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[MARCH 2, 2002]   Every year, the National Education Association sponsors a special event at the beginning of March known as “Read Across America.”  Usually centering around the March 2 birthday of Dr. Seuss, schools around the world plan activities and parties, all centered around reading.

[Click here for more pictures]

Local activities for the last couple of years have been planned by Renee Dreusicke and Tammy Barcalow.  Ms. Dreusicke works for both Jefferson and Northwest elementary schools.  Ms. Barcalow teaches fourth grade at Northwest.

 Northwest School had the largest area involvement this year.  Each day of the week they had a special theme and event.

Tuesday’s theme was “Hats off to reading!”  Students and faculty wore hats all day.  Hats ranged from normal baseball caps to “Cat in the Hat” hats.  One student was even spotted sporting a dinosaur hat.  The special activity for that day was “Drop everything and read!”  Throughout the day, teachers would announce that it was time to “drop everything and read.”  Students then did exactly that.

[Photos by Gina Sennett]

 Wednesday’s theme brought back memories for some with “Sock it to me with a good book!”  Everyone wore strange, mismatched or just plain weird socks.  The special activity of the day was the “Round-robin reading.”  Students progressed from class to class to hear each teacher read to them.

 With Thursday’s theme, “Sweat it out with a good book!”, students and faculty wore sweatsuits.  On that day the upper grades volunteered their time to read to the younger grades.

 Friday, the final day of Read Across America week, dawned with teachers in matching Read Across America T-shirts and all in sunglasses for “Brighten the day with a good book!” day.  The event for this day was extra-special.  18 members of the local Rotary Club volunteered their time to come to both Northwest and Jefferson to read to the students.  In addition, they donated 100 new books to the Lincoln elementary schools.

 The climactic event, however, occurred later in the afternoon.  One class selected from kindergarten to third grade and one class from fourth to sixth grade got a party to celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday.  The classes were chosen for their percentage of participation in the activities of the week.  At Jefferson, the school as a whole had a party.

 For completion of the event, all students and guest readers received participation certificates from the NEA.

Special thanks and recognition go out to the Rotary Club members who gave their time: Bonnie Young, Terry Lock, Chris Graue, Bob Kidd, Bobbi Abbott, Frank Adubato, Shanda Roderick, Deb Conlin, Wally Reifsteck, Jim Ash, Joe Ryan, Darren Humphres, Joe Runyon, Art Rohrer, Mary Bruns, Cynthia Kelley, Dayle Eldredge and Don Jordan.

 [Gina Sennett]

For more information, visit the Read Across America website: http://www.nea.org/readacross/

[MARCH 1, 2002]  Excitement is high at Lincoln Junior High School, especially among the band students. Each heart and finger is filling with nervousness as March 9 approaches.

What’s so special about March 9, other than its being a Saturday? For the first time in 30 years, the members of the junior high band will be participating in the solo and ensemble contest.

Each student has spent almost two months preparing a solo chosen for them either by band director Chad Minier or a private teacher. In addition to hours of practice, students also had the responsibility of finding an accompanist from the area.

 [Both photos by Gina Sennett]

During the next week, students will be putting the final touches on their music. Each student will meet with his or her accompanist and Mr. Minier to rehearse.

On the day of the contest, the band will travel down to Chatham to perform their well-practiced music in front of judges and spectators. Students will be judged on tone, intonation, rhythm, note accuracy, dynamics, posture and musical interpretation.

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Mr. Minier states, "I am very happy I decided to take the kids to contest this year. The entire band is practicing more and it is showing during concert band and jazz band rehearsals. Solo and ensemble contest can be a great tool in inspiring young musicians to work hard towards a particular goal. Students start to be a little more responsible during the few months before a contest."

He also says that in spite of the extra time it takes to prepare his students for contest, he is glad that they will have this opportunity. He remembers how important solo and ensemble contest was for him when he was their age.

In addition to the solo and ensemble contest, the band will be traveling to the organizational contest on March 23, where they will compete as a whole. Last year at that contest, the band received a first-place rating.

LDN sends out a "good luck" wish to the members of the Lincoln Junior High band. Win, lose or draw, may you feel you’ve done your best.

[Gina Sennett]

NEA’s Read Across America
partners are the cat’s meow!

