NCHS student takes 3rd in SkillsUSA contest
Naperville Central High School senior Anthony Amedeo won bronze in the 2019 SkillsUSA Competition April 12 in Springfield.
This was the third time Naperville Central competed in the Automotive Service Technology competition.
Amedeo was one of 45 students in the six-hour competition to prove his automotive repair and troubleshooting skills. He won third place and received $10,000 in scholarships and tools.
He plans to attend Northern Illinois University next year to study mechanical engineering.
Cowan appointed to state association committee
Will County Board member Mimi Cowan, D-Naperville, has been named to the Illinois State Association of Counties’ Large Urban Counties Committee.
The association was established last spring and officially opened an office in Springfield last fall to focus on connecting the six large Chicago area counties with downstate and rural counties.
Among other state projects, Will County has advocated for funding for improvements to the Interstate 80 corridor and other traffic concerns.
District 203 recognizes Mission Makers
District 203 Superintendent Dan Bridges recently recognized Naperville North High School students Jack and Nick Boettcher for being community contributors.
The brothers used their passion for music to develop a music mentor program at the Warrenville Youth Center — part of the Illinois Youth Detention Center — called the No Repeats Project.
The two were named Mission Makers by the district.
Gronowski named D204 Volunteer of the Month
Deb Gronowski, an Indian Prairie School District 204 volunteer for 21 years, has been named the BMO Harris Bank and District 204 Volunteer of the Month for April.
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Gronowski is a founding member and membership secretary of the STEPS PTSA and a Special Olympics coordinator.
She has received the Special Olympics Illinois Class A volunteer certification allowing her to assist Special Olympics coaches in any role that is needed. She is also an active volunteer at Neuqua Valley High School and has previously served in many volunteer roles as her children grew from elementary to high school.
Gronowski‘s daughter graduated from Neuqua Valley High School in 2011, one son is in the STEPS program and another son is a junior at Neuqua Valley.
BMO Harris Bank recognizes one District 204 volunteer each month and donates $1,000 to his or her school.
Poulos family walk raises more than $16,000
A fundraising walk on April 27 raised nearly $16,600 – well above the $10,000 goal – to bring awareness and money for esophageal cancer research.
The walk was orchestrated by the family of Scott Poulos, a former longtime employee of the city of Naperville and a local business owner, who is battling esophageal cancer.
Family members stepped in because they said research for esophageal cancer is underfunded and fundraising events are rare.