Neighbors in the News

• Kristen Van Zant, 17, a student at Wheeling High School, was named the first place senior prize winner in The Humane Education Network's "A Voice for Animals" high school essay contest. Van Zant was awarded $1,000 for her paper, "Technology Boom, Gorilla Bust," which examines the role of coltan mining, a mineral used to make parts for cell phones and computers, on the fragile gorilla population in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Approximately 1,800 students from around the globe submitted essays in the 2009 competition. The contest was co-sponsored by the Palo Alto Humane Society and the Animal Welfare Institute.

• James Sanford of Elk Grove Village, was honored with Catholic Charities' Employee Recognition Award on April 17, for his exemplary service to participants in the agency's Family Based Services department, Intact Family program. The program serves families who are involved in the state's child welfare system. The award is given to just three of the agency's over 2000 employees per quarter, and includes a $500 bonus and a paid day off.

For 15 years, Sanford has gone above and beyond to find resources for the families he serves by working with community leaders and putting in extra time. This past year, he was able to get a home for one of his families rehabilitated entirely by volunteers, which resulted in the children being able to remain with their parents.

• The Honorable John J. Scotillo, associate judge of the Third Municipal District of the Circuit Court of Cook County, received the Northwest Suburban Bar Association's 2009 Public Service Award at its annual Judges' Night.

Scotillo has been an associate judge since 1988, serving first in the First Municipal District and then, since 1997, in the Third Municipal District. Before becoming a judge he was a sole practitioner in Mount Prospect as well as an assistant in the Cook County's State's Attorney's office.

• Arlington Heights resident Bridget Collins, a sophomore at Rolling Meadows High School, ranked eighth in the nation in the 74th annual Le Grand Concours, the National French Contest, a competition sponsored by the

American Association of Teachers of French. Collins, who is a student of Sara Kahle Ruiz, was evaluated for her listening comprehension, reading, vocabulary and grammar skills in French.

• Jane Schumacher of Rolling Meadows, a student at Harper College, was named a 2009 Coca-Cola National Finalist, an honor that recognizes academic achievement. The finalist status comes with a $1,000 scholarship and is based on scores in the All-USA Academic Team competition, which is sponsored by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and is administered by the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

• During National Library Week, the Palatine Public Library District honored its adult volunteers at a luncheon held Thursday, April 16, at Vittorio de Roma in Palatine. The following individuals, who have collectively worked more than 4,000 hours for the library, were honored: Irene Jost, 618 hours, circulation; Melva Netzeband, 1188 hours, audio/visual; Elizabeth Reh, 841 hours, circulation; Gail Richardson, 256 hours, audio/visual; Howard Schersten, 313 hours, travel section; Patricia Struble, 678 hours, large print materials; and Helen Veschuroff, 302 hours, popular materials.

For information about volunteer opportunities at the Palatine Library call Debbie Pettersen, (847) 358-5881, ext. 156.