Good News Sunday: Meet the suburban spellers heading to the Scripps national bee
This is Good News Sunday, a compilation of some of the more upbeat and inspiring stories published recently by the Daily Herald:
Four suburban spellers who won regional contests now will compete for the coveted championship at the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., later this month. They are:
• Srinidhi Rao, 13, of Hinsdale, a seventh-grader at Hinsdale Middle School.
• Francis Nnodi, 14, of Carpentersville, an eighth-grader at St. Catherine of Siena School in West Dundee.
• Vishrut Kinikar, 13, of Cary, a seventh-grader at Cary Junior High School.
• Daphne Gil, 14, an eighth-grader at Alan B. Shepard Middle School in Deerfield.
Srinidhi has been to nationals twice, previously competing as a third-grader in 2019, when she tied for 51st place, and as a fifth-grader in 2021, tying for 111th place. Francis is a first-time qualifier.
Vishrut has multiple school spelling bee wins under his belt since third grade, and he won the McHenry County spelling bee for the first time this year. Daphne's path to nationals came after she successively won her class, school, sectional and regional bees this year.
The champion of Scripps National Spelling Bee, which begins on May 30, takes home a $50,000 cash prize, a commemorative medal and the Scripps Cup, the official championship trophy, according to the contest website.
For the full story, click here.
Hersey student brews up app for special needs students' coffee carts
When John Hersey High School teacher Megan Brownley pitched the idea of an app to help student staffers at the school's Brewed Awakenings coffee cart, Rachel Rafik stepped up to the challenge.
Each year, in a twist on the "Shark Tank" format, teachers like Brownley pitch their suggestions for useful apps to students in the Arlington Heights school's AP Computer Science Principles class. Students pick projects and then work on the apps for their class and AP evaluations.
Knowing that Brewed Awakenings is staffed by special education students in the Career Life Skills program, Rachel said, "This had a lot more meaning to me personally. I've been around people with special needs my entire life, and one of my best friends is a special needs student."
Rachel worked on the app as a solo project during the second semester of the 2021-22 school year. She said she tested seven prototypes before she finally found the right version - and, at the end, pulled two all-nighters to perfect the app.
The app translates everything into photos: Different cup photos for hot coffee, iced coffee and iced tea orders, and photos of paper currency and coins. It has been a success at Hersey - and she even created a modified version of the app for students working at Prospect Perks, Prospect High School's coffee cart.
For the full story, click here.
Geneva's St. Peter Community Food Pantry marks 40 years
The St. Peter Community Food Pantry marks its 40th year in May, as it continues serving about 350 families on the second and fourth Wednesdays every month.
In the beginning, directors said, it served 35 families.
"Now we're averaging a little over 1,000 individuals per month," said co-director Jan O'Kray.
About 70% of the food is delivered from the Northern Illinois Food Bank in Geneva, in a semi-truck that drops off five to six skids of groceries. The pantry purchases the rest from local groceries, especially fresh produce.
The church also has a Friendship Garden that grows fresh vegetables for the pantry, and people who rent space at the Geneva Community Gardens also donate their excess, he said. About 50 people volunteer at the pantry, with 20 to 30 of them serving during the distribution days.
For the full story, click here.
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