Even though he is retired, Mascoutah School District business manager Robert Zerkle still is bringing in awards and accolades.
He was honored recently by the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools for his efforts to reform school finances. Zerkle has pushed for schools with a high number of military families to receive increasing amounts of impact aid to help them balance their books and provide a high-quality education.
"Bob's support for impact aid began even before NAFIS was formally started," John Forkenbrock, executive director of the association, said. "He's one of the real forefathers of NAFIS, and his involvement in impact aid is second to none.
"It was the feeling of the board that Bob should be given and award that best sums up his relationship to NAFIS."
The honor Zerkle got is called the Friends of NAFIS Award, which is given to a person who has provided long-term support or service in the field of education through impact aid.
"We at Mascoutah have benefited immensely by Bob's work with impact aid," Mascoutah Superintendent Sam McGowen said. "He's been an advocate for impact aid for years, but an advocate for our school first and foremost, and we commend him on this honor."
U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello remarked about the honor on the Congressional Record.
"As the representative for Scott Air Force Base, I have witnessed firsthand how important the impact aid program is to our region and our students," Costello said. "Not only does it provide school districts like Mascoutah with essential funding otherwise unavailable, it assures the men and women of our fighting forces that their children will receive a great education while they are keeping America safe and secure."...
Belleville East High School senior John Paul Jones has been named a National Merit Scholar finalist, the only person at his school to get the honor, school counselor Merle Wilder said. And if that wasn't enough, he also recently learned he has been accepted to attend Harvard University in the fall. ...
Troy/Maryville Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Dawn Mushill has been named Southwestern Illinois College's distinguished alumni for 2008.
In 1990, Mushill earned her Associate of Applied Science degree in secretarial science, and that inspired her to become a teacher.
"I went on to earn my bachelor's and master's degrees, and capped it with my teaching internship at Southwestern Illinois College," Mushill explained.
Mushill taught for 14 years as an adjunct instructor at SWIC, and served as a corporate trainer for the Center for Training Innovations. In addition to her work with the chamber, she is the chief executive officer of Customer Service and Beyond. ...
Whitney Fraier has been hired as the new Lindenwood University director of alumni affairs. She started the job April 7 and will be working out of the university's development office.
Fraier worked most recently as special events manager at the Magic House in Kirkwood, Mo. Before that, she worked for the St. Charles (Mo.) Convention Center.
Fraier said her goal is to continue to improve alumni participation in the university and to get more alumni reconnected with Lindenwood.
"I plan to put together more alumni events to help accomplish that," Fraier said, adding that her experience as a student lent to her decision to try for the job. "I love the faculty and staff, the culture and what the university stands for."
She has a bachelor's degree in organizational communications from Murray State University in Kentucky, and she is pursuing a master's degree in nonprofit administration at Lindenwood.
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