Becky Lueken (left), activity and trip director, Diane Leffler, adult day service activities coordinator, hold the Mind-Body-Spirit Award from rhe Association of Illinois Senior Centers. (Photo courtesy FVOAS)

Region

Fox Valley Older Adult Services honored by state

Fox Valley Older Adult Services has received the prestigious Mind-Body-Spirit Award from the Association of Illinois Senior Centers in Springfield. This is the third time the FVOAS has received this honor.  The award recognizes Senior Centers who have demonstrated excellent support by improving the health of Seniors not only physically but also spiritually and mentally.  The FVOAS makes programs and services available to seniors from DeKalb, Kendall, LaSalle and Bureau counties. Programs and activities run daily at the Senior Center in Sandwich along with Adult Day Service and Home Services.  These benefits keep hundreds of area seniors living independently in their own homes.  

Aurora

Garden Plots still available

The start of planting season is upon us, and the Fox Valley Park District wants you to know that there are still garden plots available for rent at the Oakhurst Forest Preserve location, 1574 5th Ave., Aurora.  Each plot is 20-by-30 feet and cost $15 for residents or $30 for non-residents. All registrations for garden plots at the Oakhurst location are accepted at the Eola Community Center, 555 S. Eola Road, in Aurora. For information, call (630) 851-8990.

Park District Board Seats New President

Charles “Chuck” Anderson of Aurora has been seated as the new president of the Fox Valley Park District’s Board of Trustees.

Anderson will take over as president in place of Robert Vaughan. He is a lifelong resident of the Fox Valley Park District and a third generation Auroran.

“My whole career has been about helping people, and I see my role with the Park District in the same way,” Anderson said. “What’s most important are the people I work for – Fox Valley Park District residents – and I am always ready to listen to their wants, needs and input.”

Anderson said that raising two boys had him always looking for inexpensive ways to entertain them.

“Recreation, parks, programs, community centers – these are integral pieces to great communities. The Park District adds to the quality of life, and I’m looking forward to continuing that in every way possible.”

Anderson’s term will run until April 2017, when Fox Valley Park District residents will elect a new, seven-commissioner board that will be seated in May 2017.

Kendall County

Kendall County Sergeants graduate from Northwestern University

Two Kendall County Sheriff’s Department Sergeants recently graduated from Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command (SPSC).  

Sgt. William Craig and Sgt. Jason Langston both successfully completed a 10-week leadership training program held in Plainfield from Jan. 4

through May 6. This program, which was implemented by the Center for Public Safety in 1983, has graduated over 14,000 students both nationally and internationally.

The School of Police Staff and Command provides upper-level college instruction in a total of 27 core blocks of instruction and additional optional blocks during each session. The major topics of study include: Leadership, Human Resources, Employee Relations, Organizational Behavior, Applied Statistics, Planning and Policy Development, Budgeting and Resource Allocation. Each student is academically challenged through written examinations, projects, presentations, and a staff study paper that are all required parts of the curriculum.

Local law enforcement welcomes home soldier

On May 7,  the Oswego Police Department, the Yorkville Police Department, and the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office participated in a welcome home ride with Adopt a Solder. Adopt a Soldier reached out to law enforcement to be part of a motorcade to honor U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Miclo Ramirez. Lance Corporal Ramirez is returning from service in Kuwait. He is a recipient of the Meritorious Mast Award and received a letter of acknowledgement from President Obama.

Lance Corporal Ramirez is an Oswego native and has served with the USMC since 2013. Ramirez graduated from Oswego High School and was a member of the Oswego Explorer program for six years. The motorcade traveled from the Home Depot in Oswego to the Yorkville American Legion by way of Route 34. For more information about Adopt a Soldier, send an email to adoptasoldierorganization@gmail.com

Oswego

Oswego Police host Junior Police Academy

Teens interested in learning more about law enforcement are in luck. The Oswego Police Department will be hosting two sessions of the Junior Police Academy again this summer and are now seeking applicants. The first session is from June 27-July 1 and the second session is from July 18-July 22. Both sessions are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to Noon. The Junior Police Academy is offered free of charge to all current District 308 Junior High School students. Junior Cadets will learn about conducting traffic stops, crime scene investigation, building searches and more.  Applications are due by June 6, 2016 and can be picked up in the lobby of the Oswego Law Enforcement Center. Application forms will also be available to download at www.oswegopoliceil.org. Contact Officer Wilson of the Oswego Police Department with any questions at (630) 551-7342.

New Prairie Point Principal Named

Community Unit School District 308 has hired Dr. Jennifer Groves as the new principal at Prairie Point Elementary School.

Groves is replacing outgoing Principal Dr. Heidi Podjasek, and she officially takes over as principal at Prairie Point on July 1, 2016. Podjasek was hired as the district’s new director for professional development and training in March.

“I couldn’t be happier with the selection of Dr. Groves. She is the right candidate for the job,” Associate Superintendent for Administrative Services for School District 308 Dr. John Sparlin said. “Dr. Groves has already proven herself to be an effective leader and she brings an abundance of talent and administrative experience.”

For the past eight years, Groves has served as the principal of the Cathedral of St. Raymond School, in Joliet, where she led a staff of 50 and oversaw the education of 500 preschool through eighth grade students.

“I am thrilled to be serving as the new principal at Prairie Point Elementary School,” Groves said. “Having lived in Oswego for the past 11 years, I am very eager to bring my leadership skills home to my community. I look forward to working with the students, teachers and families of Prairie Point.”

Plano

Plano High School host BBQ fundraiser

On May 24th, Plano High School will host a 5Bs fundraiser dinner to benefit band, choir, and the National Hispanic Institute. The dinner will be from 4:30-6:30 p.m.  at the high school, 704 W. Abe St., Plano. Tickets are $12 per person and come with a choice of chicken, pork chops, or a combination of both. Drive thru service will be provided at the concession stand of the PHS football field. Profits will go to buying new instruments for band, dresses for choir, the upcoming Disney trip, and leadership opportunities out of state for NHI. Please contact swebb@plano88.org to purchase tickets.

Yorkville

Yorkville High School Students travel to Springfield

Yorkville High School senior Chase Pranga and junior AJ Walter, computer science students, recently traveled to Springfield to present at TECH 2016 about the Computer Security class that they took last semester.

The teens presented at the Capitol and met State Rep.Keith Wheeler as well as State Sen. Jim Oberweis.

While they were there, Pranga and Walter talked about the importance of growing computer science education and highlighted the fact that only one in 10 high schools in the country has any computer science classes, and how important computer security is in today’s world.

Thousands raised for Kennedy Road path project

On May 7th, the city of Yorkville, along with Push for the Path and Yorkville Rosati’s Pizza and Pub combined forces to host the PeppRUNi 5K.

Through their efforts, nearly $30,000 was raised to help build a multi-use path on Kennedy Road. This 2.72 multi-use path will be located on Kennedy Road, approximately in-between Route 47 and Bailey Road. Construction is expected to start later this year. According to the city, a total of 235 runners were registered for the race.

–Kendall County News Briefs–