Riverside resident Jay Reyes was appointed and sworn in as a Triton College trustee at a special meeting of the Triton College Board of Trustees on Jan. 26.
Reyes, an attorney, began his college education at Triton majoring in political science and serving as senator, treasurer and president on the Triton College Student Association.
In addition, he served on various student organizations including Model Illinois Government and the Latin American Student Association.
Jay continued his education at the University of Illinois in Springfield focusing on political studies and international relations. He completed an internship with Illinois Speaker of the House Lee Daniels and was the recipient of the Jean R. Humphrey Excellence in Model Illinois Government Award. In 1997, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political studies. In 2004, Reyes received his law degree from John Marshall Law School.
Reyes was previously employed at Triton as a college relations associate, working to recruit and provide educational direction to prospective students.
Jay has been a member of several community groups including the Triton College President’s Community Advisory Committee, Riverside Township Lions Club, the Illinois League of United Latin American Citizens and the Triton College Foundation board.
He is also deputy Republican committeeman in Riverside Township, and has worked closely with Committeeman Judy Baar Topinka in that capacity for several years.
“I’m thrilled to be given this opportunity to serve the Triton College district,” said Reyes in a press release. “As a student, I came of age at Triton and learned about opportunities, setting priorities, and how to accomplish goals. I gained so much from the institution and see this as a way to give something back.”
Jay and his wife, Gretchen Jorndt Reyes, have two children and are parishioners of St. Mary of Riverside Church, in Riverside, where he is a confirmation teacher.
Reyes is the first Hispanic trustee at the college. He was sworn in a aboard member on Feb. 16, filling the vacancy of Riverside resident Merrill Becker, Triton’s longest serving trustee who resigned in December 2009 after 22 years of service.
Honoring service to the country
At the annual awards conference in January for the Illinois Committee for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), Riverside resident John Scully was honored with a President’s Volunteer Service Award, which recognizes individuals who have volunteered hundreds of hours to the organization, which helps support programs that strengthen relationships between civilian employers and their employees serving in the National Guard and Armed Forces Reserves.
Scully, a retired major general in the U.S. Army Reserve, was honored with a silver award for volunteering between 250 and 400 hours of service to the ESGR in 2009.
Laying down the law
Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel has been asked to join the faculty as an adjunct instructor at the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board Executive Institute in Macomb.
Weitzel will teach Transformation to Leadership: Effective Police Supervision in March. The course is designed for law enforcement personnel who have been targeted for future leadership positions within their departments.
Elks honor local woman
Vicki Rolewicz of Brookfield has been named Lady of the Year for 2009-10 for Northern District of the Illinois Elks Association and for the state of Illinois. Each of the 72 Elks lodges in the state nominates a woman for the honor of representing the district. Each of the eight districts chooses a representative for the state-wide honor, which is announced during the Illinois Elks Association mid-winter convention, which was held Jan. 23 in Springfield.
At the convention, Rolewicz was named as the winner of the state-wide award, receiving the honor from Illinois Elks First Lady Louise Horkay and National Elks First Lady Mary Carolyn Nickelson. She was further honored that night at a formal banquet by Elks national President and Grand Exalted Ruler James L. Nickelson.
On campus
Lyons Township High School students in foods and nutrition classes recently competed in the 15th semi-annual cake decorating contest at the school, with faculty and staff members serving as judges. A cake from each of the three class periods was named a winner. Among those competing and winning recognition were Brookfield residents Nat Gunkelman, Austin Holtschlag and Mike Jouza.
Brothers Owen and Joey Connelly placed first and second in Cub Scout Pack 24’s annual Pinewood Derby race held recently at Riverside Presbyterian Church, which sponsors the group.
It was Joey’s second time in the winner’s circle, following a third-place finish in 2008. In third place this year was fifth-grader Elijah Ourth, who competed in his final Pinewood Derby race. Elijah won first place in 2006 and 2007, following his brother Abraham’s first-place finish in 2005
Jackson Hajer, a fourth-grader, was also a repeat winner. Hajer finished fourth this year after winning in 2009 and finishing fourth in 2008.
In addition, Derek Johnson’s car was voted Fastest Looking Car, while Robert Dunn won Most Scout-like Car for his Arrow of Light design. Nicholas Jacobs’ “shark” car won for Best Vehicle Not a Car and Ben Schulte won three awards for his Mousemobile – Coolest Design, Most Original design and Funniest Car Design.
