Crushing the SAT or ACT Exam; how to prep the night before

Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu/UnSplash

StatePoint Media - Taking the SAT or ACT exam is the culmination of months of test-specific preparation, and in truth, years of schooling. While knowing that can feel like a lot of pressure, there are steps you can take the night before the exam to calm your nerves and enter the testing site with confidence:

1. Pack your essentials: Going to bed knowing you’ve packed everything you need to succeed during the test will help you sleep soundly and make the morning less frenzied. Your packing list should include an official, currently valid photo identification, your admission ticket to the test, No. 2 pencils (be sure they have erasers), a snack and water bottle (staying fueled is essential), a sweater (testing sites are often chilly and being uncomfortable can throw you off your game), and of course, a calculator.

The best exam day calculator is one that’s easy to use and has an intuitive icon menu, such as the fx-9750GIII graphing calculator. While you won’t need all of its 2,900 functions during your test, or its programming capabilities, this Casio calculator is a great companion for high school juniors and seniors as it can support high-level STEM learning in the classroom, as well as go into exam mode for use during the PSAT, SAT, ACT, and other major standardized exams, like AP and SAT subject tests. To familiarize yourself with the calculator and its interface, be sure to use the same calculator for test prep as well.

2. Eat right: Proper nutrition and cognition go hand-in-hand. The night before your exam, fuel yourself with brain foods containing a mix of antioxidants, protein and Omega-3s. Fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, nuts, beans, whole grains, tofu and lean meats are all great choices. Try to avoid food unfamiliar to you, as you don’t know how it will settle and it could cause a stomachache.

You should also forgo overly sugary or processed treats, which can lead to an energy crash. Being thirsty during your test is not only distracting, dehydration can actually impair cognition and brain health. Be sure to drink plenty of water the night before your test to keep the mental juices flowing.

3. Sleep tight: It can be difficult to settle in for a night of sound sleep before an important event. Reduce the chances of tossing and turning by putting down your devices at least an hour before bed, as blue light can suppress melatonin secretion and impact sleep. Instead, read, journal or do another quiet, enjoyable activity. On that note, avoid a last-minute study session or practice exam.

The night before the test is not the time to cram. It’s a time to relax so your mind is fresh when it counts. If you do have trouble falling asleep, don’t panic. Resting quietly with your eyes closed can be beneficial too, and may help you doze off eventually.

By checking a few pre-test tasks off your to-do list the night before, you can be fueled, rested and geared up for your college entrance exams.


Read our latest health and medical news

Shouldering the weight; heavy backpacks students tote can damage their bodies

Photo: Note Thanun/Unsplash
by Tim Ditman
OSF Healthcare
ALTON - When kids head back to school, it can often be a weight off the shoulders of parents and caregivers. For the students, however, the literal weight of textbooks, folders and supplies can do some serious damage.

The risks of lugging around heavy backpacks are real. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says from 2019 to 2021, there were around 1,200 backpack-related injuries that sent children to the emergency department per year. Keep in mind that during this time, many kids were schooling at home due to the the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. So it's safe to assume that during normal school years, backpack injuries are more prevalent.

OSF HealthCare physical therapist Kelly Bogowith cites a Simmons College study that illustrates just how common the problem is.

“Fifty-five percent who wore backpacks were wearing them beyond the safe recommendation, which is a maximum of 10 to 15% of their body weight,” says Bogowith. “Also in that study they found a third of the children were having back pain that caused them to miss school, see a physician or stay out of activities. So it’s a pretty prominent problem.”

According to Bogowith, children should never carry more than 10% of their body weight in a backpack. Too much weight can create abnormal stress on the body and result in chronic problems down the road.

“We do know that kids who have back pain tend to have recurrent back pain, and once you have one episode of back pain, you tend to have additional. So, I think it’s a concern that’s definitely worthy of a parent taking a look at with their child,” she says.

Even if the weight is right, Bogowith says wearing the backpack incorrectly can be just as damaging. She says backpacks should be worn with both straps on the shoulders, and the bottom of the backpack should land on the low back. If your child's backpack is hitting their buttocks, it is too low, and the straps need to be adjusted.

“If the child is leaning forward, arching their back or even just complaining of neck pain, shoulder pain or back pain, those are some things to further investigate into the proper fit of the backpack and the weight,” says Bogowith.

Parents should be selective when choosing a backpack for their kids. Backpacks should have two wide, adjustable padded shoulder straps. These help distribute the weight in the backpack and keep the satchel from digging into the shoulders.

Also, look for backpacks that have many different compartments, to allow for even distribution of weight.

Following these simple steps can keep your kids’ necks, shoulders and backs safe and prevent problems down the road.


Related articles:

How to deal with your child and bullying
According to the National Bullying Prevention Center, one in five students reports being bullied – but the actual number is believed to be even higher, perhaps even one in three kids, as some cases are not reported. Bullying can be verbal, emotional, or physical and can be based on a variety of aspects – from looks and size to academics and athleticism, and more.

During the peak of the pandemic, a decline in bullying was seen as so many kids were learning from home. Now, with schools back in full swing and in person, kids are spending more time with classmates than they have since early 2020. Talking to your kids at home each day is important to not only learn more about what is going on in their lives, but it also ...


M.A.S.K. tips & resources can help parents' responsibilites raising their kids
Parenting is hard, and the past year was especially challenging for parents of school-aged kids, as they struggled to juggle their children's virtual school and the loss of many activities and in-person contact with friends.

The goal of MASK (Mothers Awareness on School Age Kids) is to provide resources for parents, children, schools, and ...


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Guest Commentary | School bullying must stop, everyone must work together

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator


Four New Jersey teenagers have been charged in connection with the attack of a 14-year-old girl who later took her own life after video of the incident was posted on social media.

