Raue Center’s Sage Studio workshops often include a live performance for friends and family, where students show off what they’ve learned.

Three years ago, Crystal Lake eighth-grader Lizzie Hendricks was looking for a summer program that would help her to sharpen her acting and singing skills. A friend suggested Sage Studio, a series of theatre workshops offered by the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., in areas such as acting, musical theatre, improvisation and theatre tech.

Hendricks, now a 15-year-old high school sophomore, signed up for a class and became hooked. Every summer since, she’s attended different classes, where she’s building on her skills and learning from professional actors.

“The program has had a huge impact on me,” says Hendricks. “What I’ve learned from the instructors was invaluable. I learned what the pros go through during their training. They’ve explained the process, how to go through an audition, how to learn from a director’s feedback, even how to have a professional headshot taken. These resources will help me as I get further along in my career.”

Lizzie’s mother, Jenny Hendricks, has seen incredible progress in her daughter, thanks to the Sage Studio programs.

“From the first time she participated in the camp, it was a warm and accepting environment for all of the children, whether you were one of the more experienced ones or willing to try it for the first time,” she says. “That’s key for the kids. They’re putting themselves out there. It helps to meet other kids with similar interests. I have one child who’s an athlete, and I can find sports leagues for him to gain that extra edge. But for kids with theater or singing talents, it was always difficult to find a place to take them.”

Sage Studio is the educational component of a larger initiative called Mission Imagination, the Raue Center’s educational outreach program that offers performances for area children, both at the theatre and in the schools. Mission Imagination started in 2001, thanks to the work of Richard Kuranda, the center’s executive director, and Bill Dwyer, a former board president.

“At the time, we envisioned a studio program where kids and adults could come and learn a craft for the stage or for film,” says Kuranda. “The first couple of years provided small, intense workshops and not performances. We were lucky to work with people like [members of] the [famous] Coppola family, [film actors] Colin Mitchell and Daniel Stern, and [cinematographer] Tom Stern.”

In the past 12 years, more than 200,000 children have attended Mission Imagination and Sage Studio programs. The Mission Imagination performances are designed either as school field trips to the Raue Center or school assemblies during school hours.

This year’s schedule included live theatrical productions of Bunnicula, Martha Speaks, The Velveteen Rabbit, and Walk On: The Story of Rosa Parks. It wraps with a performance of Short Stories and Tall Tales of the American Hero. Past Sage Studio classes have encompassed theatre, as well as filmmaking and sculpture.

“Mission Imagination draws participants ranging from preschool to high school, from surrounding areas such as Schaumburg, Hampshire and Barrington, and runs from October through April,” says Kate Wilford, general manager of the Raue Center. “Thanks to the support of The Foglia Family Foundation, tuition for each course is only $100 per student for the Sage Studio classes, and Mission Imagination performances are $6. ComEd joined us two years ago in this pursuit. These kids wouldn’t have these opportunities without the generosity of our donors and the support of our board of directors.”

Top-Notch Instruction

Lead Sage Studio instructor Amanda Flahive has 17 years of theater experience. As an inaugural company member of Williams Street Repertory, she appeared at Raue Center this past season with The Rocky Horror Show; Company; The Fantasticks; It’s a Wonderful Life; and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. Flahive served as the associate director of Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre in Minnesota for five seasons, and has appeared in several regional and touring productions across the country.

Flahive is determined to provide educational opportunities for children who may not otherwise have the opportunity.

“Amanda has been with us since the beginning,” says Wilford. “She’s got the educational background, which is great, and she relates well with the kids. When we were thinking about expanding the program, Amanda was one of the first ones we thought of, because of her background and personality. She was an obvious choice.”

Flahive is joined at Sage Studio by several professional actors with regional credits. Some are lifetime members of the Actors Studio or have performed either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. A few years ago, award-winning actress Elaine Bromka, known for her roles in the film Uncle Buck and several television shows, took part in Raue Center’s workshops.

“A lot of the actors have day jobs,” Wilford says. “This is their release and their passion. This keeps them grounded in who they are and what they enjoy doing.”

