State Sen. Kwame Raoul of Chicago keynoted a remembrance honoring the legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at Aurora University Thursday, Jan. 15. The date was King’s 86th birthday. Ill. Congressman Bill Foster and Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner also spoke. (Al Benson photo)

St. Charles Fine Arts Show finalizes Memorial Day event

The 17th Annual St. Charles Fine Art Show is scheduled over Memorial Day Weekend (rain or shine), Saturday, May 23 from 10 AM – 6 PM and Sunday, May 24, 2014 from 10 AM – 5 PM. The show features over 100 selected artists of various mediums and a Feature Tent. Additionally, the show has a successful Patron Program that yearly encourages patrons to commit in advance of the show to purchase art greater than or equal to a specified amount. The show will also give artists over $6,000 in Artist Merit Awards that include Judges’ Awards, Awards of Excellence, and Best of Show.

Mediums accepted include Clay/Ceramics, Mixed Media, Fiber (non-wearable), Fine Art Jewelry, Fine Art Photography, Glass, Painting, Sculpture, and Wood. Artists must submit 4 images of current work, and 1 image of their outdoor show booth/tent. For more information about the show, and to apply, visit www.zapplication.org.

The Fine Art Show is organized by the Downtown St. Charles Partnership www.downtownstcharles.org.

‘Wonders of  Winter’ open house at Mayslake Estate

Enjoy horse-drawn hayrides, ice fishing and geocaching at the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s “Wonders of Winter” open house on Saturday, Feb. 7 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 W. 31st St. in Oak Brook.

Hit the trails on a pair of snowshoes and meet live birds of prey from Willowbrook Wildlife Center’s raptor-education program at this free all-ages event. Warm up around an open fire while making s’mores and then step inside Mayslake Hall for games, crafts and exploration of the historic building.

“At a time of year when you might be inclined to stay inside, ‘Wonders of Winter’ gives you a reason to get out into the forest preserves,” said Joseph Cantore, president of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. “It’s an opportunity to try new things such as ice fishing and horse-drawn hayrides— all free of charge. And when you need a break from the cold, you can step inside the mansion for a warm drink and educational exhibits, including real animal pelts, kids’ crafts, indoor golf and more.”

Registration is not required. For more information about “Wonders of Winter,” call 630-933-7248.

Local students invited to ‘PeaceJam Slam’ at Gates 

All local students are invited to attend the Great Lakes region PeaceJam Slam event that will be held on Saturday, Jan. 31 at Gates Elementary School, 800 Seventh Avenue, Aurora.

The theme of the event is “Peace Begins With Me”. The day will include teambuilding workshops run by Culture Stock and Zapatista Volunteer Health Clinic, Peace Corps presentations, performances by Simply Destiny Dance Troupe, Suicide Prevention experts, St. Baldrick’s representatives and local community members.

State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia will be the keynote speaker at the event. Chapa LaVia is a 1984 graduate of East Aurora High School, who has represented Aurora in the state legislature since 2003. Chapa LaVia will be speaking about leadership and how students can use their personal passion to make a positive impact in their community and beyond.

All students from elementary through high school are invited to attend. The cost is $10, which includes lunch. Youth registration is linked below. Adult registration can be found at: http://bit.ly/1INGoCH

Watson returns to 308 as interim OEHS principal

A District 308 administrative veteran will provide leadership as interim principal for Oswego East High School (OEHS) during a time of transition.

The Community Unit School District 308 Board of Education approved the hire of former Oswego High School (OHS) Assistant Principal Craig Watson for the position at its meeting on Monday, Jan. 12. Watson will lead OEHS this semester, as the district conducts a search to hire someone permanently for the position.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matthew Wendt spoke of the importance of having someone with Watson’s background in the position.

District 308 will open the position next month with the intent of naming a new principal by March or April for the 2015-16 school year. Watson follows Dr. Todd Martens, who recently resigned from the position for personal reasons.

IMSA celebrates innovation center with kickoff event

Faculty, staff, students, and community members from the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) celebrate the unveiling of the official name, logo, and renderings of the $1.9 million innovation center this week, which will bring highly advanced technology and workspace to the world-class STEM academy in Aurora.

The announcement is the culmination of a year of planning that followed the designation of a $1,000,000 lead gift by IMSA alumnus and YouTube co-founder Steve Chen.

The innovation center will feature a modern open space design furnished with a maker space, 3D workstations, a media wall, an idea bar, an entrepreneur-in-residence office, and a café, and it will be optimized for entrepreneurial incubation.

The event is open to the IMSA community, innovation center partners, and select members of the media. It will feature a welcome by IMSA President Dr. Torres, the new name and logo unveiling, a walkthrough of potential designs, easels to help envision the future of the center, and strategic programs developed by students in the recent mini-course “Chicago Innovation Ecosystem and the IMSA Innovation Hub.”

–Suburban Chronicle News Briefs are compiled from news sources and submitted items.