One juvenile is charged with aggravated assault, two juveniles are charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and one juvenile is charged with harassment, Ocean County prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer told CBS News in an email.

Adriana Kuch, 14, was found dead in her Bayville home on February 3, two days after the disturbing video of the attack at Central Regional High School was posted online. The video showed girls throwing a drink at the teen, then kicking and dragging her down school hallways. They pushed Adriana into red lockers lining the school hallways and one of the girls in a pink shirt punched Kuch repeatedly.

When I was an elementary child riding the school bus, we had a few fights on the bus. One young man who didn’t live that far from me was constantly getting into fights on the school bus. One day he had a kid down repeatedly punching him in the face. The bus driver stopped the bus and escorted both boys off the bus while still a couple of miles from their homes. We then drove off and left them on the road.

I don’t recall seeing the fight continue as they now had to walk or hitchhike a ride to get home. Since the one boy was being beaten so bad, I don’t think the driver made the best decision since the other kid could have finished him off on the rural road we were traveling. However, it did appear the fight had stopped as we drove off. Most likely not having a bus audience, bleeding and having to walk home changed the scenario.

In the sixties and seventies there were bad things that happened in schools that often got swept under the rug. With no social media kids usually ended up working it out or staying away from people we didn’t like. Often many of us never took our school problems home because our parents had enough problems without having to worry about our school fusses. Or, we were afraid we might get in trouble at home.

School children face challenges. There are ongoing pressures from bullies who must be corralled and disciplined, dismissed from school or in some cases put in a place where they can get rehabilitation and help for their psychotic issues.

Locking a 14-year-old up in jail for years solves nothing. However, kids that bring about injury or death to another student need mental help and rehabilitation before being freed to invoke pain on someone again. Most likely if your family has lost a family member to a bully you want the offender locked up for life.

Even though my school era was not a perfect world schoolteachers and principals had authority to paddle our butts. They had authority to discipline us, suspend us from school and could put bite with their bark. We knew the teachers ruled and we respected them. I can remember see paddling’s that I never wanted to get and received a couple myself.

No school has the ability to patrol every corner of a school facility. Bullying, fights and bad things typically occur in unsupervised spaces. Schools can’t hire enough security guards or have enough monitors to patrol ever corner.

Every day in every state in America a private school is starting or the ground work is being formulated.

Ten years from now almost every city and even small community in America will have a private or faith-based school. Some of these will only be elementary schools but many have or will develop junior and senior highs. Such schools are not free of their own issues but parents across America are desperate for safe places for their kids.

Parents want a place where there is zero tolerance of bullies and an administration who means business about protecting the children. They want an environment where their children can be mentored, taught and prepared better for life, college or to move into adult jobs.

Parents don’t want a school who they feel is working against them or hiding things from them.

Life is like this. The world is like a jungle most days. There are bullies in the workplaces, neighborhoods and mean people can be found all over. This is why we have the right to call 911. We can file charges against people with the police. We should have the right to carry a firearm and defend ourselves. We have to work to help each other and protect each other.

Teachers, administrators, parents and students must work together for safety and security. Children and teachers must feel safe with an environment free from bullying, hazing or intimidation. Kids should not have to wake up every day fearful of going to school. Neither should the school staff and parents.

The issue of bullying and school safety requires school boards, all staff, parents and students to work together. It’s not a task for a few to accomplish but a job for us all.


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Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of Grandpa's Store, American Issues, and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.

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This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.


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St. Joseph-Ogden's Class of 2025 Honor Roll

St. Joseph-Ogden High School Honor Roll St. Joseph -- At the end of October, St. Joseph-Ogden High School announced the first quarter Honor Roll and High Honor Roll recipients. Eighty-six students in the sophomore class achieved honor roll status.

To receive honor roll recognition at SJO, students must earn a grade point average of 3.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Students whose GPA soared above 3.74 are recognized as High Honor Roll students.

High Honor Roll

Rylie Barton
EJ Beckett
Audrey Benoit
Sul Bonny
Landon Brown
Preslee Christians
Madison Clampitt
Aerolyn Davenport
Lauren Dewese
Ella Dietiker
Luke Ditchfield
Jackson Ennis
Savanna Franzen
Kaiden Gaines
Tayton Gerdes
Olivia Getty
Richi Gomez
Mason Guido
Makennah Hamilton
Lauren Harris
Haley Hesterberg
Maebree Houston
Kendrick Johnson
Paige Johnson
Dylan Jones
Sara Kearney
Amilliya Kindle
Owen Knap
Aiden Krall
Madison Lankster
Logan Mills
Gabriel Mortlock
Grace Osterbur
Sonia Patel
Nathan Phillips
Haley Rudolph
Audrey Ruppel
Charles Schmitz
Tanner Siems
Kyler Swanson
Collin Thomey
Samantha Uden
Reese Wheatley
Charley Wright
Fiona Xiao

Honor Roll

Olivia Allinger
Jared Altenbaumer
Davin Alvarez
Dillon Bear
William Besson
Eli Birt
Miles Birt
Chaz Bowlin
Holden Brazelton
Landen Butts
Hayden Coffey
Joshua Courter
Jack Fisher
Lyla Frerichs
Addison Funk
Madelyn George
Joe Griebat
Brodie Harms
Tinley Ideus
Jeffrey Kuchenbrod
Abigail Lacey
Logan Lackey
Lillian Lanter
Kristian Lindsey
Gabriel Mata
Brenden Maury
Chayse Palmer
Logan Patton
Hailie Reifsteck
Sydney Reitmeier
Corbin Smith
Thea Smith
Coy Taylor
Carter Turner
Jackson Walsh
Isabelle Wiese
Madison Wolken
Ava Worley
Zoe Wright
Merial Yeager

St. Joseph-Ogden to hold parent-teacher conferences, parents encouraged to make appoints

ST. JOSEPH -- St. Joseph-Ogden High School will host Parent-Teacher Conferences next week on Thursday, November 3, from 3:00 – 5:00 pm and 6:00 – 9:00 pm. Parents with children attending the high school should have received a mailing via the post office or email announcement.

