ROCKFORD

Four from Auburn are National Merit semfinalist

Four Auburn High School students are semifinalists for the 2018 National Merit Scholarship. Andrew Baxter, Ellen Chidley, Logan Power and William Snedegar are among approximately 16,000 semifinalists across the country for scholarships in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program. All four students are seniors in the Gifted Academy at Auburn. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million that will be offered next spring. 

The National Merit Scholarship Program honors students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. About 1.6 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2016 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The nationwide pool of semifinalists represents less than 1 percent of high school seniors in the United States.

What’s next: From the approximately 16,000 semifinalists, about 15,000 are expected to advance to the finalist level. To become a finalist, semifinalists must submit a detailed scholarship application and provide information about their academic record, participation in school and community activities and awards received. Finalists will be notified of their designation in February.

CHERRY VALLEY

White Swan principal to oversee new elementary

White Swan Elementary School Principal Carolyn Timm will continue her leadership role at the new elementary school in Cherry Valley for the 2018-19 school year.

The new K-5 school will replace the existing Cherry Valley, White Swan and Thompson elementary schools. Located at 6754 Armer Drive, 61109, the 86,000 square-foot school is expected to be ready for students at the start of the 2018-19 school year.

Timm recently started her second year as principal at White Swan Elementary School. Before coming to RPS 205, she was a junior high math teacher in the Meridian Community Unit School District for more than 10 years. Prior to that, she taught at Kennedy Middle School for six years and also taught in private schools.

The current Cherry Valley Elementary School will be demolished and become property of the Village of Cherry Valley through an intergovernmental agreement. White Swan and Thompson elementary schools will be demolished and become the property of the Rockford Park District through an intergovernmental agreement. The new K-5 school will have four strands (four kindergarten classrooms, four first grade classrooms, etc.). This is the first new school built in RPS 205 since 1998.

ROCKFORD

RVC, RU co-host job, internship fair Sept 27

Rock Valley College and Rockford University will co-host a Job & Internship Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 27 from 10 a.m.-1p.m. in the Physical Education Center (PEC) gymnasium on RVC’s main campus (3301 North Mulford Road).

Participation in the Job & Internship Fair offers a chance to connect and network with representatives of employing organizations. A number of our students do obtain part-time and full-time employment as a direct result of participating in this event.

More information is available online at rockvalleycollege.edu/careerservices.

For more information please contact RVC Career Services at (815) 921-4100.

West Nile limited to two birds, on person

The Winnebago County Health Department has been monitoring the West Nile Virus (WNV) activity in the community.  In addition to the six mosquito pools that have been reported positive for WNV over the summer, one person and two birds have tested positive for WNV. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that Illinois had 14 cases of WNV as of Sept. 5.

Just over 500 WNV cases have been reported this year in the United States.West Nile Virus is most commonly spread to people by mosquito bites. There are no vaccines to prevent WNV or medications to treat it. Fortunately, most people do not have symptoms. The CDC says, 1 in 5 people who are infected with WNV develop a fever and other symptoms. About 1 out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness. Symptoms can include fever, weakness, nausea, vomiting, headache, body aches, skin rash, achy muscles, and swollen lymph glands. In severe cases, people may be confused, disorientated and have memory loss. 

–Winnebago County News Briefs–