This year, Sage Studio launches four workshops that touch on a range of theatrical skills. With class sizes of just 20 students, these youth have the opportunity to interact personally with their instructors.

Starting this spring, Sage Studio offers a new six-week advanced program, designed for teens who are preparing for college theatre school auditions, spring and summer shows, or audition callbacks. This Triple Threat Workshop is offered every Saturday from April 6-May 11, for three hours a day. Students will learn from theatre veterans, focus on practical techniques, and discuss strategies in acting, singing and dancing – all in an effort to make them more well-rounded performers.

To qualify for this and many other workshops, students must demonstrate an appreciation for musical theater and submit a video audition of a song.

The Musical Theatre Workshop is an intensive three-week course that focuses on acting, singing and dancing. This year, it’s held from June 10-27 and July 8-25 for students ages 14-18. These workshops include guest instructors and special sessions on audition technique, improvisation, movement and vocal health.

Also this year, Sage Studio holds its first-ever technical theatre workshop, July 8-11. The one-week course focuses on audio and lighting technologies for students involved in anything from high school theatrical productions and worship services to local bands.

This year’s final session is an advanced scene study workshop for high school actors, Sept. 7-28. Students will work in small groups on scenes from contemporary plays, with a focus on making bold choices, understanding character analysis and learning strategies for making “the moment” come alive on stage.

Discovering Passion

Flahive and her fellow instructors are deeply passionate about their work and sharing it with local children. Whether through Raue Center workshops or Mission Imagination programming, Flahive is determined to provide educational opportunities for children who may not otherwise have the chance.

“There are so many studies that show how music and theatre improve children’s self-esteem and carry over into their educations,” she says. “It helps with their discipline, and it teaches them how to get outside of themselves. We draw every type of kid with both programs. Kids who are involved with Mission Imagination maybe have never seen a show. Maybe Sage Studio will light a fire under some of them. It’s giving kids the courage to dream big. With younger kids, it’s a matter of getting them comfortable. It’s about breaking down those filters and getting them to feel comfortable onstage. With a younger student, that’s where you start. It’s getting them comfortable talking in front of people and being silly. It’s also about freeing their creativity.”

Still, it’s a long shot that these youngsters will someday become professional actors, a reality Flahive shares with her students. “In this business, there’s going to be negativity at every turn,” she says. “There are going to be critics, tough directors, tough auditions and hurdles along the way, so it’s important to stay positive.”

During the first class of every program, Flahive displays a poster board with the number “4” written on it, and asks the kids if they know what it means. “It’s the percentage of people who pursue acting that are actually making a living at it,” she says. “It’s a dramatic statistic. You’re fighting a tough battle, but it’s a battle that can be won. It takes 100 percent commitment, 100 percent focus on your craft, and it takes things like these programs. It’s teaching the kids to find that ambition, and to be comfortable in pursuing that passion.”

When Lizzie Hendricks first began taking Sage Studio improv classes, she didn’t know what to expect. “I was nervous,” she says. “When I got there, however, I saw how nervous other people were. That was settling for me, and I also saw how passionate they were, just like me.”

Hendricks started singing at age 7 in her church choir. Singing will always be her main love, but since enrolling in Sage Studio, she’s developed an equal passion for acting.

“I enjoy putting in the hard work,” she says. “The payoff for me is doing it onstage and getting that huge applause at the end. I enjoy making people laugh and cry – it’s a heartwarming feeling. I’ve gotten better, thanks to Sage Studio. It’s gotten me to where I am today. But I know I can get better.”

It’s Wilford’s hope that the Raue Center can expand its offerings to area children who want to explore a future in the arts.

“I would love to see a wide range of classes offered to all ages of children,” she says. “We want to offer programs that serve as many people as possible. That’s our ultimate goal, for both Mission Imagination and Sage Studios. We have to keep the arts going. We can’t let them go away. These kids walk away from these programs with new skills and new friendships. This may be the only opportunity some of these kids get.”

CRYSTAL LAKE — McHenry County College Fire Science and Biology students are working with the McHenry County Conservation District to get hands-on training with collaborative prairie restoration efforts.

