what it means to be a student at U of I. Often new students will come in and “they think they have it all figured out,” said Gina Lee-Olukoya, Assistant Dean of Students.

The university’s main goal is to ease the anxieties and help their students find a niche. “There are a lot of opportunities to engage,” said LeeOlukoya.

Students are introduced to universal programs with about 1,000 organizations and 96 fraternities and sororities.

Students can also suggest new clubs and activities.

With 7,100 students in either fraternities or sororities, the Hazing Prevention Team and the U of I make sure students are well informed about their rights at the school. The Fraternity and Sorority department started the HPT last fall; it collaborates with the fraternity/sorority and the athletic departments, and the community to prevent any hazing.

“The typical student doesn’t know about hazing,” said Brandon Common, Assistant Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs.

The Illinois Leadership Center at U of I has programs mostly created by the student population which train students to be leaders in their communities.

On July 27, ILC sponsors a oneday summer program known as Intersect — directed by student leaders and staff — for freshmen. The program uses games and other activities to help the students understand their

listening styles, teamwork strategies, and interpersonal bonding with other students. The program runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All students can participate in the i-Programs, which are leadership developmental programs directed

by ILC. The student staff must be juniors and seniors, go through an application process, be involved in the community and finally interviewed.

Ten students are currently working in the ILC office and four are interns.

Nina Youssefnia, Graf Intern, says ILC has a great community atmosphere where staff and peers are encouraging students to become better people, and work to better their communities.

Another student, Annie Lin, a multimedia/graphic designer intern, said, “I like the work experience, the inspiring staff, and we explore our skills.”

Both agree they have learned a lot from the program.

Illinois Reporter

Friday, June 28, 2013 • Page A7

Reaching for a better future: Robinson programs work to instill educational values and skills Kaylee Georgeoff Civic Memorial High School

As thoughts of summer come to mind, many kids focus on lounging poolside, getting sand between their toes and eating delicious ice cream.

But for some Crawford County children, summer doesn’t mean it’s time to break from education.

The Teen REACH “Summer Success” program in Robinson was designed to educate children from Hudsonville, Palestine, Robinson, and Oblong on the importance of remaining knowledgeable on social and academic issues occurring within their communities.

“Some are desperately behind in math and they choose to work on basic skills,” Program Director Jolie Finkbiner said. “Then we have a couple who are super into writing, that blow us away with their creativity.”

Providing equal opportunities to expand students envision of their life is one of the main goals of the “Summer Success” program.

The program finds ways to avoid negative risk taking behaviors, expanding their range of opportunities/ life options and creating a sense of belonging with each participant.

“We are a holistic prevention program for children and youth,” Finkbiner said.

The Teen REACH “Summer Success” program was originally created for kids under the age of 18.

Due to relocation, space issues and funding issues the program age groups have been narrowed to those most at risk for experimentation with drugs, alcohol and sexual activities.

The program is now open for children ages 8-17 but is specifically targeted for ages 11-17.

“Summer Success” focuses on basic concepts such as living a healthy lifestyle, having good nutrition, saying no to peer pressure while keeping your friends, bullying problems, coping with anger and dealing with preconceptions of turf and territorial issues.

The program also covers more in depth subjects such as substance abuse, cultural diversity, poverty, incarceration issues and gender con-

flicts.

The Teen REACH “Summer Success” program deals with many children who are behind academically in comparison with school standards. They use the Summer Bridge to Success curriculum program, which bridges learning gaps between two grades.

“We might have a sixth grader that needs third to fourth grade level [courses] and we can assess their needs easily,” said Finkbiner.

This curriculum focuses on the basics of English, mathematics, science, technology, engineering, history, and reading.

Every class has an instructor and assistant that specializes in the student’s individual needs.

“We view every staff person as a teacher and every student is a teacher as well. A lot of peer teaching goes on and the students teach us a lot too.

Everybody teaches one another and it’s all about life,” Finkbiner said.

To conduct a program such as the Teen Reach “Summer Success” they must have full support from their donors, community, volunteers and state legislators, Finkbiner said.

The Teen Reach organization is the prime source of their funding; however, they are supported by a network of Illinois after school organizations, United Way and their community.

“The community has been fantastic as far as jumping in [to help]. There are people in this community that have supported us since the moment we opened our doors, 20 years ago, and they haven’t stopped,” Finkbiner said.

“It’s from one little old lady who sends me $10 each year to much more than that. We are just really, super grateful to those people. They have no idea what one little old lady’s $10 really does.”

Their limitation of funds can affect the number of kids they can serve, staff members, individual tutors and teachers that can assist with special needs students.

While funding is important, Finkbiner said, “Volunteers that give their time, is the same as money, if you ask me.”

This year the program averaged its staff members at about 12 and they are continuing to encourage partici-

Photo by K aylee Georgeoff

Zach Shipman and Joe Stambaugh, Summer Success volunteers, prepare for the next day’s work.

pants that will be turning 18 to come back as helpers.

Finkbiner believes graduation rates and teen employment rates have increased because of their program.

In addition, she also believes teen pregnancy rates, general justice system use, child abuse and child neglect rates have decreased due to their efforts.

Finkbiner and her colleagues are starting to believe legislators are beginning to understand the impact they are having on these children.

Finkbiner also said this is approximately the first year in 10 that the program has not been at risk for budget cuts or threatened for closure.

Finkbiner is unaware if the gover-

nor has officially approved the budget, but said, “There is talk of brighter days ahead.”

While the “Summer Success” program positively contribute to children learning capabilities, throughout the summer they primarily focus on enrichment possibilities. These include making and keeping friends, fine arts opportunities, sports opportunities and providing them with easy access to exploration in a variety of areas of passion.

For the participants who are 16 years of age and older, a job skill training program is available. This allows teens to learn how to be a part of a team, handle stressful situations, function on the job, and provide a larger means of income.

What: Teen REACH “Summer Success” program Who: Crawford County students ages 8-17 Where: Lincoln Trail College North Campus Info: Contact Jolie Finkbiner at (618)562-0521

Bethalto’s Kaylee Georgeoff changes her tune Anna Konstant Hinsdale Central High School

After eight years of playing the clarinet, Kaylee Georgeoff, 17, is about to switch instruments.

Georgeoff will learn the alto saxophone because her school has decided to cut the wind instruments section, a decision driven by lack of participation, she said.

Georgeoff is nervous about learning the alto saxophone even though it is similar to the clarinet. She knows there will be challenges throughout the year. Besides playing a new instrument, Georgeoff will be learning to play in the brass section with new people and different methods.

