38 area students honored by Parkland College dean

Thirty-eight area students have been named to the Parkland College Dean’s List for their scholastic achievement in the fall of 2018.

Recipients named to the Dean's List must earn a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 grade scale for the semester to receive this honor. Student enrolled in fewer than 12 hours can make the Dean’s List by achieving a 3.5 cumulative GPA for 12 or more hours during the current academic year.
Kohlten Johnson makes Parkland College Deans List
Kohlten Johnson waits for a pitch from Beardstown during St. Joseph-Ogden's Class 2A supersectional title game in May 2016. Johnson, who helped the Spartans rolled to an 11-0 victory to make the baseball program's first-ever appearance in the state finals, was one of 38 area students from Parkland College named to the Fall 2018 Dean's List. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Honorees from Ogden, Royal and St. Joseph are:

Ogden: John M. Acklin, Cody A. Ayers, Bonnie G. Collins, Tanner E. Morris and Katelyn M. Smith.

Royal: Karlie B. Baker, Mickaela J. Fleming and Samantha J. Fleming.

St. Joseph: Benjamin D. Albrecht, Justin A. Beck, Lacey N. Berlatsky, Abigail C. Burnett, Austin R. Chilton, Paige B. Dalton, Dezarae R. Dowers, Mason A. Edwards, Carson D. Florey, Tenneal R. Frerichs, Justyn R. Fruhling, Chloe A. Graver, Kohlten D. Johnson, Riley S. Knott, Danielle C. Long, Rebecca L. Long, Alexis G. Manning, Brendan Z. Olauson, Adalyn J. Parke, Autumn M. Pecchenino, Austin M. Reitmeier, Sarah C. Sanders, Raegan J. Smith, Amanda M. Stevens, Macy R. Vallee, Jason M. Waldeck, Taura Ward, Hannah O. Watson, Sarah E. Wiseman and Tori R. Witruk
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Spartans mark decade since historic 2016 basketball championship

The Spartans secured the 2016 Class 2A championship with decisive performances in the state semifinals and finals. St. Joseph-Ogden defeated Breese Central after a strong second half in the semifinal. The following day, the team topped Rockridge behind balanced scoring and a standout second quarter.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartans' Kohlten Johnson slashes to the paint in SJO's semifinal game against Breese Central. Johnson and the 13 members of the 2016 basketball team will be honored on Friday, February 13, in a 10-year anniversary celebration.


ST. JOSEPH - On Friday, Feb. 13, St. Joseph-Ogden will hold a 10-year anniversary recognition ceremony for the school’s first and only state championship basketball team. The celebration will be held between the JV and varsity home games against Bloomington Central Catholic.

The Spartans won the Class 2A title on the strength of a 10-game winning streak to close the season. After a rough start against Breese Central in the first half of the state semifinal, the Spartans gelled into a dominant force at Carver Arena, overpowering the Cougars in the second half offensively and defensively for a 60-48 finish.

A day later, SJO faced Rockridge for the title and put on a dazzling shooting display in the second quarter that matched the Rockets’ entire first-half 22-point output. Behind a game-high 20 points from Brandon Trimble and 14 from Jake Pence, St. Joseph-Ogden secured the state title in another dominant display, 61-43.

       
Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

RIGHT: Jake Pence unloads a shot against Breese Central in Friday's semifinal game. LEFT: Brandon Trimble takes a shot over a Rockridge player in the Class 2A title game. Trimble led all scorers with 20 points. BELOW: St. Joseph-Ogden fans cheer for their team on Friday in the team's game against the Cougars.

St. Joseph-Ogden baskeball fans cheer for their team

“We had high expectations coming into the year. The guys set a goal of coming to Peoria,” SJO head coach Brian Brooks told reporters in the postgame presser. “We started slow but football went deep, which was great. Those experiences, I believe, bled over into basketball and being able to handle those.”

Prior to the 2016 title run, St. Joseph-Ogden had made two previous state appearances, once in 2007 and again in 2013. All three state finalist teams were under the leadership of Brooks, now the superintendent and currently coaching the Spartan girls' basketball team for one year due to the head coach on deployment with the National Guard.

The JV game against the Saints tips off at 5:30 p.m.


2015-16 St. Joseph-Ogden Boys Basketball Roster

No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr.
1 Ty Brown G 6-0 165 Sr.
3 Brandon Trimble G 6-2 170 Jr.
4 Brandon Dable F 6-2 190 Jr.
10 Drayke Lannert G 5-10 150 Jr.
11 Kolten Taylor G 5-11 160 Jr.
12 Garrett Grimsley G 5-9 140 Sr.
15 Aaron Schluter F 6-2 210 Sr.
21 Tegan Poole F 5-9 175 Jr.
22 Jake Pence G 6-0 160 Sr.
23 Kohlten Johnson F 6-3 185 Sr.
30 Jordan Brooks G 5-10 145 So.
32 Brody Trimble F 6-3 190 Sr.
33 Eli Oltean F 6-2 190 Sr.
35 Ryan Ferriman F 5-11 195 So.

