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Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Rock legend rushed to hospital after horror car crash
REO Speedwagon singer Terry Luttrell has been hospitalised after being involved in a car crash. The 78-year-old musician reportedly suffered a number of injuries after being involved in the accident. The accident took place in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, on Sunday - but Terry has since given an interview to local news. He admitted that he had fallen asleep at the wheel of his car - which was wrecked after he passed out. While the rock band frontman was able to free himself from the wreckage, he was far from uninjured. He revealed he broke one of the bones in his chest and has been suffering from pain elsewhere in his body. He told The News-Gazette: 'It just happened. I nodded off. I rolled the car over, and I woke up and I was in a cocoon (the airbags). Unfortunately, it totaled the car.' Recounting the aftermath of the incident, he explained: "[I was] able to get out of the car,' and went on to reveal he suffered a number of injuries. He said: '[I] cracked my sternum a little bit... I have a little back pain and neck pain. It's nothing that can't be overcome.' The local news report gave details of Terry's weekend - which had included a performance, after party, and mingling with fans. He recounted signing autographs late into Saturday night after taking to the stage and following an after-party. He reportedly didn't leave the party until 2am on Sunday morning, only to meet the fans who were seeking autographs. It was not until 4:30am that he got to sleep. The star was then up early that same morning and travelled to St. Louis for business. He explained that he felt "A little bit sleepy" but assumed he was fit enough to travel. After his accident, he was taken to Carle Foundation Hospital - with the News-Gazette recording that he is still there in order to recover from his injuries. Terry had been performing in a farewell show the night before his accident. Sharing details from the gig, he said: 'Everybody (in the band) was excited. It was just a fun evening. 'It was exactly what we thought it was going to be. It was a one-off concert that will never happen again. To say that you were there was a pretty big thing.' While Terry has been in another band called Starcastle, it is his work with REO Speedwagon that he is famous for. He joined the group in 1968, replacing frontman Mike Blair, with the band releasing hit singles including Can't Fight This Feeling.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Lead singer of hit 1980's rock band injured in car crash after falling asleep at the wheel following afterparty
LUCKY TO BE ALIVE Lead singer of hit 1980's rock band injured in car crash after falling asleep at the wheel following afterparty Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ROCKSTAR Terry Luttrell has been involved in a horror car accident after he reportedly fell asleep behind the wheel. The former REO Speedwagon lead vocalist, 78, was rushed to hospital after the crash which left his car totaled following an afterparty. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 1 Terry Luttrell has been involved in a car accident after he reportedly fell asleep at the wheel Credit: Getty Terry told News-Gazette after the crash on Interstate 57: "It just happened. I nodded off. "I rolled the car over, and I woke up, and I was in a cocoon. "Unfortunately, it totaled the car." He was left with a cracked sternum and quickly rushed to the Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana for treatment. Terry is still bedbound and receiving medical care. He continued: "I was able to get up and get out of the car. "I have a little back pain and neck pain. It's nothing that can't be overcome." The accident came after a one-off reunion concert held at the State Farm Center in Illinois in honor of REO Speedwagon. Terry joined the iconic band back in 1968 and was the frontman for four years before he left in 1972. More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos. Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Lead singer of hit 1980's rock band injured in car crash after falling asleep at the wheel following afterparty