In the Fall 2012 semester, 27 fire science students and six instructors stepped out of their classroom in fire uniforms and walked onto an on-campus prairie, a one-acre parcel next to the College’s baseball diamond, to practice putting out a wildfire as part of their certification requirements. They used hand tools and hose lines from brush trucks provided by Union and Fox River Grove Fire Departments. Area fire departments throughout the county support MCC’s fire science program during the year.

The prairie burn was conducted in an effort to decrease invasive plant species and remove woody species that create shade. Instructors hope to revive the prairie with native tall prairie grasses and colorful flowers, which will be planted by MCC biology students in the spring. Some plants might be started as plugs this winter in the MCC greenhouse by MCC horticulture students.

MCC biology instructors Marla Garrison and Mark Kuhlman have scheduled brush clearing and seed planting for the spring with a $250 grant from the National Wildlife Federation to use for purchasing seeds. This grant also qualifies the College to receive between 50 to 500 plant plugs free of charge every six months. The College also is receiving support and guidance from Caron Wenzel of Blazing Star Nursery. MCC has invited other local nurseries to help as well.

This was the first time that MCC Fire Science and Biology departments have collaborated on a prairie restoration since 1997.

“We’ve had several opportunities to burn the prairie in the past, but each time brought inclement weather, Kuhlman said. “Last summer’s drought and the collaboration between the biology and fire science department made this restoration effort possible.”

“I’m very excited,” Kuhlman continued, “the on-campus prairie is a valuable outdoor classroom that can involve many areas of the College. The outdoors is a good place to learn most any subject.”

Kuhlman noted that prairie restoration is important because “the prairie is part of our American history, legacy and local environment. A tiny fragment of a prairie survives here,” he said.

According to Kuhlman, the land was acquired by the College in the 1970s by a farmer who likely grew corn. In the 1990s, Dick York, then horticulture instructor and department chair, was instrumental in starting a prairie restoration process. In 1994, the College received seed donations for native Illinois prairie grasses, including Big Bluestem and Indian grass, which were planted by hand by students and volunteers. Some of those plants are still growing today.

Kuhlman has taught at MCC for 17 years and regularly takes his students to identify and evaluate plants and animals in and around the site. In 1999, his students planted additional native prairie plants, many of which have reproduced. However, over the years, many brushy, woody plants—considered harmful to the prairie—have crept in, such as sumac, buckthorn and black locust, along with many herbaceous alien species such as Queen Anne’s lace and Canada thistle.

“Often, the only way to get rid of such invasives is with a burn,” Kuhlman said. “In addition, many prairie plants need heat for their seeds to germinate, and burning away the woody plants allows sunlight to reach the ground and to blacken and warm up the soil.” Plus, the ash is loaded with nitrogen and phosphorus—a natural fertilizer, he noted.

Kuhlman said the on-campus prairie will be burned annually for three years to set back the invasive plants to give the native prairie plants a chance to get re-established. When the prairie is well-established, it may be used as a nursery for the 9.7-acre grassland and wetland in Chemung that was recently donated to the College for educational and outdoor laboratory use.

Fire Science instructor Chris Williams said the collaboration between the biology and fire science departments is an ideal situation for students and a boost to the whole ecosystem as well.

Until now, fire science students have practiced putting out wild land fires at conservation sites throughout the county as part of their certification requirements. Now, they have the opportunity to practice on campus periodically, creating another outdoor learning space for students at the College.

CRYSTAL LAKE — McHenry County College invites all prospective adult students, as well as high school juniors, seniors and their parents to attend the College’s annual open house event, called MCC Night. The two-hour event will take place on Wednesday, November 14, 2012 from

5:30-7:30 p.m. on the main campus in Building B and the Gym/Multi-purpose Room.

MCC Night 2012 is the community’s opportunity to learn more about what McHenry County College has to offer in financial aid support, student life and athletics, and career counseling, as well as meet instructors and collect information about more than 40 college programs and degree opportunities.

Featured programs include culinary management, nursing, graphic arts, robotics and a variety of transfer degree programs, along with cooking, automotive, art and science demonstrations.. In addition, current high school students can hear about MCC’s High School Plus program for earning college credit while still in high school.

