Unity East Elementary fall school calendar announced

PHILO - Administrators from Unity East Elementary released the school's first-semester calendar for the upcoming 2024-2025 academic year.

Registration for the upcoming year is scheduled for July 31 and August 1, with Back to School Open House from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on August 12.

The first day of classes for students, first through fifth grades, starts on August 14.

Dates for parent-teacher conference days, PTO meetings, and days with no scheduled class are listed in the calendar are provided below.

This year's Winter Break will start on December 20, with early dismissal at 2:05 p.m. Students return to classes on January 6.

2024-2025 Calendar
First Semester

July 31& Aug.1 - School Registration

August 12 - Teachers’ Institute – No School
Back to School Open House (5:30-7:00pm)

August 13 - Teachers’ Institute – No School

August 14 - First Attendance Day for Grades 1-5

August 14 & 15 - Kindergarten Conferences with Teachers

August 16 - First Attendance Day for Kindergarten

September 2 - Labor Day - No School

September 4 - PTO Meeting, 6:30pm

September 27 - Teachers’ Institute - No School

October 2 - PTO Meeting, 6:30pm

October 7-11 - Homecoming Spirit Week

October 11 - School Improvement Day (Student dismissal at 11:15am) Homecoming

October 14 - Columbus Day – No School

October 24 - School Improvement Day (Student dismissal at 11:15am) Parent/Teacher Conferences; 3:00-9:30pm

October 25 - No School

November 6 - PTO Meeting, 6:30pm

November 5 - Election Day - No School

November 26 - Student dismissal at 2:05pm

November 27 - 29 - Thanksgiving Break – No School

December 4 - PTO Meeting, 6:30pm

December 20 - Student dismissal at 2:05pm

December 23 - Jan 3 - Winter Break – No School

---

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.

The Giving Place helped Unit 7 families

The Giving Place is a community outreach program that helps those going through hard times economically. Designed to help families in the Unit 7 school district, the ministry provides food and clothing for those in need.

In the past week, The Giving Place provided assistance to 12 families, 25 adults and eight children.

The charitable organization thanked Pastor Catherine Thomas and several volunteers for serving those who sought help during the past week and for their help in cleaning, sorting and stocking racks on Wednesday. They also thanked everyone who generously donated food or money to the ministry to make their work possible.

"We are in need of the following items: canned fruit, (especially pears, fruit cocktail, mandarin oranges, pineapple & applesauce), snack items of all kinds, and peanut butter," wrote Mike Williams in an email.

Normally, The Giving Place does not accepting clothing items, but with cold, winter weather now settling in East Central Illinois, they are now accepting donations of new or gently used, clean winter coats, hats and gloves/mittens. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the organization is not accepting new volunteers at this time.

Photo of the Day - September 28, 2020

Eisenmenger, Day run strong at PBL Invite

Unity's Sisay Eisenmenger runs along side teammate Savannah Day at the 2014 PBL Invite. Day clocked in at 20:29 in 7th place on the course at Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School while Eisenmenger finished in 8th place overall with a time of 20:44. The Rockets finished in second in the overall team standings on September 13, 2014.

---

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Our 2020 Parkland graduates, here's who earned degrees

This year's pandemic did not divert the efforts of 83 area residents who completed the requirements for their respective programs at Parkland College in May. Nearly a quarter of the graduates in the Class of 2020 received degrees in the medical field.

Due to successive executive orders put in place to stop the spread of the Coronavirus by Governor J.B. Pritzker, Parkland's 53rd Commencement Exercise was held online back on May 22, 2020 via YouTube for the first time in school history. Originally live-streamed, the virtual ceremony included speakers, award presentations, and the reading of the graduates' names.

This summer, Parkland sent graduates a green mortarboard, a Parkland tassel with new signet and a padded diploma cover as well as other memorabilia to commemorate their academic achievement.

The college also plans to extend an invitation to 2020 graduates to walk across the stage at the 2021 exercise.

Here is a list of area graduates enter the job market or continuing their education at a four-year institution:

Briley C Ackerman, Tolono
AAS, Nursing

John M Acklin, Ogden
AES, Engineering Science

Elizabeth K Alt, Tolono
AA, Elementary Education

Cody W Argo, Tolono
AGS, Associate in General Studies

Roger S Ayers, Sidney
AAS, Nursing

Kayla J Balsbaugh, St. Joseph
AAS, Child Development

Hollie N Baltzell, St. Joseph
AAS, Nursing

Jennifer A Barnard, Sidney
AA, General

Jason T Bowman, Ogden
AAS, Agricultural Business: Precision Ag Technology

Kira J Brinkley, Tolono
AFA, Music Education

Melanie L Broch, St. Joseph
AAS, Surgical Technology

Bryson D Chancellor, Tolono
AS, Aviation

Austin R Chilton, St. Joseph
AS, Biological Sciences

Britney F Christman, Sidney
AA, Psychology

Jarrett L Clem, St. Joseph
CER, Construction: Electrical Inside Wireman

Destiny H Coffey, Sidney
AA, Social Work

Bonnie G Collins, Ogden
AAS, Digital Media

Elena K Cotter, St. Joseph
AS, General

Christine M Danielson, Philo
AS, General

Zach T David, Ogden
AGS, Associate in General Studies

Logan J Dobbs, St. Joseph
AAS, Diesel Power Equipment Technology

Kenzie L Dodds, Tolono
AA, Psychology

Austin M Downen, Tolono
AAS, Diesel Power Equipment Technology

Brandon G Downen, Tolono
AA, Sociology

Emily C Eastin, Tolono
AA, General

Trevor B Elliott, St. Joseph
AA, Criminal Justice Education

Mickaela J Fleming, Royal
AAS, Nursing

Hope A Frost, Royal
AAS, Nursing

Lauren N Frost, Tolono
AA, Criminal Justice Education

Justyn R Fruhling, St. Joseph
AAS, Radiologic Technology

Bryce M Haake, St. Joseph
AA, General

Webb T Hancock, Tolono
AGS, Associate in General Studies

Grant C Harper, Ogden
AAS, Automotive Technology

Christian M Hasler, Philo
AA, History

Ashley N Holm, Tolono
AGS, Associate in General Studies

Devinne D Horton, Sidney
AAS, Nursing

Brandi L Huson, Ogden
AGS, Associate in General Studies

Allyson K James, Philo
AA, Elementary Education

Sophia A Kaisner, Philo
AS, General

Zachary A Kohlmann, Tolono
AGS, Associate in General Studies

Joseph H Lamendola, Tolono
AGS, Associate in General Studies

Kaitlyn M Landis, St. Joseph
AAS, Occupational Therapy Assistant

Payton J Lareau, Tolono
AAS, Emergency Medical Services: Paramedic

Brianna S Lilly, St. Joseph
AAS, Nursing

Alicia A Maxey, St. Joseph
AAS, Criminal Justice

Emily M McCrone, Tolono
AS, General

Emma L Messman, Sidney
AS, General

Devon M Miezio, Ogden
CER, Practical Nursing

Billie J Miller, Philo
AGS, Associate in General Studies

Leah J Miller, Tolono
AAS, Nursing

McKayla R Norton, Philo
AGS, Associate in General Studies

Brendan Z Olauson, St. Joseph
AES, Engineering Science

Kristen A Polizzi, St. Joseph
AAS, Business: Management

Austin R Rein, Ogden
AAS, Agricultural Business: Precision Ag Technology

Ileana L Roberts, Sidney
AAS, Nursing

Carson T Robinson, Sidney
AGS, Associate in General Studies

Samantha J Roderick, Tolono
AA, General

Cori B Rodriguez, Ogden
AAS, Nursing

Paige N Sappenfield, Philo
AAS, Nursing

Megan K Schumacher, St. Joseph
AAS, Veterinary Technology

Sydney J Schurvinske, Sidney
AA, General

Briley L Smith, Tolono
AA, Elementary Education

Katleyn M Smith, Ogden
AAS, Radiologic Technology

Nash C Stanfield, Sidney
AAS, Business: Management

Derek L Stevens, Tolono
AAS, Emergency Medical Services: Paramedic

Andrew J Stewart, St. Joseph
AA, Psychology

Kaitlyn R Taylor, St. Joseph
CER, Practical Nursing

Mitchell R Thompsen, St. Joseph
AS, General

Carrie J Turner, Tolono
AAS, Business: Management

Jordan M Turner, St. Joseph
CER, Automotive Technician

Kyle E Vansickle, Sidney
AGS, Associate in General Studies

Kimberly A Vecchio, Philo
AAS, Business Administrative Technology

Jason M Waldeck, St. Joseph
AS, Computer Science/Computer Information Systems

Emilee M Walters, Tolono
AA, Psychology

Ethan F Warren, Philo
CER, Automotive Technician

Israel D Wells, Sidney
AGS, Associate in General Studies

Kenneth A Wells Jr, St. Joseph
AAS, Respiratory Care

Madison R Wilson, Philo
AS, General

Sarah E Wiseman, St. Joseph
AFA, Art and Design

Nicole L Woller, St. Joseph
AS, General

Casey J Young, Tolono
AA, General

Jordan T Hall, St. Joseph
AAS, Nursing

Tenneal Frerichs, St. Joseph
AAS, Nursing