National organizations come together to celebrate reading

[MARCH 1, 2002]  WASHINGTON, D.C. — In its fifth year, the National Education Association’s Read Across America promises to be the biggest and best yet, thanks to some extraordinary partnerships with more than 40 organizations. The annual celebration of reading that attracted 35 million children, teens  and adults last year kicks off March 1. Read Across America coincides each year with the birthday of the late Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel).

NEA President Bob Chase said, "Read Across America’s supporters and partners work tirelessly year-round providing books, dedicated volunteers  and enriching activities to America’s children. We are proud and pleased that these stellar organizations make an extra-special effort to celebrate the joys of reading with the NEA through Read Across America."

For the fifth year in a row, the publisher of Dr. Seuss titles, Random House Children’s Books, has generously donated thousands of Dr. Seuss books for Read Across America events, created materials to share with booksellers, educators and librarians, and sent the Cat in the Hat himself on endless cross-country road trips.

The cats at PBS’ "Between the Lions" have provided NEA with a wealth of activities, reading materials, reading tips for parents and book lists to share with both English and Spanish readers.

Around the country, members of the NFL Players Association will trade in their helmets for red and white stovepipe hats to read to children.

This year, NEA and the American Library Association have come together to promote "Read Across America @ your library," with English and Spanish language posters featuring actor Esai Morales that encourage children to find reading fun at their local library.

Here’s a sampling of how some other Read Across America partners are planning to celebrate.

•  First Book, a national nonprofit organization that provides disadvantaged children with their very own first books, will send participants to Culver City, Calif., to celebrate reading at a taping of "Reba." Reba McEntire is First Book’s spokesperson and has invited kids to see what kind of reading takes place during the production of a television show.

•  Through the Reach Out and Read program, pediatricians encourage parents to read aloud to their young children and give their patients books to take home at pediatric checkups. Involvement of local ROR sites includes Reach Out and Read of Toledo, Ohio, which is partnering with the local children’s hospital to promote reading to families of children who are hospitalized and children visiting outpatient clinics on March 1. Staff will wear Cat in the Hat hats, give away Dr. Seuss books, and patients will get to visit with the "good doctor" himself: a city councilman dressed as Dr. Seuss.

•  Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic in Upland, Calif., will be taking recorded versions of Seuss books "The Butter Battle" and "Fox in Sox" to schools in Rancho Cucamonga and Ontario. The students will listen to the stories on four-track tapes and CDs recorded by volunteers from Boston. There will also be birthday cakes with candles to blow out after singing "Happy Birthday" to Dr. Seuss!

•  There will be tons of after-school reading fun at local clubs of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. For example, the Boys & Girls Club of Yuma, Ariz., will have a read-a-thon with members. If they read a certain number of books by the deadline, all of the Boys & Girls Club staff will "color" their hair green. Children reading the most will have the honor of "greening" the staff's hair. And boys and girls from Port Charlotte, Fla., clubs will get to read with new Boys & Girls Club spokesman Alex "A-Rod" Rodriguez of the Texas Rangers.

•  Reading Is Fundamental is encouraging its grassroots network of volunteers to kick off RIF’s "Read with Me Community Reading Challenge." RIF President Carol Rasco and Daisy the Reading Pig will do so in Mattapan, Mass. You can also find RIF fun in places like Bear, Del., where Leasure Elementary’s Reading Is Fundamental Program is having a "Mystery Book" marathon. Each grade received a clue every day during the month of February. By the end of the week, when the students figure out the book’s "identity," they will get a special "Super Sleuth" sticker.

•  There are some 2,050 Head Start programs in America, and like the 28 classrooms of Sioux Falls Head Start in Sioux Falls, S.D., many will participate in Read Across America activities. Sioux Falls’ plans include quilting a story quilt, pajama story night, a book swap, making Cat in the Hat hats, and eating green eggs and ham.

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•  Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life has recently joined NEA as a partner in Read Across America and will be encouraging students around the country to read with children as part of Yom Yeladim.

•  In collaboration with Youth Service America, the NEA is again sponsoring the "Youth Leaders for Literacy" grant awards program which encourages young people to carry out literacy service projects in their communities. In Pierce City, Mo., high school students are getting ready to launch their seven-week service project that will include regular story readings at the public library, a book drive and a poetry reading.

