Monticello students build bike racks for park named after fallen Marine
MONTICELLO, Ill. (WCIA) — Some high school students are honoring a fallen Marine by making some new bike racks for the park that bears his name.
PFC Robert C. Burke Memorial Park in Monticello was named in honor of a local teen who enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and who was killed in action during the Vietnam War. At the age of 18, Burke was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the firefight that resulted in his death.
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The new bike racks are being made by students at Monticello High School, and they are themed around Burke. One rack features a metal sign bearing his name. Another rack's sign reads '327th Marines' — the regiment Burke served in.
The teacher who led the project said this was one design he didn't want to miss.
'I love doing projects for the community,' Ryan Woodham said. 'My students really get involved and get excited about it because it's something they can take pride in. It's something they can drive around and show their parents and their friends that they were involved in it.'
The bike racks are waiting to be painted. Once that happens, the city will find a date to place them out at the park.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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