Assistant Coaches: Kiel Duval, Mike Bialeschki, Isaiah Olson
Managers: Bryce Kelly, Kenzie Pence, Madi Smith, Emma Melchior

Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

SJO student fans show their enthusiasum before the start 2016 title game.

Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Jordan Brooks gives his dad and coach Brian Brooks a hug during the awards ceremony.

Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Garrett Grimsley holds SJO's Class 2A championship trophy during the postgame awards ceremony.

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Photo of the Day - December 7, 2020

Growing into greatness

Champaign Dream's Kohlten Johnson, of St. Joseph, winds up for a pitch at the First Pitch Father's Day Hardball Tournament Saturday on June 14 in 2008. He and the 9-and-Under traveling baseball team went down swinging losing to Steffen Heating and Air Conditioning, 19-2. Eight years later, Johnson grew into a 6-foot-1, 170-pound, right-handed Spartan hitter that help the program to its first IHSA Baseball State Finals in 2016. He was also a member the St. Joseph-Ogden basketball team that brought home a Class 2A state title months earlier in March.

[Photo: PhotoNews/Clark Brooks]

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Photo of the Day |
Anniversary year: Spartans win 2A championship title

St. Joseph-Ogden basketball hug before time runs out
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

PEORIA - With the game in hand, Ty Brown hugs teammate Kohlten Johnson as the final minute of St. Joseph-Ogden's 2016 Class 2A championship game against Rockridge. The Spartans defeated the Rockets 61-43 to win the school's first state basketball title in school history. This year is the tenth anniversary of the historic victory.

Past Photos of the Day

TAGS: Photo of the Day, St. Joseph-Ogden basketball state champions, IHSA basketball, SJO vs Rockridge
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37 honored on University of Illinois Dean's List

This week, the University of Illinois announced the names of students recognized for outstanding academic achievement with the release of the Fall 2020 Dean's List. Thirty-seven students with ties to The Sentinel area at Illinois' flagship university were among the 10,867 students earning recognition for their scholastic performance.

Students named to the UIUC Dean's List must complete coursework and grading to fall into the top 20% of a student’s college class or curriculum. Classes taken pass/fail are not counted toward their academic standing for this award.

The list below does not include Dean's List honorees added after Jan. 27 or students who did not list their hometown as Royal, Ogden, Philo, Tolono, Sidney or St. Joseph with the University.



Benjamin Albrecht, St. Joseph
Senior, Applied Health Sciences

Elanor Atkins, Tolono
Sophomore, Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

Emily Bluhm, St. Joseph
Junior, Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

Nicholas Cagle, Ogden
Junior, Liberal Arts and Sciences

Sarah Chahine, St. Joseph
Sophomore, Applied Health Sciences

Zachary Chalmers, Philo
Junior, Liberal Arts and Sciences

Hailey Collum, St. Joseph
Senior, Fine and Applied Arts

Andrea Cunningham, St. Joseph
Freshman, Education

Carson Florey, St. Joseph
Senior, Liberal Arts and Sciences

Tyler Gadbury, Tolono
Freshman, Liberal Arts and Sciences

William Gay, Philo
Senior, Liberal Arts and Sciences

Lauren Gherna, St. Joseph
Senior, Liberal Arts and Sciences

Christian Hasler, Philo
Junior, Liberal Arts and Sciences

Evan Hawkins, St. Joseph
Senior, Media

Mason Housenga, St. Joseph
Senior, Engineering

Ian Hulette, St. Joseph
Senior, Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

Kohlten Johnson, St. Joseph
Senior, Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

Riley Knott, St. Joseph
Senior, Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

Mark Maddock, St. Joseph
Junior, Liberal Arts and Sciences

Mira McLain, St. Joseph
Senior, Liberal Arts and Sciences

Emma Messman, Sidney
Junior, Education

Abigayle Mizer, Ogden
Junior, Liberal Arts and Sciences

Brendan Olauson, St. Joseph
Junior, Engineering

Natasha Plummer, Tolono
Freshman, Applied Health Sciences

Skylar Price, St. Joseph
Junior, Applied Health Sciences

Kassidy Reno, Philo
Sophomore, Applied Health Sciences

Jenna Schaefer, St. Joseph
Sophomore, Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

Abigail Schlueter, St. Joseph
Junior, Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

Rylee Sjuts, St. Joseph
Sophomore, Liberal Arts and Sciences

Benjamin Snodgrass, Tolono
Junior, Applied Health Sciences

Emilee Sorensen, Ogden
Senior, Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

Abigail Tierney, Philo
Senior, Liberal Arts and Sciences

Shelby Turner, Philo
Senior, Liberal Arts and Sciences

Israel Wells, Sidney
Senior, Applied Health Sciences

Madisyn Welsh, St. Joseph
Junior, Social Work

Madison Wilson, Philo
Senior, Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

