DeKalb County News Briefs

Chronicle Media

The five winners of Northern Illinois University’s Forward, Together Forward scholarships pose for a photo with NIU acting President Lisa Freeman. The winners are (from left) Lianne Abellar, Christine Wang, Edgar Lopez, Megan Gardner and Maggie Hitchcock.

COUNTY

Scholarship offered for study of police work, law enforcement

A scholarship is being offered to a senior graduating from a DeKalb County high school who wants to pursue a career on police science or law enforcement. The Deadline to apply for the $500 Alf M. Deisz Memorial Scholarship is April 1. The award is available each year from the Regional Office of Education or from high school counselors in DeKalb County.

Qualifications for the scholarship are:

1. Must be a DeKalb County high school senior, graduating in the upper half of his/her class.

2. Must be accepted at a qualified institution of higher learning.

3. College curriculum is to be in the field of police science and/or law enforcement.

Applications are available at and should be returned to the Regional Office of Education, 2500 N. Annie Glidden Road, Suite C, DeKalb 60115.

DeKALB 

Students win scholarships in honor of those who were killed

The future of five Northern Illinois University students ended 10 years ago in the fatal shootings in Cole Hall. Five current students who have bright futures have received scholarships, so that they can contribute to the world.

NIU officials announced Feb. 13, the day before the 10-year anniversary of the shootings, the winners of scholarships given in the name of the students who lost their lives.

Five $4,000 awards – Forward, Together Forward scholarships – are given annually to NIU’s brightest students. The money comes from more than 1,800 donors who have given more than $745,000 to support the fund.

The chosen students demonstrate academic excellence, strength of character, motivation, inspiration, integrity and a high regard for others.

The 2018 winners are:

  • Lianne Abellar, an elementary education major preparing for her future in the classroom by teaching refugees;
  • Megan Gardner, who is studying dietetics and plans to battle global hunger;
  • Margaret Hitchcock, an outspoken advocate on LGBTQA issues on campus and in the broader community;
  • Edgar Lopez, a leader in the Latino community in Rochelle; and
  • Christine Wang, the speaker of the NIU Student Association Senate who has studied abroad in five countries, worked in government at the county and federal levels, and helped revitalize campus mental health programs.

Hospice seeks volunteers to help patients, families

Kind, compassionate people who can comfort and support patients facing the end of life and their families are needed to help Northwestern Medicine Hospice of DeKalb in its work.

The local branch of KishHealth System Hospice will offer a volunteer training program from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout April. The sessions will be held at the hospice, at 2727 Sycamore Road, DeKalb.

There is no fee to attend, but potential volunteers must register by March 23. To do so, contact Karlie Fisher at (815) 756-3000 or Karlie.Fisher@nm.org.

Health screenings set for young children

DeKalb Community Unit School District 428 will provide screenings for children ages birth to preschool from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 8 and 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. March 9 at the Early Learning and Development Center, 1515 S. Fourth St., Door 31, in DeKalb.

The free screening will take about an hour and will include education, speech/language components, and vision and hearing.

Appointments are required. To schedule an appointment, call (815) 754-2361.

SYCAMORE

Music boosters hold fundraiser

Shawarma, kabobs and falafel will transfer into funds for School District 427’s music program when supporters attend a fundraising events Feb. 27. The Sycamore Music Boosters invites the public from 4 to 8 p.m. to Jamrah Middle Eastern Cuisine, 2672 DeKalb Ave., Sycamore. Food ordered during that time will help raise money for Sycamore music students.

Attendees do not need to bring a flyer for a percentage of sales to go to the boosters. They just need to mention they want to support the fundraiser when they place their food order.

The Music Boosters is a group of volunteers and families and friends of students enrolled in elementary and high school music education classes in Sycamore schools. For more information, visit www.sycamoremusicboosters.com.

New rec superintendent takes helm at park district

The Sycamore Park District is welcoming a new superintendent of recreation, as the district prepares to open a new community center.

Theresa Tevsh is replacing Meghan Jourden-Messerich, the current superintendent of recreation, who will resign effective March 2. Jourden-Messerich is leaving to join her husband who has been offered a new job with a South Carolina company. Jourden-Messerich was with the district for less than a year.

Tevsh worked on projects for the village of Richton Park’s community center and a new splashpad at the Oakbrook Terrace Park District. She has already started her new job, which includes overseeing recreational facilities, services and initiatives throughout the district, including the new community center. The center is set to open mid-April.

Tevsh earned her degree in parks and recreation administration from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. She is also a certified parks and recreation professional, having worked in the field for 23 years at both park district and municipal government agencies.

 

–DeKalb County News Briefs–