“MCC students do as well as or better than non-transfer students at Illinois state universities,” said Kellie Carper, supervisor of New Student Transitions. “Come check out what MCC has to offer, and get to know your community college.”

Adults who are interested in returning to college to earn a new degree or enhance their current skills, and those who wish to take personal enrichment and community education classes, are also highly encouraged to attend MCC Night.

MCC Night is free and open to the public. No registration is required. During this event only, the application fee will be waived for all high school seniors and prospective adult students who apply to MCC on-site for the Fall 2013 semester.

Refreshments and entertainment will also be provided. The College is located at 8900 U.S. Hwy. 14 in Crystal Lake. For more information, visit www.mchenry.edu/mccnight, or contact Kellie Carper at (815) 455-8670.

ELGIN — Elgin Community College Theatre announces auditions for the spring production of Machinal under the direction of Robert Hines III, theatre adjunct faculty.

In 1927, Sophie Treadwell was a reporter covering the Ruth Snyder murder trial that had gripped the nation. Nine months after Snyder was executed for murder, Machinal premiered on Broadway. Far from a portrait of that notorious trial, Machinal explores the journey of a young woman driven to conform to society’s expectations and remains startlingly relevant 84 years after its birth.

Auditions for men and women are available by appointment from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 6, and from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8. If necessary, callbacks are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 10. All auditions are held at the ECC Arts Center located in Building H on the college campus in Room H245. The college is located at 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin.

Performers should familiarize themselves with the play. Actors will read selected scenes during 30-minute audition appointments. Copies of the play and scenes are on reserve at the ECC library. Auditions are open to ages 16 and up.

Rehearsals begin Monday, Sept. 17, and are held from 7 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Machinal opens Friday, Nov. 2, and runs weekends through Sunday, Nov. 18.

To schedule an audition by appointment, visit elgin.edu/auditions. Questions can be directed to the ECC Performing Arts Department at 847-214-7188 or performingarts@elgin.edu

Area actors and actresses are encouraged to note the arts center’s blog at eccartscenter.com. ECC Theatre and ECC Musical Theatre audition information is routinely posted here for easy reference.

DUBUQUE, IOWA — College-bound high school students and their families are invited to visit Loras College during Iowa Private College Week (IPCW). The event will take place Monday, Aug. 6 through Fri., Aug.10, 2012 with tours and information sessions at 9:00 am and 1:30 pm each day. Students and their families can learn about academic programs, student life and available student financial aid during twice-daily information sessions and tours.

After each campus visit, students will receive a stamp on their IPCW “passport.” With three or more stamps, students who apply and are enrolled in a participating institution are eligible for one of two $500 bookstore vouchers offered by each participating college or university.

A partnership with Casey’s General Stores will offer families who present a valid IPCW passport a 5-cent per gallon discount on gasoline during the week, on purchases of up to 30 gallons per day.
According to Sharon Lyons, director of admissions “Iowa Private College Week is one of the best recruiting opportunities we have to showcase Loras College. High school students and their families come to Dubuque and Loras from all over the region and they get a good idea of what their College experience could include. The positive experience they encounter makes it much more likely that they will select Loras.”

Loras College has participated in IPCW since its inception and has consistently drawn one of the highest attendances among the 28 participating colleges and universities with more than 400 students and their families attending annually. Loras College President Jim Collins serves as the Chair of the Board of the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the association responsible for this event. He notes that this visit week gives Loras and other private colleges an opportunity to demonstrate how affordability, graduate rates, job and graduate school placement are as or more competitive than public institutions.

Students may register at Loras College, or can easily register online and choose locations and times at: http://www.thinkindependently.com. The website includes Loras’ toll-free number, as well as links to each campus website. On-line registrants will receive a free digital music download.

CRYSTAL LAKE — Parents who are exploring summer day care options for their young children may consider the McHenry County College (MCC) Children’s Learning Center. Registration is underway for ages 15 months through five-year-olds for the summer day care program, available from 8 a.m. to noon beginning June 11 through Aug. 10 at the Children’s Learning Center, located on MCC’s main campus, 8900 U.S. Hwy. 14 in Crystal Lake.

