NORMAL – Because of mental strategies it players must employ, the game of Chess is sometimes not an easy game to master, let alone bring home trophies for doing so. But the members of the Chess Club at Parkside Junior High School could probably all teach us a few tips having done well recently at a pair of tournaments.

As part of the “Good News” portion of Normal’s Unit 5 School Board meeting at district headquarters on May 12, PJHS’ Chess Club was honored for recently participating in two out-of-state tournaments, and bringing home trophies to show for their efforts.

Coached by Garrett Scott, assisted by Gary DeBo, team members have been to two tournaments over the school year. First, at the Junior High National Chess Tournament in Minneapolis, Minn., the team of eighth grader Justin DeBo, sixth graders Trevin Kafer, Connor Kennedy, and Timmy O’Brien recently took second place.

At that same competition, in individual divisions, two of the PJHS Chess Club members brought home trophies. O’Brien placed third in his division and Kennedy placed 11th.

At the U. S. Junior Chess Congress in Indianapolis in February, seventh grader Benjamin Nielsen tied for second out of hundreds of students who participated.

Kingsley Junior High’s “Good News” Times 2: There were two pieces of good news delivered to the Board from Kingsley Junior High School. First, it was announced that Ericka Jensen, a 7th grade science teacher at Kingsley Junior High School was honored at the meeting with the second mention of ‘good news,” as she recently received a $1,000 grant from the Ecology Action Center. The grant is for composting equipment and additional recycling bins.

The next item of good news for KJHS was about teachers’ aide Geralyn Miskulin. Miskulin, who has been revitalizing KJHS’ Environment Club, received a $1,000 “One Class At A Time” Grant from Peoria’s WHOI-TV. WHOI news anchors Mark Welp and Gretchen Wirtz came to the school and surprised Miskulin with the grant.

School officials later learned that, unbeknownst to any of them, Hayley Shields, a sixth grader and active KJHS Environment Club member, had submitted Miskulin’s name for receiving the grant.

Miskulin has been helping encourage recycling to students, including organizing cleaning up landscaping in front of the building, and made daily announcements concerning recycling opportunities.

WHOI-TV aired the segment of Miskulin receiving the grant money during newscasts on April 21 and 22, to coincide with Earth Day.

District Speech Therapists Recognized: The last item of “good news” honored 36 speech pathologists employed by the district for all the work they do for the district, and to recognize them as part of May being “Better Speech & Hearing Month.”

The 36 speech language pathologists recognized were: Candice Adams; Heather Anderson; Patti Anderson; Melissa Blaum; Chasity Bogay; Lisa Bova; Sonya Cail; Cindy Diekhoff; Erin Fabish; Rachel Gannaway; Anna Gomez; Amy Hohulin; Carolyn Howald; Cally Hutson; Amy Johnson; Natalie Karr; Jana Kelly; Vickie Mahrt; Kristi Menestrina; Angie Mier; Peg Modglin; Jaime Moore; Stacy Munsell; Carla Orr; Stacey Panizo; Tom Parton; Christine Peterson; Jamie Schlipf; Brandy Sherrick; Karen Showalter; Melissa Soluri; Sara Thompson; Doug Valverde; Jeanna Walker; Amy Yacucci; and Laura Yost.

No Change For School Start Times: District Superintendent Gary Niehaus told Board members there will be no change in school start times when school opens for the Fall Semester in August. The Board is still considering a change in middle school start times at some point in the future. Niehaus said Board members will be given a report on the affects of a school starting time change at a future Board meeting.

New Glenn Elementary Principal Named: Niehaus introduced Julia Schoonover as the new principal of Glenn Elementary School, beginning this fall. Schoonover had been School Administration Manager at Pepper Ridge Elementary. She replaces Carmen Bergmann, who will become principal at Prairieland Elementary.Schoonover’s husband, Geoff Schoonover is also getting a new place to work. Currently principal at Brigham Elementary, Geoff is going to be the new principal at the new Cedar Ridge Elementary when it opens at the beginning of the 2010-11 School Year.

Construction Update: Richard Ach, project manager with Chicago-based Turner Construction, presented a construction update to Board members regarding the two new elementary and one junior high currently being built as part of the $96.7 million referendum passed by voters in 2008.

At Cedar Ridge Elementary, Ach said, a final cleaning in the school gym is underway; furniture deliveries have begun; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment startup is ongoing; completing paint work in second floor classrooms is underway; and metal stud framing is complete in the second floor classroom wing.

The school’s first floor classroom wing will be ready for Unit 5 to take it over from the construction company by June 14, with the second floor classroom wing ready by July 1. The construction company handed over the school’s gymnasium wing in April.

At Benjamin Elementary, the installation of the gym wood floor is complete; cafeteria flooring will be completed; ceiling tile installation in the gym wing is complete; first floor classroom painting is being completed; exterior face brick is complete; and window installation in the classroom wing is complete.