ROCKSTAR Terry Luttrell has been involved in a horror car accident after he reportedly fell asleep behind the wheel. The former REO Speedwagon lead vocalist, 78, was rushed to hospital after the crash which left his car totaled following an afterparty. Advertisement 1 Terry Luttrell has been involved in a car accident after he reportedly fell asleep at the wheel Credit: Getty Terry told News-Gazette after the crash on Interstate 57: "It just happened. I nodded off. "I rolled the car over, and I woke up, and I was in a cocoon. "Unfortunately, it totaled the car." He was left with a cracked sternum and quickly rushed to the Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana for treatment. Advertisement Terry is still bedbound and receiving medical care. He continued: "I was able to get up and get out of the car. "I have a little back pain and neck pain. It's nothing that can't be overcome." The accident came after a one-off reunion concert held at the State Farm Center in Illinois in honor of REO Speedwagon. Advertisement Most read in Celebrity Terry joined the iconic band back in 1968 and was the frontman for four years before he left in 1972. More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos . Like us on Facebook at
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
2024-25 High School Confidential: Week 28
May 1—Welcome to Year 9 of High School Confidential, powered by Danville Area Community College. It's an award-winning project made possible by aspiring student journalists from every corner of our circulation area. Each Thursday through April, they'll tell us what's happening in their hallways at . At least once a week, we'll also hand over our Snapchat account (News-Gazette) to our correspondents for behind-the-scenes tours. Feedback? Email N-G/VP Jim Rossow at . On to this week's report, which closes out the school year: Academy High hosted its annual athletic banquet at Papa Del's, where each athlete received their own specialized award. The group celebrated hard work and important moments from their seasons. Finally, prom was at the I Hotel and Illinois Conference Center. As voted on by students, the theme was "A Fairytale Prom." Seniors will head to Washington, D.C., on the 70th annual trip, excluding the COVID-19 year. The students will depart from the high school at 5:30 a.m. Saturday and return late Thursday. On the trip, the class will visit the U.S. Capitol building, the White House and the Vietnam Memorial and go on a Segway tour throughout the city. The class is excited to attend and then come back for prom. Pictured: the 1991 seniors — including my dad — on their trip. Students visited Danville Area Community College for a Chemistry 100 lab, where they tested the solubility of different chemicals. On Saturday, Bement hosted prom at the Monarch Event Center in Monticello. The theme was "Red Carpet Masquerade," and seniors Ian Glennon and Lily Culp were voted prom king and queen. BHRA hosted Terrence Talley, who moved all who listened and gave the students a simple but strong message: "Don't give up." Students and staff shared laughs and even tears throughout this event. At the beginning, the teachers were asked to dance, which provided immense entertainment for the students. He then told stories of experiences from students he has met throughout the years and ones he experienced himself. Near the end, students reminded each other and their teachers that they are loved and appreciated. Art students participated in Eastern Illinois University's annual Love for the Arts workshop and competition. Blue Ridge earned first place overall in the art competition with nine ribbon winners. On Friday, the high school will host it annual Aloha Day, a 20-plus-year tradition that pits classes against each other at the end of the school year. Aloha Day takes months of preparation, from T-shirt ordering to decorating. Students compete in games such as 4-square volleyball, towel race, hula hoop, tug-of-war, knockout and dodgeball. Before the games is a special lunch made by cafeteria staff with help from the student council. Each class is assigned a hallway to decorate, with points going to the winners. Another tradition: Students in art class design Aloha Day-themed T-shirts, which then get voted on by the student council. This year's designs were drawn by sophomore Jake Bolsen and freshman Autumn Gant. Seniors took a celebratory trip to Tampa, Fla., where they lounged on the beach, enjoyed good food and visited Busch Gardens. Grace Bishop said her favorite part was seeing baby dolphins on a sunset cruise; for Valerie Duzan, it was the roller coasters and safari ride at Busch Gardens; and Sara Goss said, "at the Clearwater Aquarium, we got to see so many different animals: otters, nurse sharks, stingrays, dolphins, sea turtles