As she starts her senior year this fall, Georgeoff is looking forward to playing jazz music.

Her goal is to remain positive despite the obstacle of the wind section switching instruments.

Georgeoff started playing in fourth grade and each year has progressed in her skills and talents. She currently attends Civic Memorial High School in Bethalto, where she participates in marching band. During the school year, her

band plays for the football games.

This year Georgeoff’s band had an opportunity to play in Disney World during a parade.

To prepare for Disney World the band practiced its fall routine and eventually sent in a video of the band. The band was accepted and jumped at the chance to participate in something new.

When Georgeoff was in seventh grade, her family moved to Missouri. She had to meet new people and adapt to new situations. Overall, though, the move helped her develop tougher skin.

“When I moved, the kids there had just started band and I was more ahead with clarinet and that was an advantage and disadvantage,” Georgeoff said. She originally thought she could coast by on her skills, but discovered she needed to practice in order to improve.

She hopes to continue band throughout college by participating in the pep band.

Georgeoff currently doesn’t know what she wants to pursue in college, but she knows band will continue to be part of her life. Georgeoff believes a person’s “biggest success is suppose to come later in life.”

Kaylee Georgeoff

Photo by Anna Konstant

Page A8 • Friday, June 28, 2013 Illinois Reporter

illinoisreporter. wordpress.com

Check out the EIU/ IPF journalism workshop on the Web to see more stories and photos from the camp, including features on Mattoon’s Book Nook used bookstore, an oldfashioned barber shop and a woman whose experience in a coffee shop is leading to an international ministry. Look below for just one example of the students’ online work:

PHOTO BY SAR A DUST

Diana Sullivan has lost some of her bookstore’s business to online competition, but her Mattoon shelves still attract local browsers.

Finding a book in the Nook Sullivan fills up stacks with massive collection of used books

By Sara Dust Mother McAuley High School

The Book Nook lives up to its name.

It has books. Plenty and plenty of books.

On shelves. On top of shelves.

Rows upon rows of books greet customers to the shop Diana Sullivan owns at 1821 Broadway Ave., in downtown Mattoon.

The war of paper against electronic has affected Sullivan’s store.

Sullivan is anti-electronic.

“Ninety percent of the reason I read is to relax,” she said.

Reading via electronic devices simply doesn’t allow the same relaxation.

She admits she has lost some business to the online world, but she has gained some readers who like the feel of having a book in their hands since

she is one of the non-electronic sources of books in the area.

Sullivan, who opened the business in 1989, has maintained a solid customer base throughout the years. She has girls who started coming to the store when they were children who now take their children to the Book Nook.

The store has a wide variety of books from classical to science fiction.

Books range from the 19th century, long before International Standard Book Number (ISBN) was in place, to recent releases.

A reader would have a difficult time

not finding books there for them, especially with the guidance of Sullivan.

Sullivan has read since a young age.

As a young child, she would check out seven books, the maximum number allowed at the local library, and have them finished by the middle of the week.

She reached a point where she had read every book she could and was not allowed to go up to the teen section yet. The librarians eventually had to cave and let her explore the unchartered area.

Her favorite book is Jane Hamilton’s “The Guardian.”

Sullivan started her own business, Brown’s Home Supply Store, in 1980. She had a small nook for books in the store, which sold furniture and appliances, so she kept the name Book Nook when she focused the business just on books.

The Book Nook contains a collection of nearly a million books “give or take a few,” Sullivan said, and all are used books.

Sullivan has tried to dive into the world of selling new books before, but was not seeing the profit and decided the extra work was not worth her while.

Section B

Friday, June 28, 2013

Blast from the past

By Pierre McCauley

Carbondale Community High School

Lake Land College offers children the chance to travel to the year 1870 each summer.

The college’s “Little House on the Prairie” class includes a variety of activities provided for youngsters each day, such as quilt making, churning butter and learning how to yarn dolls.

Riddle Elementary School secondgrader Emmalyn Whalin, 7, of Mattoon said she enjoys every moment of the class. Her favorite thing to do is learning how to sew a nine-patch quilt.

Sullivan Elementary School thirdgrader Elizabeth Owens, 8, said she finds churning butter the most interesting thing about the class.

The class is part of Lake Land Summer College’s youth program.

Classes run from 9 to 11 a.m. June 24-27 at the Mattoon Adult Area Education Center. It is open to children ages 6 to 12.

The goal is to help kids understand 19th century America.

Instructor Cheryl Stolz of Effingham loves teaching the children the

lifestyle portrayed in the 1800s, she said. She always had the intention of teaching children, including her own, how people lived in that time.

Stolz inspired by the 1935 novel “Little House on the Prairie” by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In that story, Wilder talks about her personal experiences living on the Kansas prairie.

The “Little House” series was critically acclaimed and later transformed into a television series in 1974. “Little House” is one of Stolz’s favorite book series, and it impacted her perspective on learning about culture, she said.

She started teaching the class in 2001.

“It’s important to know about the core of a family,” Stolz said. She believes such a self-sufficient lifestyle is a good example for kids and teaches them the value of America’s history, culture and how families supported each other in the past.

Stolz tries to keep everything in the class historically accurate; for instance, making churned butter with milk that comes from cows instead of using processed milk.

Even though the kids aren’t receiving a two-hour lecture about culture in the 1800s, Stolz hopes that the children will gain insight on the bigger picture, which is gaining invalu-

able knowledge and applying it to their everyday lives.

Photo by JENNIFER FORENERIS

Lane Richardson from Sullivan learns how to make butter from cream and sew a nine-patch quilt at Lake Land College’s Summer College for Youth Class.

Animated teen

programs future

By Paulina Martinez

Eisenhower High School

Pierre McCauley is only 18 years old, but he’s about to from making amateur pixel animations to the webisode phenomenon “Death Battle!”

The webisode pits two fictional characters in battle and, based on their strengths and statistics, a winner is chosen.

McCauley embarks on his move from small community high school to big-time university in hopes of becoming one of the world’s best computer engineers.

This Carbondale native was intensely involved in high school, with a long resume that includes Key Club, Student Council and treasurer of The Future Business Leaders of America.

While keeping up with various activities, he also made high honor roll.

McCauley’s path to helping with “Death Battle!” started with his love for Anime-Japanese movie animation and math, which eventually grew to his interest in designing.

“I’m a very logical person and that’s why I love math,” McCauley said. “In math, there is only one answer.”

Mixing statistics and his love for video games, McCauley got hooked on “Death Battle!” about a year ago. Since 2009, McCauley has devoted his time to creating Sprites-pixel animations.

