A group of fifth graders in Rochelle is helping their local seniors become more tech savvy on their smartphones. 

The training took place at the Hub City Senior Center in Rochelle and was put together by the local elementary school and the Rochelle Public Library. During a recent gathering, the room was full of seniors and fifth graders sitting at round tables passing off cell phones. Director of the Library Sarah Flanagan lead the training and says it covers many new ways for seniors to connect with loved ones.

Why does time crawl or fly? Is it always because we are bored or having fun? 

As we age, we feel that time zips by. This past winter feels like a blur now that the sun warms my back. But isn’t this just how I process the past? I perceive last winter as quick, but while I was in it, time crawled in its petty pace as snow sealed me indoors. 

Sessions from Studio A is back on the road this week with a performance from Name the Moon live at Mary's Place in Rockford. The band recently released their latest full length album, Space Force, which won a RAMI award for Album of the Year.

Back in February, Red Candle Games, a Taiwanese video game developer, released Devotion. It was played by gamers around the world until it was quickly taken off the market. Someone found a reference in the game that compared the current Chinese president to Winnie the Pooh.

April is Counseling Awareness Month, and as a counselor/educator, I’d like to focus on the healing counselors bring to clients.

When facing challenges that aren’t easily solved or traumatic experiences that negatively affect thoughts, feelings, or behaviors, counselors provide us a space, both literal and metaphorical, to make sense of our experiences, validate our truths, and figure out our new normal.

This past week, leaders from community colleges and universities across northern Illinois met to brainstorm how to close college completion gaps based on race and income level.

Over 20 schools joined with the Partnership for College Completion (PCC) to launch the "Illinois Equity in Attainment Initiative" last year. The schools share what works for them, and the PCC helps them orchestrate a plan unique to their schools and give them more information about the reality of the equity issue.

Once upon a time, I knew exactly where I was going in life.

My dream since third grade was to become a teacher. And I’m happy and proud to say that it came true. After I earned my master’s degree in Special Education from NIU, I began to teach second and third grade in Skokie, Illinois.

I loved teaching – and while I wasn’t able to become a principal or superintendent like my Type A self had planned, I was able instead to leverage my skills and education into advocacy and awareness for food allergies.