Neighbors in the news
• Prospect Heights Park District commissioners recognized volunteers recently, including Dave O'Grady of Prospect Heights, for their efforts last summer to secure new scoreboards for two of the ballfields used by Prospect Heights-Wheeling Youth Baseball Softball. Working with community business partners and instituting a raffle to offset ongoing enhancements, volunteers raised $15,000 for the new scoreboards. The project helped earn Prospect Heights Wheeling Youth Baseball Softball a community service award from the Illinois Association of Park Districts/Illinois Park and Recreation Association, for fostering a positive work relationship in the community.
• Diane and Bob Haas of Inverness will chair The Society for the Preservation of Human Dignity's ninth annual Spirit of Life Gala on April 25, at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center. Bob Haas is the new Inverness police chief. During the gala, Catherine Vincus, PHD's executive director, will present the Spirit of Life Service Award to longtime volunteers and benefactors Tom and Judy Dincher of Barrington for their many years of selfless devotion and service to the women, children and teens served by PHD.
• St. Hubert Catholic School students in grades seven and eight competed in the school's annual Academic Bowl during Catholic School Week. The following students were winners: First place: Thomas Sheridan, Justin Wysocke, Elizabeth Lamp, Andrew Chester and Elise deGeus. Second place: Tom Hartney, Adam Kobiela, Arissa Sata, Jakob Hohlweg and Anita Matthew. Third place: Marilyn Stephen, Kevin Lamp, Brendan Koller, Natalie Canner and Jonah Dagen. Alternates were: Matt Capone, Travis Dillon and Ben Brady.
• Three Lions Park School teachers are among the 703 teachers in Illinois who achieved National Board Certified Teacher honors recently. They are Mary Budreau, exceptional needs specialist, and Tina Depa and Pam Dolnial, both literacy reading and language arts specialists.
• U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin nominated Christian L. Wardynski, son of Casey and Susan Wardynski, Arlington Heights, for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.; Timothy C. Crowe, son of Thomas and Marianne Crowe of Palatine, and Renee R. Bohac, daughter of Donald and Debra Bohac, Rolling Meadows, to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.; and Eric P. Madeck, son of George and Donna Madeck of Schaumburg, to attend the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y. Prospective service academy students must apply for a nomination and demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and good moral character.