McCauley said he has been offered an animation position at “Death Battle!” by the animator of the series and he intends on accepting.

That opportunity won’t interfere with his education, though. His hard work has earned him a full ride to the University of Illinois in Champaign, where he will be attending starting this fall.

With his determination, McCauley is optimistic about the future. “I am going to change society,” McCauley said. “ I am going to change the technological race.”

“I am going to change society ... I am going to change the technological race.”

Photo by Erik a mez a

Pierre McCauley

Page B2 • Friday, June 28, 2013 Illinois Reporter

The Daily Eastern News’

Henderson aspires to design Zoo focuses on education

By Pierre McCauley Carbondale Community High School

Albert Henderson is not a stereotypical gamer.

The 16-year-old Mattoon High School junior doesn’t isolate himself from the world. He’s a bold gentleman, willing to approach any new person he wants to meet.

This serves him well while writing for the Mattoon High School newspaper. He loves covering entertainment and writing video game reviews.

One of his reviews was even honored by “National Edition,” an online archive highlighting the best of student journalism.

“That’s something that I am most proud of,” said Henderson, who also recently wrote a review about “Fire Emblem: Awakening” for the Nintendo 3DS. Even though Henderson has an interest in journalism, he doesn’t see it as his career; he really wants to make video games.

He has had this desire since age 12, when he played “Metal Gear Solid” for the first time.

That game sparked his inspiration to develop games. “‘Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots’ is my favorite game,” said Henderson, whose role model is Hideo Kojima, director of the “Metal Gear” video game series.

He’s been exposed to Japanese culture through manga and anime, and he wants to go there one day.

“I would want to go to Japan once I’ve established my game development career,” Henderson said. “I want to visit Nintendo and meet people there.

I want to actually bring Sega back to

By Albert Henderson Mattoon High School

Photo by Paulina Martinez

Albert Henderson

its prime.”

Other than his dream of being a game developer, he also plans on making a YouTube channel with some of his friends. His channel will feature videos containing walkthroughs of video games for novice gamers. As a new gamer, obstacles can be frustrating to overcome and may take multiple attempts to succeed.

Henderson understands giving out tips will help newcomers in the

The staff at the Scovill Zoo in Decatur strives to do its best to educate and entertain the public with several animals, including the Red Pandas.

They were found 50 years before the Giant Panda. Despite sharing the name, they aren’t even related.

Red Pandas eat mostly bamboo and fruit like their widely known giant counter-parts, and live in the same area as well.

The Red Pandas are more closely related to raccoons, while the Giant Panda is related to the bear family.

Like raccoons, the Red Panda has a distinct “mask” over its eyes. The mask on the Red Panda is white.

The zoo opened to the public in 1967, and currently holds over 400 animals, including the two incredibly famous Red Pandas, Clay and Kaydee.

The pandas are the most recent additions to the zoo. Clay has been there for four years, and Kaydee since April.

They received Kaydee as a part-

ner for Clay because, according to the Scovill Zoo website, less than 2500 adult Red Pandas are left in the wild.

Assistant Director Ken Frye said that the pandas are very popular, and that they are one of the cutest animals at the zoo.

Allison Petty, reporter for the Decatur Herald & Review, agrees with Frye, and says they are her favorite animals at the zoo largely because of how cute they are.

Being cute isn’t the only reason people like the pandas, some are just amazed they even exist, and are just happy to see them for the first time.

“I’d never seen a Red Panda before Clay, and I was instantly charmed by his mannerisms,” Petty said.

Some people are amazed on how different they are from the Giant Panda.

“They are a little like cats,” Petty said. “They are very curious, but not exactly cuddly,” Visiting hours for the zoo are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Entry fees are as follows: $5.50 for adults, 3.50 for

long run. He has been in their position, struggling to find ways to clear the next level or become an expert at a game.

Also, he figures it would be a great way to get his name out before getting serious in his developing career.

YouTube, for him, is more than a video-posting site. He believes it can become a business if he can get a partnership for his channel.

Writing her own story

By Serah Welborn Le Roy High School

Early in her career as an amateur reporter, Emily Scott considers herself a success for getting paid while doing what she loves.

The 17-year-old from Bethany has worked at her local newspaper, The Sullivan News-Progress, for a year.

Scott receives an average of $20 per story. Her interest in writing goes hand-in-hand with her love for softball, and she often writes pieces about her own games and other activities.

“I’m very grateful that I get the experience at my age,” Scott said.

Scott applied for the job in response to an ad in the paper. She submitted her interests and personal details to Keith Stewart, the paper’s managing editor, who had been involved in the coverage of her school’s activities in the past.

They started an email correspondence, and she has been a valuable employee ever since.

In addition to her writing, Scott works hard to balance her roles as an athlete, sister and student.

Her journalistic background has interested her in travel, formal training in writing and excelling in school.

Scott shares her ambitions through her devotion to her community in Bethany and dreams of attending the University of Illinois. There, she hopes to follow the example of her mother and pursue a degree in the face of whatever life may throw her way.

Her successes can be partly attributed to Ann Wilson, a business teacher who taught her in middle school and in high school.

Wilson has encouraged her to do her best in everything, including the

Photo provided by Dec atur Park Distric t

These are the concept plans for new exhibits at Scovill Zoo in Decatur.

Penguins coming to Scovill Zoo

By Emily Scott Okaw Valley High School

Photo by Paulina Martinez

Emily Scott

local keyboarding competitions at Lake Land College in Mattoon. After five consecutive wins within six years, Scott earned free dual-credit courses from the college. Her last record was set at 97 words per minute.

Scott plans on spending her senior year at Okaw Valley High School involved in as many classes and activities as possible.

This includes a journalism course that is exclusive to seniors. The class helps produce its own newspaper every few months.

She looks forward to finally having the chance to pursue journalism on a daily basis.

“I hope to keep up my academics and become my class’s valedictorian,” Scott said. “Ever since I was in mid-

Visitors to the Decatur Scovill Zoo will soon be able to enter the world of a Humboldt penguin through an inventive new exhibit due to be completed this fall.

According to the zoo’s Assistant Director Ken Frye, plans for the new $1.5 million exhibit, as well as fundraising, began two years ago. The Decatur Park District held a fundraiser, and other funds have been raised through donations and bond issue.

Construction began in December 2012 and is on track to be completed by September 1. The exhibit will house 10 Humboldt penguins from six different zoos across the country.

Features of the new construction will include an indoor holding area for the penguins, as well as an outdoor exhibit for the public. The outdoor portion will consist of a 5,000-gallon pool along with land area around it.

