SVM_Pride Magazine_2022-2023

The focus of the last couple of years at Amboy High School has been the idea of being College and Career Ready. We’re doing this by implementing a course all freshmen students are enrolled in that focuses on skills ranging from note taking, test taking, and answering the basic high school questions, to working through Xello and deter mining possible career pathways each student could enjoy. The class continues with working through a 4-year course plan and the discus sions of all the options we have available to students as they progress through high school to become ready to become productive members of our society.

Throughout high school, students have the opportunity to at tend Sauk Valley Community College to get some general education credits out of the way for all or part of their day. They can attend Whiteside Area Career Center to be trained in one of 17 different occupational areas. Students also have the opportunity to complete internships at area businesses in any career choice they desire.

Valentin Vazquez works at Allied Locke as part of Amboy High’s internship program.

On top of this, Amboy High school was able to grant three Illinois College and Career Path ways Endorsements in the area of Human and Public Service (educa tion) and we are looking at adding endorsements in the areas of Man ufacturing and Agriculture soon. Students in our Pathways Program are able to spend over 60 hours ob serving or working in their field of interest; they also need to partic ipate in two team activities where they find a problem and work toward a solution, along with other requirements of the program.

Last year, three of our students created a Literacy Night for Cen tral school students and their par ents. It was a great experience for the students in elementary school and high school alike.

In September, Amboy High School hosted a College and Ca reer Fair that brought in over 50 colleges and businesses to share their knowledge with our stu dents in grades 5-12. Vendors gave 20-minute presentations about their organization and shared employability skills and tips with our students. We are looking for ward to expanding the event in the future. n

Amboy High School’s College and Career Fair.

Madison O’Malley and Alexa Morris take part in Health Occupations training at WACC.

Olivia Miller, Ian Eller and Olivia Dinges hosted Literacy Night.

Here at Ashton-Franklin Center Jr./Sr. High School, we take our duties seriously as Na tional Honor Society members. Our club’s latest service project includes helping ele mentary students get on their proper school buses in the early mornings. As a team, the four officers in our club alternate which day we are willing to lend a helping hand. When an officer’s shift is scheduled, we get up an hour earlier than usual and make our way to the high school. When we arrive, we greet the children as they are dropped off and lead them into the lobby and/or cafeteria. Once there, we interact with the kids and get to know them. It is always a good time entertaining the young students as they wait for their bus. Once the bus arrives, we line them up in a single file line and lead them to the vehicle. We say goodbye to the kids with a simple fist bump as they board their bus with motivation and cheerfulness!

The AFC Tabletop Gaming Club is in its second year and meets weekly on Fri days after school. They get together for an hour and a half to play various table top games such as Dun geons & Dragons, Explod ing Kittens, trivia and card games, and Monopoly. The games rotate weekly, with snacks and background music. AFC Tabletop Gaming Club is open to students in grades 7-12.

The Bureau Valley High School junior and senior band members have the wonderful opportunity of performing at Symphony Center (right), home of the Chicago Sym phony Orchestra, on Friday, December 23, 2022. Every year, the Symphony Center invites small ensembles from area high schools to entertain Symphony Center patrons before and at intermission of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s “Merry, Merry Chicago!” performances. The Bureau Valley High School junior and senior high band members are very excited for this opportunity. Students are busily preparing the follow ing pieces of repertoire: “It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas,” “White Christ mas,” and “Silver Bells,” along with a few other popular hol iday pieces. We are looking forward to the large holiday crowd enjoying our perfor mances of holiday favorites in a beautiful setting!

Scott and Dawn Harrielle had the sand volleyball courts built after their daugh ter, a Milledgeville High School student, tragically died in a car accident a few days before her senior year in 2016.

Carley Ann Harrielle was passionate about life, especially volleyball, and her parents want to keep her memory alive, and by having these courts built they are doing just that. The courts are used by students in the community during the summer months to get together and hang out with each other while also doing something fun. There is also an annual Carley Ann Classic sand volleyball tournament held each year.

Scott and Dawn also give many scholar ships to Milledgeville High School seniors in Carley’s memory, including the Carley Harrielle Lady Missile Volleyball Most Val uable Teammate Award/Scholarship, and the Carley Ann Harrielle Memorial Schol arship, which goes to a senior displaying kindness and good character, just like Carley always did. n

The Chadwick-Milledgeville High School Drama Club ex ecuted another successful musical in the spring of 2022. Un der the direction of Talisa Pauley and Susie Black, the Thea tre Department wowed audiences with a production of “The Wizard of Oz.” Leading the actors were four long-time senior members: Ali Mertz (Dorothy), Ethan Bradley (Scarecrow), Izaac Toms-Smith (Tin Man), and Blake Schurman (Lion). They were joined in their journey to meet the Wizard of Oz (Hunter Gallentine) by many colorful characters, including the cheerful munchkins, pestering crows, apple-throwing

trees, and emerald-loving Ozians. They defeated the Wicked Witch of the West (Isabella Peña) with help from Glinda, the Good Witch of the North (Lily Smith), and helped Dorothy realize that there really is “no place like home.”

The Drama Club has been directed by Black and Pauley since 2016, sharing the talents of many high school thespi ans in musicals such as “Into the Woods,” “Pirates of Pen zance,” and “Camp Rock.” Their 2023 fall production will be “The Little Mermaid Jr.”, followed by “Peter Pan” in the spring of 2023. n

Erin Rogers, director of choral activities for Dixon High School, runs her group through voice work during class April 14. “We do so much more than teach music,” she said. “We teach time management, emotional intelligence, discipline, self-efficacy, and more. We create safe spaces and communities that turn into lifelong friendships.”

Dixon High School senior Kelsey Wool ard serves up a strawberry lemonade April 28 at her Whiteside Area Career Center CEO trade show booth. Wool ard cut her teeth on the refreshment biz at her shop, Lady Lemonade.

Clarice Williar waves to friends after getting her diploma May 29 during Dix on High School’s graduation ceremony.