and a bunch of fish!" For other students, a highlight was flying for the first time. The traditional trip allows seniors to celebrate their dedication to years of education and have one last bonding experience together. Physics class went to Six Flags Great America for "Physics Day," where they explained the physics of all the roller coasters and students were able to ride at a discount. Students got out of their comfort zone, since not many of them had not been on a roller coaster before, but all enjoyed at least one ride. Danville "Hadestown" — an emotional, sad and heartbreaking play — saw the actors execute it wonderfully as many people in the crowd caught themselves crying. Main actors like Brooklyn Warfield (Hermes), Gavin Baugh (Orpheus) and Andrea Downing (Eurydice) filled the air with their sadness. When the play was over, everyone gave the actors a standing ovation, and it was well deserved. Photo courtesy Kady Richey and Brooklyn Warfield. For its food truck unit, Tiffany Dirksmeyer's advanced foods class toured a food truck last Wednesday. Two Reds BBQ came to the school and showed the class the layout of the truck's interior, which corresponded with what they were learning in class. The FFA chapter hosted a teaching experience for younger classes. The preschool and kindergarten classes took a field trip to the high school to learn about plants in the greenhouse and try food from the different plants. The high school horticulture class did a great job showing the kids everything about plants. It also was prom week, Addison Kerchenfaut and Carter Eichelberger announced as queen and king at promenade. The dance started off with an air-guitar battle, which the king won. The night ended with the annual after-prom activities hosted by junior parents. Heritage held a powerful mock car accident the day before prom to promote safe driving among students. The event made a big impact, reminding everyone to make smart choices. The next day, senior Kashton White — one of the actors in the mock accident — was crowned prom king alongside queen Gracie Tate. The night was filled with celebration, and students enjoyed a wonderful, memorable prom. Last Wednesday, anatomy and forensic students joined teacher Adam Elliott on a trip to Danville Area Community College to attend its Cadaver Lab led by Amanda Poffinbarger. They got to interact with an interactive anatomage table with help from Kelly Johnson. A successful learning day ended with a delicious lunch at Culver's. Pictured, left to right: Cole Miller, Athan Linares, Macy Warner, Olivia Swartz, Willamina Clayton, Ociel Hernandez, Jayden Bolton and Orion Gonzalez FFA students traveled to Crescent City Grade School to talk about safety at their Camp 911. Members discussed important topics such as blind spots, awareness while driving next to tractors, and PTO safety. The student council organized a 3-on-3 basketball tournament for junior high and high school students, creating an exciting evening full of spirited competition and fun. A wonderful prom night rounded out April. Prom court is nominated by seniors, and upperclassmen vote on king and queen. Prom court girls were Nadia Bollhorst, Sophia Trenkle, Katelyn Edgington, Emily Mennenga and Finley Howard. The boys were Andrew Fleming, Tate Sigler, Braeden Fox, Bo Zeleznik and Ethan Bagnell. Bagnell and Bollhorst were honored as king and queen. Photos via Wendy Brent. On Friday, National Honor Society and student council had their Senior Citizens Banquet. This year, the theme was "Hawaiian," so the tables and gym were decorated for a beach-type feeling, along with games like bowling, bags and ring toss. Students served salad, pulled pork prepared by the Milford FFA, potatoes, fruit and cupcakes made by the Milford FCS Club. The banquet had a huge turnout, and the community had a great night. Pictured: Caleb Clutteur, Gage Vogel and Brian Zecher preparing food; and Sesilia Salinas and Sophie Newman getting the salad trays ready to serve. The Family, Career and Community Leaders of America club went to Illinois State on Friday for a tour of campus, getting a look at historic pieces of clothing and trying cafeteria food. Pictured, left to right, Lexi Muhl, Charley Ulrich, Jace Webb, Grace Hughes, Paityn Badgley and Bren Henry. The "We the People" constitution team completed its year with a 22nd-place finish at the national finals in Washington, D.C. It's the best finish in school history in the 48-team event. Two SJ-O units earned special distinctions: Unit 4 (Lauren Harris, Sonia Patel and