There will also be the option to get even closer to the penguins through the exhibit’s most innovative feature, an acrylic dome inside the pool that can be accessed by crawling through a small tunnel. Inside the dome, visitors will be able to view the penguins closer than ever before.

“This is the zoo’s most ambitious exhibit yet,” Frye said.

The incoming Humboldt penguins are warm-weather penguins that originate on the Pacific coast of South America. The Humboldt penguin is currently endangered due to commercial fishing and the harvesting of guano.

Commercial fishing in the Humboldt penguin’s habitat reduces its food supply significantly. Guano, which consists mostly of the penguin’s excrement for use of burrowing in their breeding habitat, is being harvested for fertilizer and leaves the penguins with no place for burrowing.

Many Humboldt penguins are now in protective areas like the ones coming to Scovill Zoo. The construction process is 75% complete. “There have been some small delays with design, construction and weather,” said Frye, but other than that, construction has mostly been on track.

After construction is completed at the end of the August, arrangements will be made to start receiving the penguins in October.

“I think the exhibit will be very popular,” said Frye. “People are really excited about it. I hope they come out to see the penguins and then come back and see them again.”

Illinois Reporter

Friday, June 28, 2013 • Page B3

U.S. Beatlemania began in Benton City celebrates 50th anniversary of George Harrison’s early trip

By Paulina Martinez Eisenhower High School

Before “Beatlemania” even reached the States, George Harrison walked through the streets of Benton, becoming the first Beatle in America. The city of Benton plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his visit by unveiling a historical marker this September.

The city of Benton plans to unveil a historical marker commemorating the 50th anniversary of George Harrison’s first visit to America this September.

“In the late summer of 1963 four musicians from Liverpool, England — John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr — collectively known as the Beatles, were poised to conquer pop culture and music history. With three hit singles in England, the band anticipated their first number one record in America by taking separate holidays.

Lennon to France, McCartney and

Starr to Greece and Harrison to America,” states the historical marker for George Harrison in Benton.

“Twenty-five years ago, it wasn’t a story,” said William Furry, head of the project and executive director of the Illinois State Historical Society.

“People didn’t know George Harrison had spent time in Illinois.”

The historical marker will commemorate the memories and legacy George Harrison left behind in Illinois.

Harrison led the Beatles’ British invasion into America when he came to visit his sister, Louise Harrison Caldwell in Benton. Long before the Beatles hit big in America, Harrison strolled throughout the streets of Benton, jamming out with local musicians, purchasing records and having his first American interview on the radio.

“In retrospect looking at his life from the time he became a Beatle, those couple of weeks in Benton were probably the last chance he had at being normal,” Caldwell said.

Caldwell, who currently lives in Branson, Mo., lived in Benton when brothers George and Peter came to stay with her. Caldwell says she remembers her brother as someone with a good work ethic, someone who was very keen on being as good of a guitar player as possible. “[George] was very, very vibrant,

Photo by William Furry

Picture of 113 McCann Street, former home of Louise Harrison Caldwell, where George Harrison stayed at in his first visit to America. INSET: Stock photo of George Harrison.

full of life, full of fun, intelligent and was very interested in doing and learning.” Caldwell said. “He worked very hard to become good at what he was doing.”

Caldwell said the misconception of her brother’s timidity began when the Beatles arrived to New York in February of ’64. Harrison arrived from Paris with a 104 degree fever and a bad case of strep throat, when a doctor at the Plaza Hotel suggested he should be taken to the hospital.

The Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein, didn’t want anyone to know there was something wrong, Caldwell said. “I was roped into looking after him, and the doctor gave him all kinds of meds and ordered him to stay quiet and peaceful.”

Interviews followed after the arrival of the band, and Harrison was ordered to speak as little as possible.

“He had a lot of fun with that because when he was being questioned by people asking him stupid questions, he would just say ‘I don’t know, I’m the quiet one!’” Caldwell said.

Caldwell said her brother’s goal was to play guitar to the best of his ability, and that is partly attributed to the way their parents raised them. “Our parents raised us in a way that they encouraged us to do whatever our hearts led us to…” said Caldwell. “To be honest and compassionate. Wherever our talent or ability led us, be the best that you can be.”

In his two-week stay, Harrison performed his first American performance with a group called “The Four Vests.” According to Furry, he purchased a red, 425 Rickenbacker guitar in Mt. Vernon and went on to play with it in the early years of the Beatles.

The planned marker will state that Harrison returned to England and came back to America with the Beatles the following February after “I Want to Hold Your Hand” rose to number one in the U.S. charts. Harrison went on to write such classic Beatles songs as “Taxman,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “Something.” He died in 2001.

The unveiling of the marker will also be known as “George Harrison Day” in the city of Benton. Furry plans on having a celebration along with the unveiling and says the marker will be located within a block of Main Street. The date for the unveiling is yet to be set.

The historical marker will be sponsored by the Franklin County Historic Preservation, the Illinois State Historical Society and Beatles fans everywhere.

Martinez the new name in journalism ‘If you asked me to talk in front of a class I would cry in a corner’

Hard work counts even if this lifeguard and runner doesn’t

By Albert Henderson Mattoon High School

By Kevin McLurkin Urban Prep Charter Academy

Speak now or forever hold your peace.

Eisenhower High School Senior Paulina Martinez from Alsip brings the old saying to life, as she has dedicated herself to developing her talent for speech, but it hasn’t always been that way.

“I was a really awkward person,” she said. “If you asked me to talk in front of a class I would cry in a corner.”

Emily Scot t She realized she would eventually have to do something about her re- Paulina Martinez luctance for public speaking.

“I figured I had to do it in college, so why not now?” she said.

After that epiphany, she joined Eisenhower High School’s Speech Team.

“People think it’s debate, but its not.” Martinez said. “It’s like storytelling. I love it,” Martinez said.

Martinez also enjoys what she sees as the inconsistency of it all.

“I have random moments where I will speak in different accents (such as British and French),” she said. “One time I got to be Celia Foote from ‘The Help.’”

Her love of speech is more than just a hobby; it’s also her source of inspiration as a career.

“I know I want to be a writer, something like science fiction,” said Martinez To achieve these goals, she plans to go to college, and she already some options in mind, including Eastern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University and Marymount University.

She picked each for very specific reasons, from having a teacher who attended the college (EIU) to the “surreal” experience of an urban university, like Marymount in New York.

But before even that, she has something else to do, and right now that is to maintain a job.

“I work at a country club, and I like to think my title is “Woman” because I make sandwiches,” she said.

All of this — from the speech experience to the job experience — has prepared her to answer the question, “what happens after college?” Martinez has a very simple answer for this age-old question.