Tanya, Donna and Rosie — played by DHS students Leslie Pet torini, Jenna Cibu and Abby Tate, respectively — rehearse a scene from “Mamma Mia” on April 27.

It was a pile-up of Dixon High School juniors and seniors at the finish line of the Big Wheel race on Sept. 30, during the homecoming pep rally.

ALEX T. PASCHAL/ APASCHAL@SHAWME DIA.COM

Dixon’s Elle Jarrett fires a pitch during a game against Sycamore on May 12 at Sycamore High School.

MARK BUSCH@MBUSCH@ SHAWMEDIA.COM

ALEX T. PASCHAL/APASCHAL@SHAWMEDIA.COM

Mike Grady, Petunia Festival parade grand mar shal and former Dixon High School principal, gets ready to sling some candy at eager kids July 3, during the parade. Dixon and Lasalle-Peru went head to head July 21 in 7-on-7 football drills at Sterling High School.

The Eastland High School band and choir students finally went on their long anticipated Florida trip in June of 2022! The Eastland Music Department has been planning this trip since 2020 and originally were scheduled to go in June 2021. While in Orlando, the band and choir students participated in the Disney Imagination Campus, where they rehearsed with Disney direc tors and recorded music from Disney movies (the band’s was “Mulan,” and the choir’s was “Tangled”). The band students per formed during a parade through Universal Studio streets and the choir performed a short concert on the City Walk at Universal Studios. When the students were not performing, they experi enced Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and both Universal Studio theme parks. The Eastland Music Department is eagerly awaiting the announcement of their 2024 trip!

Several years ago, a powerlifting team was established at Eastland Jr./Sr. High School. Powerlifting is a strength sport in which athletes compete in the squat, the bench press, and the deadlift. Athletes have three attempts at each lift and each attempt is evaluated by three judges. Two of the three judg es have to give their approval for a lift to pass. The heaviest successful squat, bench press, and deadlift is then added together to create the lifter’s total. Powerlifters compete in divisions based on age, gender, and weight class.

This year, two eighth-graders, Phin Mullen and Greyson Zumdahl, com peted in powerlifting and did well.

At the USAPL (United States Powerlifting) Raw Novice Open in Septem ber, hosted by B&W Gym on Chicago’s North side, Phin totalled 317.5 kg (700 lbs). This included a 107.5 kg (237 lbs) squat, a 65kg (143 lbs) bench press, and a 145 kg (319 lbs) deadlift. These results are all Illinois records for Phin’s weight class and division.

At the same meet, Greyson totalled 272.5 kg (600 lbs). This included a 92.5 kg (204lbs) squat, a 57.5 kg (127lbs) bench press, and a 122.5 kg (270lbs) deadlift. Like Phin, these results are also all Illinois records for Greyson’s weight class and division.

The boys are hoping to be able to next lift in a meet this December. n

Over the past few years, the Eastland district has invested heavily in technology to improve athletic performance in the weight room. Two years ago, a Freelap timing system was purchased. This is a FAT (Fully Automatic Timing) system in which students wear a small Bluetooth transmitter that accurately records sprint times. The Freelap system has the capability to record sprint speeds in MPH, which is a great motivator for students.

We have also implement ed GymAware Velocity Based Training (VBT) equipment in our Conditioning and Fit ness classes. This technolo gy allows students to adjust the weight on the barbell based on bar speed. The system utilizes a Bluetooth sensor placed on the end of the barbell and transmits the bar speed to an iPad. The instructor can give students a velocity range and this will determine the weight on the bar. As long as students are moving the bar at the required speed, they can continue to add weight to the bar. Once the speed of the bar slows down below the velocity cut-off, that is a signal to the student that there is too much weight on the bar. This technology has been a valuable addition to the Conditioning and Fitness classes here at Eastland High School, and we look forward to using them even more in the future. n

Coach Dertz with Phin and Greyson

Student accomplishments are recognized on Eastland High School’s Leader Board.

Last year, Eastland’s National Honor Socie ty promoted a school-wide Bingo game to help raise supplies for Miss Carly’s, a char ity organization that helps provide necessi ties and food to the homeless in Rockford. Miss Carly’s also helps provides immediate access to drug treatments in the area. NHS raised enough for two carloads of items, including toiletries, suitcases, perishable foods, winter coats, hats and gloves, and money. NHS members then spent a day volunteering at Miss Carly’s, where they packaged meals and sorted supplies.

Faith Christian School was thrilled to finally pave our parking lot this summer (top left). We also expanded the park ing lot to allow for more gravel park ing, which will eventually be blacktop. Not only is the parking lot cleaner and smoother, we now have additional park ing to allow for more families to attend school at FCS. We’ve been growing steadi ly over the last several years and this year we have over 200 students!

Along with new changes, some are brought back from previous years. We were thrilled to announce the return of our Home Economics class (bottom left), taught by Mrs. Kim Hauck. Life skills (and delicious recipes) are learned in her class every day! We’re also excited to once again have our Theatre class and are look ing forward to a spring musical in May.

FAITH

CHRISTIAN cont’d to page 19

An exciting event this year was when our Boys Soccer team played the Dixon Dukes (photo above). Normally, we don’t ever play any public school teams, but our amazing coaches and athletic director coordi nated this game for us! The Falcons won the game and continued to win throughout the rest of the season; they ended with yet another ACSI championship win! The season record was an undefeated 18-0.

Our year is always event-filled, with students already taking trips to Ag Awareness Day at the Ogle Coun ty Fairgrounds, Nachusa Grasslands, and even the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter (photo at left) in Kentucky! A big trip that high school students have the option to take this year is a week-long visit to Washing ton D.C. with our government teacher Mrs. German.

Last year, Pastor Phil Arellano joined the staff here at FCS and currently leads a Chapel service every Friday. Students are able to be involved in leading worship through their musical and vocal abilities, but they also get to learn the technological side. Our 5th12th student body is able to worship and grow togeth er, a shining example of the environment we foster at Faith Christian School. n

FAITH CHRISTIAN cont’d from page 18

Forreston Junior-Senior High School students and staff were welcomed back to school in August with an unveiling of remodeled classrooms. Junior high classrooms, along with the Chorus and Band rooms, received a full makeover with the installation of new windows, HVAC systems, lighting, paint, cabi nets, and desks. Students, parents, and community members were invited to an open house to tour the new classrooms before the first day of school.