The parent-teacher conferences are a good opportunity for parents to discuss their student's grades and address any concerns they might have. First-quarter grades were sent out on October 21.

Parents who have not made appointments should contact Nicki Falls either by email at fallsn@sjo.k12.il.us or by phone at 469-7321 no later than November 1 to make appointments with their child's teachers and counselors.

How to deal with your child and bullying

Lee Batsakis
OSF Healthcare

PEORIA -- According to the National Bullying Prevention Center, one in five students reports being bullied – but the actual number is believed to be even higher, perhaps even one in three kids, as some cases are not reported. Bullying can be verbal, emotional, or physical and can be based on a variety of aspects – from looks and size to academics and athleticism, and more.

During the peak of the pandemic, a decline in bullying was seen as so many kids were learning from home. Now, with schools back in full swing and in person, kids are spending more time with classmates than they have since early 2020. Talking to your kids at home each day is important to not only learn more about what is going on in their lives, but it also helps to identify potential bullying.


"Whether it’s politically or racially or spiritually, sometimes we end up in this spot where we don’t focus on the commonality that we have."

Joseph Siegel
Licensed Clinical Social Worker

"A good 10 to 15 minute conversation every day about what happened during the day, what was good, what was bad, and what did they struggle with. Use open-ended questions and don’t necessarily try to solve problems they are experiencing, but just listen and understand what they’re saying and how they’re feeling in these situations. That is an important first step," says Joseph Siegel, an OSF HealthCare licensed clinical social worker.

This conversation can turn into part of your daily routine by starting the discussion before bed, or any point after your kid is home from school. If your child indicates that he or she may be experiencing bullying, Siegel advises to first try to understand their feelings. Some children may be hesitant to have these conversations and keep their responses short when asked about their day. In these cases, Siegel recommends an app for your phone, such as Gather – Conversation Starters, to help get the conversation flowing.

If in conversation you find out that your kid might be a victim of bullying at school or elsewhere, a whole range of emotions may be stirred up and you might not know where to begin. Many adults tend to want to immediately get all the details from their child, but parents need to understand their kids’ feelings should be a priority. Most importantly, Siegel strongly advises against telling your child to respond to a bully with violence. For example, a parent may tell their kid that if another kid shoves them to shove them back. This advice may worsen the situation.

"Sometimes the bully is acting out of the desire to provoke and they want an angry response, so if the person is calm and says to stop and then walks away from the situation, that could be somewhat helpful because not it is not elevating or becoming worse," Siegel advises.

If you want to ensure your child is able to stand up for his or herself, there are ways to do so appropriately and safely. Siegel adds that being assertive is different than being violent, and that there is nothing wrong with being assertive.

"Assertive, nonviolent behavior and communication should be the goal. They need to be able to express themselves – which they can with a bully – without letting it get into a situation that can be violent and become out of control, turning into a situation where they can no longer handle," explains Siegel.

Siegel recommends having a plan in case your child is approached by a bully. This could include advising your child to either ignore them altogether and hold their head high, or helping to create some type of brief yet appropriate verbal response such as “please stop” or “no thanks, not today” or simply “I prefer you don’t do that” – and then walking away.

In addition to implementing these responses for your child, Siegel advises parents to take the same approach. While you may feel the desire to reach out directly to the parents or guardians of the bully, this is something that should be avoided.

"It is recommended that we try to resist calling the other parent. That often can make the situation much more complex or even taken to a different level completely. That is what schools do – they mediate these kinds of conflicts all the time and are very good at it. If you feel like you need to talk to the other parent, then it’s probably better to talk to the school instead so they know what is happening and can document it," Siegel says.

Many times, bullying stems from a bully not accepting someone for their differences. Siegel says it is important to watch how you speak and act in the presence of your child, adding that setting a good example is important.

"We live in a very diverse state and our language often is about differences. Whether it’s politically or racially or spiritually, sometimes we end up in this spot where we don’t focus on the commonality that we have. And focusing on the commonality just in our everyday conversation with our kids is going to help a lot with their level of acceptance at school," advises Siegel.

If your child is not disclosing bullying, some signs to look for include the child “losing” or misplacing things, coming home with unexplained injuries, developing a change in eating patterns or sleep disruption, and experiencing head or stomach aches that could be caused by increased stress and anxiety. Other changes in a child’s behavior that might indicate bullying include not wanting to go to school or a change in their social relationships.

If your child has disclosed they are being bullied, start by documenting what you have learned and contacting their school. If the bullying continues and is taking a toll on your child’s mental health, Siegel advises setting up an appointment with a mental health professional for your child.

Most importantly, sticking to those daily conversations with your child is key for getting them to open up to you. Additionally, creating a home environment that is based around acceptance plays a significant role in not only reducing the chance of bullying, but also helping your child identify when bullying is happening.

For more information and resources, go to https://www.stopbullying.gov/.

Editorial: Illinois two-year foreign language requirement in high school is too late

Almost a year ago, the Illinois General Assembly passed an education bill sponsored by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus during the Lame Duck session that includes three new course requirements needed for graduation from Illinois high schools. The area of studies in House Bill 2170, Amendment 3, which was introduced by Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, includes two years of foreign language classes and two in laboratory science course work.

The new law gives schools until the 2024-2025 school year to offer the required science lab classes and gives districts until the 2028-2029 school year to begin their foreign language instructions. Both laboratory science and a foreign language will be required for high school graduation. There was some discussion that dates for the language requirement could be pushed forward as early as 2024.

