Riverside Arts Center, 32 E. Quincy St., announced Sept. 15 the appointment of Joanne Aono as its full-time gallery director.
Aono has served RAC as a member of its exhibitions committee since 2016, helping to curate exhibitions and guide the vision of Freeark Gallery exhibitions. In early 2022, she stepped in to serve as interim gallery director, bringing a wealth of skill and experience to the position, both in the arts and in arts-related administrative positions.
Her lifelong passion for environmental and social issues is evidenced in Bray Grove Farm, the 10-acre holistic farm southwest of Riverside, where she works alongside her husband and variety of lively animals. She also runs Cultivator, providing exhibition opportunities and promotion to other artists.
Aono also is a successful independent artist, producing work that is exhibited widely. Most recently her work was presented in the fifth-year anniversary show at boundary, Chicago, and in “nature lovers” at South Shore Arts in Munster, Indiana.
She has written exhibition essays, most recently for “Unseen Things Are Still There,” the catalogue for the exhibition she curated at Riverside Arts Center in 2022. She is the recipient of many awards including an Artist Run Chicago Grant in 2021.
Elks name ‘Distinguished Citizen’
Brookfield Elks Lodge #1510 presented its 2022 Distinguished Citizen Award to Dennis Tischler, owner of Tischler Finer Foods in Brookfield.
Tischler has aided the Elks Food Basket program with enthusiasm for the last several years. The program, started in 1979 by Bob Rolewicz, has evolved to include St. Barbara Food Pantry and the BEDS Plus organizations.
Through Tischler’s grocery store, the Elks have committed to a matching food purchase plan, which matches the food donation value that is made by the public. In addition, the Elks have made separate donations to each of the charitable entities and values Tischler’s support when it comes to the purchase and delivery of food for those served by St. Barbara and BEDS.
I’d be honored
Brookfield businessman Dante Royster was honored in September by iHeartMedia and the Chicago Urban League as a winner in the Brilliantly Black Business Award radio contest.
Royster’s business, Epic Mortgage at 3728 Prairie Ave. in downtown Brookfield, was one of 10 Black-owned businesses awarded “a combined total of $1 million in marketing and advertising to further promote their products and services while elevating economic growth for their businesses.,” according to a press release.
The awards were given during a ceremony Sept. 8 at iHeartMedia’s studios in Chicago.
On campus
Victor Janusz and Jaime Vega, both of Brookfield, were named to the 2022 summer term president’s list at Southern New Hampshire University for earning a grade-point average of at least 3.7 for the term, which ran from May to August.
The Riverside-Brookfield High School District 208 Board of Education recognized senior Veronica Hunt and Assistant Principal of Athletics Brendan Curtin for coordinating a fundraising effort benefitting Cal’s Angels, a nonprofit specializing in granting wishes, raising awareness and funding research to help children fighting cancer.
As a result of their efforts, RBHS was able to present a check to Cal’s Angles for more than $3,400.
Three Riverside-Brookfield High School students, Izabella A. Morrissey, Joshua T. Nelson and Samuel Royer, were named commended students in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program for their exceptional academic promise. Commended students were among the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.5 million students entering the 2023 competition by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
More than a dozen Brookfield residents were among the nearly 400 Lyons Township High School students named Advanced Placement Scholars in recognition for the achievement on the college-level AP exams. Students took the exams in May 2022 after completing college-level courses.
Named AP Scholars of Distinction were Tye A. Abbott, Evan D. Madden, Emilia Mladjan, Sarah O’Riley, Duska Richert and Anthony Traverso. Named AP Scholars with Honors were Gonzalo Herrera, Abraham C. Morales and Emily G. Quintero. Named AP Scholars were Charles D. Clevenger, Brianna N. Episcopo, Grace K. Moore, Nathaniel G. Rulich and Jasmine M. Velez-Zick.
Isabella Forero-Cadena of Brookfield, was one of 10 Lyons Township High School students given National Hispanic Recognition Awards by the College Board. Eligible students have a GPA of at least 3.5, have excelled on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 and earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more Advanced Placement exams.
Brookfield residents Nate Johnson and Gerlando Tamburello were among the 12 Lyons Township High School North Campus students named the October 2022 Students of the Month. Students were nominated by their teachers and then selected by the various departments as the most exemplary students in each subject.
