ECC students choose student rep

Just days after voters elected Robert Getz and Donna Schuring-Redmer to the Elgin Community College board of trustees, students chose their own representative.

Mario Ruch of Elgin was elected April 9 and seated at a recent board meeting.

According to a news release, Ruch, an international student from Honduras, is involved in the United Students of All Cultures, an international club promoting multicultural events, the Creative Writing Club and the Chinese Club of ECC. He currently is Student Government president.

In Honduras, Ruch was a paramedic assistant for the International Red Cross. Ultimately he wants to become a doctor and "help bring medical aid and a better quality of living to people who really need it. "

Ruch is majoring in biology at ECC and plans to graduate in spring 2010. Ruch also is one of nine individuals who blog about life at ECC. College mascot SpartaCat also authors a comical blog about his life on campus. Check out the blogs at elgin.edu/students.aspx? id=7852.

Students ace health competition: Throughout their four-month campaign, supporters of Elgin Community College's $178 million bond request cited the need for facilities to accommodate increasingly popular health career courses.

Elgin Area School District U-46's participation in the state's Health Occupations Competition revealed that more students than ever could be interested in going into the medical field.

About 250 students placed in the competition held recently in Decatur. According to the district, U-46 students brought home 73 first-place, 43 second-place, and 57 third-place awards.

A total of 578 students from around Illinois participated in the event held in Decatur, Ill. Competitions are held in the areas of health sciences, health professions, emergency preparedness, leadership, teamwork, and recognition.