The seemingly popular rationale for the change was the University of Illinois requires two years of a foreign language for admission. That's all well and good, but the bulk of in-state college-bound students won't be going to the U of I.

Checking around the state, students don't need a language class to get into other state schools.

Illinois State University gives applicants a choice of two years of one foreign language or two years of fine arts classes. High school foreign language is not a requirement for admissions at Western Illinois University. Students can have two years of art, film, music, speech, theatre, journalism, religion, philosophy, and vocational education on their transcript instead. Southern Illinois University mirrors WIU's requirements with art, music, or vocational education. If a foreign language is taken, both WIU and SIU say applicants must complete two semesters of the same language.

Some members of the Illinois State Board of Education pushed back against the new requirements, as they should have, particularly the one on foreign language.

If the law and policymakers really wanted more students to attend Illinois' flagship university, they should pass a bill abolishing it as an entrance requirement. The University's entrance requirement could simply match those of the other state-funded higher education institutions.

Then again, the lack of foreign language education could make most Illinois students undesirable in several career fields.

Instead, the ISBE and state lawmakers need to require language learning at a much earlier in the educational cycle where research shows when language acquisition is much easier.

"What's the best time to teach a foreign language? It is not high school," Board member Christine Benson told NPR. "What’s the second worst time to teach a foreign language? It’s junior high. [Lawmakers] did no research on this, they just added it on."

She is right: High school or junior high is not the best time to learn a foreign language. The only reason to require students to take two years of foreign language in high school is to inflict unnecessary academic torture. For many students around the state, their first exposure to another language other than English is in their first high school language class.

In Russia, Norway and Japan, learning a second language, usually English, is mandatory in the 5th grade. The same is true in Germany and Japan. In Switzerland, after starting German or French two years earlier in the 3rd grade, 5th grade students also start learning the English language.

The U.S. with Illinois leading the way should match the educational standards in other industrialized nations. Studying a second or third language earlier in their academic career will enable them as adults to meet the challenges in international business, national defense, and world politics to make America great again.

Guest Commentary: This has to stop. Will it ever?

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator


We are unfortunately informed once again of another horrific, senseless school shooting. They don’t stop. When will the next one be? Who will be the next shooter and who will be the next unsuspecting victims?

Once again, American kids go to school to pursue education and American life but are murdered by a classmate while walking the hallway or sitting in a class. This has to stop. Will it ever?

According to news reports, on November 30, 2021, Ethan Crumbley, a fifteen-year-old, took the lives of four schoolmates and injured seven others at Oxford High School, a Detroit, Michigan suburb.

Crumbley has once again reminded us of the horrific outcomes of mental illness and the importance of parents, teachers, churches and communities working together to protect each other.

According to news reports, the Oxford school was alerted to Crumbley’s disturbing social media posts, drawings depicting violence, and other actions that had called for his parents to come to the school for a serious talk about their child. Reports of the parents buying a semi-automatic weapon for their son’s Christmas present and taking him to a shooting range for practice is revealing their denial of, as well their failure to address, their son’s problems.

My dad gave me some shotgun lessons when I was growing up. I was turned loose in the hills of Appalachia to hunt for squirrels at the age of 12 with a hunting license. Parents teaching their children to shoot a weapon and hunt are as old as our nation. However, parents should never provide their children access to guns when there are obvious warnings of mental illness.

Past school shooters have talked about being bullied by classmates or not fitting into any of the school social groups. Rejection, being bullied, failure to make the school team or feeling outright mistreated makes anyone feel bad, dejected and disappointed. Such feelings should be a push to any of us to look at ourselves to see how we either must adjust, change, work harder, problem solve as to what is happening or even find a different school or community in which to live. Hurting others never resolves anything and only increases our pain, darkness and sentences the rest of our lives to prison or regret of how we handled our feelings.

School can be a difficult life learning ground. What we face in the local school often is only preparing us for what we may face at the office, the factory, the workplace and the neighborhood. Throughout life we know everyone is not going to like us, accept us, applaud us or even try to get along with us. There are always people who don’t like us. However, there are people who will affirm, support, and befriend us. Sometimes it just takes a while to find those communities, houses of faith, social groups, and others with whom we can emotionally connect.

The Ethan Crumbleys of the world are sad, scary and wreak destruction. They need help now. His life and many other lives are forever destroyed. Apparently, his parents were living in some sort of disconnected denial of what their son was really about to do to himself, them and many others.

Schools and work places must have all authority to protect themselves quickly. Oxford school officials were alarmed by some of his actions. They were trying to work with the parents. Looking back, he should have been escorted out of the school and barred from its grounds until a professional counselor had given written permission for his return. I know, hindsight is always 20/20.

Sadly, for those who are now dead, it’s too late. Maybe the other Ethan Crumbleys can be stopped today, right now, before it’s too late.


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Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of American Issues, Every American Has An Opinion and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.

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This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.


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St. Joseph-Ogden parent-teacher conferences held next week

St. Joseph-Ogden High School will hold its Parent-Teacher Conferences on Thursday, November 4, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm and from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.

First-quarter grades were distributed to all SJO students last Friday, October 22. The conferences are a good opportunity for parents to discuss their son or daughter’s academic performance with teachers.

Parents should have received a letter or email encouraging them to contact the high school by November 1 to make appointments with their child’s teachers and counselor. Appointments can be made by with Nicki Fall at fallsn@sjo.k12.il.us or by phone at 469-7321.

Parents can contact the high school office at the phone number above with questions about the upcoming conference session.

Photo of the Day - February 8, 2021

Kimberly Capagalan [right] and Abriel Shipley brave a downpour to get to their graduation ceremony in 2007.

Graduation Day

Kimberly Capagalan [right] and Abriel Shipley, both from St. Joseph, race through a heavy downpour and flooded school parking lot on their way to their graduation ceremony at St. Joseph-Ogden High School. The two seniors and 104 other students made up the Class 2007 graduating on May 27, 2007.