•  The strong support of the International Reading Association for Read Across America comes from its members, like those of the Leon County Reading Association and the Media Specialists of Leon County in Tallahassee, Fla., who will read to children at schools, at the public libraries, in the malls, and at local book stores and fast food restaurants for "Read Across Leon County."

•  Cable in the Classroom is a public service effort supported by 39 national cable networks and over 8,500 local cable companies. Time Warner Cable in Garden Grove, Calif., will sponsor its third annual "Seuss Style Story Writing Contest" for students in kindergarten through grade six. Students are asked to work as a group or team to write and illustrate their own story a la Dr. Seuss. Winning stories are featured on their website.

To support NEA’s Read Across America and children’s literacy in your community, we encourage you to explore new relationships around reading at the local level with the regional, state, or local chapters or affiliates of our National Partners: Afterschool Alliance, American Association of School Librarians, American Library Association, ASPIRA, Between the Lions, BookPALS, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Cable in the Classroom, Congress of National Black Churches, Council for Exceptional Children, Everybody Wins!, First Book, Friends of Libraries U.S.A., General Federation of Women’s Clubs, Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, International Reading Association, Journalism Education Association, Kiwanis International, Learning First Alliance, Library of Congress—Center for the Book, LULAC, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Association for Bilingual Education, National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Association of Broadcasters, National Center for Assessing the General Curriculum at CAST, National Center for Family Literacy, National Conference of Black Mayors, National Conference of La Raza, NFL Players Association, National Head Start Association, National Institute for Literacy, National PTA, Organization of Chinese Americans, PBS, Random House, Reach Out and Read, Reading Is Fundamental Inc., Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, Saturn/UAW, Teachers.net, The Read In Foundation Inc., The Village Foundation, YMCA of the U.S.A., Youth Service America, and Zero to Three (National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families).

For more information:

• Melissa Marion
  NEA Communications
  (202) 822-7235
  mmarion@nea.org

• Lian Skaf
  NEA Communications
  (202) 822-7259
  lskaf@nea.org

• Rachael Walker
  (703) 237-5455
  reading@mindspring.com

[NEA news release]

High-tech filmmaking in town

[FEB. 22, 2002]  School technology coordinators from around the country gathered at the Academic Development Institute in Lincoln on Wednesday and Thursday to learn how to create new classroom learning opportunities through the use of digital video.

This workshop, conducted by Scott Fulk and John Redding, is just a small part of ADI’s role in the Community for Learning school change initiative in 46 schools around the country.

In the picture, workshop participants Jocelyn Riley and Bruce Fuller, both from Washington, D.C., schools, learn from Fulk (left) and Redding how to edit digital video on a Macintosh laptop.

[ADI news release]

Honors & Awards

Chester-East sweeps Mathcounts, advances to state

[FEB. 22, 2002]  The Chester-East Lincoln Mathcounts team took first place at the regional competition, which was at Millikin in Decatur on Saturday, Feb. 9. Nine area schools were represented at the competion. The team from Johns Hill school finished second. This was a reversal of the results last year, when Johns Hill finished first and C-EL took second.

The C-EL team members are Alison Kessinger, Kevin Huelskoetter, Troy Tolan and Aarom Meyrick.

The individual written competition consists of two tests. The first has 30 problems to be solved without a calculator. The second has eight problems that permit the use of a calculator. Alison placed first and Troy placed seventh in the written round.

The top ten finishers from the written round advance to the oral competition, where pairs of individuals compete against each other before an audience. The competitors are given 45 seconds to solve a problem and respond. The first contestant to answer three questions correctly wins the round. Troy defeated six other contestants on his way to the championship round, where he lost to Alison after being tied 2-2.

The team round consists of 10 problems that the four team members are allowed to work on together.

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"All of the team members have worked hard on the many skills necessary to compete successfully at this level," coach Rader said. "Although neither Kevin nor Aaron received individual honors, the scores they received and their contribution in the team round made it possible for the entire team to advance to the state competition. Their reward is another month of after-school practice and work on math problems."

The C-EL team finished first in the overall standings and will advance to the state Mathcounts competition in Chicago on March 9.