The summer day care program offers wholesome programs for children that benefit the intellectual, physical, social and emotional needs of children, all under the caring supervision of experienced early childhood education teachers. Children receive individualized attention with excellent teacher to student ratios.

The MCC Children’s Learning Center is state-licensed and summer camp teachers exceed state mandated requirements for preschool teachers.

Cost is: $10.50 per hour for 3-5-year-olds and $10.75 per hour for 15 months to 3 years old. Register in person in the Children’s Learning Center office, room C115, online at www.mchenry.edu/clc. For more information or to set up a center tour, contact Taliashia Borders, director of the Children’s Learning Center, at (815) 455-8555 or email her at tborders@mchenry.edu.

PALATINE — Two Harper College debaters took home championships from a recent national tournament comprising primarily four-year schools. Sophomore Craig Nelson and freshman Elisa Galvan, both Schaumburg High School graduates, landed the top titles in parliamentary debate at the Kansas City, Mo. tournament.

Sophomore Shauna Jungdahl was a national runner-up in Speech to Entertain category, beating out nearly 80 competitors. Overall, Harper’s state champion Speech and Debate Team finished in 14th place among 68 schools.

“We are incredibly proud of this team’s accomplishments,” head coach and professor Jeff Przybylo says. “The students’ high standing in a competition dominated by teams from four-year colleges and universities speaks volumes about their talent and communication skills.”

The squad will perform for the public at its annual Night Before Nationals event, 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 3 in the Performing Arts Center on the College’s main campus, 1200 W. Algonquin Road in Palatine. Tickets are $6 for general admission. Call 847.925.6100 or visit www.harpercollege.edu/boxoffice. That event precedes the Phi Rho Pi community college nationals, scheduled for April 9 to 14 in Schaumburg. Harper’s team placed third – the best performance in squad history – at that tournament last year.

ELGIN – Elgin Community College students will greatly benefit from a $150,000 donation from Lamp Inc., an Elgin-based construction company. The third-generation business was honored by the Community College District 509 Board of Trustees, who named the lobby area of the new Health and Life Sciences Building as the Lamp Construction Gateway, during its Tuesday meeting.

Lamp Inc. provided construction management services for the approximately 130,000-square-foot building, which opened in January. The building is home to all of the college’s health-related programs.

“We feel it’s important to be part of the college, part of this building, and part of its legacy,” says Craig Lamp, president of Lamp Inc. “Long after we’re here, this gift will still be providing opportunity for students.”

From small beginnings on an Elgin farm in 1932, Lamp, Inc. has grown into a nationally known general contracting, construction management, and design/build firm now run by founder Clifford Lamp’s three grandsons: Craig, Ian, and Steve. Realizing their success, the Lamps decided to pay it forward with their gift to the Elgin Community College Foundation. The gift will support an endowed scholarship for academic and leadership excellence for ECC students.

“Both of our spouses are in the medical industry,” indicates Secretary/Treasurer Steve Lamp of his wife and the wife of his cousin, Craig. “Being able to construct this space and now support students through the gift of education is really special to us.”

For more information about the ECC Foundation, visit elgin.edu/eccfoundation or call 847-214-7377.

The new LEED Gold-certified Harm A. Weber Academic Center houses Judson’s Benjamin P. Browne Library and School of Art, Design and Architecture.

Rachel Cassara was looking for a different college experience. The Bartlett resident was considering a couple of schools when her high school counselor suggested Judson University in Elgin. Cassara spent her first two years of college at Elgin Community College, then transferred to Judson, where she’ll graduate this spring with a degree in accounting.

“I liked the environment, and I wanted a school that had the same values that I have,” Cassara says. “It’s a family atmosphere. Everyone knows everyone, here at Judson. I’ve met people from Germany, China, Brazil and other countries, who’ve become very good friends.”

Judson is home to more than 1,200 students from 30 states and 25 countries, including Kenya, India, Serbia and Japan. It offers more than 60 undergraduate majors, minors and pre-professional programs.

