Latest news with #RockFallsHighSchool
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Whiteside CEO program schools students in creating, cashing in on business ideas
Apr. 26—STERLING — Students from high schools across the Sauk Valley presented their businesses to dozens of shoppers Wednesday and Thursday at Sterling's Northland Mall. The annual student trade show was part of the Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities program at the Whiteside Area Career Center in Sterling. Now in its 12th year, the CEO program is a year-long high school course that teaches students the basics of starting and running a business. Students earn two credits while gaining real-world experience, taking risks, learning from results and working closely with local business leaders and other area high school students. ExpandAutoplay Image 1 of 13 Rock Falls High School senior Carolyn Masini greets customers at her business, Bee-utiful Scents, in Sterling's Northland Mall at the Whiteside Area Career Center's CEO program student trade show on April 23, 2025. (Brandon Clark) WACC CEO board member Julie Jacobs said the program is funded through the generosity of local business owners and organizations, which help pay facilitators to teach the students. "The facilitators are like teachers, but we don't call them teachers because they don't sit there and lecture the students," Jacobs said. "They teach the students by taking them on community tours, bringing in guest speakers, and so they're learning from current leaders in our community by listening to them speak on how they became who they are." Students work together as a team throughout the school year, creating a single business, which helps fund their individual business projects. Each student then creates their own business from scratch — designing a logo, devising marketing plans and presenting their idea, which is showcased at the trade show event. Jacobs said the program is open to students from about 17 area high schools, allowing them to collaborate and build connections across schools. The trade show featured 34 student-owned businesses. Eastland High School senior Adam Awender is the owner of Adam's Coaster Creations, which makes 3D-printed coasters. "I was always a big fan of watching 3D printing when I was young," Awender said. "So when we had this class business, I decided to do what I love. I borrowed a 3D printer from my coach, and started printing out a bunch of these coasters, and that was my idea from the start. So, I just ran with it." Snippet of Green owner and Sterling High School junior Charles Johnson sells terrariums and terrarium kits. "Terrariums are miniature ecosystems with plants in them," Johnson said. "I got a fish tank for Christmas seven years ago. Now, you can only have so many fish tanks before the mom says, 'Stop.' But you can make as many terrariums as you want and put them on your window sill. You can have 20 of them and mom won't blink an eye because they look good." "Terrariums are miniature ecosystems with plants in them. I got a fish tank for Christmas seven years ago. Now, you can only have so many fish tanks before the mom says, 'Stop.' But you can make as many terrariums as you want and put them on your window sill. You can have 20 of them and mom won't blink an eye because they look good." — Sterling High School junior Charles Johnson, owner of Snippet of Green Brooklyn Thoms is a Fulton High School junior and the owner of B. Positive. This designer shirt business donates 5% of its profits to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. "I'm just really passionate about mental health," Thoms said. "So, I decided to start B. Positive so that I could make my own shirts and designs." Shelby Groezinger is a junior at Eastland High School. She also owns Sincerely, Shelby — a handmade greeting card company. "Our world is kind of getting de-sentimentalized," Groezinger said. "I wanted people to be able to buy a card that's handmade by somebody, and then people can write in it and have that special moment where they read something written by somebody they love." Rock Falls High School senior Carolyn Masini owns Bee-Utiful Scents, a homemade car freshener business. "I wanted to do something that I could myself," Masini said. "These car fresheners will make your car smell and look good. My mom is a second-grade teacher, and her classroom is bee-themed. I've grown up around bees and learning the importance of bees. So, I decided to frame my business around that." After the trade show, students reflect on what they have learned, discuss how the event went and how they can apply those lessons moving forward. "I've been involved with this program since the beginning," Jacobs said. "And each year, I don't think it can get any better because it's always been great, but it seems like it gets better as we go on."
