Richton Park emergency workers honored
Officials recently awarded Unit Citations to members of the Richton Park Fire and Police departments for their lifesaving actions.
Fire Department Capt. Ron Robinson, Lt. Pat Hisel and firefighter/paramedic Alysa Fox were recognized for their work after responding to a Sept. 14 crash on Interstate 57 in which a vehicle knocked over a light pole. Despite the car carrying a live electrical current, the responders successfully extricated the four occupants, who then were safely taken to hospitals.
More Top Picks Best Practice Drones
Capt. Bill Kennedy and firefighters Missy Reposa, Bill Novak, Raven Powel and Anthony Edwards were honored after an Oct. 24 dispatch for a gunshot victim near Sauk School in Richton Park. A woman who had been shot in the stomach needed surgery as soon as possible, and the crew’s efforts ultimately saved her life, according to a news release.
Fire Department Capt. Ron Robinson and firefighters Doug Pepe and Eric Wiley Sr., along with Richton Park police Officers Christina Warren, Joseph Sanders, Kristopher Jones and William Shaw, received Unit Citations for their efforts after a catastrophic vehicle crash Oct. 30 in the 22400 block of Lawndale Avenue in which two people died. “Our first responders performed exemplary under extremely stressful situations, and showed compassion, empathy and concern for the victims and residents on scene as well as each other,” the village news release stated.
“Firefighters often perform well, never expecting recognition because it’s their job,” said Richton Park Fire Chief Mick Smith. “But as thankless as this job can be, I think it’s important to let our men and women know that they are outstanding and appreciated for what they do.”
Richards High gears up for AP Rush
Enrollment in Advanced Placement programs, along with the number of passed exams and nationally recognized scholars have grown immensely in recent years at Richards High School in Oak Lawn, and District 218 as a whole, according to a news release from the district.
That growth has stemmed in large part from efforts to convince capable students that they possess the ability to succeed in AP, which offers university-level curricula and the opportunity to earn college credit during high school.
That encouragement is peaking this week at Richards with AP Rush, a highly-visible campaign to motivate students to embrace academic challenges. Course selection for the 2023-2024 academic year starts soon.
Freshmen attended presentations on the benefits, challenges, facts, and myths of AP courses while students already in the classes wore AP shirts to illustrate just how many have accepted the challenge.
Current AP students also worked at booths promoting AP courses in biology, statistics, English literature, calculus, computer science, and many others during a course fair Thursday and Friday..
After two years of COVID-related decline, last year District 218 students rebounded to extend the decade-plus pattern of growth and accomplishment on AP exams, district officials said.
“Given the large expansion of the AP population the past few years and the disruptions to teaching and learning over the past two years, the return to pre-pandemic scores is a remarkable achievement and indicates the district has tremendous momentum to improve,” said Anthony Corsi, District 218 director of assessment.
Palos students collect nearly 1K mittens
Students at Palos West Elementary in Palos School District 118 recently collected 945 pairs of mittens for the school’s annual mitten drive. The donated mittens were delivered to several organizations in need, including a women and children’s shelter in Chicago, schools in Joliet, a local group collecting items for the people of Ukraine and a children’s hospital.
Palos West Second grade teacher Nicole Judd and fifth grade teacher Emma Wendt organized the collection, which is now in its 32nd year.
Event in Chicago Heights features ‘Dream King’ authors
Will Ford and Matt Lockett, authors of “The Dream King,” will share their story about overcoming injustice and efforts to heal racism in America during a public program at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 19 at Marian Catholic High School, 700 Ashland Ave., Chicago Heights.
After 10 years of friendship, Ford and Lockett discovered that the ancestors of one of these men was a slave owner of the ancestors of the other. That discovery led them to learn more about our nation’s hidden history and the unknown heroes who overcame injustice, detailing their journey in “The Dream King,” a narrative that exposes systemic injustice and delivers new keys for understanding the nation’s past, present and future.
The presentation is open to everyone and is sponsored by Marian Catholic’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council.
Citizens Police Academy offered in Oak Forest
The Oak Forest Police Department is accepting applications for its Citizens Police Academy, a 10-week program designed to provide residents a working knowledge of law enforcement and police department operations. The program is free and is limited to 20 students.
According to a news release, the academy will offer insight into police practices and services to participants, who are encouraged to share their knowledge and experience with other community members.
The class will meet at 7 p.m. every other Monday from Feb. 6 through June 12 at the Oak Forest Police Department. Applications are available until Jan. 31 at the police department, 15440 Central Avenue or online at www.oak-forest.org. All applicants must be 21 years old or older.
Information is with Officer Tracy Weiland at 708-687-4050, ext. 1219 or email [email protected]
More Top Picks Car Waxs
.Send news to [email protected].