“Hopefully I can get a job,” she said. “Isn’t that what we all aspire to?”

Eduardo Martinez hates math.

16-year-old Eduardo Martinez is a high school student who hates math so much that he is senior editor of an online publication. The publication is called the lion review (thelionreview.com), and it’s about multiple topics, but it is mainly centered on community affairs. Will this website succeed?

Maybe it will, because Martinez is a strong advocate for hard work.

Martinez is a senior at Eisenhower High School and resides in Blue Island. Martinez’s role models are his parents because they are the most hardworking individuals he ever met. When asked about his view of hard work he said, “ I think hard work is important because coming from a family of immigrants you have to work hard,” he said, “Since I know people sacrificed so that I can have a better life, there is no time for excuses.”

Martinez knows that success is a result of hard work He is a practicing lifeguard, and the captain of the cross-country team for Eisenhower. He believes that success comes from hard work and he is living proof.

He started cross-country his freshman year as the slowest member of the team, and through hard work and dedication became Pierre McC auley the fastest and the captain.

Eduardo Martinez When asked about his political views he said he’s really not political; he is all for helping people in need.

This all ties into thelionreview.com because he is currently contributing to a book, dealing with media, minorities and urban voice in oppression. He gets his philosophies from figures like Malcolm X and Friedrich Nietzsche.

Martinez is an advocate for equal rights and a kid on the first step of greatness.

In the future, he wants to become a professor of some sort and he is paving the way with his hard work and a sense of urgency.

Page B4 • Friday, June 28, 2013 Illinois Reporter

Taylorville hosts obscure JFK statue

By Eduardo Martinez Eisenhower High School

By Emily Scott Okaw Valley High School

b

As the 50th anniversary of the assassination of one of the United States’ most significant presidents, John F. Kennedy, approaches, people may be surprised to find that Oak Hill Cemetery in Taylorville houses a large and highly detailed statue of JFK. The Statue is located on the far east side of the c e m e t e r y. T h e eight foot, white carrara marble statue stands tall beside shrubbery and an array of gravestones. Approaching the statue’s frontside reveals an engraving with the late president’s name. The elevating steps on the statue secludes the memorial from the others around the site. The seriousness in JFK’s facial expression gives a meditative and thought provoking atmosphere.

Citizens, City officials and historians recall what little is known about the mysterious origin of the statute, which traveled from Italy to Kansas before arriving at Oak Hill.

Extensive attempts to contact the Christian County Historical Society were made, but the society has yet to contact back.

Many people in the Taylorville area were interviewed, but very few knew much about it.

William Newberry, Superintendent of Oak Hill Cemetery, said he knew little about the origin of the statue, only that the memorial was commissioned in 1963.

Wilda Cooper, a local genealogist, added that the funds used to commission the

memorial were from citizens in the Taylorville area.

Cooper, who attended the erection of the memorial, said it was “quite an affair” with the presence of dignitaries.

While locals may not have much information on the statue, an article from a 1964 edition of the Fort Scott Tribune explains that the memorial was sculpted by the Bruno Tavarelli Marble Co. of Carrara, Italy after being forwarded a request from Bruce Marble and Granite Works in Fort Scott, Kansas. According to Taylorville City Council minutes, an account for the statue was created shortly prior to a January 6, 1964 meeting. A December 21 account states that final payment to the Fort Scott company was made out of donated funds. Breeze-Courier archives from 1964 show that Robert Kennedy, John F. Kennedy’s brother, played a role in the commission of the statue. Robert sent a letter to the City of Taylorville requesting that a particular picture be used as a pattern in the making of the face on the memorial statue; accompanying the letter was the photograph chosen. While this memorial largely remains a mystery to people in the Taylorville area, it is still a remembrance of a president who many people admired. According to William Newberry, the impact of the memorial is seen by the graves around it.

“In that area, all the graves were sold out. Most of the people who were buried there probably admired him and were Democrats,” said Newberry.

Wellborn: Acting a cure for shyness

Eduardo Martinez

A highly detailed statue of President John F. Kennedy stands in Oak Hill Cemetery in Taylorville.

Lytle Pool provides cool reprieve for Mattoon children of all ages

By Serah Welborn Le Roy High School

Like an oasis in a desert, Lytle Pool is a common haven to many in the community.

Mattoon resident Daniece Jones, for instance, takes her children swimming “as much as she can.”

Jones describes their time in the water as a way to relax and come closer as a family.

“With all the stress in our lives right now, it’s nice to be able to come and let them just be kids,” she added.

Jones’ 5-year-old daughter, Katey, performed water-flips beside her and proudly displayed missing teeth. She ran off to the slide as her sister, Alexandria Gerberding, 12, described her new diving trick.

“I’m finally not scared to do a dive,” she said. “Swimming is probably my favorite sport, besides basketball.”

Weather permitting, Jones and her children can be seen at Lytle every other day.

Experimenting with her first year of retirement, Barb Durdel is changing her routine.

“This is the first time I’ve swam in Lytle Pool,” Durdel said. The visit with her five granddaughters, ages 7 through 15, was a part of her week’s schedule that will take them all over Mattoon. She calls the seven-day vacation “Camp Grandma,” which she

K ayleigh Z yskowski

Taylor Burch dives into the deep end of the Lytle Pool in Mattoon.

hopes to hold annually with all of her 12 grandchildren.

“You get to know them a little better,” Durdel said. “(I’m enjoying it) very, very much.”

The kid-friendly environment can be attributed to Lytle’s staff.

Of the 44 lifeguards, only 13 are new recruits, mainly college students and upperclassmen from Mattoon High School. Most have been swimming at Lytle since childhood, so working there has become just another part of the community’s “family tradition.”

Their days start at 8 a.m. when they sweep the pool and clean the bath houses. They work 30-minute

rotations in ideal conditions, occasionally doubling that time when there are too many swimmers.

“You have to make sure that you’re fresh,” a guard said. “Even though you’re just sitting there, the water gets to you.”

The lifeguards agreed the shallow end of the pool is the most difficult to cover, as it is very popular with small children who often stumble into the drop-off where they can’t swim. About 90 percent of these rescues happen because an adult isn’t properly supervising a child, Lytle Park Superintendent Justin Grady said.

Not all who go to Lytle coop-

erate so well. Symbols of what the lifeguards call “pool rats,” identical twins Tyler and Taylor Burch of Mattoon have been giving the system problems since their early tweens. “(We get into trouble for) running, pushing people in, cussing,” said Taylor. “(We) don’t really follow the rules.”