Luke Ditchfield) placed second in the country on Day 2 of the competition; and Unit 1 (Will Besson, Luke Ditchfield and Jackson Ennis) finished the two-day competition No. 5 in the nation. STM celebrated prom week with all sorts of fun activities. It began on Tuesday with an all-school Mass coming back from Easter break. Next was a "Pajama Day" and "Anything But a Backpack Day." Then freshmen and sophomores dressed up as babies, while juniors and seniors dressed up as senior citizens. Friday was "Field Day" — a half day of classes followed by games between houses — groups students are assigned to as freshmen. The Family of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seaton won the coveted family trophy for the first time in school history, winning by 140 points. Finally, a "Kentucky Derby"-themed prom took place over the weekend, Joe Keck and Rebekah Taylor winning king and queen. At Saturday's prom, a grand march was held for the first time since before the pandemic — and was a huge hit. The community showed out and packed the stands to see the students dressed up for coronation. Crowned as king and queen: Jeffrey Dines and Alexa Jamison. This year also marked the first year for post-prom — and it was a success. Thousands of dollars were raised for prizes and activities. Every student who attended left with a prize, gift card or money. Track runners Charles Medlin and Mark Lehmann take part in the 400-meter relay. The Hilltoppers have enjoyed a strong start to the season. Seniors Garrett Pollock and Shaylun Christenberry were the recipients of the Lincoln Prairie Conference Principal's Award on April 16. The award is for seniors who excelled in academics and athletics in their high school career. Principal Amy Jones attended the event with the recipients. After receiving the award, Christenberry said, "a small school should not define your ability." Pictured, left to right: Pollock, Jones and Christenberry. Cami Badman's dual-credit English composition class completed their Senior Scrapbooks, which included things like a timeline of their life, a section on their family, a college essay/resume and a letter from a parent. In addition to the scrapbook, students also made a slideshow about their high school journey and a speech on three important memories in high school. They will present specific predetermined parts of their scrapbook, their "high school journey" slideshow and their speech. FFA held its end-of-the-year banquet, where Trey Waldrop was elected president, Abbie Meyer vice president, Ava Whitson secretary and treasurer, Savanna Taylor reporter and Tristan Anderson sentinel. These newly elected offices and FFA member Keyton Lance got to judge livestock, including goats, sheep, cows, bulls and pigs. Uni's Sprabitat (Spring Initiative + Habitat For Humanity) Club hosted a jewelry sale benefiting Spring Initiative, an after-school organization for kids in Clarksdale, Miss., and Uni's PTSA. With jewelry donated from supporters of Uni and Uni's National Art Honor Society, the sale was a huge success. Pictured: Bonnie Weaver running the table and Elanor Siechen holding up a purchase. Unity celebrated both current students and alumni last week. On Thursday, 21 students were inducted into the National Honor Society, recognized for their excellence in leadership, scholarship, service and character. Unity also proudly welcomed Mala (Bedient) Thapar into the Alumni Hall of Fame. A 2004 graduate, she was a two-term student council president, a National Honor Society member and a four-year varsity athlete in cross-country and track. She earned a degree in biology with a minor in theology from St. Louis University in 2008, followed by a master's in public health with a focus in epidemiology and behavioral science/health education. Mala built her career at the American Academy of Pediatrics, dedicating 12 years to advancing programs in pediatric obesity prevention, child health policy and advocacy. In 2022, she launched her own health care consulting firm, Thapar Consulting, LLC. Today, she lives in Hinsdale with her husband, Nitin, and their children, Niam and Raina. Tigers got in the prom spirit, but going all out for Spirit Week. The days were "Emo Day," "Meme Day," "Barbie and Ken Day" and "Surfers vs. Bikers." After months of preparation, Villa Grove's Special Olympics athletes and coaches gathered to compete at the Spring Games at Eastern Illinois University. Due to inclement weather, however, the games were cancelled. Because of their hard work and dedication, coaches and helpers