Along with the remodeled class rooms, many classrooms and the cafete ria were returned to pre-pandemic sta tus. Students and staff were excited for this return to “normal,” as the last two school years presented many challenges.

This school year, an additional Project Lead The Way (PLTW) course — Engi neering Design and Development — was introduced to senior students as their capstone course. Students identify a real-world challenge to research, design, and test a solution. In culmination, the students present their project to a panel of engineers.

Two new Advanced Placement (AP) courses are also being offered this school year: AP US History and AP Chemistry. Staff completed the necessary training for the courses over the summer and are excited to share new material with the students.

Junior high class room renovations included new car pet, paint, light ing, and desks.

Band room renovations included new carpet, windows, ceiling, and lighting.

At left and below: PLTW students work on a car that runs on hydro gen fuel cells and competed for endurance.

Left: PLTW students work on a claw robot project that serves as a remote controlled lunar rover device.

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Forreston High School students continue to participate in the TAP (Technical Advanced Placement) program, which is designed to intro duce students to careers in the field of education. This year students have the opportunity to earn dual credit through Highland Commu nity College by taking an “Introduc tion to Special Education” course. Students will also spend time throughout the school year observ ing teachers in the classroom and working hands-on with students. As seniors, students have the opportu nity to earn an Education Pathway endorsement upon completion of a portfolio of their learning. Resourc es from ROE #47 and the Education al Pathways Program have made this opportunity possible.

Forreston Junior-Senior High School’s extracurricular programs saw a lot of success and changes this summer. The softball team finished in third place in the IHSA State Series in June, advancing further than any other softball team has in Forres ton history. The team finished with a 23-5 record and will return 7 of 9 starters this up coming spring season.

The band and cho rus rooms saw a beauti ful renovation, creating one of the greatest spaces to continue the school’s long tradition of success. As long-time hosts of the IHSA Organization al Contest, this will increase space and allow for even greater hospitality for those schools that are joining us this upcoming April.

Forreston takes pride in its students’ connection to the school, and currently have just under 80% of their student body involved in an extracurricular activity of some kind. n

FORRESTON

Fifth-graders get a lesson on combination locks, courtesy of TAP students.

The girls softball team finished in third place in the IHSA State Series, advancing further than any other softball team has in Forreston history

Beginning the school year with a little more normalcy, the B.L.I.N.D. program (Building Lasting Impressions that Never Die) at Ful ton High School has been off and running. The end of summer was actually the kickoff to the school year as all the leaders attended a two-day leadership training session in the Sterling/Rock Falls area. Leaders participated in community service and were trained in various team building, suicide awareness, and mental health activities.

and

The

October

summer training prepared the students to lead a five-school freshman retreat September 22. It was a beautiful and impactful day at Westwood as students from diverse backgrounds came together to learn that they are more the same than they are different.

was Bullying Awareness Month, and Fulton High School welcomed Mike Donahue to the area

participated in an assembly called Value Up. Also present was Dr. Allen, who spoke to the students about humanity. We also had a few different dress-up weeks, and participated in our annual Halloween Costume contest. The year is off to a great start with much more in store for all of our students!!

Throughout the school year, leaders will be working with freshmen as mentors. Every month they will work together in small groups engaged in various activities. In October, students got together and decorated pumpkins.

September was Suicide Awareness Month. A few of our B.L.I.N.D. leaders volunteered their time at the Breaking the Silence Suicide Awareness Walk in Clinton, Iowa. The lead ers helped with various tasks throughout the day.

For over 25 years, Morrison High School Key Club’s largest and most anticipated service activity has been hosting annual blood drives. For the past 15 years, the organization has host ed two blood drives annually: the spring drive, which takes place at Morrison High School, and the summer drive, which normally takes place at Emmanuel Church in Morrison.

Key Club, MHS’s longest-running service organization, utilizes student volunteers to organize and host the drive for ImpactLife, formerly Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center, of the Quad Cities. Students recruit donors, help or ganize supplies, and plan for the drive. On the day of the drive, student volunteers help check in donors, provide donor support, and hand out post-donation snacks.

MHS Key Club has smashed their donation goals with both of their last blood drives. The spring drive, held at MHS on March 23, 2022, began with a goal of 22 units of blood, but ended with 29 total units being collected. The summer drive, held at Emmanuel Church in Morrison on July 20, 2022, had a goal of 14 collected units. This goal was almost doubled, with a total of 24 units collected. Although the main draw for these events is community service, student volunteers and donors are also drawn to helping at the drives for the opportunity to receive the Gallon Grad award upon graduation. There are numerous ways that students can earn this award, including, but not limited to, organizing and hosting a drive themselves, donating a gallon of blood total throughout their high school career, or volunteering enough hours at blood drives.

MHS Key Club is looking forward to this year’s spring drive, which will be held in March of 2023. n

The Morrison High School Key Club, working in partnership with the Morrison Kiwanis Club, concluded a successful season of Sandwich Sales on Oct. 1. Typically held on a parcel of land ad jacent to the intersection of Route 30 and Route 78/Cherry Street in Morrison, the eight Sandwich Sales between May and October 2022 — staffed by a combination of Kiwanis Club members and Morrison High School Key Club members — featured ribeye sand wiches, pork chops, hot dogs, brats, snacks, and soft drinks.

Morrison Kiwanis Club President Steve Davis and other Kiwan is members managed the grill, and Key Club members and other Morrison High School student volunteers prepared the sandwich es during each Sandwich Sale.

Proceeds from the Sandwich Sales benefit the Morrison Kiwan is Club’s projects, including financial support for April House, two scholarships for graduating Morrison High School students each

year, therapeutic horse riding through WHOA, Morrison Day Care, Morrison Little League Baseball and Softball, Morrison Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the United Way LIFE program, Odell Library, the Morrison High School Key Club, the Morrison Historical Society, and the Morrison Food Pantry.

