Education Matters: Immaculate Conception students win national quilt prizes

Three students at Immaculate Conception School in Columbia have won the grand prize in the National Quilt Block Challenge. Jacob Whitworth, Ally Curry and Noah Newton will win $100 each for their work on the block “Patriotic Elvis.” Kyra Newton won third place and $100 in the kindergartener-fourth grade division with her quilt block, “Wonderland.”

The students will travel to Paducah, Ky., to the National Quilt Museum for the awards ceremony on Saturday. The national competition had more than 300 students enter.

Gordon Bush Elementary gets grant

An East St. Louis school is one of five schools in the state to be awarded a School Improvement Grant. Gordon Bush Elementary, at 1516 Gross Ave., will be awarded a total of $4.82 million over the next five years. The grant requires reapplication and state approval each year. Only a school in Rockford received more money; the five grants total more than $20 million.

“Through the SIG at Gordon Bush Elementary School, we will be able to further equip our children with the academic foundation necessary for success in college, work and life,” East St. Louis School Superintendent Arthur Culver said in a news release from the Illinois State Board of Education.

Game show

Scholar bowl teams from Marissa and Pinckneyville high schools will be vying for wins at Scholastic Hi-Q, a single-elimination televised game show, airing at 5 p.m. Sunday and repeating at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 31.

The students are tested on art, science, math, literature, history, music and pop culture. The winner of this match will go on to another bowl, which will air in April.

Scholastic Hi-Q is produced and hosted by Southern Illinois University Carbondale students and will air on WSIU-TV 8 WUSI-TV16, the public television stations of SIUC.

Trying doctor coats out for size

The prekindergarten class at St. John Neumann Catholic School in Maryville recently learned about the letter M and medicine. They also used aprons and medical backpacks provided by SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis in their dramatic play center.

Looking for singers

“The RiverBend Children’s Choir is for all students who love to sing,” said Barbara McHugh, the choir’s director. “It gives those who love to sing an outlet and helps develop skills that can be used in any choral experience.”

The choir is open to children from second through eighth grade and meets at the Ringhausen Music Building at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey from 5 to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Tuition is $60 for the season, which runs through April 12. For more information or to register, call Lewis and Clark’s Music Department office at 618- 468-4731.

Volunteer training at Harmony

Volunteer training and fingerprinting starts at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Emge School Conference Room for anyone interested in volunteering at Harmony District 175 in Belleville. Adults who wish to volunteer at Ellis Elementary, Harmony Intermediate or Emge Junior High need to undergo training. The training is necessary to chaperone field trips and to participate at class parties.

Coffee and conversation

The O’Fallon Township High School school board, superintendent and administration will be part of “Conversations over coffee,” an effort by the board to “better understand parent and community perspectives on education,” according to a news release.

The coffee this month is from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Jan. 27 at the Hardee’s Restaurant by the high school.

Learn more about previous Conversations Over Coffee by clicking on the OTHS Outreach link on the lower left side of the page at www.oths.us.

This story was originally published January 19, 2016 at 11:56 AM with the headline "Education Matters: Immaculate Conception students win national quilt prizes."