will be prepared to compete and host their own Special Olympics competition at Villa Grove (date TBA). State Sen. Chris Balkema invited students from Watseka and other schools in the 53rd district to visit the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield on April 23. The students, handpicked by Watseka civics teacher Amy Bandur for leadership qualities, had the opportunity to explore the capitol, talk to representatives and lobbyists, and even have a mock debate over a fake bill. On Friday, the Class of 2026 spent the day decorating for prom and promenade. The junior class worked very hard and had a great time preparing for prom. Thank you to all the teachers who helped make this possible.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
2024-25 High School Confidential: Week 25
Apr. 10—Welcome to Year 9 of High School Confidential, powered by Danville Area Community College. It's an award-winning project made possible by aspiring student journalists from every corner of our circulation area. Each Thursday through April, they'll tell us what's happening in their hallways at . At least once a week, we'll also hand over our Snapchat account (News-Gazette) to our correspondents for behind-the-scenes tours. Feedback? Email N-G/VP Jim Rossow at . On to this week's report: On Saturday, the ALAH Fine Arts Boosters held their annual program and fundraiser featuring the talents of junior high and high school students alongside a colorful display of artwork. The high school band under the direction of Ethyan DeLaughter performed two songs, "The Great Locomotive Chase" and "Over the Rainbow." The junior high band from the three grade schools in the district joined them for a combined piece, "Superheroes R Us." Chorus sang four selections: "Somebody I Used To Know," "Cleopatra" and "Just the Two of Us" performed by the baritones and altos, and "Where You Are." The chorus is directed by district choral instructor Stephen McClarey. Representing Drama Club were seniors Ryan Appleby and Maddix Stirrett, who served as masters of ceremonies, the two actors making good use of the suits they wore in "Mamma Mia" in March to entertain the large audience with hilarious jokes throughout the evening. Pictured: Jessica Millet, senior solo; masters of ceremonies Appleby and Stirrett; Mackenzie Condill and her artwork; Chloe Custer, Kat Perez and Khloe Dowds; and Matthew Miller and Dylan Price's duet. Spring sports are underway. The softball team snagged its first win, beating Warrensburg-Latham 11-6 behind seniors Kharma Giles, Brynn Jones and Emmy Reynolds. Last Monday, students who earned enough participation points over the school year in Family, Career and Community Leaders of America took a daylong field trip to Naperville. The students took a tour of North Central College and ended the day with TopGolf. Pictured: freshman Leila Hood; sophomores Makenna Kindred, Cassie Block and Cooper Winkelmann; and junior Ariel Ponce. The student council hosted area senior citizens and community members at an event on March 30, supervised by Kami Russell and Jennifer Guminski. The students provided food such as pie, fruit, macaroni and cheese, baked beans and pasta salad in addition to chicken. Students served tables, plated food, supervised bingo and cleaned the tables. Last week, with the softball team having an open afternoon due to a canceled game, players made posters and supported the baseball team at their game against LeRoy. On March 20 at Gordy Park, the baseball team beat Meridian 13-3 behind the hitting of Cole Giberson and the pitching of Brody Somers. Pictured: Micheal Freese. Thespians put on quite the show last weekend. Students performed the comedy play "The Butler Did It," a production by Tim Kelly. It was one of the largest casts Chrisman has seen in the past few years. Director and social studies teacher Bridget Spillman said she was very proud of her students. The production of "Once Upon a Mattress" was a success as cast and crew put on two performances on Friday and Saturday nights. It's their second year back after musicals took a break for a few years. With a group of about 40, the show made an impact on the community and brought a smile to many faces. FFA members held their annual petting zoo last week, hosting a variety of animals and even bringing tractors to school for all to see and climb on. The exhibition included chickens, bunnies, horses, lambs and even a cow. Pictured: Nathan Zwilling on a tractor, Adriana Cullotta with the lamb, and Kesiah Musik and Naiah Loy. After a