The construction company handed over the school’s administration area to Unit 5 in April. The school’s gymnasium wing is scheduled to be handed over to the district this week. The first floor classroom wing should be ready to hand over to Unit 5 by July 7. The second floor classroom wing should be ready to hand over by July 26.

Among the things being done by work crews at the site of the new George L. Evans Junior High School, window installation in the north classroom wing has begun; masonry bearing walls have been completed in the second floor art rooms; geothermal well drilling has been completed and horizontal piping is underway.

BLOOMINGTON – Wilson Intermediate School students Alexis Geiman and Michael Heriford helped make Pekin Dist. 108’s return to competing in Special Olympics get off to a triumphant start at Wesleyan Stadium on the Illinois Wesleyan University campus Saturday.

In the first event of the day, in separate divisions, Geiman and Heriford earned a fourth place ribbon and a gold medal, respectfully, in what were good starts for the school district’s comeback performance in Special Olympics competition.

The moment her daughter won a ribbon acknowledging Alexis’ skill was a big moment for her mother, Valerie Flick, who represented herself and her husband, Harold, in watching the proud event and the ribbon-awarding ceremony afterward.

“It really excites me (to see Alexis get this award),” Flick said. “I’m excited for (Alexis).”

It also turned out to be a big moment for Pekin School District 108, too. District 108 had last been in Area 6 Spring Games for Special Olympics two years ago, when funding was available through outside sources, explained Megan Jensen, head coach for District 108.

When the outside sources could not continue providing funds, District 108’s Special Olympics program was shelved.

But since last fall, when the District 108 School Board voted to give financial backing to the Special Olympics program in the district, Jensen and her assistant coaches have been working steadily with the athletes to make this day possible.

Jensen declined to specify how much money the District was contributing.

“We’re glad that we were able to come back,” Jensen said. “The kids have such a great time here, and it’s such a great experience for them. I think that it’s a wonderful program for Pekin District 108 to continue.”

Dist. 108 started slow, with just seven athletes, competing in the Softball Throw, 100 meter run, and 100 meter walk. Dist. 108 was represented by athletes Geiman, Heriford, Cody Connor, Kylie Kolesar, Bryant Mullis, Andrew Sidwell, and Dale Parker.

Jensen has been coaching Dist. 108’s Special Olympics team for seven years, and said her team has been practicing for Spring Games “for several months now.” Practices take place both in gym classes and in their free time.

Jensen was assisted by coaching staff members Patricia Mitzelfelt, Jenny Jackson, and Josh Prichard.

Dist. 108’s crew was among 22 agencies that brought 265 athletes from Tazewell, Mason, Peoria, McLean, Woodford, Livingston, and DeWitt Counties to compete. The total number of athletes is up by just five athletes from last year’s games.

Athletes competed in events such as Softball Throw, Tennis Ball Throw, Shot Put, wheelchair races of lengths from 25 meters to 100 meters, walk races of lengths from 100 meters to 800 meters, and a 4 x 100 meter relay, and 4 x 400 meter relay.

First place winners at these Area 6 Games qualify to compete at the Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games, to be held June 11-13 at Illinois State University.

Local agencies that participated in Saturday’s event included: Apostolic Christian Home, Morton; Washington School District 50; East Peoria Community High School; Fondulac Illinois River Valley Special Recreation Association, East Peoria; Marigold Estates, Pekin; Morton School District 709; Pekin IRVSRA, Pekin District 108; and Washington Special Olympics.

A New Athlete’s Parents Wants To Get Involved: Chris Heriford and Christine Cagney, Pekin, Michael Heriford’s parents, are happy their son is taking part in Special Olympics. Heriford said the family has helped maintain an active life for his son even before joining Dist. 108’s program.

“It was actually, kind of a pleasure to know he was accepted into the program,” Cagney said.

Heriford, who has worked as a certified nurse’s aide, and has been working with elderly patients for 20 years, said his son isn’t the only person who has gotten something out of seeing what goes on in Special Olympics. Heriford is considering looking into “redirecting” himself to working with Special Olympics athletes.

Annual Award Winners: An annual tradition at these games is to nominate a Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Volunteer of the Year. For two of those honors, Area 6 chose members of one agency – Washington Special Olympics. Scott and Kathy Deatherage, operators of the agency in all 10 years of its existence, were named Coaches of the Year, while one of their athletes, Hayden Davis, was named Athlete of the Year.

Scott Deatherage called the honor “very unexpected.” He said he has had most of his athletes with him all 10 years “watching them grow up and mature.” He said athletes Davis, Bradley Fornoff, and Kellen Ehrenhardt have been with his group the longest.

Deatherage said seeing Davis get Athlete of the Year honors was “very gratifying. I’ve had the pleasure of watching all three of them grow up with Special Olympics. I’ve seen how it changes them, changes their lives.”

