Nonprofit job services center CareerPlace names new director

CareerPlace, a Palatine-based nonprofit organization, hired U.S. Army veteran, Len "Lenny" Harris, to serve as the organization's new director. In this role, Harris will oversee career development and training services offered through CareerPlace, including a team of more than 30 volunteers that help jobseekers transition into new careers through individualized career coaching and workshops. Harris will also manage career transition assistance services for executives, including the Executive Network Group. CareerPlace also offers outplacement services for local businesses.

Prior to CareerPlace, Harris worked at Illinois Joining Forces as the operations manager, where he provided veterans and their families with much needed services and resources throughout the state of Illinois.

Harris retired from the U.S. Army as a Command Sergeant Major in 2014, after 22 years of active military service. His career spanned four continents, including assignments in Asia, Europe and Central America.

• Two District 212 students, David Sadlo of East Leyden and Martin Delgado of West Leyden high schools were each awarded a renewable $2,000 Purple Ribbon Special Scholarship Award to Elmhurst College at the 19th annual Elmhurst College High School Art Exhibition, held in January at the Frick Center at Elmhurst College.

Sadlo's entry, "In the Wild," is a digital image of a fox broken into smaller triangular pieces. Delgado's creation is a collage of nine drawing variations of a pear titled "Pear 9 Ways."

The exhibition highlighted hundreds of works in various media including paintings, prints, sculptures, videos and computer art from eight area high schools.

• Caroline Lubbe, daughter of John and Renee Lubbe and a junior at John Hersey High School, earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36. On average, only around one-tenth of one percent of students who take the ACT earn a top score.

In a letter to the student recognizing this achievement, ACT Chief Executive Officer Marten Roorda stated, "Your achievement on the ACT is significant and rare. While test scores are just one of multiple criteria that most colleges consider when making admission decisions, your exceptional ACT composite score should prove helpful as you pursue your education and career goals."

The ACT is a curriculum-based achievement exam that measures what students have learned in school. Students who earn a 36 composite score have likely mastered all of the skills and knowledge they will need to succeed in first-year college courses in the core subject areas.

• Mike DiZonno of Buffalo Grove, is one of four men's lacrosse players at Baldwin Wallace University, Berea, Ohio, to be named captain for the 2018 season by men's lacrosse head coach Trey Keeley. After leading the nation in goals against average in 2016, DiZonno returns between the pipes for his senior season to anchor a defense that has statistically led Division III in scoring defense in the past.

• Send your 'Neighbors in the News' items to Norrine Twohey at ntwohey@dailyherald.com.