(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

32 juniors make Unity's first semester high honor roll

Malia Fairbanks, Phillip Hartke and Grace Renfrow are three of 32 members of the junior class who achived a grade point average of 3.75 or better at Unity High after the first semester. Forty-eight students from the class of 2024 will also be recognized as high honors students on January 26 along with the entire list of students below who made the honor roll or attained high honors status from their efforts between August 19 and December 22.

Students earning a GPA of 3.20 to 3.74 are recognized as honor students.

Seniors

High Honor: Emma Aders; Evelyn Atkins; Rachel Branson; Marissa Charleston; Gracie Cox; Brooke Garretson; Shay Haluzak; Maggie Hewing; Elizabeth Hulilck; Taylor Joop, Olivia Kleiss; Madelyn Moore; Korie Novak; Kimberely Pruitting; Daisy Rawlings; Annie Schmidt; Mia Shannon; Lillian Styan; Jonah Sullivan; Cerra Thompson; and Kyleigh Weller.

Honor: Caroline Bachert; Alyson Bagwell; Brandon Bates; Isabella Bryant; Corbin Cox; Summer Day; Nathan Drennan; Corrina Duvall; Emma Felsman; Shannon Flavin; Alyssa Hartman; Ellen Henning; William Jokisch; Evan LeFaivre; Emily Lopez; Suzanne Migut; Andrew Miller; Aubryanna Norman; Connor ODonnell; Brady Porter; Chloee Reed; Conner Sharp; Ryan Vasey; Nolan Wallace; Caden Wingler; and Laela Zook.


Juniors

High Honor: Katelyn Allen; Marie Baxley; Emma Bleecher; Zayne Bonner; Grace Brock; Sarah Butler; Thomas Cler; Sophia Darnell; Nolan Decker; Allyson England; Malia Fairbanks; Harper Hancock; Cameran Hansen; Phillip Hartke; Elise Johnson; Annabell Jokisch; Delaney Kamradt; Carli Keller; Lauryn Kennedy; Carson Kleparski; Addison Montgomery; Sydney Olson; Kaitlyn Reedy; Grace Renfrow; Samantha Ruggieri; Allison Shonkwiler; Sara Steffens; Erika Steinman; Shelbee Taylor; Isabella Warner; and Destiny Williamson.

Honor: Savannah Alagna; Cody Broadfoot; Calli Chandler; Marshall Church; Kystal Crossin; Evelyn Eastin; Hunter Evans; Hailey Flesch; Grace Frye; Tristania Hansen; Bridget Henry; Taylor Henry; Tyler Hensch; Clayton Jamison; Payton Kaiser; Blake Kimball; Macie Knudsen; Alexandrea Lemon; Alida Maggio; Claire Markstahler; Cameron Marvin; Hanna Mataya; Nolan Miller; Cole Newell; Konnor Orwick; Trustan Price; Madeline Reed; Dillion Rutledge; Alaina Scroggins; Kelley Street; and Taylor Wiersema.


Sophomores

High Honor: Rachel Aders; Caleb Amias; Emily Anderlik; Emmalee Atkins; Mary Bryant; Anthony Chaney; Anna Clark; Lauren Cooke; Hunter Duncan; Brendan Graven; Roger Holben; Erin Lopez; Andrew Manrique; Jayci McGraw; Jolie Meyer; Lauren Miller; Dylan Moore; Andrew Mowrer; Mason Perry; Abigail Pieczynski; Julia Ping; Audrey Remole; Sarah Rink; Reece Sarver; Kaitlyn Schweighart; Annabelle Steg; Raena Stierwalt; Sophia Stierwalt; Avery White; and Luke Williamson.

Honor: Calvin Baxley; Maria Buffo; Haley Carrington; Jayden Clem; Annah Cloin; Joshua Davidson; Paige Farney; Boden Franklin; Brandon Goyne; Haylen Handal; Tyler Liffick Worrell; Kayla Nelson; Ellen Ping; Cale Rawdin; Alivia Renfoe; Emma Stratton; Emmilia Tieman; Ava Vasey; Garrett Wingler; and Kara Young.


Freshmen

High Honor: Evelyn Albaugh; Payton Bradley; Connor Cahill; Analyse Carter; Rebecca Carter; Kendra Cromwell; Desire De Los Santos; Taylor Drennan; Natalie Ellars; Bailey Grob; Madison Henry; Brooke Hewing; Shelby Hoel; Caroline Jamison; Eden Johnson; Cassidy Keller; Caelyn Kleparski; Reagan Little; Zachary Lorbiecki; Tatum Meyer; Eric Miebach; Katelyn Moore; Lauren Neverman; Dalton O’Neill; Anna Polonus; Ava Price; Meredith Reed; Maci Richmond; Briana Ritchie; Isaac Ruggieri; Aubrey Sanders; Aubrey Schaefer; Olivia Shike; Grant Siuts; Logan Siuts; Carsyn Smith; Piper Steele; Lily Steffens; Brock Suding; Ruby Tarr; Andrew Thomas; Henry Thomas; Breanna Weller; Jeremy Wells; Erica Woodard; Abigail Woolcott; Emberly Yeazel; and Madysen York.

Honor: Brendan Bachert; Kiersten Bash; Nathan Bleecher; Brenlee Dalton; Elianna Duo; Kamryn Edenburn; Emma Fish; Mike Gray; Margaret Ingleman; Bayleigh Jones; Jocelyn LeFaivre; Trevor McCarter; Dean Niswonger; Gabriel Pound; Zachary Renfrow; James Rennels; Amelia Rinella Flores; Santiago Sanchez Castillo, Erin Sanders; McKayla Schendel; Carly Scroggins; Matthew Short; Josephine Stierwalt; Lynndsay Talbott; Kate Thomas; Aileen Vasquez Munoz; Aidan Ward; Bailey Wayne; Bryson Weaver; Kolten Wells; and Tanner Wells.