fundraiser in memory of Ava Mead — a 10-year-old from Sibley who passed away in August — some high school students were able to be on hand as the memorial was presented to the fifth-grade class. Afterward, it was announced the fifth-graders had the honor of being the first ones to use the playground equipment. Last Wednesday, three students from the senior AP Government and Civics class took a field trip to Springfield to participate in state Sen. Chapin Rose's Youth Advisory Council. The students toured the Illinois State Capitol building; visited the House and Senate chambers; and met with Rose and Supreme Court Justice David Overstreet. After participating in a picture competition, Rose selected four pictures to be placed in his various offices — and Hoopeston's was picked. Students had the opportunity to argue a real bill in a mock committee hearing and learned valuable information about the court and legislative systems. Photos via Thomas Sage. In March, Le Roy Elementary partnered with Crumbaugh Library to host Read Across America. All grades participated in various dress-up days throughout a week that included Mystery Readers, book buddies and a book swap day. To kick the event off, staff members (left to right) Grace Meyer, Christina Henry, Julie Scheuer and Michael Gerber dressed up as Masked Readers. At the assembly, each undercover staff member took turns reading a book to the kids. The kids then tried to guess who the Masked Reader was. Third-grade teacher Sherri Morgan (between the zebra and dinosaur) was in charge of the event, working alongside Denise Woltkamp, who works at Crumbaugh. Leaders of the school's literary magazine, "sonder," finished their decision regarding whose pieces will be included in the 2025 magazine. Sonder is instructed by sophomore Kaitlyn Young. On April 3, business classes attended the Olivet Createur Conference at Olivet Nazarene University and took in keynote speaker Tim Tebow's inspirational speech about his accomplishments as an athlete and an advocate for people with special needs. Then, students attended Tebow's Q&A about his charitable Tim Tebow Foundation, a nonprofit fighting for the MVPs (Most Vulnerable People) around the world. Students also attended Spark Sessions with speakers who talked about various ways to succeed in life with subjects about making money, mission work, valuing time and many other educating topics. Pictured: * (left to right, back to front) Corbin White, Kaleb Kuester, Elijah Long, Braydon Kissack, Tyler Runner, Beau Wright, Peyton Cluver, Molly Coffey, Brinlynn Gredy, Anna Mann, Eliana Salinas, Sesilia Salinas, Kris Butler, Brycea Brown, Janelle Parker, Lilly Carter, Shauna Durflinger, Sydnee Longest, Gage Vogel, Preston Janssen, Caleb Clutteur, Clayton Bedeker, Kami Muehling, London Clark, Joie Girdler, Abbi Beckman, Madisyn Laffoon, Montana Carter and Payge Clevenger; * (left to right) Joie Girdler, London Clark, Kami Muehling, Braydon Kissack and Caleb Clutteur; * (left to right) Brinlynn Gredy and Sydney Longest enjoying lunch; * and (left to right) Montana Carter, Anna Mann, Madisyn Laffoon and Abbi Beckman enjoying pizza outside. Students of all ages joined in on a celebration for Amaya Duzan and her signing to play volleyball at Ohio Christian University. Duzan is a hard-working student and athlete and is loved by teachers and students. She does volunteer work in the kindergarten classroom as a student aid and plans on studying early education at OCU while also pursuing her volleyball career. For Mental Health Week, put on by the student council, each student on Monday received a goody bag in their locker. On Tuesday, the positivity wall was set up in the hallway for students to write positive notes to each other. On Wednesday, inspirational bracelets were hidden around the school for a scavenger hunt. On Thursday, each student received a mental-health awareness temporary tattoo. And on Friday, each student received a list of compliments written about them by their peers. Rantoul Jazz band participated in a competition last weekend. The spring musical "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown" took place last week with 90-minute performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. The musical marked the finale of six seniors who ended their high school drama careers with a bang: Gabe Yallaly played Charlie Brown, Rebekah Taylor played Sally Brown, Abbie Vavrik played Lucy Van Pelt, Kaleb Ritter played Linus Van Pelt, Bekah Goebel played Snoopy/Freida Rich, and Noelle Taylor played