2020 Senior Spotlight on Kenly Taylor

Kenly Taylor

On the right, Kenly celebrates senior night with her parents before the start of the Spartans' last home game of the season back on October 22, 2019. Above, Taylor celebrates a point for SJO during the team's state semifinal match against Breese Mater Dei at Redbird Arena. Below, the SJO senior poses for a photo with team's third-place trophy and her state volleyball medal. (Photos: PhotoNews/Clark Brooks)

Clubs & Activities Volleyball (4 years) Student Council, NHS, Spanish Club, Maroon Platoon, SADA, FCA Hometown: Ogden Siblings: An older sister; two brothers, one older and one younger Hobbies: Playing card games with friends, hanging out with family, and watching Netflix. Favorite SJO memories: Her greatest memories are playing hacky sack every Friday for Spanish Club during her senior year and the whole IHSA state volleyball tournament experience this past fall when the Spartans earned a 3rd place IHSA State trophy. Favorite classes: Physics with Mr. Robert Glazier and Spanish with Senor Zak Sutton. Favorite teachers: Mrs. Anderson at PVO as well as Mrs. Heather Lindenmeyer and Mr. Marshall Schacht at SJO. College: Parkland College, majoring in nursing Academic goal: Study abroad in Spain. Advice to future SJO students: Enjoy every moment and to not take anything for granted.

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Text provided by St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

Senior Spotlight with Emily Hardimon, Lucas Downing & Faith Dahman

Faith Dahman

Clubs & Activities

Cheer (4 years), Track & Field (2 years), NHS President, SADA President, AMP, Future Spartans Mentoring Program, Spanish Club Leader, Bible Club Leader, Maroon Platoon, SJO Handbook Committee, Drama Club, We The People

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Younger brother

Hobbies:
working at Sholem Pool, walking, and spending time with family and friends.

Favorite SJO memories:
She enjoyed mentoring in the Advisory Mentoring Program and being a part of the Future Spartans Mentoring Program. She also enjoyed her time as an SJO cheerleader, especially during the Homecoming games and at all of the Homecoming assemblies.

Favorite classes:
Advanced Civics with Mr. Marshall Schacht, Trigonometry with Mr. Kiel Duval, and U.S. History with Mr. Don Beckett.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Lubinski and Mrs. Ford at St. Joseph Middle School and Senor Zak Sutton and Mr. Schacht at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
University of Illinois, double major in Pre-Law and Political Science.

Advice to future SJO students:
Get involved in as many sports, activities, and clubs as you can.

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Lucas Downing

Clubs & Activities

Soccer (2 years)
FFA, Maroon Platoon, Drama Club

Hometown:
Royal

Siblings:
Older sister and two younger brothers

Hobbies:
Playing baseball, riding four-wheelers, and hanging out with friends.

Favorite SJO memories:
He thoroughly enjoyed FFA in high school, and he highly suggests joining FFA to all SJO students.

Favorite classes:
BSAA with Mrs. Duitsman and Mr. Pfundstein and Geometry with Mr. Kiel Duval.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Howard and Mrs. Anderson at PVO and Mr. Duval and Mr. Don Beckett at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
Northwest Lineman College in Florida

Advice to future SJO students:
Be excellent, stay on top of your homework, and do not fall behind.

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Graduating from college with an undergraduate or advance degree? Let us know. Read more ...

Faith Hardimon

Clubs & Activities

Spanish Club, SADA, Maroon Platoon, We The People

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Younger sister

Hobbies:
Playing tennis, playing sand volleyball, and painting.

Favorite SJO memories:
Over the years, she has enjoyed post prom and playing hacky sack before school. She has also been a big part of the Maroon Platoon. During her senior year, she was one of the many road warriors from the Maroon Platoon that traveled to Unity High School to cheer on the SJO varsity volleyball team to victory. It is a moment she will never forget.

Favorite classes:
Spanish with Senor Zak Sutton, and all of the classes she had with Mr. Marshall Schacht as a teacher.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. McDonald at St. Joseph Grade School, Mrs. Thompson at St. Joseph Middle School, and Mr. Schacht, Senor Sutton, and Mrs. Heather Lindenmeyer at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
Illinois State University, majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Spanish.

Advice to future SJO students:
Enjoy their senior year and to go to as many sporting events as possible.

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

Number of COVID-19 cases rise to 3 in St. Joseph

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District reported that there are two additional confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in St. Joseph. The public health department is now reporting three cases within the 61873 zip code.

Since Tuesday, 39 residents in the county have tested positive for COVID-19 virus. Twenty-five infected individuals were identified in the past two days as the number of confirmed cases continue to rise. Up from around 17 about a week ago, the current number of active cases is now up to 54.

The county has tested 3,361 individuals as of yesterday. One hundred and forty-nine have tested positive, 89 people have recovered and so far just six individuals have lost their lives battling the "invisible enemy" as President Donald Trump routinely calls it.

In other nearby communities, Homer is reporting two cases, Sidney has one and the total number in Rantoul has surged to 17 cases as Friday.

To prevent further spread of the pathogen, the CUPHD is recommending any individual over age 2 and able to medically tolerate a face covering or mask will be required to wear one in a public place where a six-foot social distance cannot be maintained at all times. Wearing a barrier over the nose and mouth, as required by Governor J.B. Pritzker's executive order extension starting yesterday, is the ideal method to keep those with COVID-19 symptoms and asymptomatic carriers from shedding viral material, which is known to remain active on some surfaces for up to 5 days depending on temperature and humidity.

State-wide there have been 284,688 Illinois residents tested to date with 56,055 testing positive. The state has seen the death of 2,457 people from COVID-19 related complications or symptoms.