Zoey Witruk, St. Joseph
Freshman, Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences


The list above does not include Dean's List honorees added after Jan. 29 or students who did not list their hometown as Royal, Ogden, Philo, Tolono, Sidney or St. Joseph with the University. If you were on this semester's Dean's List and your name were omitted from our list above please know it was not intentional. University communications and public affair offices typically provide or make available lists of fall and spring graduates by zip code. Quite often students living off-campus supply their school address in the city they live while attending school as their contact address instead of their hometown address. If you supplied the institution with a different home address, and would like to have your name added to the list hometowns we cover above, email us your information to editor@oursentinel.com. We'll be happy ato add your name to the listing.


Did you graduate from college with an undergraduate or advance degree in December? Tell us about it!


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Area winter and summer U of I grads announced

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign announced graduates for the fall semester 2020, as well as those who graduated in August 2020 last week. There were 3,428 graduates in December of which 10 are from our area.  In August, one area student was among the 1,626 conferred degrees last year.

St. Joseph native Rachel Gherna, an English major, earned her bachelor degree with High Distinction and graduated Cum Laude in December.

High Distinction is awarded to students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher for exceptional, praiseworthy work in the honors seminars and English courses. The candidate must also write an honors thesis with two out of three readers on the review panel recommending the work for High Distinction.

Cum Laude recognition is given to students in the top 12% of their class that maintains a GPA of at least 3.87.


December 2020 graduates include:

Julie Block, Tolono
Master of Education in Education Policy, Organization and Leadership
Graduate College

Robert Malmberg, Tolono
Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts and Sciences

Tara Van Pelt, Tolono
Master of Social Work
Graduate College

Jonam Walter, Tolono
Master of Science in Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Graduate College

Kelly White, Tolono
Doctor of Philosophy in Education Policy, Organization and Leadership
Graduate College

Sophie Woolard, Tolono
Bachelor of Social Work
School of Social Work

Lauren Gherna, St Joseph
Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts and Sciences

Kohlten Johnson, St Joseph
Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Consumer Economics
Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

Taryn Lempa, St Joseph
Master of Business Administration
Graduate College

Journey Slowikowski, St Joseph
Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts and Sciences

August 2020 degree recipient:

Courtney McGraw, Tolono
Master of Social Work
Graduate College


The list above is provided by the university and based on the address supplied by students. Students who used a campus address as their mailing address may not be included in this article. This list may not include individual graduates conferred after February 4, 2020. If you suspect a problem with this list, contact the University of Illinois at (217)333-1085 or them at News Bureau. Did you, your son/daughter or a grandchild graduate from a public or private university back in May or this month? Let us know by sending their 2020 college graduation information.

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Area residents earn degrees at Parkland College

Ryan Allen
Back on August 29, 2014, Ryan Allen evaded tacklers from Paxton-Buckley-Loda in SJO's home opener. Allen was one of 23 St. Joseph residents who received associates degrees at Parkland College. SJO went on to defeat PBL in their non-conference battle, 27-7. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Last month, thirty-one area college students were candidates for the 52nd Commencement Exercises at Parkland College. The following individuals completed all the necessary requirements to accept their diploma this past May.

Ogden
Matthew R. Alsip, CER, Construction: Plumbing and Pipefitting
Andrea L. Crain, CER, Practical Nursing
Grant C. Harper, AAS, Automotive Technology; CER, Automotive Technician
Devon M. Miezio, AGS, Associate in General Studies
Ethan O. Mizer, AA, General
Tanner E. Morris, AS, General
Kolten T. Taylor, AS, General

Royal
Karlie B. Baker, AA, General

St. Joseph
Ryan M. Allen, AS, General
Lacey N. Berlatsky, CER, Practical Nursing
Jason E. Brown, CER, Building Construction and Repair
Craig M. Chochola, AES, Engineering Science
Paige B. Dalton, AA, Social Work
Dezarae R. Dowers, AFA, Art Education
Carson D. Florey, AA, General
Stephanie E. Gonzales, AA, Psychology
Chloe A. Graver, AS, Aviation
Rylan J. Housenga, AGS, Associate in General Studies
Kohlten D. Johnson, AS, Business Administration
Riley S. Knott, AS, General
Danielle C. Long, AAS, Nursing
Robin R. Poff, AGS, Associate in General Studies
Kevin O. Sandefur, AAS, Accounting
Caleb T. Smith, AA, General
Kayla S. Sparks, AAS, Accounting
Abigail R. Stites, AA, Liberal Art and Sciences
Elizabeth AB Taylor, AAS, Nursing
Allison R. Voyles, AA, General
Taura Ward, AFA, Art Education
Tori R. Witruk, AS, Secondary Education
Jacob P. Zagorski, AAS, Electronic Control Systems Technology

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