OP_030118

16 | March 1, 2018 | The orland park prairie news
opprairie.com
FROM THE NEW LENOX PATRIOT
Library emphasizes innovation,
imagination in new makerspace
New additions to the New Lenox
Public Library’s makerspace are
inspiring young minds to create,
build and collaborate in an everexpanding
area of the library.
Gone are the days of silent libraries
filled with only books and
librarians hissing “shhh” to anyone
speaking in voices louder than a
whisper. Those who happen upon
the makerspace in the youth services
area of the library may hear
the sounds of talking and laughing,
as children and families find new
ways to explore their creativity.
The books have not gone anywhere,
but more and more activities
and learning opportunities are
being integrated into library programming
such as technology, arts
and crafts and even social events.
In the makerspace, children are
challenged with a variety of activity
prompts, but they also are given
the freedom to create their own experiences.
Dana Russell, manager of youth
services at the library, said the area
has been in the works for a few
years now, but a recent memorial
donation allowed them to purchase
some new building toys and technology
items. as well as build some
things of their own.
On the horizon for the makerspace
are some iPad devices that
are just about ready to be rolled
out. The tablets will supplement
other types of technology learning
devices and toys already available
to children in the makerspace
that explore areas such as robotics,
electrical circuits and engineering.
“I think, traditionally, makerspaces
provide and opportunity for
people to create and work together,”
Russell said. “Collaboration
is kind of a core aspect of makerspaces.”
Reporting by Amanda Stoll, Assistant
Editor. For more, visit NewLenoxPa
triot.com.
FROM THE TINLEY JUNCTION
TPFD set to receive top insurance
rating
A widely used statistical analysis
firm that complies risk data for insurance
companies has recognized
the Tinley Park Fire Department in
its highest echelon of protection
capabilities.
Fire Chief Forest Reeder announced
Feb. 20 that the department
will receive a Class 1 Insurance
Services Office classification,
the highest rating on a scale of 10,
which should result in property
insurance reductions for residents
and business owners.
Formed in 1971 and acquired
by Verisk Analytics in 2009, ISO
formulates the Fire Suppression
Rating Schedule, using standards
set by the National Fire Protection
Association and by evaluating four
primary categories: fire department,
emergency communications,
water supply and community risk
reduction. But its Public Protection
Classification report is not made
public.
“I have the great privilege to
represent the 100 plus members
of Tinley Park Fire Department,
both present and past, to let everyone
know we have been recently
evaluated as an Insurance Service
Office, or ISO, Class 1 fire department,
which places us in the less
than 200 fire departments across
the country of the 47,000 fire departments
that are eligible for the
rating,” Reeder said.
The TPFD, established in 1901,
has more than 125 personnel who
serve around the clock in four fully-staffed
stations around the Village.
The department responds to
nearly 3,000 fire emergencies and
5,000 emergency medical calls annually,
according to information
provided by the Village.
The official presentation is to
take place some time in March, but
will not go into effect until July 1,
Chief Reeder said.
Reporting by Editor, Cody Mroczka.
For more, visit TinleyJunction.com.
FROM THE LOCKPORT LEGEND
Third-grader gets ride to school in
fire truck after winning contest
Joey DiCiolla, a third-grader
at Schilling School, has always
wanted to be a firefighter when he
grows up.
“Then, I can go up the ladder and
save people,” Joey said.
The 8-year-old’s passion for the
job paid off when he got to ride
to school in a fire truck Thursday,
Feb. 22, with four crew members
of the Homer Township Fire Protection
District. All classes in third
and fourth grade at Schilling participated
in a contest that instructed
them to design a fire escape plan for
their home. Joey’s plan caught the
attention of Dave Bricker, division
chief of fire prevention at HTFPD.
“Part of knowing fire safety is
having an escape plan and having
two ways out,” Bricker said. “So,
[the students] were just basically
given the assignment of making an
escape plan for your home, make
sure you indicate two ways out
of every room, and your meeting
place. So they could have done a
variety of things.”
Joey created a large design with
wired lights and plenty of detail
showing his escape plan.
“It was all accurate,” Bricker
said. “The lights showed the exist
paths and stuff. It was pretty cool.”