Key Club wishes to thank Morrison High School’s varsity and fresh/soph football players, supervised and mentored by Coach Steve Snider, for their outstanding volunteer work during the Sandwich Sales throughout the summer and during the fall 2022 semester.

Key Club also wishes to thank the hundreds of Morrison residents and visitors who purchased items during the Sandwich Sales this year. Without their support, the Morrison Kiwanis Club’s financial support for organizations and programs that benefit youth would not be possible. n

Training Director Curt Determan from the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council Apprentice & Training Pro gram (Quad Cities Campus) shared information about careers in the build ing trades. The scale model of a woodframe house drew students to the table during the event.

Morrison High School hosted its fourth annual College and Career Fair on Oct. 19, an event that provides links to careers in Whiteside County and beyond.

Students visited with reps from 10 colleges, the Illinois Student Assis tance Commission (ISAC), three branches of the armed forces, and learned about career opportunities during the College and Career Fair.

MHS Class of 2022 alumnus and active-duty soldier Owen Hayenga and U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Steven Brown discussed career opportu nities in the U.S. Army. Pictured at left is MHS science teacher Kerry Grim.

Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 25 reps Ben Carpenter (center) and Chuck McKnight (right) fielded questions from MHS staff and students.

Newman Central Catholic High School is an extension of the teaching Mission of Christ and His Church. Newman provides its students with an education in the Catholic faith and offers a secular education within the context of that faith. Within the academic curriculum, there is an emphasis on oral and written communication in math, science, social studies and humanities. Newman strives to develop stu dents spiritually, intellectually, emotionally and physically. This is facilitated in an environment of faith and Christian service in the Church and society. For more information, or if you would like to register for a tour, please contact Gehrig Koerner at gkoerner@newmancchs.org.

“In Jesus’ name, we pray, teach, learn and serve.”

Sauk Valley Media is proud to bring you local stories about the people you know and the places you go in our line of Living magazines. Published throughout the year and mailed directly to residents, our Living magazines feature the faces and places that make up the landscape of the Sauk Valley — friends and neighbors, businesses and industries, hometown history, and more.

CHECK

OUT OUR

OTHER MAGAZINES, TOO

We make it our business to talk about your business, in the Sauk Valley Business Journal. Look into our Kaleidoscope and see stories that focus on the 50 and over crowd. Our Ag Mag takes a look at what’s going on — and growing on — in the local farm community We cover the Lake Lifestyle in the Lake Carroll community

There were numerous outstanding athletic highlights at Ore gon High School during the 2021-22 school year. They include:

• Senior track athlete Jenae Bothe became the third ever female state champion from Oregon High School by winning the IHSA Class 1A Shot Put title at the state track and field finals in June. Jenae’s winning throw was 43 feet, 2 ½ inches. This was Oregon’s second consecutive state champion in the shot put; Brenna Noon won the event in 2021.

• Senior track athlete Daniel Dominguez took home the 10th place medal in the discus at the boys IHSA Class 1A State Finals with a throw of 146 feet, 8 inches.

• The Oregon High School softball team captured its second

consecutive IHSA Class 2A Regional Championship on its way to an outstanding 25-10 overall record.

• The following OH students qualified for the IHSA State Finals: Girls golf – Ava Hackman Girls cross Country – Ella Dannhorn Girls swimming – Emily Marshall Boys bowling – Isaac Kaltenbrun Boys wrestling – Lane Halverson, Seth Stevens Girls wrestling – Elizabeth Ruter Girls bowling – Ava Wight Girls track – Jenae Bothe, Sonya Plescia, Sophie Stender Boys track – Daniel Dominguez, Kenrick Oriyavong n

HONORS

1st Seth Stevens............................................... 1st Gabe Eckerd 1st Evan Flaharty 1st Preston LeBay 2nd Anthony Bauer 2nd Ethan George

AC BOWLING Ryan Fox AC BOYS TRACK Daniel Dominguez 2nd Kenrick Oriyavong HM Evan James HM GIRLS TRACK Jenae Bothe 1st Sophie Stender 1st Ava Wight 2nd Sonya Plescia HM Rylie Robertson...................................... HM

SOFTBALL

Liz Mois 1st Mia Trampel 1st Reilee Suter 1st Bella Koertner 2nd Lena Trampel 2nd

Ella Dannhorn HM Jesse Suter HM GIRLS SOCCER

Alyssa Mowry 1st Sophie Stender 1st Gracie Prose............................................. 2nd Teagan Champley

HM Hadley Lutz

It was GREAT to return to a more traditional form of school in 2021-22! We are happy that we started the year on time, had all sporting events, Homecoming and Prom, and ended the year celebrating our amazing senior class.

The Class of 2021 contributed in many ways to our school community. As a class, they contributed 7,275 hours of community service. Just under two dozen seniors— 23 in all — donated over 50 pints of blood. They’ve also planned community events and won numerous com petitions, both athletically and in the arts. As a class there were 55 students with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher; 12 of these stu dents have a GPA of 4.0 or higher. Students who have earned the silver service award for over 400 hours of community service are: Abby Duke, Faith Marquardt, Taylar Rufer, Avery Sellers and Megan Thompson. Some students have earned the great honor of Oregon High School Premier Scholar. They’re students who’ve participated in at least two sports, clubs or activities per year or a total of 8 seasons; demonstrated community involvement by doing at

least 60 hours of community service; earned a GPA of 3.0 or higher or improved their GPA by 1 point between the end of their freshman year and the end of first semester of their sen ior year; are good citizens with no major disciplinary infrac tions; completed at least one AP or dual credit class and met or exceeded in both areas of the SAT. Premier Scholars are Jenae Bothe, Isaac Brooks, Daniel Dominguez, Faith Marquardt, Abigayle Miller, Aubrey Point, Jesse Suter, Megan Thompson, Lindsie Van Dyck, Miguel Vazquez-Barragan and Abigail Virgil.

The senior class was integral in the creation of a new club, Leaders for Change. The club worked diligently on a “See some thing, Say something” campaign and to bring awareness about various topics. They also organized a “Spread Kindness” campaign.

