The briefs

Join trading club for sports cards

The Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin offers a Sports Card Trading Club for boys and girls, age 6 and older, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. today and Feb. 14 in the South Storyroom of the library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin. Jeff Allison, a longtime sports trading card collector and enthusiast, will provide information about collecting and trading sports cards. Bring your own collection to show or trade. For information, call Carol Skelton at (847) 608-5011.

Become a literacy volunteer Thursday

The Literacy Connection has many adult students waiting for someone to help them learn to read, write and speak English.

A free orientation session will be from 6 to 8:15 p.m. today at the Gail Borden Public Library's conference room, 270 N. Grove Ave. in Elgin. Training sessions will follow from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Jan. 22-23, 29-30 and Feb. 5-6 at the same location. (Missed sessions can be made up later or in some cases completed online.) Once trained, tutors are matched with a student to meet for an hour or two a week, at a time and place of their choice. No special education is required. For information, call (847) 742-6565 or visit www.elginliteracy.org.

Deadline nears for competition

The League of United Latin American Citizens and Judson University will sponsor the My LULAC Future Academic Competition, which will award $20,000 in Judson scholarships to area Latino students who are enrolled for fall 2008.

To be eligible, applicants must be of at least 25 percent Hispanic decent, have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.0, a minimum ACT score of 18, enrolled to attend Judson in the fall and attend Elgin Area School District U-46, Community Unit School District 300, or Elgin Community College. The scholarship is also open to adult learners wishing to complete their education. To apply, students can visit judsonu.edu and click on the "Apply to Judson U" link or contact the admissions office at (847) 628-2500.

The application is available through Judson's financial aid office or www.geocities.com/mylulacfuture/. Deadline for submission is 5 p.m. Friday.

Applicants selected will compete in the Feb. 23 competition. They will be judged on their oral and visual presentation along with a review of their community involvement and portfolio. Four $5,000 scholarships will be awarded. For details, contact Ana Ortiz at (847) 488-9000, anao@hichicagonw.com or Tory Gum at (847) 628-2082, tgum@judsonu.edu.