As far as how Special Olympics has changed his and his family’s lives, Deatherage said, “we work for hugs.” Deatherage brought his biggest contingent to Area Games so far in 10 years’ time – 9 athletes.

Melanie Schaal, Eureka, was named as Volunteer of the Year.

Meet IRVSRA’s New Special Populations Director: Saturday’s event was the first for Caroline Campbell, Pekin, in her new role as Special Populations Director for Pekin Park District’s Illinois River Valley Special Recreation Association (IRVSRA). Among her many duties, Campbell will supervise IRVSRA’s sports coaching staffs.

Campbell is embarking on a second career by joining IRVSRA, having been a librarian for 30 years, last working with East Peoria School District. But she has seen the impact Special Olympics has had on her middle child, Daniel, 24. Campbell also has a 25-year-old daughter and a 22-year-old son. Daniel has been active in Special Olympics for 10 years.

“This job is special because…I feel like I can make an impact on the community, getting people involved in our community,” Campbell said. She said she is looking to get more young people with intellectual disabilities involved in IRVSRA. She is already considering getting IRVSRA athletes who are not quite in their teens involved in Softball competition. She said she has Softball organized to where they will begin games Monday night.

Campbell replaces Rachel Doan in that position. Doan exited IRVSRA in February.

IRVSRA’s Harms Seeking 13th Shotput Gold: At 52, one might think hurling a shotput would be risky, leading more to aching muscles, not gold medals. Bernie Harms would disagree with that, and to prove it qualified for State Games in the event for a 13th consecutive year. On Saturday, Harms hurled his shotput a distance of 9 meters, 15 centimeters to qualify for State. In three tries, Harms reached the gold medal mark on his second try.

At State Summer Games in this event, Harms said he has gotten no less than a bronze medal each of the 12 previous years he has been in this event. Harms said he has had different coaches at different points of the previous years who have “given (him) pointers, and what they have told me (to do) has always turned out (to be) pretty good.”

Two of Harms’ IRVSRA teammates did well in their attempts at the Softball Throw, too. Rachel Jones earned a gold medal in her division with a toss of 1 meter, 41 centimeters. Another IRVSRA Softball Throw contestant, Jessica Pribble, also earned a silver medal in the same division with a throw of 1 meter, 32 centimeters. IRVSRA’s Annette Bartley earned a Silver medal in her division of the 100 meter Walk competition. Bartley started her day with a Silver medal in the Softball Throw, as well.

BLOOMINGTON – Once Bloomington Central Catholic’s baseball team reached their Olympia head baseball coach Ron Smith thought his Spartans were in for a long night. Bloomington scored three runs before even one of Smith’s Spartans had the chance for an at-bat.

But by the end of the contest, Olympia had turned the tables, defeating the Saints, 5-3 Friday night at Illinois Wesleyan’s Jack Horenberger Field, and advanced to the Corn Belt Conference championship game.

Olympia will meet Mahomet Seymour for the Corn Belt Conference title Saturday night at 7p.m. at Horenberger Field.

Olympia (22-7) opened up the game with a 1-0 lead, as Chase Hainline opened the contest with a triple and motored home with two outs, putting the visiting Spartans up, 1-0.

Andrew Holt’s double with two on, gave BCC the chance to take a 3-1 lead, scoring leadoff man Thomas Prior, who opened the game being hit by Oly starter Jack Turner, and Stuart Nafziger who bunted his way onto first.

Olympia catcher Brett Wigginton’s crossing home plate in the third inning closed BCC’s lead, 3-2. wigginton was powered home thanks to an RBI from Hainline.

The two sides put on a defensive show for the third, fourth, and fifth innings, each team making one pitching change in the sixth inning.

Olympia was able to load the bases off BCC reliever Chris Highland in the sixth inning, with Zach Zindel, Zack Talbert, and Matt Glenn each getting singles before Nafziger blasted the ball into the gap to score three runs for a double, giving Oly a 5-3 lead.

Oly relief pitcher Pratt sat down BCC’s batters Zach Holt, Rob Prior, and Tim Coonan in order to advance to the championship game Saturday. Jack Turner was the winning pitcher for Oly, and Jess Heaton took the loss for BCC.

“I was really happy with Turner being able to settle down at hold them at bay after that first inning,” Smith said. “It adds a lot to his credit for (his) being a sophomore.”

Smith said he told his players the reason he went to Pratt in the closing innings was because “I had great confidence he was going to throw strikes. He wasn’t going to walk anybody (and) he’s a great athlete on the mound and he showed that when he covered first during this game.”

“When you play Olympia with the kind of quality program Ron Smith has, you never feel easy,” said BCC head coach Jeff Paul. “They swung the bats pretty well that inning, put some runners in scoring position, and did a good job of hitting.”