Chelsea students go for the heart
The Kids Heart Challenge at Chelsea Intermediate School in Frankfort surpassed $29,000 in donations in February. Physical education teachers Randy Klosowski, Jenell Jaral, and Matthew Dykema coordinated the annual fundraising program for the American Heart Association, and students collected pledges from their parents, relatives and friends.
More Top Picks Best Led Book Lights For Kids
The students raised a total of $29,961.20. The top 11 student fundraisers were Fulvio D’Aversa, Aiden Edwards, Roenick Rapsky, Adam Kowalczyk, Dylan DeZendegui, Nash Farver, Emerson Kirkman, Mae Beran, Ryan Bingham, Noah Atieh, and Beckett Bohren. Fulvio was the top fundraiser for the third year in a row, raising $3,230.39 this year.
Pancake breakfast raises $25K for bullet proof vests
Chicago Ald. Matt O’Shea’s eighth annual Get Behind the Vest Pancake Breakfast last weekend at St. John Fisher School raised over $25,000 in two hours. The breakfast, along with a Vest-A-Thon on Feb. 12, school fundraisers, and a promotion with Kean Gas Station, resulted in more than $250,000 in donations to the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation’s Get Behind the Vest initiative to purchase bullet proof vests for Chicago police officers. This year’s efforts broke all previous fundraising records, organizers said.
Rich Township students treat firefighters to lunch
The Rich Township High School District 227 Key Club spent part of Valentine’s Day participating in a Let Your Love Catch Fire service project by providing lunch for members of the Chicago Heights and Richton Park fire departments.
The students worked with area businesses, coordinated the event with each department, and served over 50 meals that were donated by Jersey Mike’s in Flossmoor and Olive Garden in Matteson. The students were joined by their club advisers, Asia Norwood and Jennifer Bjork.
“Ms. Norwood and I are so proud of our kids and how hard they worked to make this event a success,” Bjork said.
Evergreen Park students support Nicaraguan artists
Students in Evergreen Park Community High School’s International Club and Service Club raised nearly $700 to support education and jobs in Nicaragua and Guatemala by taking part in the Pulsera Project, a nonprofit organization that connects Central American artists with students in U.S. schools.
The clubs sold colorful hand-woven bracelets made by artisans in Nicaragua to other students during lunch periods the week of Feb. 14. The amount raised from the fair trade sale exceeded what the faculty organizers had expected.
“It was a great opportunity for the Service Club and International Club to collaborate on an international service project,” said Eileen Durkin, an EPCHS school counselor and faculty sponsor for the Service Club. “Students had the opportunity to learn about a different culture and learn about fair trade.”
I-55 resurfacing in Will County begins March 10
The Illinois Department of Transportation will begin patching and resurfacing Interstate 55 from Weber Road to Interstate 80 in Will County, causing overnight lane closures beginning March 10. Major travel delays are anticipated and IDOT encourages alternative routes.
Motorists should expect various overnight lane and partial ramp closures on both sides of I-55, officials said. The closures will take place from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays, from 9 p.m. Fridays to 11 a.m. Saturdays and from 8 p.m. Saturdays to 11 a.m. Sundays. At least one lane in each direction will remain open.
The project, which consists of resurfacing the 13.6-mile stretch of I-55, is expected to be completed in November.
Motorists can expect delays, IDOT said.
Monmouth choir performing in Palos Heights
The Monmouth College Chamber Choir and its Chorale will perform at 4 p.m. Sunday at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 7800 W. McCarthy Road, Palos Heights. Admission is free.
Good Shepherd is one of two Chicago suburban churches selected to host a performance for the group’s first tour since early 2020, said Pastor Chris Buresh.
More information is at 708-448-4170.
Bloom Trail hosting Virtual 5K race
The Bloom Trail High School Parent Co-Op will host its 2nd Virtual 5K to support the scholarship fund.
Every year, the Bloom Trail Parent Co-Op gives $500 scholarships to several deserving graduates and will carry on this tradition in May. To help fund the effort, Virtual 5K participants can run anytime between March 25 and April 2, anywhere they’d like, be it trails, in town or on a treadmill.
Packet pickup is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 25 or 9 a.m. to noon March 26 at Bloom Trail, 22331 Cottage Grove Ave., Chicago Heights. Cost is $20 per person over age 10 or $50 for a family of three or more. Participants also get a Swag Bag featuring a T-shirt, bracelet, race bib. Registration is at bloomtrail.org.
More Top Picks Best Amazon Prime Day Bosch Dishwasher Deals 2026
March 14 deadline for Midewin Youth Corps applications
High school students can apply through March 14 to be part of the 2022 Youth Conservation Corps for eight weeks this summer at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Wilmington. The YCC team will assist with projects that are essential to restoring land where the Joliet Arsenal was active, including trails maintenance and invasive species management.
YCC is a national summer youth employment program that provides high school students with opportunities to explore career opportunities in natural resources. Students participate in work projects and learning opportunities. YCC students earn minimum wage and will learn from the environment they will be working in as well as take part in various educational field trips.
The 2022 YCC application form is available online at tinyurl.com/6rma6895. Completed application forms can be emailed to [email protected].
Send news to [email protected].