SJO senior spotlights with Brady Lewis, Asjah Fonner & Tyler Jones

Brady Lewis

Clubs & Activities
Coffee Club

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
A younger brother

Favorite SJO memories:
He has been a part of the Coffee Club at SJO for the past two years and enjoyed making and delivering coffee to SJO staff members every Thursday morning. Each member of the staff was always happy to see Brady, with or without coffee in hand.

Favorite classes:
Classes with Mrs. Beth Beckett

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Manwaring, Mrs. White, Mrs. Bayles, and Mrs. Beckett.

Advice to future SJO students:
Always do your best.


Asjah Fonner

Clubs & Activities
Drama Club

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
A younger brother

Hobbies:
Creative writing and reading

Favorite SJO memories:
She enjoyed everything about Drama Club and will always remember being a part of the musicals during both her junior and senior years.

Favorite classes:
Journalism and all of her English classes

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Risley at St. Joseph Middle School and Mrs. Alisyn Franzen at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
Parkland College majoring in Secondary English Dducation. She plans to transfer to Eastern Illinois University after two year.

Advice to future SJO students:
Push yourself to finish your homework, and don’t give up on what makes you happy.


Tyler Jones

Clubs & Activities
Drama Club
Football (1 year)

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Four older and three younger brothers

Hobbies:
Running and playing video games

Favorite SJO memories:
His greatest memories at SJO include his experiences in Drama Club during his freshman and sophomore years, working in the SJO greenhouse during Horticulture class, and attending post prom as a junior.

Favorite class:
Horticulture

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Kirk at St. Joseph Grade School, Mrs. Ford at St. Joseph Middle School, and Mrs. Kelly Steffen and Mrs. Ashley Krisman at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

Military Commitment:
He joined the Army National Guard and reports for Basic Training at Fort Benning on June 15.

College:
Parkland College majoring in Physical Therapy.

Advice to future SJO students:
Do not procrastinate.



Text & photos provided by St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

Top 10 Sentinel stories from 2019

With 2019 coming to a close in just a few hours, our first calendar year of operation in nearly complete. In the past 364 days and 20 hours - give or take a few minutes - The Sentinel published, including this one, 217 stories.

From the Spartan volleyball team's trip to this year's IHSA state finals to the academic achievements of students and graduates from St. Joseph-Ogden High School, one thing stands out: The people of Royal, St. Joseph and Ogden care just as much about academics as they do about the success of the high school sports teams.

A special thanks to everyone who shared the stories you've read on The Sentinel with family and friends via email or social media. Indeed, thank you for helping The Sentinel grow this year and we look forward to serving you in the years to come.

So without any further adieu, here is a look back at The Sentinel's most-read stories in 2019.


#10

Sixteen area St. Joseph-Ogden graduates now attending the University of Illinois earned recognition for their outstanding academic performance during the spring 2019 semester. Three of the academic achievers hail from Ogden and the remaining 13 listed are from St. Joseph.



#9

The senior class led in number of honors with 73 students achieving a 3.75 or higher average grade during the period. The sophomore and junior classes boast 42 high honor receipients, followed by the senior class with 41 honor roll students and the class of 2024 with 39.



#8

"That St. Joseph-Ogden team was legit," he said in the post-match presser. "They are a real deal defending team.

The Spartans defensive effort yielded 55 digs during the marathon match. Rylee Stahl led the Spartans with 17 of those digs. Emily Bigger, with seven digs, distributed 32 assists.

"They were a force to be reckoned with," he said. "They made us fight for every point."




#7
Ten high school coaches and their athletic programs will offer sports summer camps for area kids this summer. The camps are designed ...



#6

Fourteen athletes from the St. Joseph-Ogden girls track team advanced to this weekend's Illinois High School Association state track and field finals in Charleston.



#5

"It's so weird, so sad honestly," said Berry, who was multitasking between processing the first of many milestones of her senior year and celebrating her team's victory. "It felt good to get the win."



#4
University of Illinois freshmen Abigail Schlueter and Rylee Sjuts were one of 159 underclassmen designated Chancellor’s Scholars in the Campus Honors Program this fall. Selected on the basis of their academic excellence and leadership potential, the newly minted ...



#3
Members of the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team happily celebrate with their third-place trophy at Redbird arena during the awards ceremony for the Class 2A at the IHSA Girls Volleyball State . . .



#2

Twelve St. Joseph-Ogden High School students were name among 6,394 Illinois residents who earned degrees from the University of Illinois this past spring. Three of the 12 former Spartans who received bachelor degrees obtained their diplomas with exceptional academic laurels.



Our top story ...

Seventeen St. Joseph-Ogden seniors were named to this year's State Scholar Program by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). Illinois students attain state scholar recognition by maintaining an outstanding ...


Graduation Day: The photo gallery

Last month on May 19, 118 seniors became SJO alums. While we wanted to publish this page and memorable photos sooner, we haven't quite acquired all the resource we need yet. Without further adieu, here are l2 photos from that milestone day.