Both brothers have been kicked out of Lytle pool multiple times in the past, once before the end of opening week.

“They travel life on the razor’s edge,” Grady said.

Now 16, Tyler was sure to mention that they were going for a new image.

“I do want to say ... if you go to Lytle — respect the lifeguards. If they tell you something, you should listen,” Tyler said. “You don’t want to end up in the situation that me and my brother are in.”

Because of low temperatures and bad weather, Lytle has seen fewer customers. Last summer — during the record-setting drought — there was an average of about 680 patrons per day, but this year will be different, Grady said.

“It was cool at the beginning of the (2013) season, and that meant we only had about 15 to 20 or even 30 people here some days,” Grady said. He expects attendance to rise with the temperatures.

Even though she describes herself as shy, Serah Welborn is confident enough to don elaborate gowns and other medieval dress as a part of her high school’s musical theater troupe.

Despite being soft-spoken, this high-school senior has found ways to express herself through her musical and theatrical talents.

Born in Lawton, Okla., Welborn grew up being home-schooled. After her family moved to the small town of Leroy in 2005, she made the switch to public schooling in the sixth grade.

The transition was not easy for her, but she believes she completed it successfully because her musical and theatrical pursuits took her outside her comfort zone.

“I’m a really self-motivated person,” Welborn said.

She is involved in her high school’s music and theater programs and also an event called Madrigals, a medievalthemed musical theater.

Serah says she’s shy, but there have been several circumstances in which Welborn has boldly put herself out there. She has taken lead roles in plays and been a leader in her high school’s band as the top-performing baritone player.

She has also gone the extra mile in her academics by enrolling in sociology, psychology and music appreciation classes at Parkland College.

“My mom is really supportive of me and has always focused on the positive,” said Welborn, whose mother recently took on an even more important role in her life after going through a divorce.

“I now realize and appreciate how much my mom has sacrificed,” she said.

Welborn describes her home life as a challenge but has developed a unique way to cope.

“I sit down and write a letter to God,” she said. It helps her see where she has been and appreciate where she is today.

After high school, Welborn plans to attend Dallas Baptist University in Dallas, Texas, possibly pursuing a career in communications.

While she has not decided on a career choice, she knows she wants to help people. After gaining confidence from her switch to public schooling, Welborn feels prepared to face challenges that will likely come her way.

“I have a variety of skills and I plan on using all of them,” she said. “I plan to be the best I can be at whatever I do.”

Keith Ste wart

Serah Welborn

Illinois Reporter

Friday, June 28, 2013 • Page B5

Change is on its way for News-Gazette website The Champaign News-Gazette announces plan to charge online subscribers

The NewsGazette website can be found at news-gazette.com

By Kevin McLurkin Urban Prep Charter Academy

The News-Gazette will begin using a meter pay system on its website Monday, in an attempt to gain an increase in revenue. The New York Times pioneered the meter pay system, and other newspapers followed very quickly.

The News-Gazette’s system gives the website viewer eight free articles per month, and after that, they must purchase an online subscription. The subscription will give readers unlimited access to news-gazette.com, which includes all news and sports articles, blogs, columns, multimedia and much more.

“A benefit from the meter pay system could be a new revenue stream,”

Photo By McK ayl a Br aid

The Champaign News-Gazette will start charging it’s online subscribers for access to the paper.

said Traci Nally, vice president of human resources.

Due to technological advancements, many newspapers have lost a large percentage of traditional advertising revenue. The News-Gazette

starting this system can build online revenue that makes up for the advertising decrease.

A problem Nally said could occur from the new system is a decrease in traffic on the website. However,

when the news of the system change was given to the public, the website gained more than 80 subscribers in less than three days.

An online subscription costs $7.99 per month and grants unlimited ac-

cess to the website. Many other packages are included as well. Current student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign can receive a discounted subscription for $3.99 per month. Also, subscribers to the NewsGazette print edition can get a subscription for $1.49 per month.

“Real news is the product they sell,” Nally said. “It’s gathered, reported and edited by trained and experienced professionals that bring decades of experience to the task of better understanding the world around us.”

The News-Gazette charges for this expanded digital access so it can continue to invest in the quality journalism the people deserve, she said.

McLurkin for change Kevin McLurkin has seen the violence of everyday life in Chicago and yearns to make it a better place to live.

By Eduardo Martinez Eisenhower High School

Kevin McLurkin is a Chicago youth whose drive to help his community has led him to consider becoming the president of the United States.

Having witnessed some of the real life living situations in America, McLurkin plans to change the world.

McLurkin, who will be a senior this coming fall at Urban Prep Academy, located in the Chicago neighborhood of Englewood, said that from the experiences he has had living in a violent environment, he has thought of ways in which to help his community.

He feels that the reason for much of the violence in Chicago is the apathy of people with the power to help stop it. The vice president of his school’s student government as well as a member of the debate team, McLurkin has practiced his public speaking and reasoning skills extensively.

McLurkin lives in a community much calmer than Englewood called Wrightwood, but living so close to danger, he’s seen violence just a few neighborhoods over many times.

“I used to ride public transit all the time, I once saw a man punch a lady on a train I was on and steal her phone right from her hands,” said McLurkin. “That changed my life.”

From that moment on, McLurkin sought ways to combat the violence he saw in his area.

Photo by Pierre McC auley

Kevin McLurkin, 17, a student at Urban Prep Charter Academy, plans to change the world someday.

“I feel obligated to help the hood and change

the environment, but the problem with looking for an answer to solving those problems is that you end up with a question: how do I help?”

He hit a plateau once he took an African American history class at his school.

He says that with that class, he realized how daunting the task of change is.

“I feel obligated to help the hood and change the environment, but the problem with looking for an answer to solving those problems is that you end up with a question: how do I help?” said McLurkin.

“People have embedded a system of control that needs to be stopped.”

When asked about his political views, McLurkin identified himself as a Democrat, but expressed his belief that President Barack Obama is a political tool for a sense of false hope, however he admits Obama has done some positive things.

His plans for the future include exper-

imenting more with politics, law and debate as career choices.

In the meantime, McLurkin plans on using his public speaking skills to do online podcasts spreading his opinion, as well as being a part of the online publication, The Lion Review at thelionreview. com.

Page B6 • Friday, June 28, 2013 Illinois Reporter

NATURE CALLS

FRIDAY |good 11.9.07 “It felt really getting recognition over the elite private schools.”

Pic ture by McK ayl a Br aid

Started from the bottom; now she’s at the top

Pic ture by Michael a Daly

He is Robert He Photo by Alexa Rogals

Camp co-director Karan Greuel, shows campers different animal fur Tuesday during an activity for the Junior Naturalists camp at Ballard Nature Center in Altamont.

