Father Michael Pica tells his vocation story during a stop at St. Mary School in Pontiac as part of “Priests Pedaling for Prayers.” To raise prayers for and awareness of vocations, three young priests of the Diocese of Peoria rode their bikes more than 340 miles across central Illinois from April 24 to April 28. The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems

STATE

Law could require hike in new teachers’ salaries

Illinois could require school districts to give some teachers a raise, according to a new plan on the table. However, the measure does not provide any funding. 

Starting teachers could benefit from the proposed law. The average teacher salary in Illinois is $64,516, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. Starting teacher salaries are often about half that. The proposed plan would require schools to start teachers at $40,000 a year. 

Proponents of the measure say the bill would end Illinois’ teacher shortage. 

Lawmakers are expecting local schools to come up with this money on their own. And, some local school district officials say this is another unfunded mandate, and they don’t have the money to raise starting salaries. 

The teacher pay plan is expected to go to the full Illinois House for a possible vote. 

CENTRAL ILLINOIS

Students to pit robots in international competition

Central Illinois will be well represented when dozens of Peoria-area high school students join students from around the globe this coming weekend for the FIRST Robotics Competition world championship. The area students are part of four regional teams that qualified for the international event.

More than 400 teams will convene in Detroit in the coming days to pit machines designed and built over a six-week period against each other and in alliance with one another to score points by maneuvering milk-crate-sized cubes.

For the Tremont High School team, the voyage to Detroit amounts to a return trip. Tremont is already a world champion, having won the international event in 2016. The Roboteers this year are entering the global competition with three regional wins and a chairman’s award — the highest distinction for any team and a first for the team from Tremont.

Three other teams from the region also qualified and will attend the championship: Robot Casserole Team 1736, with members from Elmwood, Peoria, Brimfield and Chillicothe; Icarus Team 2018, with members from Metamora, Princeville and Peoria Notre Dame High School; and Argos Team 1756, with students from Limestone Community High School.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) released competition requirements and objectives in January, giving teams six weeks to strategize and design robots for a six-week competition season.

Airport continues to break records

March 2017 was the busiest month for passenger travel at Gen. Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport (PIA) until March 2018. Last month, 62,645 passengers used PIA, surpassing the 61,199 travelers who went through gates there a year earlier.

The high numbers can be attributed to travel related to spring break, which traditionally occurs during March.

Allegiant saw its traffic to its six destinations rise more than 15 percent over March 2017. Allegiant flies to four Florida cities — Destin, Orlando, Punta Gorda and Tampa/St. Petersburg — as well as to Las Vegas and Phoenix.

With leisure travel already growing by double digits, airport officials hope to increase the number of business travelers by encouraging businesspeople to make a conscious choice to use their hometown airport.

EUREKA

College selects Reagan Leadership Fellows

Four incoming freshmen of the Eureka College Class of 2022 are new fellows in the Ronald W. Reagan Leadership Program.

The Reagan Fellows are Katherine Germann of Sunbury, Ohio; Jackson Nannie of East Peoria; Emmalyn Paul of Eureka and Zachary Walter of Sherman, Ill. The award, based on leadership, service and academic excellence, includes a four-year full scholarship and global travel and professional mentorship opportunities.

Germann will graduate from Big Walnut High School in Sunbury where she was a member of the National Honor Society. She was also a member of the German Club and participated in tennis, mock trial, and the quiz team. She plans to continue debate activities and major in chemistry.

Nannie will graduate from Metamora Township High School next month. He was one of 30 students selected nationwide to serve as a U.S. Senate Page during the 2016-2017 school year. A decorated honors student, he was also heavily involved in Key Club and a member of the MTHS speech team and MTHS student council. At Eureka, Nannie plans to participate on speech team and pursue community service as well as political internships and fellowships.

Paul will graduate from Eureka High School, where she is a National Honor Society member. Paul was also captain of EHS color guard, a member of the dance team and selected as a delegate to attend Capitol Forum, an Illinois Humanities program. She plans to continue her involvement in chorale and the dance team and also intends to pursue musical theatre.

Walter will be a 2018 graduate of Williamsville High School. He was a state runner-up in scholastic bowl and also a second-place winner the Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization essay contest. Walter was also selected as the school’s most valuable newcomer in cross country. At Eureka, he intends to participate in debate and other academic endeavors.

Reagan Fellows participate in workshops and retreats throughout the school year. During the summers of their sophomore and junior years, they participate in mentorships with leaders in their field in the United States and abroad.

The Reagan Leadership Program, named for the 40th U.S. president and a 1932 graduate of Eureka College, is in its 34th year.

–Woodford County News Briefs–