Education Matters: Local ROTC teams sweep national competition
The Dupo/Columbia Air Force Junior ROTC team had to get past more than 200 teams in two rounds of competition online. But doing so got the team of five an all-expense paid trip to the National Academic Bowl in Washington, D.C. in June, where the team placed first in the Air Force Academic Finals. A team from Mascoutah High School came in second.
Shelby Crook, Kaylee Fisk, Taylor Law, Emily Rendleman and Zoe Schmidt make up the Dupo/Columbia academic team; the coach is Major Mike Conley, retired from the U.S. Air Force. The girls are all freshman, sophomores or juniors; seniors are not allowed on the academic bowl teams.
The Dupo/Columbia and Mascoutah teams were two of eight to advance to the finals nationwide. The competition is sponsored by the Air Force JROTC and conducted by the College Options Foundation.
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Two O’Fallon students interested in chemistry joined an immersion program at the University of Missouri at Columbia to help educators learn new teaching techniques.
Conor Matson, who graduated from O’Fallon Township High School and is enrolled at Mizzou to study chemistry, and Elizabeth Lemieux were members of the student component of the Chemistry Immersion Program. Students were able to meet with undergraduates about research opportunities and spend the week on the college campus and participated in trivia night, a beach volleyball game and a nighttime trip to the observatory.
Teachers at the program arrived a week ahead to master laboratory activities to enhance learning in their own classrooms. The second week, they refined those strategies by teaching the rising seniors or incoming college freshmen. The program is funded by grants from the National Science Foundation.
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Althoff High School in Belleville has released its strategic plan for the next three years. The school of 380 students hopes to increase student enrollment, achieving 500 students by August 2020. The school also:
▪ Plans to increase the awareness of Althoff’s academic program, including analyzing the academic programs at other local schools.
▪ Establish an alumni relations committee and plan an “all reunion” weekend for Fall 2016
▪ Assess the needs of the 51-year-old building and make a master plan to act accordingly, including developing any fundraising necessary.
For more information, call 618-235-1100 or go to www.althoff.net.
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The Knights of Columbus Council in Maryville gave $5,000 to students from three area Catholic high schools.
Each student received a $1,000 scholarship at the council’s meeting on July 27. The students were Teresa Barz, sophomore, Rachel Kassing, junior, and Kennedy Latham, junior, all of Father McGivney in Maryville; Jedidiah Eggering, a sophomore at Marquette in Alton, and Shannon Maitland, a senior at Althoff.
“The recipients are all excellent students, and we are glad to be able to support their continued Catholic high school education,” said John Sapolis, chairman of the scholarship committee.
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The City of Collinsville is throwing a First Day Family Fun Celebration, including hair cutting and school supplies giveaways, from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday at the Gateway Center.
Organizers say the event is to strengthen the bond between Collinsville Unit 10 School District and the city government while showing everything the area has to offer residents.
Face-painting and games, as well as information about disaster preparedness and fitness and nutrition, will be available. Organizers also expect Louie, the St. Louis Blues mascot, as well as cheerleaders from the St. Louis Rams.
For more information, call education liaison Gary Clark at 618-346-5200 ext. 1143 or email gclark@collinsvilleil.org.
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One more thing on that back-to-school shopping list, says Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs. It’s time to start that college savings plan.
According to a news release, a college savings plan can be started with as little as $25. Open an account at www.illinoistreasurer.gov and click College Savings and choose either Bright Start or Bright Directions to get started. Both Bright Start and Bright Directions are Illinois 529 savings plans.
According to the treasurer’s office, a student who knows he or she has a college savings account is seven times more likely to attend college.
Do you have an item for Education Matters or an education-related story tip? We want to know about it. Send your ideas to Mary Cooley at education@bnd.com or 618-239-2535. Follow her on Twitter: @MaryCooleyBND.
This story was originally published August 4, 2015 at 11:11 AM with the headline "Education Matters: Local ROTC teams sweep national competition."