Jack Ward and Jack Cook
John Ward and Jack Cook enter the main runway during the processional at the St. Joseph-Ogden 2019 Commencement Exercise on Sunday. Photo by Clark Brooks


Principal Gary Page III
Principal Gary Page III makes his opening remarks at the beginning of St. Joseph-Ogden's 2019 Commencement Exercise. Photo by Clark Brooks




Friends and Family
Parents, siblings, family and friends packed the St. Joseph-Ogden gymnasium to watch the Class of 2019 commencement exercise. The audience listens as Principal Gary Page III extols on the academic achievement displayed by this year's senior class. Photo by Clark Brooks


Dwight Colvin
Dwight Colvin, a three-sport athlete who while continue both his education and athletic career at McKendree College, receives his diploma and warm handshake from St. Joseph-Ogden Board of Education president James Rein. Photo by Clark Brooks


Keely McCorkle walks at graduation
All smiles with diploma in hand as walks across the stage, Keely McCorkle prepares to shake hands with superintendent Brian Brooks. Photo by Clark Brooks


Mortar board message
One of many messages displayed on mortar boards at the 2019 St. Joseph-Ogden Commencement Exercise. Photo by Clark Brooks


Joel Orcutt smiles with his diploma in hand
Freshly minted SJO grad and two-sport athlete Joel Orcutt grins for a photo after receiving his diploma at graduation. Photo by Clark Brooks


Parents taking pictures
A couple of parents eagerly photographs as students walk down the steps to the stage at graduation. Photo by Clark Brooks


Sully Alwes, Gage Atwood and Cassidy Bagby
Seniors Sully Alwes, Gage Atwood and Cassidy Bagby mug for the camera during their commencement ceremony at St. Joseph-Ogden High School. In the final quarter of their high careeer, Atwood and Bagby earned a 3.75 GPA to be named to the High Honor Roll list. Alwes also earned honor roll recognition with a GPA greater than 3.25. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


SJO alumni celebrate
In a storm of confetti, St. Joseph-Ogden students celebrate the end of their high school career. Photo by Clark Brooks


Kassandra Kelso poses for a quick smartphoto photo
Flanked by her cousins Lindsey and Sydney Kelso, Kassandra Kelso poses for a quick smartphoto photo after returning her robe. Photo by Clark Brooks


Sally Manalo and parents
Sally Manalo poses for a photo with her parents, Nelson and Jamie, in the auxiliary gym after Sunday's graduation ceremony. Photo by Clark Brooks


Photos displayed on this page are available for order here.

77 SJO seniors named on final honor roll of the year

The exceptional quality of education and unending commitment by the student body to excel was once again demonstrated by the final Honor Roll of the 2018-19 academic year.

Seniors Sully Alwes, Gage Atwood and Cassidy Bagby mug for the camera during their commencement ceremony at St. Joseph-Ogden High School. In the final quarter of their high careeer, Atwood and Bagby earned a 3.75 GPA to be named to the High Honor Roll list. Alwes also earned honor roll recognition with a GPA greater than 3.25. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


Seventy-seven St. Joseph-Ogden High School seniors earned scholastic accolades on the final Honor Roll list for this academic year. The junior class was paced by 64 members who achieved High Honor Roll or honor roll status. In all, more than 260 SJO students were named to the fourth quarter honor roll.

Students named to the High Honors earned GPAs of 3.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Those attaining GPAs of 3.25 to 3.74 are recognized as Honor Roll students.

 

High Honor Roll

Seniors: Gage Atwood, Cassidy Bagby, Erin Beyers, Rebecca Campbell, Sarah Chahine, David Cummins, Emmy Daniels, Liam Davis, Abigail Dunham, Avery Edwards, Nathan Emmert, Jasmine Febus, Michael Foreman, Emilie Fox, Adam Frerichs, Rachel Gherna, Zachary Hill, Kalli Ingram, Ken Lahners, Hannah Lewis, Nathan Logan, Caroline Moore, Eve Owens, Angela Palmer, Benjamin Reitmeier, Adam Rose, Madison Rubin, Abigail Schlueter, Elizabeth Schluter, Samantha Schmidt, Benjamin Setterdahl, acob Shaw, Kaitlin Shoviak, Grant Siegmund, Rylee Sjuts, Brianna Suits, Maclayne Taylor, Nathan Walden and Seth Wedig.

Juniors: Lindsey Aden, Jenna Albrecht, Mallory Ames, Taylor Barnes, Katelyn Berry, Emily Bigger, Kaylee Blackburn, Ginny Bytnar, Payton Cain, Trevon Carr, Kristen Costa, Drew Coursey, Kathryn Cramer, Andrea Cunningham, Faith Dahman, Hannah Dukeman, Asjah Fonner, Jaiden Freeman, Bode Gebbink, Payton Grimsley, Lucas Grindley, Erica Guelfi, Emily Hardimon, Chance Izard, Cody Johnston, Lacey Kaiser, Danielle Kelso, Sara Milioli, Ava Mills, Carson Mills, Allison Monk, Alivia Norem, Eric Poe, Hannah Rajlich, Lexi Ribbe, Jenna Schaefer, Joshua Sexton, Rylee Stahl, Kenly Taylor, Stephanie Trame, Anna Tranel, Isabelle Vliet, Brayden Weaver, Samuel Wesley, Zoey Witruk and Jackson Wooten.

Sophomores: Hunter Brooks, Isabelle Brooks, Crayton Burnett, David Bytnar, Taylor Campbell, Kylie Duckett, Hanna Eastin, Nadirah Edwards, Emily Fisher, Dakota Franzen, Alexandra Frerichs, Atleigh Hamilton, Emmy Houston, Lukas Hutcherson, Logan Ingram, Cailer Kellenberger, Shelby Kofoot, Spencer Lahners, Ethan Lane, Aiden Livesay, Tyson Madsen, Sophie Martlage, Flannery McCorkle, Garren Meeker, Abigail Moberg, Samantha Naylor, Alec Painter, Erin Patton, Aidan Roberts, Indira Robinson, Mazie Ronk, Evan Schmitz, Max Shonkwiler, Tessa Smith, Payton Vallee, Nora Walden, Brayden Wendt and Logan Wolfersberger.

