Naperville News Digest: Park district lands grant for garden lot permeable pavers; Naperville students receive corporate Merit Scholarships
Park district lands grant for garden lot permeable pavers
Naperville Park District will use a $785,308 grant to install a permeable paver parking lot at the Ron Ory Community Garden Plots.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency awarded the grant through its 'Green Infrastructure Grant Opportunities' initiative, which helps fund green infrastructure projects, a news release said.
The district's multiyear plan calls for the replacement of existing lot at 811 S. West St. with a permeable paver lot. Such pavers allow stormwater to be gradually filtered to the lot's subbase, reducing flooding in the watershed and along the West Branch of the DuPage River, the release said.
People use the lot while tending to the community garden plots or using the athletic fields at Knoch Park.
The district also received $60,000 from DuPage County for the project, officials said.
Naperville students receive corporate Merit Scholarships
Two Naperville residents have been awarded scholarships as part of the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Helen H. Liang, a Naperville Central High School student who plans to study law, is the recipient of the National Merit Pfizer Inc. scholarship.
Kavita A. Rajan, a student at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville and plans to study environmental engineering, received the National Merit McGraw Hill LLC scholarship.
This is the first round of National Merit Scholarship Corp. winners to be announced. The local students are among about 830 to have received a corporate-sponsored scholarship financed by 124 corporations, company foundations and other business organizations, a release said.
Recipients can use the awards at any regionally accredited college or university in the nation. Most are renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study.
Registration starts Wednesday for park summer programs
Naperville Park District's summer program guide is now available on its website, with registration for residents to begin Wednesday.
The guide showcases all the programs and events being offered by the district this summer, including camps, trips and special events like Concerts in Your Park, fireworks shows and outdoor movie nights.
New programs added for summer include Code Ninjas programs, local and regional trips, a Cooking for One class, and Real-World Safety and Self-Defense workshops, officials said.
Registration for residents starts at 8:30 a.m. Monday, April 28, and for nonresidents at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, May 1.
Fall soccer registration will begin at noon Tuesday, May 6, for the girls league and noon Wednesday, May 7, for the boys league.
For more information, go to www.napervilleparks.org/programguides.
Applications due May 21 for Naperville Police Youth Academy
Naperville teens interested in learning about the Naperville Police Department can apply to participate in a free six-week Youth Academy.
The academy will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays from May 29 to July 10 at the Naperville Police Department, a news release said. There will be no classes Thursday, July 3.
Applications are being accepted through May 21, with spots filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Participants must be Naperville high school students or entering a Naperville high school in the fall and be in good standing with no criminal contacts, the release said. Parental permission is required, and students must have transportation to the police department.
The academy will cover a variety of topics, including police patrols, use of canines, investigations and forensics, the release said. Classes will consist of discussions and hands-on demonstrations.
Applications are available at www.naperville.il.us/cpa and can be returned to Sgt. Mike McLean by email at mcleanm@naperville.il.us or through the mail or in person at the police department, 1350 Aurora Ave.
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