Janice M. DelNegro, assistant professor at Dominican University in River Forest, was honored on May 5 with the Excellence in Teaching Award from the institution’s Graduate School of Library and Information Science.
A resident of Brookfield, DelNegro has been a member of the faculty since 2004. She teaches graduate courses in library and information science, with a focus on materials and services for children and young adults and storytelling. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, a master’s degree from State University of New York at Geneseo and a bachelor’s degree from Hunter College.
DelNegro is a nationally noted storyteller and folklorist and the author and editor of several books for young people, including Lucy Dove (1998), which won the Anne Izard Storytelling Award; Willa and the Wind (2005), which was an American Library Association Notable Book for children and Passion and Poison (2007).
Students and recent graduates of Dominican’s graduate school selected DelNegro to receive the award, which is given every three years to a full-time or adjunct faculty member.
The award is underwritten by the Follett Corporation and carries a monetary award as well. DelNegro was honored at the university’s commencement ceremony for graduate students.
Zoo honors local volunteers
Seven local residents were honored on April 22 during the Chicago Zoological Society’s annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner at the Brookfield Zoo.
More than 60 volunteers were recognized by Stuart Strahl, CEO and president of the society; Edie Duckworth, trustee of the society and a founder of the volunteer program; George Rabb, director emeritus of Brookfield Zoo; and Alejandro Grajal, senior VP of conservation, education and training for the society.
The society honored Brookfield resident Constance Tosheff, who marked 10 years as a volunteer; Kathy White, a five-year volunteer; and Emily Polacek and Betsy Snyder, both 30-year volunteers.
Riverside residents Nancy Schulze and Kathy Schaeflein were recognized for volunteer service for 15 years and 10 years, respectively.
On campus
Ross Pietrzak and Jack Sramek, both of Brookfield, graduated earlier this month from the University of Evansville (Ind.). Pietrzak earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and majored in global business. Sramek, graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics education.
Sarah Furjanic, of Brookfield, received her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration summa cum laude, during the spring commencement ceremony at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., on May 12.
Sami Liimatainen, of Riverside, received a Master of Business Administration degree from Quinnipiac University (Hamden, Conn.) during a commencement ceremony on May 13.
Rhiannon Ardisana, of Riverside, was recently honored at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine’s annual awards program. A fourth-year veterinary student, Ardisana was a recipient of the Lily Ireland Scholarship for interest in specializing in the care of small animals and good academic standing.
Ardisana graduated from Riverside-Brookfield High School in 2005, earning her B.S. in animal sciences in 2009. She is the daughter of Robert and Corinne Ardisana of Riverside.
Peter Jansen, of Riverside, was recently selected as a member of the Lake Forest College’s Senior 25, a distinction awarded to 25 outstanding students entering their senior year. Selection is based on academic excellence, leadership on campus, commitment to service and extracurricular participation.
Amy Delbecq, of Brookfield, received the Mineralogy Prize and the Ferwerde Merit Scholars Award at Beloit College’s Honors Day Convocation on May 2. Delbecq is a sophomore at the Wisconsin liberal arts college.
Brookfield resident Sheela Turbek has been awarded the James Mouton Prize in Biology at Bowdoin College (Portland, Ore.) at the institution’s annual honors ceremony on May 9. Turbek, a graduate of Riverside-Brookfield High School, is a member of Bowdoin College’s class of 2013. She is majoring in biology and Spanish and minoring in environmental studies.
Riverside-Brookfield High School TV students won numerous awards at the recent Chicagoland Teachers Educators Council (CTEC) High School Video Awards ceremony at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville.
Winning first-place trophies were senior Mitchell Herrmann, for his talk show “DVD Review” and “Dr. Pepper Commercial,” and freshman Andrew Pilewski, for producing/announcing RBTV’s football event coverage.
Junior Marie Morganthaler took second for her public service announcement, “Radon.” Winning third-place awards were senior Colton Arnold, for his performance arts series “Minutes of Music”; freshman Christopher Olszewski, for producing/announcing RBTV’s girls basketball coverage; senior Marisa Pelayo, for producing “RBTV News”; and senior Haley Buntrock, for her talk show “Bulldog Profiles.”
Brookfield resident Matt Nutley was one of 14 Lyons Township High School students to earn medals in a variety of technology-based events at the annual Technology Day sponsored by the Illinois Technology Student Association at Illinois State University.
Nutley, a freshman, placed first along with LaGrange Park resident Lucas O’Bryan in the Flight Endurance event.
Several local students were named to the honor rolls at Nazareth Academy in LaGrange Park for the third quarter of the 2011-12 school year.
Named to the A Honor Roll were Brookfield residents Natalie Crisanti, Rachel Dimaranan, Drew Dunker, Nicholas Kosensky, Rebecca Letcher, Chris Mandziejewicz, Robert Schneider, Jacquie Skokna and Jacqueline Sukacz; North Riverside residents James Holden, Gianna Milaro, Sarah Wozniak and Emylee Zdarsky; and Riverside residents Andrew Golniewicz and Josephine Krajniak. Named to the B Honor Roll were Brookfield residents Sean Conway, Zachary Johnson and Ryan Russ and Riverside residents Haley Croney and Marisa Nikischer.
The Riverside-Brookfield High School Math Club finished up its competition schedule on May 5 at the Illinois Council of Teachers or Mathematics state competition at the University of Illinois. Among the more than 3,100 students participating in the event, RBHS was represented by Caroline Waas, Gabriella Bova, Katie Andrulis, Isabella Soluri, Lauren Primer, Zeke Linares, Jack Robling, Andrew Salij and David Buksa.
Several eighth-graders at George Washington Middle School in Lyons participated in the TECH 2012: Students for the Information Age event at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield on May 2.
Among those attending the event from GWMS were Alexa Suarez, Josiah Veloz and Alex Stancik. On display was their National Fluid Power Association Challenge champion device, JAWS, which was designed using Google Sketchup, a 3D design program.
The following students were named to the dean’s list at Bradley University in Peoria for the 2011-12 spring semester: Kristin DiMaggio and Julie Mohedano, of Brookfield, and April McGee, of North Riverside.
To be eligible for the dean’s list students must achieve a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 on a 4-point scale.
