Neighbors in the news
Nine Aurora University students will attend the 40th annual National Council LaRaza (NCLR) conference July 11-15 in San Diego, Calif. The conference is the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S. More than 20,000 community organization leaders and activists, elected officials, members of the corporate and academic communities, senior citizens, and youth are expected. This is the third annual NCLR conference trip sponsored by AU's Latin American Students Organization (LASO). Two Aurora University students, Jorge Cabadas and Rosalinda Nino of Aurora, were among 12 students selected in a national competition to serve as volunteer leaders at the conference. Other university delegation members are Gustavo Uribe, Ana Guerrero, Eva Orozco, Olynda de Hoyos, and Socorro Nicasio, all of Aurora, and Orlando Carreno of Harvard and Gina Alcobia of Justice. Eva Serrano, LASO adviser, will accompany the students.
At its June 18 meeting, the Waubonsee Community College Board of Trustees approved the appointment of Jacquelyn Thoroughman of Sugar Grove to the position of Dean for Social Science and Education, effective July 1. Thoroughman is familiar with the role of dean at Waubonsee, having served as Associate Dean for Community Education, Associate Dean for Adult Education and Learning Enhancement, and Dean for Adult Education during her eight-year tenure at the college. Her other roles in the field of education include six years as the Adult Education Director for the Maine School Administrative District No. 1 and six years as Adult and Family Literacy Education Administrator for the Maine Department of Education.
Over the last year, employees of Waubonsee Community College contributed $2,325 to the Fox Valley United Way, earning the school a third place award in the service agency's Educational Institution Awards category. The award was presented at the United Way's annual breakfast. But it wasn't just the generosity of Waubonsee's employees that was recognized. Jim Pilmer, vice-chair for the college's board of trustees, was also honored with the United Way's 2007 Tribute Award. According to United Way CEO Michael Meyer, Pilmer was singled out due to his tremendous efforts in making the agency's 2007 cardboard boat race a success.
CASA Kane County, a nonprofit organization that serves local abused and neglected children, is proud to announce its new officers. Michael Fratamico will serve his third year as board chairman. Michael is a CPA and the Vice President of Prevue Pet Products. He has served on the Board for six years. Ed Werneke has been elected vice chairman. Ed is retired from Nicor. Ed first became involved with the organization when he volunteered as a CASA volunteer. Jim Kaczkowski is the treasurer. Jim is a CPA for Kaczkowski & Associates, and is one of the agency's newest board members. Mari Connelly is our newest board secretary. Mari is the owner of AlphaGraphics in St. Charles.
At its June 18 meeting, the Waubonsee Community College Board of Trustees approved the appointment of Susana Das Neves of Sycamore, to the position of bilingual counselor, effective Aug. 11. Das Neves has 10 years of experience as a bilingual (English/Spanish) counselor in Northern Illinois University's Counseling, Help and Assistance Necessary for a College Education (CHANCE) program. For the past two years, she has worked at NIU as the Assistant Director of the Latino Resource Center.
Das Neves earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Monterrey in Mexico and her master's degree from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
The Batavia American Legion Post 504 installed new officers for 2008-2009. They are: Marilyn Challand, post commander; John Nuckles Sr., vice commander; Tony Commarato Jr., vice commander; Irene Gaffney, adjutant; Major Thomas, sergeant at arms; Mel Daniels, service officer; Paul Diller, finance officer; Wesley Olmsted, chaplain.
Kelli Hince, daughter of Jim and Jean Hince of Geneva, will head off to the University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana with a scholarship from St. Peter Church, Geneva. Kelli is a 2008 graduate of Geneva High School. In addition to being an excellent student academically, Kelli has a record of service to the community. Volunteering in the St. Peter Religious Education program, in the St. Peter Nursery and with Delnor's Ortho Kids program (warm water therapy for children with challenges), helped her realize she wanted children to be part of her career. She will major in kinesiology, the study of movement and focuses on the human body.