We had five members of our choir selected to go perform for the Illinois All-State Chorus: Jennica Ciesel, Ellen Hodson, Sophie Stender, Miguel Vazquez, and Olivia Wynn.

We are so proud of the successes of our Oregon Hawks!!! n

Jennica Ciesel, Sophie Stender, Miguel Vasquez, Ellen Hodges, and Olivia Wynn at their All-State sendoff.

The Polo Ag Department and FFA have been bustling with activity throughout the year!

We have been blessed by the district, our FFA alumni, and the Polo community as a whole with an immense amount of support for our growing program and all of the activities and opportuni ties that we are able to provide for our students. A plasma table was a welcome addition to our shop and it has been neat to see what the students have been able to create (an example can be seen in the photos on this page, of the metal FFA greenhouse sign). Our greenhouse continues to be a success and the Horticulture class is definitely one of our more popular classes for students to take here at PCHS.

Our Greenhouse Sale this year was in May. Our aquaponics system was in full operation this year, with the last of the tilapia being harvested during the last week of April. The FFA Plot has been an excellent way to show students more about production agriculture as they conduct yield checks on the 36 different corn varieties that were graciously donated to our pro gram from area seed corn dealers including Agrigold, Cornelius,

Pioneer, LG, Dekalb, and Channel to name a few.

The students have also been managing our raised garden beds, also known as Raising Our Roots, and were able to finish the restoration of our Farmall H, which was then raffled off. The proceeds from that tractor will be applied to the cost of restoring the next tractor project.

We have also added new classes for next school year, which will allow us to provide students with more hands-on experience and skills that they will be able to apply to their everyday lives, including Introduction to Ag Mechanics, Electricity, Metal Fabrication, Ag Precision Technology, Ag Engineering, and Floral and Landscape Design.

These are all just a few of the opportu nities that we are able to offer our students here at PCHS, and as you can see they keep us busy! We want to sincerely thank every one for their support of our program! I believe the saying is that it takes a community to raise a child, and I believe that we are blessed with some of the best here at Polo!

— Mrs. Stephanie Schultz and Mr. Alec Wetzell

E-Sports

Prophetstown and Erie co-op formed an E-Sports team coached by Kyle Schip per, with 10 students involved. Their sea son runs fall to spring, with competitive tournaments in the games of Fortnite, Rocket League, Overwatch 2, and Super Smash Brothers. Students and coaches meet to practice games together, with practices and many tournaments being held online. While many stu dents have an interest in gaming, involved students feel that being a part of the school team keeps stu dents from being bored, playing at home alone, and

allows students to be a part of a team that supports and cares for them. Because the season runs in tour naments of different games, the key players change by season. For example, the students competing for the team during Rocket League may not be the same who try out for Fortnite. Students try out for the season tournaments and then compete against other schools. Sophomore Tommy Addington said that being a part of the team allowed him to stay involved last year when a basketball injury prevented him participating in other sports. You may never witness an e-sports match, but it’s an important part of the school experience for our participants. n

Credit Cards Digital Banking

Prophetstown High School has a proud history of athletic involvement, and our community publicly supports our teams in our gyms and on our fields. However, we are also proud of our less visible competitive teams and the strong involvement of our students and coaches. These teams provide a space for students with diverse interests, yet the public might not ever see them compete ...

Scholastic Bowl

The EP Scholastic Bowl team is coached by teacher Emily Higgins, who’s been coaching middle quiz bowl for four years and high school Scholastic Bowl for four years. Mrs. Higgins got involved at the high school level to help middle school quiz bowl students transition to the high school level and keep up involvement numbers. Scholastic Bowl allows students to explore areas of interest and become key players in those are as. This year, the team has 15 returning students and nine new members. Mrs. Higgins loves see ing students grow from middle school through high school, and their excitement when they beat a competitive team. Her favorite part, however, is the camaraderie they develop as they decompress after a meet, reflecting on what they did well and what they can do better next time. In her words: “Everybody needs a place, somewhere to connect. This gives many students that place, where they can be proud of their talents.” Senior James Smith said the team develops social and communication skills for members. The team’s goal is to advance to the Illinois Masonic State Tournament this year, and based on their performance last year, they have a great shot! n

Trap Shooting

While not official ly a school team, our students are involved in a school-affili ated club for trap shoot ing. This co-ed team has both fall and spring seasons. The fall season is smaller, with 17 par ticipants coached by community members Mike and Daryl Drennan. The spring season has approximately 40 students and is coached by community members Dave and Barney Olinger. Students practice and compete at the Sportsmen’s Clubs in Morrison and Coleta, competing against other schools in the conference. The season culminates in a state series and our club has a history of advancing students to the Nationals level in Michigan. Peyton Simpson, senior member of the team, said he appreciates the involvement because, “it’s a sport you can do forever with your friends, even when you’re old.” In fact, many of our students feel a benefit of the team is that they work with community members of all ages who are willing to share their wisdom with the students. Senior Hunter Harms agrees: “The shooting club is filled with people into their 80s, and they’re really funny.” n

Bass Fishing

Bass Fishing has been a school sport for two years, coached by teacher John Widener. Their season runs in the spring, with the state tournament held at Carlyle Lake in Carlyle, Illinois. Our students typically fish in the sectionals tournament each year, although they’d love to make it to the state tournament. Like with trap shooting, the students feel that they learn a sense of teamwork from their involvement. They also recognize that they get to learn from other peo ple who are willing to pass their skills on to our students. While our students typically practice locally, they also enjoy being involved because they get the opportunity to fish in places on the river they can’t normally see. Coach Widener’s involvement in coaching the sport extends back several years before the PHS team came to fruition, as he recognized bass fishing as a lifelong sport that appeals to students beyond those who participate in the typical ball sports and wanted to share his passion for the sport. He approached the school to start a team, and with Athletic Director Derick Cox’s support, it came to fruition. Sophomore Luke Purchase, who is also a member of the trap shooting club, says that both teams teach patience and involve year-round preparation. n

