Master Naturalists volunteer training to be held this spring

Shaw Local News Network

SYCAMORE – The University of Illinois Extensions Boone and DeKalb County Master Naturalists are accepting applications for spring volunteer training.

The training will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays, March 20 through May 22, at the Russell Woods Forest Preserve Natural Resource Education Center, 11750 IL Route 72, Genoa, and

• ‘NEWSIES’

Continued from page 6

“If you’re not nervous you’re not doing something right,” Barngrove said. “I’m definitely nervous but it’s more anticipation nerves instead of like ‘Oh my gosh, it’s going to fall apart,’ it’s not going to fall apart. It’s going really well and I’m really excited for it.” Goldstein, Caddee, the Massey siblings and Barngrove, along with 21 other northern Illinois youth rehearsed in a second floor room of Somonauk Baptist Church on Jan. 26, at the Boone County Conservation District, 603 N. Appleton Road, Belvidere, according to a news release.

The training includes 32 hours of classroom instruction and eight hours of field work introducing basic principles of the natural world and practical techniques for teaching and managing natural areas. The training also will cover environmental topics and issues including ecology, botany, soil health, archaeology, urban environments, a space Graham said the church has set aside for the group.

“Somonauk Baptist Church was fantastic in giving me a room to do it in,” Graham said. “I mean it’s just amazing that we have this space that we can rehearse in.”

The support from the church has allowed Graham to grow an idea she had four years ago while considering the opportunities afforded to kids living in different areas of DeKalb County – particularly the far southern areas from where she hails.

“I drove my daughter to DeKalb to do shows for years – she’s 19 now and birds, fish, reptiles, mammals and more. There also will be two Saturday morning field outings.

The Master Naturalist volunteers help provide science-based educational outreach and assist local partners such as nature preserves or wildlife rehabilitation facilities. Volunteers can work to complete 60 hours of service over two years with local partner organizations after completing training. Educational and outreach opportunities aged out of our program – but I realized that not everyone’s parents can do that,” Graham said. “My daughter was an only child so it made it easier to do that kind of thing than what a lot of kids experience. And so I wanted to make sure the kids of this part of the county had as many opportunities.”

The CCT cast includes Jackson Heilemeier as Jack Kelly, Isaac Ortega as Joseph Pulitzer, Daniel Maller as Mr. Wiesel, Hailey Barngrover as Katherine, Kat Bowman as Medda Larkin and Payton Penman as Theodore Roosevelt.

Evan Terry, Gio and Natasha Bian- include speaking to youth groups, coordinating invasive species removals, or monitoring wildlife species. chi, Elijah Botts, Charlotte Wheatley, Brendan and Kiersten Massey, Matthew Brockway, Deacon Haggard, Hannah Barngrover, Cadee Goldstein, Paige Penman, Grace Anderson, Payton DeWitt, Sophia Bode, Isabella Vancil, Brynn Butler, Ezra Ortega, Griffin O’Neil and Camilla Urbanski round out the cast.

Applications are due Wednesday, March 1. The program fee is $250 to cover training, materials and field trips.

Acceptance into the program requires a background check and an informal interview.

For information, email cahandel@ illinois.edu or hodg@illinois.edu, or call 815-758-8194 or 815-544-3710.

Tickets for the show cost $15 for adults and $6 for ages 12 and younger. To buy tickets, visit egyptiantheatre. org or call the Egyptian Theatre box office at 815-758-1225.

For more information about CCT, visit cctonstage.com.