[News release]

[Top, from left: Coach Doug Rader, Kevin Huelskoetter, Troy Tolan.  Bottom, from left: Aaron Meyrick, Alison Kessinger]

Announcements

[FEB. 28, 2002]   If you live in the Chester-East Lincoln School District, please take advantage of the school’s developmental screening days. Any child from birth to 5 years old is eligible to take part in the free screening.

All children who will be 5 years old before Sept. 1 and plan to enter kindergarten for the 2002-2003 school year need to go through the screening.

The process will take about one hour.

•  Monday, March 11 — 3- to 5-year-olds

•  Monday, March 25 — Infants to 5-year-olds

Screenings will be scheduled between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Please call C-EL at 732-4136 for an appointment for your child.

[C-EL news release]

[FEB. 15, 2002]   The 2002 Miss HOI Scholarship Pageant is set for the evening of Saturday, April 6, at the Bertha Frank Performing Arts Center of Morton. The program is sponsored by the Morton Area Players, the Morton Park District and Bearce Automall of Washington.

Entries are now being accepted from young ladies ages 17 to 24. Applicants have a chance to be the next winner of thousands of dollars in scholarships and to represent our area at the Miss Illinois Pageant in June.

Bethany Von Behren of Peoria, Miss HOI 2000, won more than $6,000 in scholarships through her competition at Miss HOI and Miss Illinois. Von Behren is a 2001 graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington and was a top ten finalist at Miss Illinois. She was also a preliminary talent winner.

This year’s show, "Celebrate America," will feature award-winning twirler Alyssa Gunderson, the current Miss Heart of Illinois. Gunderson is a special education teacher in suburban Chicago and has been volunteering for mentoring programs for the past five years. She has worked closely with the Bloomington Housing Authority and has started mentoring programs in four states. Gunderson is a 2001 graduate of Illinois State University.

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The Miss Heart of Illinois program was honored at the state level for the quality of its show on pageant night, winning the Best Production Award in 2001. In 1999 and 2001, it won the inaugural Outstanding Program Award from Miss Illinois. Since 1998, it has awarded approximately $26,000 in cash scholarships to central Illinois women, thanks to area sponsors. Scholarship funds are sent directly to the contestant’ s university to pay for tuition only.

For more information on entering, sponsoring or volunteering for Miss HOI, e-mail misshoi@hotmail.com or visit the official Miss Heart of Illinois website: misshoi.homestead.com.

[News release] 

[Alyssa Gunderson, Miss HOI 2001,
is crowned by Bethany Von Behren, Miss HOI 2000,
and Jennifer Powers, Miss Illinois.]

You can help junior high students go to band camp

[FEB. 4, 2002]  The Lincoln Junior High School band director, Chad Minier, is continuing the tradition of giving scholarships to band members who are interested in going to band camp. The junior high plans to send more than 15 students to band camp this year at the University of Illinois in Champaign and Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

Band camp gives students the opportunity to meet and perform with band students from all over the country. Participants have many rehearsals and classes throughout the day. College professors and college students direct ensembles and teach the junior high students. Band camp participants learn about music history, theory and even composition. The camps always end with a concert featuring all of the students.

Students stay on campus in dorms during the band camp.

Many students do not have the opportunity to go to camp. The camps are very expensive. Lincoln Junior High wants to give all band students the chance to have a challenging but fun experience in music.

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Band camps are not just work. Students are given the opportunity to attend concerts, go on picnics, swim at the campus beach, canoe on the campus lake, attend dances and participate in many other fun activities.

The average cost of band camp is around $400. Last year the Lincoln Junior High band was able to award $200 scholarships to more than 10 students. Community members and generous businesses donated money to help band students have new and inspirational experiences in music.

Lincoln Junior High will be accepting donations toward band camp scholarships throughout the school year. Donations can be dropped off at the school office, at 208 Broadway. Checks should be made out to Lincoln Junior High Band Boosters.

[News release]

Health care career scholarship applications available

[JAN. 26, 2002]  Applications for the Dwight F. Zimmerman Scholarship, sponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Healthcare Foundation, are currently available.

Applicants must be seniors graduating from Lincoln Community High School, Mount Pulaski High School, Olympia High School, Hartsburg-Emden High School, Delavan Community High School or Illini Central High School, or students currently attending Lincoln College.