The main campus is located on 90 acres along the Fox River, near I-90 and State Road 31, and has 18 buildings and sports fields.
In 1998, a Judson satellite campus opened on the east side of Rockford, offering adult degree programs.

Now, as it prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, and bid farewell to its popular, retiring president this summer, the university is taking stock of its accomplishments and aspirations.

“There are two things we try to do well,” says Dr. Jerry Cain, who became the school’s fifth president in 1998. “We want to be truly collegiate, and truly Christian. Most schools will choose to do one very well and the other one marginally.

“Truly collegiate means our accreditations are as high as any others. Our students will learn to read, write, analyze, think and gather all of those skills that come with a quality education. Truly Christian means that the life and teachings of Jesus are held in high, high esteem. Students are not truly educated unless they’re exposed to those teachings. Is there an institution that can do both college and Christian? I believe Judson University is that institution.”

Cain has been instrumental to the university’s success. Spend any amount of time with him, and you’ll quickly discover how engaging and witty he is, whether attending a sporting event, dining with students, or speaking to a group of Rotarians.

“Dr. Cain has been a wonderful leader for Judson, as both an academic model and a Christian model,” says Mary Dulabaum, director of communications and marketing. “He’s deeply involved in the community in so many aspects.”

Judson’s mission is to teach students to be responsible people who have a Christ-centered worldview that’s demonstrated through their relationships, work and involvement within the community.

“The best part about Judson is the people,” says Dulabaum. “We have a really close-knit community. That’s true for both the students and the faculty.”

For undergraduates, Judson offers courses of study in four areas: the School of Art, Design and Architecture; the School of Leadership and Business; the School of Education; and a College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. There are four master’s degree graduate programs: Education with ESL/Bilingual Endorsement; Education in Literacy; Architecture; and Organizational Leadership.

Judson’s adult undergraduate program offers an accelerated degree program for five majors: Communications Management, Criminal Justice, Human Resource Management, Human Services, and Management and Leadership. In addition, there are 30 student organizations, 19 athletic teams and several study-abroad programs.

“Our students don’t have to be Christians to study here,” says Cain. “We always have a large collection of faiths from around the world. Our students take classes in Old Testament and New Testament literature to see how the Christian faith is lived out daily. Some choose to embrace the faith of Jesus and others don’t. This is not aggressive evangelism. But we offer the teachings of Jesus from a world view, which helps dictate how to look at the natural world, political world, economic world and social world.”

Cain was raised in New Mexico, where he preached his first sermon at age 13. He has a master’s degree from Baylor University, and has done postgraduate work at four schools. He was chaplain and collegiate vice president at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo., for 20 years, before being hired to lead Judson 14 years ago.

“I wasn’t hired to solve a bunch of problems,” he says. “My main challenge was to keep going all the initiatives that were previously started. My job was to hire the faculty, go through the accreditation process, build the buildings and give it a sense of stability and a strong footing. Things were moving well, and my job was to keep them moving well.”

The Beginning

Judson began as the Northern Theological Seminary, founded in 1913 in Chicago. It offered both graduate and undergraduate education to men and women training for the ministry.

In the early 1960s, when the seminary portion of Northern moved to Lombard, the college became independent. A new school, led by Dr. Benjamin P. Browne, college and seminary president, was founded along the Fox River in 1963, and named after Adoniram Judson, the first American missionary abroad. Judson moved to Burma in 1813 and spent 37 years overseas.

Judson offers several degree programs in fine arts, including art, design, music and theater concentrations.

Dr. Curtis Sartor is the dean of the School of Art, Design and Architecture, and a licensed minister. He came to Judson seven years ago from Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, Ga., to serve as chair of the Architecture Department. He couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work in a Christian setting and be part of its architecture program.

“It’s a very community-oriented environment,” says Sartor, who also serves as youth minister of a Streamwood church. “There’s the academic freedom to involve our students in research, and there’s spiritual freedom as well. Our beliefs and worldviews can mesh in with what we teach. That’s what I love about teaching here.”

Judson University offers a wide array of programs in fine arts, including degrees in art, design, music and theater concentrations. The Music Department offers degrees in professional music performance, music education, music ministry, and most recently, music business and entrepreneurship. Performance groups include choirs, ensembles, and symphonic and orchestral bands.