Rochelle Township High School Honors Night recognized students for academic achievement. On May 2, more than $155,000 in local scholarships were presented to members of The RTHS Class of 2022. More than $2.24 million in institutional awards were also presented. RTHS Alumni Associ ation scholarships recipients pictured above are, front row: Josue Huerta, Michelle Ocampo, Yoana Fulgencio, Taylor Ponto, Carly Summers, Luci ana Monroy, Schuyler Podolski, Julia Berry, Riley Flanagan, and Margaux Da Costa. Middle row: Miguel Cruz, Jonathan Hansen, Alex Gilbert, Ella McKinney, Cecilia Vargas, Madison Ost, Cinthia Pacheco, Marlen Hueramo, Ashley Knight, Jordin Dickey, and Josie Lundquist. Back row: Logan Popp, Jack Richolson, Peter Fosberg, Bryce Whitehead, Ryan Simmons, Luke Orlikowski, Devansh Patel, and Abby Luxton.

RTHS students earned the following honors and awards ...

PRESIDENT’S EDUCATION AWARDS: Braeden Alfano, Julia Berry, Miguel Cruz, William Drobick, Riley Flanagan, Peter Fors berg, Adam Kemp, Jaela Ludwick, Josie Lundquist, Abigail Luxton, Ella McKinney, McKenna Montes, Madison Ost, Devansh Patel, Taylor Ponto, Ryan Simmons, Carly Summers, and Jason Zheng.

ILLINOIS STATE SCHOLARS: Braeden Alfano, Julia Berry, Nate Burdin, Miguel Cruz, Riley Flanagan, Peter Forsberg, Marlen Huer amo, Tanner Lager, Josh Lloyd, Josie Lundquist, Abigail Luxton, Ella McKinney, Madison Ost, Devansh Patel, Taylor Ponto, Rylen Ramos, Ryan Sim mons, and Jason Zheng.

Miguel Cruz (pictured at top) and Peter Forsberg (pictured below) qualified as Commended Students in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program. Miguel and Peter are designated as scholastically talented, placing them among the top 50,000 students who entered the com petition. Miguel is enrolled at Univer sity of Chicago. Peter is enrolled at the College of William and Mary.

PRINCIPAL’S LEADERSHIP AWARD: Zach Sanford

SAR GOOD CITIZEN: Miguel Cruz

DAR GOOD CITIZEN: Marlen Hueramo

ICTM STUDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD: Miguel Cruz ISTA STUDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD: Devansh Patel

NATIONAL TECHNICAL HONORS SOCIETY: Matthew Dewey, Landon DeLille, Rivers Estock, Kian Hill, Josue Huerta, Jaime Martinez, Michelle Ocampo, Luke Orlikowski, Yuelma Ortiz, Caleb Ritter, Leslie Rodri guez, Morgan Smardo, Abigail Tarvestad, Cecilia Vargas

19 STUDENTS EARN SILVER CORDS : The Silver Service Program honors those students who volunteer their time in service-based ways. Students who volunteered more than 250 hours include: Willow Ames, Emily Garcia, Madison Ost, Julia Berry, Sergio Guevara, Devansh Patel, Miguel Cruz, Liberty Hayes, Schuyler Podolski, Margaux DaCosta, Shepard Hayes, Joshua Lloyd, Riley Flanagan Ella McKinney, Zoey Tabor, Peter Forsberg, Brodie Nantz, Zach Sanford, and Megan Thompson. n

Rochelle HUBS competed for the state in 10 areas ...

• RTHS was represented at the IHSA STATE MUSIC FESTIVAL by Jonathan Hansen (Choir, Tenor II) and Jaela Ludwick (Band, Clarinet). ILMEA President Jacob Stouffer is a 1997 RTHS graduate, now associate principal at Dundee-Crown HS.

• Jordin Dickey and MeLisa Young competed for the IHSA GIRLS CLASS 1A STATE TENNIS TOURNAMENT doubles title for the second year. Ten HUB players earned academic all conference recognition

• The ROCHELLE DANCE TEAM, coached by Kas Smith, took its fourth consecutive trip to compete for the state title.

• Villalobos, Gensler, Nadig make wrestling history — Xavier Villalobos, Grant Gensler, and Caleb Nadig qualified for the IHSA STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT. At SYCAMORE’S CLASS 3A SECTIONAL, Villalobos (106 lbs.) placed third; Nadig (145 lbs.) placed fourth; and Gensler (138 lbs.) placed fourth to secure a trip to the state finals. Coach Alphonso Vruno said Villalobos and Gensler are the first freshmen in RTHS wrestling his tory to qualify for the IHSA State Individual Championships.

• Kaiden Morris became a State Wrestling Champion at the IWCOA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS. At 113 lbs., Joseph Nadig was second; and at 101 lbs., Tommy Tourdot finished in seventh place.

• Jessica Nguyen’s essay “Patriotism: How We Are More Alike Than Different,” won; and Kyra Bivins’ essay earned second place, with Cait lyn Brown in third at the AMERICAN LEGION ESSAY COMPETITION.

• RTHS MATH STUDENTS COMPETED AT STATE: Parker Lenkaitis and Aiden Ramsey in geometry; John Green in Algebra 2; the Calculator Team was Miguel Cruz, John Green, Aiden Ramsey, Abby Metzger and Parker Lenkaitis. The geometry team of Jimmy Chavez, Aiden Ramsey, and Parker Lenkaitis took fourth place but didn’t qualify as a team. The Calculus team, Devansh Patel, Will Drobick, and Miguel Cruz, finished fourth.

• April 9 at the ASSUMPTION INVITATIONAL, Zach Sanford broke a huge personal record in the shot put, with a throw of 48 feet 10 inches, taking first. At the Class 2A Boys Track Sectional May 18, Zach qualified for state.

• Logan Popp represented RTHS, placing second at SKILLS USA in Nurse Assisting. He earned the right to head to Atlanta, Georgia, to com pete at nationals!

