IRC Communicator August 2008 Volume 32, Number 1

Presented to the Illinois Reading Council for taking an active role in educational policy and legislation.

Presented to the Illinois Reading Council for providing programs and activities that contribute to education and support councils, members, and IRA.

Presented to the Illinois Reading Council for meeting the yearly membership goal.

Presented to the Illinois Reading Council for meeting the student membership goal.

Presented to the Illinois Reading Council for outstanding contributions in membership growth.

South Eastern Reading Council
Southern Illinois Reading Council
Suburban Council of IRA (SCIRA)
Western Illinois Reading Council
Will County Reading Council

Suburban Council of IRA (SCIRA)

HC Storm Elementary School, Batavia, Illinois

Teachers, students, and parents of Storm School value reading and all it can bring to the lives of their  learners.  All phases of reading are integrated into the literacy program to accomplish their mission in developing lifelong learners. The last half hour of each day is devoted to an all-school independent reading block.  Community volunteers eagerly contribute time and talent assisting with daily activities and the special reading time. Through best practices, teachers are developing thoughtful readers who are excited to pick up a book, read, and buzz about it with a friend. With the overall mission of the school being to develop lifelong learners, there is no better way to prepare children than to teach those skills and strategies that can take them as far as they can go.  Being a thoughtful reader is the key to unlocking the knowledge to meet the challenges of the future.  

The IRA Exemplary Reading Program Award recognizes outstanding reading and language arts programs at all grade levels (elementary, middle, and high school).  Each state or province can choose one winning school.    

Karen Ringas

This award recognizes an IRC member who promotes and supports parent involvement in children’s reading.

Fox Valley Reading Council – Sue Sokolinski
Fox Valley Reading Council – Beth Wackerlin
Illinois Valley Reading Council – Pam Ritter
Lewis & Clark Reading Council – Barbara Jatcko
Northern Illinois Reading Council – Mary Gardner

The IRC Adult and Family Literacy Committee will award up to $750 to local councils to develop and implement projects to help address adult literacy issues. Literacy projects that involve adults or adults with their children will be considered for funding.

Sally Walker

This award recognizes an Illinois children’s/young adult author whose body of work demonstrates excellence, engenders a love of literature, and promotes lifelong literacy.

John Moranski, Auburn Middle School and
Auburn High School, Auburn, Illinois

Dawn Jung
Maria Walther

The Illinois Council for Affective Reading Education recognizes an educator who has performed in an outstanding manner to show concern for the affective domain and who has promoted lifelong reading habits among students.

Cindy Morgan, Lynne Thigpen Elementary School
Lori Weber, Richland Elementary School

This award was established from a $30,000 donation from Senator Barack Obama. An endowment was established with the interest allocated to an annual literacy award given to create classroom libraries for African-American middle-school students to have access to “culturally relevant” books.

Representative Dan Reitz, District 116

This award recognizes outstanding contributions toward advocating literacy and education in Illinois.

1st Place – Central Illinois Reading Council
2nd Place – Northern Illinois Reading Council
3rd Place – Western Illinois Reading Council

The Hall of Councils at the conference allows the councils an opportunity to advertise their activities and accomplishments and to promote membership with a display.

Illinois Valley Reading Council – 40 years
Secondary Reading League – 40 years
South Suburban Reading Council – 35 years
Starved Rock Reading Council – 35 years
Suburban Council of IRA (SCIRA) – 35 years
Two Rivers Reading Council – 35 years
Illinois Language and Literacy Council – 35 years
Vermilion Valley Reading Council – 30 years
ICARE – 20 years
Illinois Title I Associaton – 15 years
Prairie Area Reading Council – 15 years
Lake Area Reading Council – 10 years
South Eastern Reading Council – 5 years

East Central-EIU Reading Council
Illinois Title I Association
Northern Illinois Reading Council
Prairie Area Reading Council
South Eastern Reading Council
Two Rivers Reading Council
Western Illinois Reading Council
West Suburban Reading Council
Will County Reading Council

This program recognizes local and special interest councils that organize and conduct well-rounded programs serving the council members, the community, and the state association.

Lisa Hopson, Willowbrook, Illinois
Mike Moylan, Crystal Lake, Illinois
Lori Wells, Moline, Illinois

Thanks to the many participants! The winners were randomly chosen and received an American Express Gift Card. The “Puzzle Power” game will continue at the 2009 IRC Conference.

1st Place – Emily Harrison, 6th Grader, Columbia
Middle School, Columbia, Illinois
2nd Place – Emma Gauthier, 5th Grader, Pope John
XXIII, Evanston, Illinois
3rd Place – Andrew Copple, 6th Grader, Teutopolis
Grade School, Teutopolis, Illinois

Honorable Mention Winners were:

Christiana Cummins, 5th Grader, Warsaw
Elementary School, Warsaw, Illinois
Nick Ruholl, 5th Grader, Teutopolis Grade School,
Teutopolis, Illinois
Abigail Griffin, 4th Grader, St. Agnes School,
Springfield, Illinois
Austin Meskil, 5th Grader, Carlyle Junior High
School, Carlyle, Illinois
Annie Dent, 6th Grader, Columbia Middle School,
Columbia, Illinois