By McKayla Braid Plainfield East High School

Michaela Rutledge knows adversity, but she also knows how to overcome it. She learned how to overcome obstacles from watching her parents tackle theirs.

Rutledge grew up in Oak Lawn, but her parents came here from Ireland.

“My parents couldn’t afford shoes, so they would walk to school barefoot, and they would eat sandwiches with just slices of bread,” Rutledge said.

Her parents were very poor. Rutledge grew up being taught to appreciate everything she had. “No matter how bad you have it, there’s always some one who has it worse.” This is the motto Rutledge and her family live by.

Rutledge’s role models are her parents. She respects them for teaching her that “laziness never pays off, but hard work will,” she said.

Inspired by her mother Rutledge plays Gaelic football, which is a mix of rugby and soccer. She even plays for the same team and has the same number as her mother did.

“First year I played we did not win a single game,” Rutledge said. This year, her team, Erin’s Rovers, won the North American finals with Rutledge being one of the youngest finals champions.

Her passion does not end at Gaelic football. She also has a knack for acting. “I took an acting class freshman year and fell in love,” said Rutledge, now a rising senior.

She often lands the lead in school plays, sings in the ensemble and dances in musicals. She has a love for improv acting and acts in class in her free time.

Rutledge is also involved with her school newspaper and yearbook. “I love writing; it’s my strong suit,” she said. She prefers the printed word, but her work on the yearbook is all on the computer. “I hate technology.

It hates me. We have a hate - hate relationship,” she said.

Rutledge is so passionate about journalism that she is considering a career in the field; she is also contemplating careers in law and possibly international economics. Her top three colleges she would like to attend are the University of Chicago, DePaul or Seton Hall.

She wants to take all her talents passion and drive and change the world, “I want to make things better for women worldwide and help the underdog.”

By Robert He Stuyvesant High School

F

ourth- and fifth-graders attended the first day of a summer nature camp at Ballard Nature Center near Altamont on Tuesday, June 25.

The three-day camps, taking place from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., happen throughout summer and are separated into age groups.

They are separated as follows: one for kindergarten and first-graders, and separate ones for second- and third-graders, fourth- and fifth- graders, and sixthand seventh- graders.

The only payment needed is a twenty-dollar registration fee. Campers are selected on a first come-first serve basis, with a maximum of 14 to 15 campers at every camp.

The 210 acres of land that comprise the center has changed considerably since Ernie Ballard, the owner of the land that the center oversees, donated it to the public. The land at the center was all previously farmland but the old habitats have since been restored.

“In 13 years, from 2000 to 2013, it’s changed so much. There are so many new habitats and so many trails,” she said.

All of this would not have been possible without the help of volunteers.

“The whole community has made it what it is,” she said.

The goal of the camps, directed by Karan Greuel and Patty Gillespie, the only employees at the nature center, is to educate children about nature. The campers would walk on trails, play educational games

and take part in crafts.

The activities at the camps are also varied since many of “these children will come year after year after year,” Greuel said.

Though some campers are first-timers, there are others who have attended a camp since kindergarten.

In addition, the center hosts programs not just in the summer but during spring and autumn.

Each day the camp focuses on a different topic.

The topic on Tuesday, the first day, was mammals.

“We talked about the different animals and whether they were a carnivore, herbivore or an omnivore,” Greuel said.

On the same day, campers were given a picture of a mammal and had to match the picture to the respective animal’s fur and skull. The junior naturalists, as the fourth and fifth graders are called, completed the task with ease.

The topic on Wednesday was insects and Thursday’s was pollinators.

Aside from these summer camps, the center offers similar educational programs in the fall and spring.

In addition, the center “has a variety of family programs. We don’t want to just focus on kids,” Greuel said.

The best part of the camp for Greuel is knowing that she is giving children opportunities to explore nature.

“Just seeing the excitement when we find a turtle or bug and when they squeal. That makes it all worth it,” she said.

North Carolina couple attempts to sell stolen property online

By Michaela Rutledge Mother McAuley High School

A North Carolina man was recently arrested for stealing $9,200 worth of property from his employers, and trying to sell it online with no effort to cover his tracks.

Kirby Elkins, 27, and his girlfriend, Sarah Brody, 24, stole electrical equipment, a truck, and copper cable from Tate & Lyle in Mattoon. They then tried to sell $8,000 worth of the stolen items on eBay using Paypal accounts in Brody’s name.

Elkins has previously been charged with four larceny misdemeanors and seven other unrelated misdemeanors.

All of these charges are from North Carolina, both Brody’s and Elkins’ home state. North Carolina authorities still have three active warrants out for Elkins’ arrest.

Before his arrest Elkins had been employed by Tate & Lyle. When the company discovered $8,000 worth of

electrical equipment missing, Security Director Ed Smith told the Decatur Police Department that he believed Elkins was responsible. The burglary was reported to the DPD June 21.

Just three days after the initial burglary, Elkins returned to the plant and stole the truck and copper cable. He was arrested later that day, June 24, after the DPD found the missing truck abandoned near the CSX railroad tracks, and some of the copper cable hidden in a nearby ditch.

They found Elkins at a storage unit that was rented in both his and Brody’s name. The storage unit contained a large amount of the stolen copper cable, which was being stripped of its insulating sheathing.

Once in custody, Elkins admitted to police that Brody had helped him.

Brody told police she dropped him off at a liquor store near Tate & Lyle

about 3 a.m. June 24. She told police that she knew what his plan was, and that he was doing it to “get his last lick.”

The next day, June 25, Elkins admitted taking the missing electrical equipment from Tate & Lyle. Charges were added for the theft of those items after they were recovered from Elkins’ residence.

When interviewed, Brody told police although her name was used to set up the eBay and Paypal accounts, it was all Brody’s idea.

Brody did not attend her bond hearing because she said she felt ill.

Elkins is being held on $20,000 bond, and Brody is being held on $3,000 bond. Both are believed to be possible flight risks because of Elkins’ failure to appear in court in North Carolina, and because Illinois is not their home state.

By Erika Meza Eisenhower High School

Robert He is from one of the most vibrant areas in the country: Brooklyn, N.Y. But for two weeks this summer, he chose to escape the busy city life and take up temporary residence in the middle of the Midwest – Charleston, Ill. “Why not,” He said.

It’s all part of a plan: He is following his dream of becoming a journalist by attending a camp hosted by the Illinois Press Foundation at Eastern Illinois University. After enduring two flights alone and arriving on a Sunday in St. Louis, Mo., he eventually arrived in Charleston to join 16 other high school journalism protégés.