The Batavia-Geneva-St. Charles branch of the American Association of University Women acknowledged three members at its annual spring banquet. Theresa Chupp and Carol Last received Named Gift awards, and Shelly Weible received the Spice Award.
Waubonsee Community College faculty member Michael O'Gorman has been awarded the academic rank of Professor, effective with the fall 2008 semester. O'Gorman of Geneva earned his bachelor's degree in English from Northeast Missouri State University and his master's degree in English and American literature from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in film/literature at Northern Illinois University. O'Gorman has taught at Waubonsee for the past 15 years. During that time, he has taught a variety of English courses and developed three film courses: Film as Art: A Survey of Film, History of Film, and Film and Literature. He also serves as the faculty advisor to the Waubonsee Community College Student Film Society.
To be chosen from among Waubonsee Community College's 102 full-time faculty members as the 2008 Outstanding Faculty Member is quite an honor, but then again, Associate Professor of Automotive Technology Jim Armitage has been a part of several impressive honors this year, as the college's program has competed against thousands across the nation and come out on top. Armitage, of Sugar Grove, is one of two full-time faculty members in the college's automotive technology program, a program that is currently ranked first in the nation by the Automotive Industry Planning Council (AIPC), as well as Tomorrow's Technician (T2) trade magazine and Chicago Pneumatic.
The Batavia American Legion Post 504 announced its 2008 Stanley Johnson American Legion Scholarship was awarded to Erin Schafer of Batavia, who was a senior at Batavia High School. Erin plans to attend Northern Michigan University.
Waubonsee Community College Library Services/Systems Manager Laura Michalek of Sugar Grove was recently elected to serve as the academic library representative for the Illinois Libraries Unicorn Users Group (ILUUG). The group is a not-for-profit organization whose members share knowledge about library technology, specifically Unicorn software products developed by the SIRSI Corporation.
Waubonsee Community College Human Services Instructor John Reese of Aurora has been named the 2008 Professional of the Year by the Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association (IAODAPCA). The IAODAPCA is a private, non-profit organization that promotes standards for professionals in the alcohol and other drug abuse field.
Waubonsee Community College student Joe Kraft of Batavia recently created a wood fired bottle that was accepted into the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts' annual Regional Student Juried Exhibition. The piece also earned Kraft the Studio Potter Undergraduate Merit Award.
Marmion Academy's Mathematics Department Chairman Joe Large received the Rising Star Award from the Chicago Mathematics Teachers Association at their April banquet. Mr. Large then accepted an invitation to join the Board of Directors for MTA. Large, a 1997 Marmion graduate, has taught at the all-boys college preparatory school in Aurora for four years.
The Greater St. Charles Education Foundation announced its four Senior Scholarship recipients for 2007-2008. Elizabeth Bartindale and Tyler Dettro from East and Sarah McDonald and Laura Wolf from North were selected from a large number of applicants at both high schools. Each of the recipients will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Foundation. Qualifications include the following: applicants must have a grade point average of at least 3.0 and show evidence of active involvement in school and community clubs, organizations, community service, and co-curricular activities. A 300-word essay discussing high school experiences that helped the student prepare for college is also required along with two letters of recommendation, including one letter from a District 303 staff member and one from a community member.