The Draewell Gallery exhibits student work, along with pieces by artists, designers and architects from around the country and the world. The School of Art, Design and Architecture features a lecture and exhibition series each fall and spring.

Under the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Judson’s Communication Arts program provides an integrated approach to teaching about communication, media studies and theater, while supporting other academic programs in worship, arts and music. Each spring, Judson hosts the Imago Film Festival, in which area filmmakers showcase faith-based films.

The theater program, directed by faculty members Dr. Brenda Buckley-Hughes, Professor Kimberly Schmidt and alumnus Dave Hunter, offers a musical, traditional play and “Nowhere Near Broadway” production each fall and spring. Over the years, the theater program has produced Shakespearean performances and plays such as Steel Magnolias, Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz and Children of Eden. Off-Stage Improv is a student-led, school-approved group that performs monthly.

Another addition that has put Judson on the map is the creation of the World Leaders Forum, an annual fundraising event that brings groups of world leaders to the campus. Proceeds benefit the Entrepreneurship Program Endowment Fund and Judson Student Scholarship Fund.

Last April, Judson hosted former President George W. Bush as the keynote speaker for its inaugural program. He spoke to more than 1,300 attendees, sharing stories from his time in the Oval Office and insights about global leaders he met during his travels. This year, former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev will be the keynote speaker.

“It made it look like we play in the big leagues,” Cain says. “The President of the United States came to Judson University. Our students graduate saying, ‘I met George Bush.’ It gives our students a notch up, to engage with international world leaders.”

Judson has 17 athletic teams.

Going Green

As the only evangelical Christian college or university to offer a fully accredited graduate program in architecture, it’s fitting that Judson is earning a reputation as a “green” university.

In 2007, the school opened the 88,000-square-foot Harm A. Weber Academic Center, which houses the Benjamin P. Browne Library and School of Art, Design and Architecture. Funded by private donors and federal grants, the Weber Center was built to satisfy LEED standards, one of the nation’s highest ratings for sustainable buildings. It earned a LEED Gold rating.

The most impressive feature of the building is the mixed-mode natural ventilation system. It uses the natural buoyancy of warm air to help circulate air from the lower-level intakes to the upper-level exhausts. The temperature and pressure of the air at the roof terminus is higher than the intakes, creating a natural draw, pulling the air through the building.

The property around the building includes native plants, which reduce storm water runoff and don’t require irrigation. South-facing, deep-set windows allow the winter sun to penetrate the façade and naturally warm the Weber Center while, at the same time, preventing summer sun from overheating the building. Most rooms have their own thermostats. The site even has 10 carpool parking stalls, to encourage visitors to share rides.

Besides building its own sustainability program, Judson has partnered with the City of Elgin’s efforts to do the same. Several faculty and staff members serve on committees throughout the community, to help area businesses, schools and nonprofit agencies grapple with green issues. Leslie Kruser is one of them. An assistant business professor, she came to Judson after accompanying son Alex on a college search visit to the school four years ago. Alex opted for another college, but Kruser came aboard as an adjunct professor.

“I was very impressed with the college and the faculty members that I met,” she says. “I attended chapel with my son and enjoyed the spirit and the focus of the message. That warmed my heart to Judson.”

Kruser teaches a variety of classes for the School of Leadership and Business.

“We teach out of mission, really,” she says. “We care about students as whole persons. We care about their health, faith, future and academic successes. When parents bring their children for visits, they sense that.”

Kruser has taken sustainability to new heights at Judson, by helping to launch a new major in sustainability management. “We tie sustainability to our mission,” she says. “Our goal with this interdisciplinary program is to train students to enter organizations and businesses and effect change. At Judson, we’re stewards of God’s creation. We’re passionate about the environment.”

Cain adds: “Our strategic plan drives us to be good stewards of all of our natural resources. The reason we’re committed to that is because God created Heaven and Earth. This is God’s world. He has loaned it to us, and we need to pass it on to the next generation, at least the way we found it. It’s a theological commitment, and a practical commitment, for us.”