• Trio qualifies for CLASS 2A GIRLS STATE TRACK/FIELD MEET — Al ivia Henkel in 300 Hurdles; Teagan Meyers in High Jump; Liberty Hayes in the 100. n

The Junior Optimist Club of Rock Falls High School is a group of high school students who have joined together, under the guidance of the Rock Falls Optimist Club, for the purpose of developing citizenship, serving the community, and learn ing to accept the role of responsible citizens.

The Junior Optimist Club began in the 2012-13 school year, replacing the Key Club of Rock Falls High School. Meeting the needs of young people in communities worldwide, Optimist Clubs have been “bring ing out the best in kids” since 1919. Optimist Clubs conduct positive service projects aimed at providing a helping hand to youth. Our motto is “kids helping kids.”

The club, featuring 120 students in grades 9 through 12, undertakes many events and activities. So far this year, the club helped at the Optimist Club’s Fishing Derby for kids, the Fiesta Day Parade, the Sterling Park District’s Pumpkin Dash and the Dillon Home Haunted Train Walk, 7-24 Fitness Apple Cider Run, and the First Student Bus Service’s Family Fun Fest. The club will help with the Rock Falls Chamber’s Home Town for the Holidays and the Sauk Valley’s Chamber’s Sights and Sounds. The students have also cleaned a portion of Highway 30. The club typically performs over 100 hours of community service.

JR. OPTIMIST CLUB cont’d to page 37

Beginning this school year, Sauk Valley Community College’s Impact program has been an integral part of the club. Freshmen who volunteer 25 hours of com munity service each of their four years in high school, for a total of 100 hours, may earn free tuition to the college. Many of our freshmen have already surpassed the 25 hours this semester via the community service projects offered by the club.

The Junior Optimist Club also oversees B.L.A.S.T. (Bigs and Littles Are Special Together), a student mentoring program through which high school and elementary students meet twice each month at both Dillon and Merrill schools. Each session has a “big” working with a “little” in an as set-rich activity. The activities are based upon the 40 Developmental Assets. Many of the activities incorpo rate arts and crafts as a vehicle for presenting the 40 assets.

There are 12 students assigned to and transported to each of the elementary schools. Each session is during the school’s seventh hour. Preference is given to students who have a study hall seventh hour.

Among the awards the club has won is a Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce “Shoulder to the Wheel” honor for volunteerism. The club sponsors a talent show in the spring for its fundraiser. n

Proudly Supports All Area Schools

JR. OPTIMIST CLUB cont’d from

Not all students excel in a purely academic environment, and Rock Falls High School un derstands that some students actually thrive in a hands-on setting that provides real-world work experiences, like the one found in an Industrial Arts lab, and at Rock Falls High School, students can enroll in a variety of classes that provide just such opportunities: like wood working, metals, small engine repair, welding, construction, and computer-aided drafting.

Students at Rock Falls High School begin these courses at an intro ductory level, and if they choose, they can earn college dual credit and/ or a manufacturing pathway certification. This allows students who have worked through the program to intern in one of the area’s manufacturing facilities, gaining both experience as well as possible employment.

Because Rock Falls High School values its Industrial Arts program, the staff strives to continually improve its offerings so that students will be prepared for the workforce. Mr. Matt Boostrom leads the department and teaches metals, welding, engine repair, and CAD. Also in Industrial Arts is Mr. Cecil Scalon, who teaches woods and construction. Mr. Scanlon is also certified in metals and welding.

In order to fund the program and keep up with current meth ods, Mr. Boostrom and Mr. Ron McCord, RFHS Superintendent, sought out a federal surplus program that has supplied RFHS with equipment required to take broken equipment from unusable to new condition. An industrial parts washer, boring machine, crankshaft polisher, connecting rod hone, a run stand, and valve grinding equipment are just some of the new additions.

In addition, RFHS now has an orange UTV for plowing snow, which was obtained through the federal program in non-running condition and repaired by students. The maintenance department has also benefited from the program with the acquisition of many pieces of needed equipment.

Rock Falls High School has been remodelling its welding lab. An all new ventilation system will be installed along with new welders, welding stations, and welding stands. The school also got a newer metalworker from the surplus program. This is a huge improvement over cutting each test coupon with a plasma cutter or a torch. Bend tests will also be possible with one of the attachments.

All of these improvements help ensure students leave the program with working knowledge of current technologies being used in indus try today.

There are many people who have worked behind the scenes to make these improvements possible. The Board of Education and administration at RFHS have been instrumental in allowing and supporting these programs. They truly realize the importance of offering ed ucational opportunities for ALL students. The Industrial Arts staff would specifically like to thank Joshua Foster, Marc Patkus, Thomas Whitehead, and all of the staff at the CMS Bureau of Agency Services Federal Surplus Property Offices in Springfield, Illinois. From finding the equipment to answering questions about shipping, they go above and beyond to help the Rock Falls Industrial Arts program grow and succeed. n

With the Jumbotron closing in on its one-year anniversary of being installed, the vision now moves to the future and brings new features and ideas to enhance the Sterling High School Fieldhouse experience. However, it is important to see just how we got here — and who better to ask than our very own S.H.S. athletic announcer, Jim Spencer.

Spencer has been the announcer here at S.H.S. since 1994 and in that time has seen all the renovations to our sports facilities.

“When the fieldhouse bleacher and floor renovations were com plete and looked so awesome, some members of the Sterling Schools Foundation Board of Directors felt a new video scoreboard to match what we have at the stadium would be the perfect finishing touch,” said Spencer. “We were discussing op tions to replace the old scoreboard in February and March of 2020, but when the pandemic hit, those discussions were put on hold.”

Last December, the “finishing touch” was finally installed. The S.H.S. Jumbotron is complete, with four large LED screens and shows the time, score, fouls, replays, and much more.

“There was some discussion of adding video boards to the north and south walls of the fieldhouse and keeping the old “center-hung” scoreboard, but it was eventually decided to go with the current four-sided video board. The company we work with said we were the first high school they worked with to install a four-sided board,” Spencer shared.