Freshmen: Addison Allen, Tyler Altenbaumer, Kailyn Anderson, Ella Armstrong, Madison Atwood, Abigail Behrens, Andrew Beyers, Brandie Bowln, Mara Burkhalter, Angela Chahine, Braden Clampitt, Anastasia Conerty, Deanna Cummins, Benjamin Cunningham, Sidney Davis, Zander Dressen, Ashley Eldridge, Jared Emmert, Hannah Fox, Zella Fuqua, Avian Gerdes, Brennan Haake, Liam Hamer, Lauren Harper, Anthony Hoang, Claire Huffman, Payton Jacob, Alison Kearney, Ava Knap, Sophia McDade, Coby Miller, Conrad Miller, Elijah Mock, Keaton Nolan, Jessica Palmer, Emma Parkinson, Hope Rajlich, Kendra Riddle, Taryn Sexton, Alyssa Shoviak, Luke Stegall, Rebecca Steinbach, Mackenzie Trame and Taylor Wells.

Adam Frerichs     Honor Roll student Payton Vallee     Drew Coursey


Honor Roll

Seniors: Sullivan Alwes, Alex Blanchard, Nicholas Boggs, Joel Branson, Makayla Buskirk, Ripley Campbell, Kayla Cañas, Daniel Carlson, Dwight Colvin, Aiden Coon, Amanda Craddock, Peyton Crowe, Chloe Duckett, Emory Ericksen, Cole Franzen, Bryce Froeschl, Grant Goff, Haley Griebat, Kaleb Harshbarger, Mikayla Harshbarger, Kaitlyn Hess, Michelle Jervis, Dylan Johnson, Jake Juday, Kyler Master, Shelby McElroy, Erinn Miller, Ryan Miller, Heidi Novak, Karsyn Peters, Kathryn Poulter, Hanson Rieches, Niko Russell, Nicholas Skelton, Clare Smith, Dillon Uken, Rylee Walsh and Cole Zaccarelli

Juniors: Kendall Ayers, Kolton Batty, Erin Bridgewater, Brendan Cooperider, Bailey Dowling, Brayden Grimsey, Ethan Hinrichs, Julia Kaiser, Eliza Lewis, Nathan Maier, Keegan McCarty, Mason McLain, Nolan Peacock, Taddy Pettit, Dyllan Price, Madie Warfel, Anna Wentzloff and Karsyn Wetzel.

Sophomores: Haven Atwood, Mason Behrens, Josh Buttjer, Raegan Crippen, Sarah Dow, Makayla Duckwitz, Jacob Dywer, Britney Evans, Emily Froman, Isabella Getty, Alyssa Lynch, Alyssa Maddock, Brandon Mattsey, Brianna Reifsteck, Lizzie Reitmeier, Jackson Rydell, Lauren Trankina, Mitchell Whitlock and Rachel Wilson.

Freshmen: Jaden Barton, Alanna Bensyl, Ella Besson, Kennedi Burnett, Mackenzie Fulk, Alyssa Hamilton, Kailyn Ingram, Olivia Klotz, Ashlyn Lannert, Jacey Lewis, Madelyn Mabry, Kelsey Martlage, Braden McElroy, Ava Miller, Jett Morris, Nathaniel Nosler, Jackson Place, Jonathan Poulter, Griffin Roesch and Ethan Vanliew.


Throwback Thursday: The first St. Joe 5K

This week's Throwback Thursday features photos and memorable faces from the inaugural SJO 5K, then known as the St. Joseph Community Festival 5K. In the months ahead, visit the race's official website here for information concerning this year's upcoming race.

The Sentinel, courtesy of PhotoNews Media, has more than 250,000 images from more than a decade and half of sport coverage and athletic events in St. Joseph. As space and time allows, we will share photos, memorable moments and treasured images from the massive collection of images of sporting events in our files for your weekly paper.


Brothers, Aaron, left, and Caleb Ball sprint out of the gate
With a turnout that exceeded organizers' expectations, 194 finishers ran in the first St. Joseph Community Festival 5K Saturday, August 9, 2008. Brothers, Aaron, left, and Caleb Ball sprint out of the gate ahead of the pack at the start of the run. The race featured a great course under perfect running conditions and over 40 door prizes for participants from area merchants. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


Jim Acklin runs inaugural SJO 5K
Jim Acklin, superintendent and former SJO cross-country coach, heads to the finish line. Acklin won the men's 45-54 age group with a time of 17:29.00. Today, Acklin coaches college running as the head cross country coach at Danville Area Community College and serves as a trustee for Ogden. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Ryan Thompsen runs to a 5th place finish
Ryan Thompsen runs to a fifth place finish in the Male 15-19 division at the St. Joseph 5K Run and Fun Walk. Thompsen finished the course at 17 minutes and 55.72 seconds. Thompsen running career did not end after high school or his stint at North Central College in Naperville. He went on to win the 2016 5K title at Illinois Marathon and finished the marathon event in fourth place in 2017. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


Finishing together
Jennifer Ball, Sherry Nagy, Kate Morgan, and Sandy Bayles raise their arms as they head for the finish line. Over 190 runners and walkers participated in what would be come the first of an annual community event in St. Joseph. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


Jolee Paden runs SJO5K
Jolee Paden, left, holds off Sidney Megeff, who runs to a third place finish in the Female 14 & Under division. Proceeds from the race/walk were donated to the St. Joseph-Ogden High School and St. Joseph Junior High cross-country programs. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Nicole Mannen runs to a seventh place finish
Nicole Mannen runs to a seventh place finish in the Female 14 & Under division. Mannen finished the course at 26:30.03. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


Runner Landon Vowels eats a post-race snack
Landon Vowels devours a banana after finishing his race. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)



*** Editor's Note: This following paragraph was removed from the story due to the PhotoNews archive shuttered by Covid-19 pandemic. "The PhotoNews online archives are searchable by name, date and event. Use the search tool on this page to find current and nostalgic file photographs."


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