Snoopy/Marcie. The students were also recognized for their continued love and participation in the arts. The high school had three student teachers from the University of Illinois this semester. Friday was Nathen Zock's last day, and three students — Ava Ridge, Callaway Cox and Brenna Boyd — bought him a cake to celebrate his time at Salt Fork. Students have enjoyed learning from the teachers and building new relationships and wish them luck in their future endeavors. History teacher and CAMA (Coalition Against Methanfetamine Abuse) organization adviser Tim Carroll on Friday guided a field trip to the Old Book Barn in Forsyth as a surprise for the seniors. The other members helped plan the event with Carroll and wanted to keep it a secret. All of the seniors are avid readers, and the trip was especially meaningful for them. Each senior received a $50 gift card to use at the bookstore. A member said: "Mr. Carroll is one of our favorite teachers, and it meant so much to be able to spend the day with him. We're incredibly grateful for his kindness and generosity." Pictured, left to right: Taylor Williams, Carroll, Taylor Hepburn, Taran Borntreger, Lydia Richardson, Maggie Milburn, Brooke Tharp, Hailey Purcell, Lela Duzan and Shaylun Christenberry. The Scholastic Bowl team competed at Sectionals, beating Dietrich and Cisne and losing to Cumberland. Pictured, left to right: (top) Leah Fleming, Kya Allen, Claire Kursell, David Eaton, Grant Martin and Avram Bate; and (bottom) Linnéa Graham, Gage Wilson, Simon Parri, Isabel Donovan and Elise Fleming. All school year, Ava Rauguth has worked tirelessly to become the Key Club Student of the Month. To earn the recognition, one must have the most service hours out of everyone else each month. Rauguth dedicated over 15 hours to making tie blankets to benefit the Linus Project. Thanks to her unwavering dedication and commitment, she was honored as the Key Club's February Student of the Month. As underclassmen were doing their mandatory state testing, seniors volunteered at different sites, from several community gardens to the ClarkLindsey retirement community to Eastern Illinois Foodbank. Pictured at the foodbank: (left to right) Cora Lewis-Patterson, Marina Bowers-Wong and Khuyen Nguyen repacking cereal into more manageable sizes, and Joseph Torellas counting packages of frozen beef. The school celebrated Student Council Week with a variety of activities and spirit days. Monday was "Anything But a Backpack Day," Tuesday was "Pajama Day," Wednesday was "Hawaiian Day," Thursday was "Student Council Shirt Day" and Friday was "Neon Day." At Thursday's annual Great Auction, more than $10,000 was raised as classes, clubs, teachers and businesses donated items to be auctioned off throughout the day. The event also featured performances from students and staff, along with exciting games like Human Slot Machine, Full Court Putt-Putt and Musical Chair Knockout. Students also played "Guess That Tune" on the piano with Vice Principal Matt Reed. Also: An American Red Cross blood drive took place Tuesday. The money raised will be donated to the American Cancer Society. Last week, students in Art 3: Ceramics & Sculpting class were throwing clay and getting their hands dirty in preparation for their final. Last week, four students were picked to attend state Sen. Chapin Rose's Youth Advisory Council in Springfield. Kirstyn Jones, Kyle Krause, Aiden Henry and Ryan Lillard were put into groups with other schools and got to participate in a mock debate, as well as tour parts of the Illinois State Capitol and attempt to win a fun photo contest. State Rep. Jason Bunting came to enrich Amy Bandur's civics classes with political knowledge. He shared primary insight on his job as a representative and how state politics work. Members of the Class of 2025 picked up their caps and gowns as they prepare for graduation. "Our Jostens rep, Jessica Hageman, met with the seniors at the beginning of the school year to begin planning for graduation and getting sizes for the gowns, etc.," Westville sponsor Chad Sollars said. "Today, Jessica delivered the seniors' items. This school year went by quickly. Time is a thief." Pictured, left to right: Cambree Asmar, Cameron Steinbaugh, Sonny Smith, Mason Montelongo, Madison Bridgewater and Hageman. Next to the Jostens' setup: Andrea Skinner, who is selling prom and after-prom tickets to excited juniors and seniors. Prom is April 26 at the Crooked Creek Whitetails Estate. Pictured buying tickets: Madi Turner, Duncan Auter and Andrea Skinner.
