Maine West student to attend leaders summit in D.C.

• Maine West High School student Janet Vargas will attend the Presidential Classroom Future World Leaders Summit July 21-26, in Washington, D.C. The social science department at Maine West, the Education Foundation of District 207, Des Plaines Kiwanis Club and the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce helped raise the necessary funding.

Schaumburg resident Lynn Bednarz was accepted as a semifinalist for the Mrs. Illinois American Pageant being held July 11-12 at the Hemmens Theater for Performing Arts in Elgin. Bednarz, a licensed clinical professional counselor and Life Coach, is the owner of New Horizons Counseling & coaching Center in Schaumburg and Arlington Heights. Her platform will be on the importance of regaining strong marriage and family values and to strengthen families through education, training and support.

With more than eight years experience in all aspect of the accounting field, Amy Garbacz has joined the Des Plaines Park District as accounting manager, responsible for month end accounting functions and managing the accounting department and staff. She will also serve on the safety committee and handle human resources.

• The Rev. Richard Zborowski celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving May 10 to commemorate his 30th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood. Zborowski, who has been the pastor of St. Theresa Parish in Palatine since 2001, was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1978, and has served throughout Cook and Lake counties including St. Huburt Parish in Hoffman Estates.

The Garden Club of Inverness awarded scholarships to Frank Chambers and Allison Moor of Hoffman Estates and Nisant Patel of Schaumburg. Each recipient is seeking education in a program that will help make a difference in the world. Chambers has completed his freshman year at the University of Illinois at Urebana-Champaign, majoring in natural resources and environmental sciences. Moor graduated from Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School, Bloomfield Hills, Mich., in May, and will major in environmental engineering as an honors student at the University of Colorado. Patel, who graduated from James B. Conant High School in May, is planning to major in environmental engineering a the University of Illinois at Chicago.

• The winners of the 2008-09 General Assembly Scholarship, selected by the 44th District Independent Scholarship Committee are: Sarah Braun of Hanover Park, Eastern Illinois University; and Carla Andres of Schaumburg, Thomas Enno of Streamwood, Matthew Glista of Streamwood, Matthew Keller of Hoffman Estates, Megan Laren of Streamwood, Gordana Milosevic of Streamwood and Purtha Parikh of Streamwood, who all attend of the University of Illinois.