The "Leadership Squad" at Edison Jr High is spending a few days on a college campus to learn how to be effective leaders....

(Rock Island, IL)  There are 7 eighth grade students from Edison Junior High school going to the University of Illinois Extension Summer Illini Academy in Leadership later this month.   They will be living and easting in the dorm for four days.  They will be learning about different leadership styles and attending Leadership training with about 300 to 400 students from around the state.   The Leadership Squad at Edison Junior High School is funded through the 21st CCLC "Lights  ON" for Learning program which partners with the University of Illinois Extension and Mrs. Diane Baker.

Site Coordinator, Susan Witmer, says the learning that will take place there is unmeasurable.   "Without this great community partnership, our students would not have this opportunity to see what it is like to live on a college campus, participate in community service projects in the Champaign area and see some of what college life is like."

Students will be on the University of Illinois campus from June 22 through June 25.  The students attending include Man Lun, Paw Ka Ku, Dakota Tello-Goossens, Mykeisha Wells, Rashawn Overton, Patience Mutoni and Ethan Wiley.

(Moline, IL) Wilson Middle School student, Ian Brown, has composed "Endeavor" and it will be premiered on Thursday, May 22nd at the Wilson Middle School Orchestra Spring Concert. The concert begins at 7:00 pm. in the school auditorium.

According to the Wilson Instrumental Music Director, Todd Slothower, this is not Brown's first composition.  The 13 year old has been composing for about a year. "He has a lot of talent and drive.  This will be the first time our orchestra has performed a student's work," says Slothower.  Brown is a cello player in the orchestra and a bass player in the jazz band at Wilson.

Rock Island County parents have the opportunity to find out how their little ones are progressing. A free "early learning readiness fair" is being held THIS week.

(Rock Island, IL)  Rock Island County Regional Office of Education Superintendent, Tammy Muerhoff, says birth to age five is an integral time period for the development of young children. And because of that, the Rock Island County Regional Office of Education, the Early Childhood Coalition and the All Our Kids Early Childhood Network are collaborating to offer parents of children age birth to age five an opportunity to acquire resources from community agencies, school districts, and child care centers.

Muerhoff says "The Early Learning Readiness Fair "provides an opportunity for parents to gather information and ask questions in one location.   "Children's experiences in their first few years of life influence how they develop, learn and interact with the world and so parents must know what they can do to make sure that time is filled with great growth".

The fair is being held THIS Wednesday, April 9th from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm at the Plumbers and Pipefitters Building in Rock Island?4600 46th Avenue  Rock Island.   At the fair there will be vision and hearing screenings, information on family resources available in the community, age appropriate activities, summer learning activities and tours of a school bus for those going to kindergarten in the fall.

Some Rock Island middle school girls have joined a sorority--a so-called "BLING "SORORITY designed to learn the value of community service and being good role models.

Each week a couple of dozen 6th through 8th girls at Edison Junior High in Rock Island meet in a "Lights ON" afterschool program being run by the Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois and the Rock Island County Regional Office of Education.  The high school girl led program consists of activities and discussions about friendships, stereotypes and bullying.  The students will also learn about giving back to the community by exploring service opportunities such as helping in a soup kitchen and visiting nursing homes.