With all these attributes, one can only imagine what else can be added. However, Spencer and the Golden Warrior TV crew seem to have a clear vision for the future. “Doing live video and instant replays on our video boards is something that you just don’t see very often at the high school level. We will work and continue to enhance that process,” Spencer said. He also add ed: “We added ‘live stats’ to the video board for football. I would love to be able to do that in the fieldhouse, too. We will contin ue to produce video features that promote our student-athletes

and business partners.”

Student-athlete offered their takes on additions to the Jum botron. Sophomore basketball player Nico Battaglia said, “I would like to see a fan cam and oth er fun things like that in the future.”

Senior Trevor Dir added: “I would like to see games on the Jumbotron. It would be very fun for the crowd during time-outs.”

Even with looking at the future, S.H.S. athletes know how lucky they are to have the facilities and technology they do. Both Battaglia and Dir showed their appreciation for the scoreboard by saying it was a “privilege” to have something that not a lot of high schools have.

Senior Trevor Dir expanded by saying, “It’s one of those things that sets us apart from other high schools and gives a good experience every time you step on the floor or sit in the bleachers to enjoy a game.”

We are truly lucky to have the state-of-the-art sports facilities we have here at Sterling High School. Everybody should be excited about the future of the Jumbotron and further athletic updates com ing to S.H.S. n

Sterling High School Academic Booster Club and district parents have purchased an Anatomage Table, the most techno logically advanced anatomy visualization system on the market. It is both a virtual library of human and animal cadavers, as well as a clinical diagnostic tool by visualization of any medical CT, CBCT or MRI scan.

The Anatomy and Physiology class plans to use the table to learn each body system. The class learns many organs and parts and works with 2D diagrams in notes or on paper, then students take that knowledge and practice using the 3D table. It is really amazing to watch the connection students make between learning it on paper and being able to touch and spin it while prac

ticing to identify those same organs on a 3D rendition of an actual, once-live human.

While we are fortunate to have six class sets of 3D models of bones, this table brings the learning to life. The table has all of the systems and animations as well, which will be very helpful to see when we study the pumping action of the heart next semester.

The students are excited to practice using it and it is clear they have a better understanding of the material. Recent ly, the class took a quiz on the cranium and students scored really well on it, an improvement that can be credited to the use of the Anatomage Table. The students are excited and eager to use it with each system this school year! n

Huge upgrades are on the way for Sterling High School’s baseball and softball facilities. Announced in September, both varsity fields will be receiving a total renovation, which includes turf to replace the natural surfaces. In addition, both sophomore fields will be updated with dugouts and scoreboards, in addition to some field work. Work will continue through the fall and the winter, with work expected to wrap up by mid-March.

S.H.S. Athletic Director Tyler Jakse contracted AstroTurf to put their turf product on field No. 7 at Gartner Park and the var sity field at the S.H.S. Softball Complex — but that’s not all that’s planned for this upgrade. Other plans for both fields include new batting cages, new coats of paint on both press boxes, updated dugouts, and new fencing around the fields.

“Change is hard,” baseball head coach Darwin Nettleton said, “and not all change is good. But with the constant weather watching in Northern Illinois in the spring, this is a phenomenal change. Our players are fortunate to have this opportunity.”

Weather was a significant problem last spring, with games being postponed or cancelled due to either rain or lightning. It felt as though that on every game day, poor weather played a factor in the cancellation of a game. The softball team was especially unlucky, with games postponed or cancelled an as tonishing 22 times over the course of the 2022 spring season.

“It would be less likely to cancel home games since the turf can’t get muddy, only slippery,” softball player Katie Dittmar said. “Only lightning, super heavy rain, and the cold would affect it.”

The turf also has other benefits.

“Hard hit balls get through the infield and gaps in the outfield much quicker,” softball head coach Donnie Dittmar said, “There are less bad bounces on turf, but you do have to be aware of the spins and hard-hit skipping balls that aren’t as much of a factor on grass.”

Both teams will open up their 2023 seasons Tuesday, March 14, at the newly renovated facilities, when they host Newman Central Catholic High School at 4:30 p.m. n

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Unity Christian School has been blessed with in creased enrollment, new additions to class offerings and the athletic program, along with opportunities for students to grow in their faith.

Class sizes have continued to grow each year, and that has allowed for new classes to be offered at the junior and senior high levels. Our eighth-grade students have the opportunity to take Explore, which is a class that incorporates a lot of hands-on activities along with practical life skills. Mrs. Behr, the Explore class teacher, develops units that allow for discovery learning and stu dent interaction. Robotics, woodworking, and life skills are just a few of the units that students enjoy, all while deepening their faith through interactions and discov ery. At the high school level, more math classes have been offered in order to fill the needs of students going into STEM careers. Statistics and High Math Concepts along with Precalculus and Calculus allow for students to sharpen their minds as well as focus on specific skills that will benefit them in future engineering, account ing, and statistician careers. Unity is already looking at new classes to offer for the coming school year, which may include advanced placement classes!

Growth is also being seen in Unity’s athletic program. For the first time in its 100-year history, Unity Christian School had a girls soccer team in the spring of 2022. Jun ior high and high school girls combined to participate in this sport and enjoyed not only the competition but also the fellowship that came with each game. Likewise, the fall of 2022 brought back 11-man soccer for the junior high and high school boys. Both teams had great win ning seasons led by coaches Christina Bell and Tom Cat lin. We are excited for the opportunities in the future for both programs! Along with fall soccer, our high school volleyball team saw a full roster after struggling to fill a team previously. Besides four seniors leading the way, the incoming freshmen were outstanding, helping the team to find its groove, work together, and play for the One. They ended their conference season undefeated and winning the conference tournament.

While excitement always follows these new additions, expansions, and success, we are reminded of our mis sion at Unity: to teach Truth. Throughout our academic and athletic programs, our students are not only devel oping physical skills but also spiritual maturity in order to reflect Christ and bring glory and honor to Him. n

Eighth-graders were able to take Explore classes, which incorporates a lot of handson activities along with practical life skills, including woodworking,

Faith Chris tian’s girls soccer team ended its con ference season unde feated and won the confer ence tourna ment.