October, 2011 Edition
Students build cosmic ray detector
It sounds like science fiction, but students at Neuqua Valley High School are collecting data as they track cosmic rays, which are particles from outer space that continually bombard the Earth. The students' cosmic ray detector captures muons, which are a decay particle of protons that enter Earth's atmosphere from the sun's rays. Over the summer, eight Neuqua Valley physics students participated in a one-week QuarkNet project offered at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb where they built the detector. Neuqua Valley teacher Daria Pennington said, “The students, who are all volunteers, are the creators of their research. They are trying to find a relationship that hasn’t been found before and will enter their research into iSTEM competitions.” The six Neuqua seniors, who are spearheading the project, Arvind Haran, Brad Herzog, Kazuaki Iida, Eric Stiles, Kevin Tae and Kevin Zhao, will share their research with other participants across the nation and have an even greater purpose for their work. Arvind said, “It tells us more about our universe as a whole.”
| Neuqua Valley High School physics students are collecting data as they study the effect of cosmic rays. |  |
Metea Valley is newest Illinois Democracy School
Metea Valley High School was recognized as the 11th Illinois Democracy School during a ceremony held at the DuPage County Regional Complex. Illinois Democracy Schools are accredited secondary schools that provide students with authentic experiences in the rights, responsibilities, and tensions inherent in living in a constitutional democracy. These schools collaborate with parents, students and their communities in developing a civic mission and in providing curricular and extra-curricular civic learning experiences for all students. They engage their students in a continual process of improving and increasing civic learning. Don Pankuch, Social Studies Department Chair at Metea Valley said, “The entire Metea staff worked to earn this accomplishment. The staff participated in a civic audit and shared the civic activities they implement throughout the year. It is a wonderful accomplishment to join the ranks of the distinguished Democracy Schools.” The program is sponsored by the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition in partnership with the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
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| Metea Valley High School was recognized as the 11th Democracy School by the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition in partnership with the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. |
Students check out second annual chess tournament
Chess boards were set up throughout the high school cafeteria as 74 students competed in the second annual Fall Chess Tournament, sponsored by the Indian Prairie Project Arrow PTA. “We like to provide an opportunity for students to play chess in a competitive environment,” said Audrey Clair, IPPA PTA president. Students ranged in age from elementary through high school and included District 204 and four other school districts. May Watts fourth-grader Rose, who was cheered on by her dad, Mike, was enjoying her first chess tournament. “I like chess because it’s not hard physically, but it makes me think a lot,” she said. Trophies were given to the four winners at each level. First place winners were Eshan Shah, (beginner); Vikram Dara, (middle level), and Alex Lim, (advanced).
| Students of all skill levels participated in the second annual Fall Chess Tournament, sponsored by the Indian Prairie Project Arrow PTA. |  |
A Day Made Better for three teachers
Three deserving teachers from Indian Prairie School District 204 received a surprise classroom visit from OfficeMax and their school principals. Brandy Bushby from Georgetown Elementary School, Dana Watts from McCarty Elementary School, and Becky Sikora from Welch Elementary School were honored and recognized with an award and $1,000 worth of classroom supplies as part of the retailer’s A Day Made Better national event. One day each year, the nationwide program honors 1,000 teachers for their extraordinary efforts in the classroom. Winning teachers were nominated for this award by their principals for demonstrating passion, dedication and innovation in the classroom. In response to teachers spending an estimated $1,000 out-of-pocket annually on essential classroom supplies, OfficeMax and Adopt-A-Classroom founded A Day Made Better to lead the fight to end teacher-funded classrooms. As part of the program, teachers across the country received surprise deliveries of school supplies from OfficeMax worth a total of $1 million dollars.
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| Teacher Becky Sikora and her class were surprised to receive a huge box filled with office supplies as part of A Day Made Better. |