Student wins award:

Warren Township High School senior Daniel Werst has won a prize in the 2009 National Council of Teachers of English Achievement Awards in Writing contest, school officials announced. Werst was nominated for the prize as a junior. He wrote two essays for the contest: one about the General Motors bailout, and the other about whether the international reputation of the United States is declining.

Homeowner water conservation:

How to outfit your yard with environmentally-friendly features that protect water resources and your pocketbook will be the topic of a presentation at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 4. The lunch talk is hosted by the Liberty Prairie Conservancy at Peacock Restaurant in Vernon Hills. Seating is limited. Reservations can be made at www.libertyprairie.org or (847) 548-5989 ext. 34. The $45 fee includes an all-you-can eat lunch and one-year membership. The member fee is $30. The speaker, Marcus de la fleur, will share the story of how he outfitted a Chicago rental property with eight environmentally friendly features ranging from rain gardens and a bioswale to native plants and a cistern.

The Anderson-Nordmark Duo to perform:

Enjoy the romantic, classical and eclectic guitar sounds of Doug Anderson and Gary Nordmark at Lake Villa District Library, 1001 E. Grand Ave., at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8. A miniature orchestra, these musicians are adept at composing and arranging music and have created a repertoire for a fall afternoon. The event is free and open to the public. For details call (847) 356-7711.

Get rid of chemicals:

People can drop off unwanted household chemicals on Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Mundelein train station, 205 N. Archer Ave. The collection will run from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Aerosols, batteries, gasoline, motor oil, herbicides, pool chemicals and other potentially dangerous substances will be accepted. The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County is running the event. For more information, visit swalco.org or call (847) 336-9340.