ROCKFORD

RU hosts business luncheon June 29

“The Economic Value of Cross-Sector Collaboration,” Rockford University’s ninth annual Business Luncheon, will be Thursday, June 29, in the Burpee Student Center’s Regents Hall.

The health of our community’s economy is directly linked to residents’ ability to thrive, and there is growing understanding that the complex nature of social issues facing our communities requires innovative approaches that draw on the strengths and influences of all sectors. Join us to learn how the partnership between for-profit, nonprofit and government entities working through the lens of Collective Impact can accelerate social change and directly impact the economic vibrancy and resilience of our community.

Presenter Jen Keeling is director of Ecosystem Advancement at LRNG, a social enterprise focused on redesigning learning for the 21^st century. Check-in and networking starts at 11:30 a.m. on June 29, with the luncheon and program to follow from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Individual reservations are $45, or $350 for a table of eight. RSVP by June 22 online at rubl2017.eventbrite.com. Sponsorship opportunities are available; contact Denise Noe at 815-394-3756.

For more information about the event, contact Jennifer Smith at 815-394-4384 or jsmith@rockford.edu.

ROCKFORD

RPS free summer meals program starts this week

Rockford Public Schools will provide free weekday meals for kids 18 and younger June 12-July 11. Children don’t have to be RPS 205 students to receive a meal. 

RPS 205 will offer meals at the following sites: Lewis Lemon, Ellis, Eisenhower, Gregory, Kennedy/Wilson ASPIRE, Roosevelt, Summerdale, Thompson, Swan Hillman and First Lutheran Church . 

For more information, call the Nutrition Services Department: 815-966-3033.

ROCKFORD

Two Auburn grads named National Merit Scholars

Two 2017 Auburn High School graduates were named winners of the National Merit Scholarship financed by U.S. colleges and universities.

Paul White and Shanida Younvanich were chosen as National Merit Scholars; officials of each sponsor college selected their scholarship winners from the finalists in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program who plan to attend their institution. Winners were announced today. 

White will receive the National Merit University of Oklahoma Scholarship; he plans to study chemical engineering. Younvanich will receive the National Merit Northwestern University Scholarship; she plans to study corporate finance. Both graduated from the Gifted Academy at Auburn.

These awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship. An additional group of National Merit Scholars will be announced in July, bringing the total number of college-sponsored Merit Scholarship recipients in the 2017 competition to approximately 4,000. Fellow Auburn Academy graduate Monay Zayed was named a National Merit Scholarship Corporation winner in May.

Five Auburn students were named National Merit semifinalists in September, and they all advanced as finalists in February: William Jiang, Cassandra Shriver, Paul White, Shanida Younvanich and Monay Zayed. They are among approximately 16,000 semifinalists across the country competing for scholarships in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program.

ROCKFORD

‘Strong Neighborhood’ block parties are back

The Rockford Police Department and United Way of Rock River Valley once again partner together to offer a summer series of Strong Neighborhoods Days block parties.

The block parties, which provide informal opportunities for residents to meet and engage with district police officers and their neighbors, occur on Wednesdays from noon-2 p.m. at the following locations:

• June 16, 2016 – Irving Strong Neighborhoods House (312 Irving Ave.)
• June 23, 2016 – 8th Avenue Strong Neighborhoods House (908 8th Ave.)
• June 30, 2016 – Cameron Ave. & Idlewood Terrace
• July 7, 2016 – Creek View Rd. & E. Lawn Dr.

Block party activities include giveaways, bomb robot demonstrations, and tours of the Rockford Police mobile command center and Strong Neighborhoods Houses. United Way will provide food, catered by Zina Horton from local favorite, Zammuto’s, and will also distribute free t-shirts to attendees.

–Winnebago County News Briefs–