Education briefs: The Great Read kicks off Dec. 7
This free event will kick off the 2009-2010 Great Read community literacy program. The Great Read was created in 2004 and designed to promote literacy, reading, conversation and community in the greater Plainfield area.
"The Great Read" is presented by the Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield School District 202, Joliet Public Library and Fountaindale Public Library; and the Joliet, Bolingbrook, Plainfield and Naperville Barnes and Noble stores. The program is supported by a generous grant from the Plainfield Foundation for Excellence.
"Into the Beautiful North" is the selection for this year's Great Read. It tells the story of a trio of modern Mexican girls inspired by a classic American movie to immigrate to the United States and bring back old-fashioned warriors to save their tiny village.
Their town is being overrun by bandits because the men left years ago to find work in "Los Yunaites." Along the way they meet a cast of characters as interesting as any in modern literature.
Their journey also provides a thought-provoking overview of the many-faceted issue of immigration, changing community, and the kind of challenges and opportunities experienced by the Plainfield area in recent years thanks to its growing cultural, racial and ethnic diversity.
Urrea is a master storyteller who knows first-hand about living in both Mexico and America. The book is rich, charming and inspirational.
He also knows quite a bit about cultural diversity, having been born in Tijuana, Mexico to a Mexican father and American mother, and raised most of his life in the United States.
Urrea now lives in Naperville and teaches creative writing at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
He is a critically acclaimed author of 11 books, and award-winning poet and essayist.
This year's "Great Read" will feature public and school programs, author readings and book signings, and special community events illustrating and celebrating America's inherent immigration history, and the myriad contributions of its many immigrant populations.
Construction on a new greenhouse is now complete after several years of fundraising by Ridge students, staff and the school PTO, coupled with grants from the Plainfield Foundation for Excellence. The greenhouse now stands behind Ridge Elementary School, located at 1900 Caton Ridge Drive, Plainfield.
The new greenhouse facility creates many new learning opportunities for students and school sponsored clubs.
As soon as the greenhouse was available, each kindergarten through fifth grade level made plans to use it as part of their Science curriculum, to study the scientific method, measurement, the life cycle and plant related objectives.
"The possibilities for the greenhouse are endless," Ridge fourth grade teacher Robert Battey said. "This project is truly unique in that every child has the opportunity to help in the creation and management of our very own greenhouse."
The greenhouse also nicely served the newly formed Ridge Environmental Club. The club teaches fourth grade students how to maintain flower beds, compost, grow plants, recycle and conduct experiments.
The Ridge Environmental Club also partners with neighboring students in the Drauden Point Middle School Club Green to use the space for their club meetings and projects. It also fosters peer teaching between the students.
"Ridge students will have positive peer role models at the middle school level and be able to enjoy the greenhouse from elementary school through middle school if they choose," Battey said.
"Both clubs are excited to uncover all of the possibilities the greenhouse holds."
Invitation for membership into the Société Honoraire de Franí§ais French National Honor Society, Deutsche Ehrenverbindung German National Honor Society, and Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica Spanish National Honor Society is based on scholarship in the language as well as scholarship throughout high school.
The foreign language honor societies recognize student achievement in the study of foreign languages and promote further understanding of languages and cultures.
The following students will be inducted into a foreign language honor society at Plainfield South High School:
Société Honoraire de Franí§ais: seniors Elizabeth Boykin, Nathalie Herrera, Jeremy Majewski and Phuong Quynh Nguyen, and juniors Paige Beard, David De La Torre-Dorado, Alexander Flores, Angelica Gal, Jessica Gal, Erica Garcia, Elana Goodman, Mark Janociak, Nikole Linares, Melissa Mariotti, Kelsey Marth, Katrina Pangilinan, Paige Powers, Kristen Stoneking, and Jessica Vevers.
Deutsche Ehrenverbindung: senior Joanne Gallik (honorary member) and juniors Jakari Battie, Alex Fulton, Melanie Goff, Amanda Johnston, Mercedes Mick, Jonathon Resler, Dalton Schneider, Antonio Sellers, and Caitlyn Weber.
Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica: seniors Christian Anaya, Veronica Andrade, Shannon Becker, Holly Begley, Gino Hernaiz, Nicholas Pasieka, Mary Paterno, Paige Stankus, Maria Szocinska, Alyson Torres, and juniors Larissa Aguado, Daniel Anaya, Lauren Begg, Mackenzie Blecha, Vanessa Burciaga, Emily Burt, Victoria Camera, Charna Cole, Erin David, Kaitlyn Garon, Allison Giancarlo, Katherine Hamilton, Aileen Hamilton, Alyssa Hanc, Courtney Holbrook, Stephanie Jackson, Sarah Jasiak, Upneet Kaur, Sarah Keating, Meagan Kelly, Miranda Mayer, Troy Meehan, Elizabeth Mikkelsen, Kristyn Moore, Erin Moreno, Alyssa Orozco, Megan Patterson, Ashlee Pendola, Kristin Petrella, Marielena Rodriguez, Christopher Schei, Cortney Sears, Dianne Sepulveda, Michelle Sterna, Breeanne Uitich, Stephanie Werner, Gabriela Wnek, Eric Wos, and Victoria Wrubel.
"The ceremony is being held in recognition of the students' accomplishments, and the Plainfield South World Languages Department is very proud of their hard work," PSHS Spanish teacher Kristina Johnson said.
Plainfield High School-Central Campus, Plainfield North High School and Plainfield East High School will induct members into foreign language honor societies in the spring.
Previously, PSHS also inducted new members in the spring, but changed its program last year to give more students a chance to participate in honor society activities during both their junior and senior years.
The school's annual book fair opens on Monday with a "Destination Book Fair, Read Around the World" theme.
Several contests will run during the book fair including guessing the correct number of tortilla chips, fortune cookies and naming the flags of different nations.
There will also be a "One for Books" contest, sponsored by Scholastic, Inc. For each dollar a student raises, Scholastic donates a book to the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots Foundation, Kids in Distressed Situations, Inc., and the National Center for Family Literacy.
Thomas Jefferson students will try to top the $200 they collected for "One for Books" last year. If they reach their goal, Principal Laurie Boyce has agreed to dress up like Thomas Jefferson.
The school will also host a "Grand" Event on from 7:15 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Nov. 20. Students can invite a grandparent or a grand friend to join them for a light breakfast and shop the book fair.
Bonnie McBeth preschool students at Thomas Jefferson as well as afternoon kindergarten students will invite their guests to joint them for a noon snack.
The fair will run through Nov. 24. All activities will take place at Thomas Jefferson Elementary, 1900 Oxford Way, Joliet.
The students are decorating, collecting and packing boxes for the troops as part of Operation Care Package, an organization that puts together care packages for troops during the holidays.
Over 50 Student Council members gathered to decorate 175 U.S. postal boxes with drawings and well wishes to the troops for the holiday season.
In addition, the student council members lead a drive to collect items for the care packages. The students collected canned fruit and fruit snacks, canned soup or Spaghettios, trail mixes, full size chocolate candy bars, men's white or black socks, hand sanitizers, wet wipes, body wash, toothbrushes, toothpaste and disposable razors.
"Many troops serving our country are away from their friends and family during the holidays, so it can be a lonely time for them," Charles Reed student council advisor Kerri Konie said. "Our Student Council wants to do all we can to make them feel remembered."
The students will participate in the 25th annual American Mathematics Competition 8 (AMC 8). The contest is sponsored by the Mathematical Association of America and the University of Nebraska.
Over 170,000 students worldwide will participate in the contest by completing booklets during their math classes. The AMC 8 is a 25-question multiple choice exam that students have 40 minutes to complete.
The questions are designed to promote and develop problem solving skills in middle school mathematics. Prizes will be awarded to students with the highest scores in their class, school and state.
"Last year we had 12 sixth-grade students score in the top 40 percent of all of those competing," Ira Jones Differentiation Specialist Andrea Medina said. "We are looking forward to doing even better this year."
All children ages 3 to 8 are welcome to celebrate the season with crafts and fun, while parents finish up on their holiday errands. The cost is $30 per child each day. A snack will also be provided. Please RSVP your child or children for this holiday event by contacting Merrilee Parkhurst at 815-609-5970 by the Thursday before each event.
