The briefs

Swim Center garners award

Arlington Heights Park District's Olympic Indoor Swim Center was selected as the 2008 Arthritis Foundation's award for outstanding site of the year due to its continued cooperation and dedication to the Arthritis Foundation, including the outstanding classes offered year round. The center was selected out of the entire Chicago area, including Northern Indiana. The recipient of the award is chosen from not only aquatic facilities, but also land based exercise facilities.

Pacer members win Write-Off awards

Several staff members of Rolling Meadows High School's student newspaper The Pacer were named winners in the annual "Write-Off" competition, as announced at the Journalism Education Association's convention in St. Louis, Nov. 13-16. A total of 2,191 students competed in the contest, with 664 winners named, including 116 Superior Awards, 195 Awards of Excellence, and 353 Honorable Mentions. Rolling Meadows' award winners include Jimmy Hibsch, "Superior" in News Writing; Sammy Metzger, "Superior" in Sports Writing, and Margaret McCarter, "Excellence" in copy editing/caption writing/headline writing. Stan Zoller of Buffalo Grove is the Pacer's faculty adviser.

Learn Excel at Volunteer Center

The Volunteer Center of Northwest Suburban Chicago is offering an Excel Computer Training Class from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Forest View Education Center, 2121 S. Goebbert Road, Arlington Heights. The instructor is retired software trainer, Joe Cesario. This session is one of a series of workshops and a volunteer management training series offered by The Volunteer Center and sponsored by The Points of Light Foundation. For more information or to register for classes, visit volunteerinfo.net, or call (847) 228-1320