He has been in involved in his school’s biweekly newspaper since his freshman year. He is now a senior at Peter Stuyvesant High School in southern Manhattan. He continues to serve as a features editor for his school paper, The Spectator.

When choosing which department to join, He thought that features would be the best fit. “It’s the perfect breed of news and opinion,” he said.

“Features was the best of both worlds; you get the objectivity from news and the subjectivity from opinions.”

School and newspaper work have kept him busy between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. weekdays. He thinks his contributions, along with others, to the school newspaper have paid off. In March, The Spectator staff entered the Harvard Spring Journalism Conference and won an award for Journalistic Excellence.

“It felt really good getting recognition over the elite private schools,” He said.

Although many students have role models, He said he does not have an idol. “I don’t believe comparing myself to anybody else, I just focus on being the best I can be.”

Outside of school, He indulges in many of the interests other students have, including enjoying music and TV. His music tastes vary from One Republic to Taylor Swift. He also admits to having a soft spot for the British/ Irish boy band, One Direction.

Fun, Imagine Dragons, and even some alternative rock can be found in his iPod. Inspired by the movie Mean Girls, He mentions he would like to be the head “Plastic,” Regina George. This summer he plans to catch up with his favorite TV shoes including Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl, and Glee.

After senior year He hopes to attend college out of state to “see what the rest of the U.S is like.”

Illinois Reporter

Friday, June 28, 2013 • Page B7

Teen finds inspiration through others Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School senior looks up to father, teacher

By Michaela Daly Herscher High School

Melissa Svec finds it odd that she has a love for golf and public speaking.

A rising senior at Chicago’s Mother McAuley High School, Svec, 16, has had an eagle on the golf course and will also be editor of McAuley’s yearbook.

Despite the achievements, Svec is seemingly modest.

“I shot a eagle during a tryout and it was a big deal,” Svec said.

She’s equally modest about taking the helm of the yearbook and newspaper program, Inscape.

“Next year I’m going to be an editor of the program, specifically in charge of the yearbook,” Svec said.

“This past year was a big year for me because I got into the EIU journalism camp and a Balfour yearbook camp.”

Senior year will be a welcome transition for Svec, but her memories of the past year are still sweet.

“Junior year was hard, but it is my favorite because I found all my really good friends and I was surrounded by a lot of great people. The people really made it,” Svec said.

Svec’s knack for writing was developed in eighth grade by her English teacher, Mr. Daniel Gargano.

“He told me that I was good at public speaking and writing things.

It sounds selfish, but it was nice to be appreciated for something you are good at. He taught us how to love words,” Svec said.

Svec’s goals for the future are influenced in part by her role model-her dad. Her father, John, has taught her and her sisters the value of money and hard work, which is why she looks up to him.

“He wants me to do better than he

Photo by Sara Dust

Melissa Svec

has in life, so that I am able give my kids a good life and teach them the value of money too. I want to make my dad proud and exceed his expectations and I don’t want to be bored

with my job,” she said.

When Svec graduates high school, she hopes to combine interests to form a career. She aspires to be able to reach a big audience about being

kind to others through public speeches or writing. Svec is looking to major in Communications at Columbia College in Chicago or Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

“I hate the words ‘popular’ and ‘weird’,” Svec said. “I don’t understand the idea that a person can be physically better than another. Everyone is equal.”

Ballard Nature Center holds children summer camps

By Melissa Svec Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School

This summer at Ballard Nature Center, located in Altamont, directors Karan Greuel and Patty Gillespie are giving children the experience of nature camps without going far from home.

The three-day camps are scattered throughout the summer season and are divided into age groups – kindergarten and first grade, second and third grade, fourth and fifth grade and sixth and seventh.

Campers start the day at 9 a.m. and end at 12:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 25, the nature center welcomed 14 fourth- and fifth-graders.

Some of children have taken part in the summer camps since they were in kindergarten and some are just experiencing it for the first time.

The campers take part in crafts, educational games and walks on the trails.

“I think their favorite part is getting out on the trail and finding

tracks,” said Greuel.

Each day they cover a new topic, Tuesday was mammals, Wednesday was insects and Thursday is pollinators.

The educational camp gives children an opportunity to learn through the games they play.

They play “Freeze Tag,” but adapt it to mean the children are fossilized when caught. One of the kids gets to play the part of the paleontologist, who is able to come and save them.

On Tuesday, the campers were given a picture of a mammal and were asked to match the picture with the pelt.

The junior naturalists , the theme of this week’s camp , had no problem finding the correct mate.

Greuel likes that the camps get children outdoors, but they offer another aspect that she looks forward to.

She enjoys seeing their excitement when the kids are out on the trails and are discovering new things.

The camp is in its eleventh season, with plans to keep the camp going in the coming seasons. More camps are scheduled next month. For more information, visit ballardnaturecenter. org or call 618-483-6856

Photo by Alexa Rogals

Brianna Springman, 9, of Vandalia looks at different animal fur Tuesday during Summer Nature study camps at Ballard Nature Center. This specififc camp is called Junior Naturalists for fourth and fifth graders. The next Junior Naturalists camp will be held July 9-11.

#IPFcamp

Page B8 • Friday, June 28, 2013 Illinois Reporter

All IPF campers were asked to “tweet” about their experiences while they were on their internship, out reporting or spending time with other campers.

Michaela Rutledge @michaelaneilan Just won a hardcore dance battle at journalism camp #startedfromthebottom#nowwerehere#IPFcamp Sara Dust @SaraDust Isolate yourself and just roll solo. #IPFCamp Pierre McCauley @PacxBoy Operation: BE SMOOTH part 1 is a success#ipfcamp Joe Gisondi @GizoJournalism Great job HS journalists on reporting, shooting pics, and posting your first stories.#ipfcamp Kevin McLerkin @Kevo_Retro #ipfcamp new building coming to EIU approved yesterday by president perry Melissa Svec @MelissaSvec Eduardo, Albert and Pierre meet with #IPFcamp Girl’s State holds several leader re Eastern Illinois University President Bill action courses in the quad outside of Thomas Perry for an interview.

Hall.

Allison Petty @allison0512 It was a pleasure having you, @AlbertHAwesome @journeylisem @michaelaneilan. Good luck and stay in touch! #IPFcamp Kaylee Georgeoff @KayleeGeorgeoff no desire to sleep. Going to die tomorrow. #seri ouslyaprob #ipfcamp Emily Scott @journeylisem @michaelaneilan petting a Galapagos tortoise at the Scovill Zoo!