The Rock Island Beautification Commission is looking for the most beautiful yards in the city.

The 36th annual "Tell On Your Neighbor" residential beautification awards contest has opened nominations for the most attractive and best-kept lawns in Rock Island. Anyone can submit a nomination and they will be accepted through Friday, June 25th at 5:00 p.m. Nominations after this date will not be accepted.

This awards program recognizes residents who make the extra effort to beautify their yards beyond the norm. The Beautification Commission believes these citizens should be honored for their efforts and for encouraging others to keep well-groomed yards that are an asset to the city.

The Commission is looking for well-maintained yards with attractive, colorful displays of flowers, bushes and plants. The commission wishes to honor residents who take the time to show pride in their homes and neighborhoods. In the past 35 years, over 530 residents have been recognized. All winners will receive a certificate of recognition at a City Council meeting (date to be announced).   Award recipients after 2005 are not eligible.

The Beautification Commission is a group of Rock Island citizens appointed by the Mayor and City Council to encourage individuals and groups to beautify Rock Island.

(Moline, IL) Skip-a-Long keeps tracks of their alumni and each year awards an academic scholarship to help a former student with college costs.  This year's winner is Nicole Johnston.  She was a student of Skip-a-Long from 1992 to 2002.  Nicole is planning on attending Black Hawk College and then Western Illinois University and is grateful for the $750.00 scholarship to pursue her dream of a career in criminal justice. "I can honestly say that going to Skip-a-Long made me the person I am today," says Nicole. "Everything I did there helped me learn about the basic traits a good person should have."

The Virgie Wells Educational Scholarship was established in 2004.  Since its inception, more than $5,000 has been given out to former students who plan on becoming full-time students at an accredited college or university.  The scholarship is open to any graduating senior of the Quad Cities high school who is a former Skip-a-Long student and is graduating from high school with a grade-point average of 2.5 or higher.

Virgie Wells was an advocate of higher education.  She was a teacher at Skip-a-Long for 30 years and touched the lives of many children and families.

Johnson will receive her scholarship at the June 2nd Skip-A-long board meeting. You can interview Johnson by calling her home 309-523-2873 or her cell 309-631-5823.

We are recruiting volunteers to help with our new and fun special events at the German American Heritage Center Museum! We are in need of volunteers who would like to help plan and/or coordinate these events. New events will include a German Festival, beer tastings, and German Christmas Gala. Please contact ach@gahc.org if you are interested!

MOLINE, ILLINOIS - WQPT welcomes Super WHY to the Quad Cities for a week of educational and entertaining activities beginning June 15, 2010. Super WHY is based on the hit PBS series that helps kids learn to read.  Whyatt, the super-powered star of Super WHY, is flying in from Storybook Village to meet his local fans.

You and your kids can join in the fun and learning:

On Tuesday, June 15, Super WHY will hold a meet and greet for families at the Moline Library at 2 p.m. WQPT will host a short workshop and several literacy activities based on the Super Readers --Alpha Pig, Princess Presto, Wonder Red and Super WHY-- and their amazing adventures.

On Wednesday, June 16, Super WHY will be visiting the River Bandits at Modern Woodman Park in Davenport, IA to throw out the first pitch of the evening. Kids can meet Super WHY, receive a tattoo and activity sheet and get a photo.

On Saturday, June 19 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, our Super WHY star will be welcoming the crowds at the Healthy Living Fair at the downtown Farmer's Market in Davenport, IA. Bring your kids for activities focused on health and fitness.

If you're anxious to meet Super Why and avoid the large crowds, sign up for a WQPT Kid's Club Membership ($75). Families will be invited to a more intimate gathering on Thursday evening, June 17 with special activities just for them.

Super WHY is the only preschool program created to help kids learn the fundamentals of reading through interactive storybook adventures. The standout, imagination-stimulating series focuses on the adventures of four fairytale friends who transform into reading-powered superheroes: Alpha Pig with Alphabet Power, Wonder Red with Word Power, Princess Presto with Spelling Power, Super Why with the Power to Read and Super YOU with the Power to Help. Together, they are the "Super Readers"! In every fantastical episode of Super WHY! young viewers dive directly into a pop-up story to experience a brightly-illustrated children's tale brought to magical life.

Super WHY airs on WQPT Monday through Friday at 9:00 a.m. For more information contact Amanda or Karen at 309-796-2424, 800-747-2430 or wqpt@wiu.edu.

WQPT is a broadcast service of Western Illinois University - Quad Cities.

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