Nearly 250 students from 15 area high schools competed at Waubonsee Community College's 29th annual Business Competition Day on April 16. The top three finishers in each of the day's 13 subject area contests received Waubonsee scholarships totaling more than $60,000. Kaneland High School turned in the best overall performance at Business Competition Day and so received one full Waubonsee scholarship to be given to the student of its choice. First place winners included: Keith Dickensheidt and Megan Domrose, Waubonsie Valley High School; Stephanie Soles, Oswego East High School; C.J. Clark, Oswego High School; Claire Turner and Beth Bazan, Yorkville High School; Steve Beach, Fox Valley Career Center; Alexandria Bodayla and Caitlin Fry, Rosary High School; Kevin Green, Jackie Smith and Ben Brown, Kaneland High School; and Adam Simonsen, West Aurora High School. Second place finishers included: Kramer LeBeau, West Aurora High School; Chris Pagoria, Oswego East High School; Megan Coley, Waubonsie Valley High School; Tim Altergott and Cody Johnston, Oswego High School; Maddy Osman and Joe Bergstrom, Kaneland High School; Lucas Gonzalez, Somonauk High School; Lauren Beer, Yorkville High School; Ryan Adams, Geneva High School; Lindsey Plante, Indian Valley Vocational Center; Nicole Martin, Sandwich High School; and Jenna Booth, Rosary High School. Third place finishers included: Tayla Womack, Batavia High School; Derrick Stobaugh, Katie Arnold and Chris Hountalas, Waubonsie Valley High School; Britt Spencer, Yorkville High School; Adrian Carrera and Kerry Portillo-Lopez, East Aurora High School; Jacob Lochmann and Amanda Ingram, Kaneland High School; Victoria Nelson and Marijke-Nicole Bakker, Rosary High School; Rachel Fuentes and Peter Schultz, West Aurora High School. Special recognition went to Liz Runge, Rosary High School, who finished 3rd place in Chemistry at the state level, 1st place in Chemistry at sectionals, and 1st place at the regional competition also in Chemistry.
Several students in the West Aurora High School Family Careers Community Leaders of America program (FCCLA) Club received medals at the state conference April 10-12. One student, Alda Aldaba, earned the right to compete at the July national conference in Orlando, Fla. The students and their contest placements are as follows: Rosalyn Stewart, silver, Apparel Construction; Arias Massimelle, gold, Pastry Arts - Cookie Decoration; Katie Baker, silver, Pastry Arts - Cookie Decoration; Rocio Ramirez, gold and outstanding over all, Apparel Display; Amanda Haley, gold, Apparel Display; Jonna Oja, gold, Apparel Display; Brittany Glover, silver, Apparel Display; Chiquita Jones, silver, Apparel Display; Viviana Reyna, silver, Apparel Display; Stephanie Porzel, bronze, Apparel Display; Elizebeth Huelett, gold, Child Care Portfolio; Sarah Vester, gold, Child Care Portfolio; Alda Aldaba, gold and outstanding overall, Fashion Design Star Event; Brianna Miller, silver, Fashion Design Star Event; and Danielle Glynn, bronze, Fashion Design Star Event.
Jonathan E. Sachs, M.D., internist, has been certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Sachs joined Dreyer in 2007. He received an undergraduate degree from Washington and Jefferson College in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2000, and earned a medical degree from the University of Cincinnati - College of Medicine in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2004. He completed an internship at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois, in 2005, and completed a residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago, in 2007. Sachs is currently accepting new patients, (including Medicare Part B patients), at the Clinic's West Aurora site and offers Saturday and evening hours.
Mary Edith Butler of Sugar Grove recently assumed her duties as dean for communications and library services at Waubonsee Community College. Butler has years of professional experience in the educational arena, having worked as a librarian, teacher, library director and public school administrator. For the past 10 years, she has served as the Associate Vice President of Institutional Research and Media Services at Eastern Oklahoma State University.
The Waubonsee Community College Board of Trustees appointed Lourdes "Lulu" Blacksmith to the position of director of federal and cultural relations at their March 19 meeting, and she officially assumed the role on March 31. A resident of Geneva, Blacksmith brings her extensive knowledge of the workings of both the federal government and Waubonsee to this new position. For the past six years, Blacksmith worked for former U.S. Speaker of the House, J. Dennis Hastert, most recently serving as the Community Relations Director and Press Secretary.
Fred R. McKenzie of St. Charles was recently promoted to dean of the College of Professional Studies at Aurora University. In his new role, McKenzie supervises 35 faculty members in the college which includes the School of Social Work, School of Nursing and Dunham School of Business. About 1,200 students are enrolled in the schools.Prior to his promotion, McKenzie was director of the university's School of Social Work.