Illinois lawmakers designate state bee after push by students

Illinois is poised to have a state bee thanks to the work of some students at Lincoln Junior High School in Naperville.

State lawmakers unanimously backed a bill naming the black and gold bumblebee as the official state bee. The bumblebee would join a list of 20 state symbols that include the square dance (official state dance), sweet corn (state vegetable) and gold rush apple (state fruit).

The state’s latest symbol, which must still be signed off on by the governor, comes as a result of an eighth-grade science project at Lincoln Junior High School that included researching various bees and surveying students across the state.

“It’s really exciting to see that the students’ voices make such a huge impact across the entire state of Illinois,” Lincoln Junior High School science teacher Barb Bell said.

After hearing some buzz in the community that Illinois should have a state bee, Bell contacted state Rep. Janet Yang Rohr about the idea.

Bell and fellow science teacher Emily Barlog put their 280 eighth-grade students to work researching the 10 native bees in Illinois. The list of 10 bees was then whittled down to three finalists — the black and gold bumblebee, the bicolored sweat bee and the American bumblebee.

The finalist — the black and gold bumblebee — was selected following a statewide survey where students from 86 communities voted for a state bee. State lawmakers made it official this week with their votes.

“It’s the highlight of my summer seeing how well all of our work we put in through the school year paid off,” said Liza DiSanto, one of the students who worked on the project.

DiSanto and two other Lincoln Junior High students, Sofia Nicoloudes and Ahanna Patel, traveled to Springfield earlier this year to testify about the legislation for the state bee. The trio presented information about the importance of pollinators and the black and gold bumblebee.

“This experience has been amazing, “Nicoloudes said, saying she felt “extremely proud” of what she and her fellow classmates accomplished.

Yang Rohr, a Naperville Democrat, said she was pleased to work with students on the issue and to see them get a hands-on civics lesson. Illinois Sen. Laura Ellman, a Naperville Democrat, carried the bill in the Senate.

“These students have not only learned about the science of pollinators but also the civics of how an idea becomes a law,” Yang Rohr said. “Their education has moved beyond the classroom, and they can see their efforts affect real change.”