Joey’s father, Joe, helped him
over the course of four days to
design the plan. Joey received the
news that he won a ride in a fire
truck the day before winter break
in December and immediately
called his father when he got home
from school.
“I was in a meeting, and he’s
like, ‘Dad, dad, I won the fire
truck,’” Joe said.
Reporting by Assistant Editor Jacquelyn
Schlabach. For more, visit
LockportLegend.com.
FROM THE HOMER HORIZON
Homer resident enters into Saint
Xavier University Athletics Hall of
Fame
When Kathy Young was just
11 years old, she would sit on her
porch and watch across the street
as girls her age practiced softball
in the park. She would walk over
and join their practices, playing
the catcher position, which nobody
preferred, or took the place of players
who were not at practice.
“I would do whatever they needed,”
Young said. “They had missing
players. I would play whatever
position they needed.”
Her love for the game only grew,
as she went on to play second base
at Saint Xavier University in Chicago
for three seasons before graduating
in 1990. She was captain her
senior year, and she was also voted
most valuable player her last season,
earning National Association
of Intercollegiate Athletics All-
American honors.
Young started every game in
1990, batting .332 with a .468 slugging
percentage, according to the
Saint Xavier athletics website.
“As a player, I just enjoyed it so
much,” Young said. “I just loved
the game and loved competing and
loved having my teammates out
working for a common goal. After
I graduated, I started coaching
right away. So, I really never left
the game.”
The Homer Glen resident’s accomplishments
throughout the
years were recognized Feb. 17 at
Saint Xavier University, when she
was one of seven people inducted
into the university’s Athletics Hall
of Fame.
“That’s the highest individual
award you could receive from a
university,” Young said. “So, it’s
very, very special, and I’m very
honored.”
Reporting by Assistant Editor Jacquelyn
Schlabach. For more, visit
HomerHorizon.com.
FROM THE MOKENA MESSENGER
Board approves community
relations liaison candidate, more
After considerable discussion
and a split 4-3 vote, the Mokena
School District 159 Board of Education
approved the hiring of a
community relations liaison to assist
the district in communication
and fundraising.
Nicole Swanberg is expected to
begin next week with a variety of
tasks assigned to her, including internal
communications and those
with parents and the community.
She also will be tasked with serving
as a liaison between the district
and the media, researching and
submitting grant proposals, coordinating
crisis management communication,
writing and editing
content for the district’s website,
and coordinating photography at
programs and events.
While board members agreed on
the benefits of having someone in
the position, members Jim Andresen,
Anna Briscoe and Lisa Zielinski
voted against the hiring based
on general concerns about funding
and incoming changes in district
leadership with the hiring of a new
superintendent.
The board also approved the retirement
of Eileen Parente, director
of special education, at the end of
the current school year. Parente has
worked at D159 for six years, but
spent 35 years working in public
education and, more specifically,
special education.
Reporting by Assistant Editor Amanda
Stoll. For more, visit MokenaMessen
ger.com.
FROM THE FRANKFORT STATION
East topples Marian Catholic,
advances to finals
The postseason is not the time to
be quiet.
“The girls were quiet on the bus
ride,” Lincoln-Way East girls basketball
coach Jim Martin said.
They were not in the game.
Displaying a tenacity that was
second to none, the Griffins players
were everywhere. They bumped,
bruised and bonded on the court,
and each hustle play contributed
to the Griffins gathering a 44-40
victory over Marian Catholic Feb.
19, in the opening semifinal of the
Class 4A Mother McAuley Sectional.
The Griffins (28-4), who were
the top seed in the sectional, faced
the No. 3-seeded host Mighty
Macs on Thursday, Feb. 22, for the
title, where East ultimately fell to
Mother Mcauley 67-43.
It was the third sectional finals
appearance for the Griffins, who
lost in those games in 2010 and
2012. No. 5-seeded Marian (24-8)
fell short of winning a sectional for
the fourth straight season. Between
2002-2014, the Spartans won 10
sectional titles and five state trophies,
including the Class 4A state
title in 2013.
Reporting by Randy Whalen, Freelance
Reporter. For more, visit Frank
fortStation.com.