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dylan's Journey: Rock Falls' seniors to host fundraiser for classmate at Culver's of Rock Falls
Apr. 22—ROCK FALLS — Rock Falls High School's senior class is inviting area residents to join them at Culver's of Rock Falls to support fellow classmate Dylan Wescott's healing journey. Culver's of Rock Falls will host a share night from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, when a percentage of sales and all cash donations will be donated by the Rock Falls senior class to Wescott and his family as he recovers from a sports accident. "The senior class officers at RFHS decided we all wanted to do something to help a fellow classmate and his family during this difficult and life-changing time for them," said Rock Falls High School Senior Class Vice President Addy Watts. "Being class vice president and also working at Rock Falls Culver's, I was able to find a way where the entire community can get a great meal and donate to a good cause." Other ways the community can support Wescott is by joining his Facebook group called Dylan's Journey. Through the Facebook group, friends and family can stay up to date on his journey, donate and participate in raffles and other events. People can also donate through his GoFundMe page at Fundraiser by Kim Kilday: Dylan's Journey at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. "This truly was a team effort trying to plan the share night for Dylan and his family. I'm grateful for the fellow class officers and our adviser, Mindy Teske, for helping finalize a few things and are willing to work it," Watts said. "I hope the entire community can find a time during that night to swing by and make a donation to the family!" Wescott suffered a broken neck in a track meet accident that left him partially paralyzed March 15. The injury happened when he was doing his practice run-throughs in the triple jump, competing at his first meet of the season at the Westwood Sports Complex, an indoor facility in Sterling. During the run-through, Wescott tumbled forward headfirst into a padded brick wall. He was just coming off basketball season with the Rockets, who finished their state run to the Elite Eight five days before the track and field meet. He also plays golf and has been a three-sport athlete throughout high school. Dylan is the son of Brian and Nicol Wescott and has a sister, Madison. Brian works at the Candlelight Group and Nicol is a teacher at Southside Elementary School in Morrison. Madison is a senior at Northern Illinois University and will graduate in May.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Near is a Rock Falls student of the month
Apr. 19—ROCK FALLS — Zoey Near is a Rock Falls High School student of the month for April 2025. Near, a senior, is the daughter of Sara and Chris Near and has a sibling, Tucker Near. What class do you find really engaging and why?: I enjoy statistics because it is hard and engaging. Also, my class is quite small and we all get along well and help each other. What are your career and post-graduation plans? What school(s) or other instruction, travel or endeavors do you have planned?: I plan to go to Michigan Technological University to major in aerospace engineering. Then after I plan to work for some space-bound company. What are your two favorite extracurricular, volunteer or community activities you participate in?: I participate in band and track. I have been in the band all four years of high school, and it has helped me a lot with working as a team because you have to rely on others to help you play the music. I have only been in track since my sophomore year, but my events are pole vault and some sprints. Track has taught me persistence, pole vault does not come easily to me, so it has been a challenge to not get extremely frustrated when I don't do well every time. Please share a moment, group event or activity at school that was meaningful or memorable: I will always remember going to the Western Band Competition for the last time. As I sat with my friends and reminisced on all our past competitions. What is your hope for the future?: I hope I do well in college and get into some internships that will help me get into my dream career.
Fox News
15-04-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Illinois HS athlete suffers horrific injury while warming up for triple jump
An Illinois high school track athlete suffered an unimaginable injury while warming up for the triple jump at a meet last month. Dylan Westcott, of Rock Falls High School, broke his neck in a freak accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down. The 18-year-old has been rehabbing at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and has been able to sit in a wheelchair since about a week after the March 15 catastrophe. Rock Falls High School head track coach Eric Bontz shared the horrific details in an interview with KWQC-TV. "He was warming up in the triple jump, just doing run throughs, and as he was going through the sand, he tripped either over his own feet or over the sand, and kind of stumbled, and was kind of running as he was stumbling, and just fell head first into the wall," Bontz said. Wescott went through 12 hours of surgery immediately after the accident, according to the Daily Gazette. He had two cages inserted to stabilize his neck with a vertebra was replaced with a titanium plate. "You go from being a normal, happy family with, everybody talking about future plans and graduation, prom -- he just got accepted to study to be a vet tech after high school -- and then seeing him in a wheelchair, not able to do a lot of the things that he used to do," Westcott's aunt, Kim Wescott Kilday, told the station. "It really hurts." Wescott's family and coach have praised his resiliency. A GoFundMe has raised more than $22,000 to help with medical expenses. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
