Richards, Shepard students take deep dive into water safety
Safety comes first for SCUBA students in District 218, one of just two districts in Illinois to offer the class as a physical education elective.
After months of lessons and training, Shepard and Richards students geared up for their first real dives recently at Haigh Quarry in Kankakee.
They knew what to do, yet teachers Bob Peck and Dylan Shaughnessy walked among them making sure every piece of equipment operated as it should. Reminders on gear checks, safety protocols, and underwater hand signals followed.
The students had prepped since August for their certification dives at Haigh, a popular site for SCUBA diving. And when the time came to head underwater, most students earned a basic Professional Association of Diving Instructors certificate, which allows them to dive to 33 feet. Students completing their second year of the course, a physical education elective for more than 15 years in District 218, receive an advanced license for dives up to 140 feet.
The basic certification course teaches fundamental knowledge and safety. The advanced course includes skills such as tying a wide variety of knots, search and recovery diving, wreck diving, environmentalist diving, and other specialized dives.
Students earning their certificates on June 3 included Jakub Domaleczy, Ryan Sprandel, Peter Arnold, Dan Falk, Martin Foertsch, Rafia Giurgiu, Todd Kuenle, Mark Laszczewski, Caylie Lyons, Lazar Mirkovic, Sam Norton, Cooper Stone, Nathan Treat and and Logan Wright. Students who earned basic certificates on June 10 included Emily Baran, Evelyn Bernsee, Victoria Schlange, Paulina Karkoszka, Isiah Anaya, Katelynn Slehofer, Kimorai Simpson, Liam Duggan, Mariana Barajas, Rachel Snyder, Tony Martinez, Alberto Mayorga.
Proud graduates step off into future at Altgeld Gardens parade
Members of the Class of 2024 from high schools on Chicago’s far South Side and south suburbs showcased their achievements during a recent parade of more than 50 cars containing graduating seniors at Altgeld Gardens.
High schools represented included Gwendolyn Brooks, Perspectives Charter High School, Butler College Prep, Corliss High School, Fenger High School, Carver Military, Kenwood Academy, Devry, Morgan Park Academy, Simeon Vocational, Dunbar Vocational, Chicago Collegiate, Thornridge, Hansberry College Prep and Julian High School.
The event was hosted by Metropolitan Family Services’ Calumet Center, which began having the graduation parades in 2020 as a pandemic necessity and continued in years after as a way to recognize the hard work and dedication of the graduating youth in Altgeld Gardens. Several of the parade participants were also graduates of Metropolitan Family Services’ Youth Leadership Program.
The parade procession culminated with a safe summer kick off celebration that included games and activities as well as treats such as cotton candy.
Moraine Valley hosts Health Careers Bootcamp
Moraine Valley Community College partnered with Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital to present a weeklong Health Careers Bootcamp to introduce high school students to a variety of medical careers.
Approximately 30 students from Amos Alonzo Stagg, Argo Community, Carl Sandburg, Evergreen Park Community, Oak Lawn Community and Victor J. Andrew high schools heard presentations by Moraine Valley faculty, who discussed health care careers, including emergency medical services, medical assisting, phlebotomy, nursing, radiology, respiratory therapy and sleep technology. In addition, students participated in fun, educational hands-on activities at the camp from June 10 to 14.
Hands-on activities gave students an opportunity to learn skills such as how to tie a tourniquet, locate veins with straws, change and swaddle a baby, utilize infection control procedures, properly use personal protective equipment and stop bleeding. Participants also toured the college’s cadaver lab.
On the final day of the bootcamp, the participants visited Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital, where they met medical professionals who work in the fields they had learned about earlier in the week. The bootcamp was funded by a Northwestern Medicine Community Grant.
Chicago Heights awarded $250,000 grant for safety zones
Chicago Heights was awarded a $250,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation for a comprehensive project to enhance safety for students traveling to and from school.
The city and Chicago Heights School District 170 plan to use the funds to install traffic calming devices, clearly marked pedestrian walkways, warning signs and enhanced signage within the school district’s boundaries, according to a news release from the city.
The IDOT award to Chicago Heights is one of 47 similar “Safe Routes to School” projects approved, totaling $9.8 million.
Chicago Heights has experienced a concerning trend of accidents around school zones in recent years, officials said in the release.
The project will also encourage more students to walk or bike to school, reducing traffic congestion and promoting a healthier lifestyle for children. By providing safer routes to school, parents can feel more confident in allowing their children to walk or bike, leading to a decrease in vehicle traffic around schools and a subsequent reduction in the risk of accidents.
Work will begin once the state transportation agency signs off on the final implementation agreement, city officials said.
Repeat winner in Saint Bernard fishing derby
A June 15 fishing derby at Saint Bernard’s Parish, 13030 W. 143rd St., Homer Glen, netted a second consecutive title for catching the largest fish for participant Summer Fiel, who caught a 9-inch bass. Another participant caught 10 fish in one hour, a parish representative said.
The Saint Bernard’s Men’s Club fishing derby was deemed a “huge success,” organizers said, with 45 participants.
Little League State Tournament planned in Evergreen Park
The Evergreen Park Girls Softball League will host teams from throughout Illinois next month as the Little League State Tournament comes to town July 20 to 23 at Yukich Park, 8700 S Kedzie Ave. The tournament will be in the 10u division, and it will feature a team from Evergreen Park, according to organizers, who are hoping to attract local spectators to “pack the house for our local team,” they said in a news release.
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