All applicants who are chosen as finalists to interview with the scholarship selection committee will receive an award to be applied directly toward tuition, fees and books. The two top applicants will receive scholarships of $1,500. Other finalists will be awarded $500 scholarships.

  Applications are available in the guidance offices of the above-listed schools. Applications are to be submitted to the Abraham Lincoln Healthcare Foundation, 315 Eighth St., Lincoln, IL 62656. The deadline to submit an application for the Zimmerman scholarship is April 5. For more information, call the foundation office at (217) 732-2161, Ext. 405.

People wishing to contribute to the scholarship fund may send their contributions to the Abraham Lincoln Healthcare Foundation, 315 Eighth St., Lincoln, IL 62656.

[News release]

Menus

• Lincoln Elementary Schools

• West Lincoln-Broadwell Elementary School District 92

(Milk served with every meal)

Thursday, March 7 — Scrambled eggs, toast, potato smiles

Friday, March 8 — Cereal, graham crackers with dip, juice

Monday, March 11 — Cereal, toast with jelly, juice

Tuesday, March 12 — Sausage and gravy bagel, fruit

Wednesday, March 13 — Cereal, cinnamon toast, juice

Thursday, March 14 — Apple slices with peanut butter, toast

Friday, March 15 — Cereal, pop tart, juice

Monday, March 18 — Cereal, cinnamon toast, juice

Tuesday, March 19 — Pancake bites with syrup, fruit

Wednesday, March 20 — Cereal, rice crispy treat, juice

Thursday, March 21 — Iced pastry, orange wedges

Friday, March 22 — Cereal, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, juice

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(Milk served with every meal)

Thursday, March 7 — Sloppy Joes, french fries, cole slaw, applesauce

Friday, March 8 — French toast sticks with syrup, sausage patty, hash brown, pineapple tidbits

Monday, March 11 — Hamburger on bun with cheese, french fries, orange juice

Tuesday, March 12 — Spaghetti with meat sauce, lettuce salad, garlic bread, pears

Wednesday, March 13 — Sausage pizza, corn, carrot sticks, cinnamon applesauce

Thursday, March 14 — Oven fried chicken, mashed potatoes, bread and butter, peaches

Friday, March 15 — Macaroni and cheese, green beans, bread and butter, fruit cocktail

Monday, March 18 — Hot ham and cheese on bun, pork and beans, pretzels, peaches

Tuesday, March 19 — Corn dogs, french fries, carrot sticks, green beans

Wednesday, March 20 — Tacos with lettuce and cheese, peas and carrots, tortilla chips with salsa, pears

Thursday, March 21 — Turkey or pork roast, mashed potatoes, bread and butter, fruit cocktail

Friday, March 22 — Tomato soup with crackers, cheese toasty, celery with peanut butter, apple crisp

(Milk is included with every meal.)

Thursday, March 7 — Creamed turkey on biscuit, potatoes, peas, strawberry applesauce

Friday, March 8 — Cheese pizza, french fries, tossed salad, sliced pears

Monday, March 11 — Cheeseburger on bun, potato wedges, baked beans, peaches

Tuesday, March 12 — Ham horseshoe, french fries, raw veggies, applesauce

Wednesday, March 13 — Chili, pasta, crackers, toasted cheese, apple slices, fruit ice

Thursday, March 14 — Barbecued chicken on bun, au gratin potatoes, slaw, diced pears

Friday, March 15 — Tortilla chips, cheese sauce, corn, lettuce olé, sugar cookie

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Monday, March 18 — Turkey tenderloin on bun, potato rounds, shellie beans, diced pears

Tuesday, March 19 — Creamed turkey on biscuit, potatoes, peas, jello

Wednesday, March 20 — Breadsticks, meat sauce, lettuce salad, corn, cake, fruit

Thursday, March 21 — Chicken fried steak, potatoes and gravy, broccoli and cheese, peaches

Friday, March 22 — Tomato soup, crackers, toasted cheese, raw veggies, fruit ice

Monday, March 25 — Oven-fried chicken, potatoes and gravy, green beans, applesauce

Tuesday, March 26 — Sloppy Joe on bun, assorted chips, corn, assorted desserts

Wednesday, March 27 — No school; spring break

Thursday, March 28 — No school; spring break

Friday, March 29 — No school; spring break

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