A Bright Future

After a long and successful career, Cain will retire this summer. He’s proud of many accomplishments during his time at Judson.

“We were true to our mission,” he says. “The vision and mission are still strong. The school is even stronger academically and financially. It’s stronger in faith commitment, stronger with community involvement. We didn’t lose our focus.”

Moving forward, it’s time for Judson to grow its endowment and scholarship programs, to ensure that education is affordable to all students, says Cain. His advice to his successor is to listen to the community, faculty and students, before charting the next chapter. Cain will miss his interaction with students.

“I’ll always remember one particular student,” he says. “He took one of our mission trips to Haiti over spring break and came back barefoot. He said, ‘I’ve never seen a world like that before. I’ve never seen people with such need. I left them my shoes and clothes.’ He finally saw a world beyond northern Illinois. He wanted that world to thrive as his does here. It was wonderful.”

A year-long anniversary celebration is being planned for next year. By then, a new president will be in place, ready to embark on the school’s next 50-year journey.

“As we have a change in leadership, it’s time to reflect on where we are, where we hope to go, and how we define ourselves,” Kruser says. “It’s phenomenal, when you think of the change in the past few years. So many exciting things have happened, including the Weber Center and the World Leadership Forum.”

Senior Cassara knows all about Judson’s impact. During her time on campus, she’s become involved in several activities, including women’s Bible study and the tennis team. She leaves Judson, she says, a well-rounded student and person.

“The professors have done an excellent job of preparing me,” she says. “Textbooks are good, but my professors have given me real-life experiences. That’s what I appreciate most about my experience here at Judson.”

Gorbachev to Visit Judson

Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev will be the keynote speaker of Judson University’s second World Leaders Forum, on April 21.
Gorbachev was named Time magazine person of the year in 1988 and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990.

He’s known for creating significant social, economic and political changes as president of the former Soviet Union, from 1985 to 1991. His leadership contributed to a treaty that reduced the number of nuclear weapons throughout Europe. He also ended the Soviet Union’s war in Afghanistan and helped to end the Cold War.

The Forum will feature a VIP Keynote and Reception at 3:30 p.m. in the Betty Lindner Campus Commons, where Gorbachev will talk about “Leadership Insights: My Time with Ronald Reagan.” Tickets are still available for this event. A second, private speech will follow for Judson’s students, staff and alumni, at 5:30 p.m. in Herrick Chapel.

Proceeds from World Leaders Forum benefit the Entrepreneurial Endowment Fund and the Judson Student Scholarship Fund.

Visit WorldLeadersForum.info for more information.

Members of the 1952 championship team recently returned to Hebron High School to visit their old stomping grounds. Left to right: Ken Spooner, Bill Schulz and Phil Judson. (Rebecca O'Malley photo)

Driving along Route 173 into Hebron, Ill., the first visible sight is a majestic water tower that soars over this small town of 1,016. You can’t miss it. The top is painted to resemble a basketball, with an inscription that reads: “Hebron: Home of 1952 State Champions.”

It’s a tribute to the Hebron High School boys basketball team which, 60 years ago, defeated a much larger, more athletic Quincy High School team to win the Illinois High School Association championship. With an enrollment of 98 students, Hebron became the smallest high school ever to win the Illinois State Championship – a record that stands today.

David and Goliath

David slaying Goliath. That’s how some described the incredible achievement.

The Hebron Green Giants were led by coach Russ Ahearn, a strict disciplinarian. The team’s strong starting five played the majority of most games – guards Ken Spooner, a junior, and Paul Judson, a senior; senior forwards Don Wilbrandt and Paul’s twin, Phil Judson; and 6-foot-10 junior center Bill Schulz, who, as a farm kid, had never played basketball before Ahearn bumped into the eighth-grader one day in the hallway at school.

“We had five really good guys,” says Phil. “All five of us had a spot. We could read each other. We knew what was going to happen before it happened. The four of us played together since grade school, and Bill came along in eighth grade. We all played in our driveways or in a barn. We loved to play basketball.”

Winning the championship was no fluke. Hebron was ranked No. 1 in the state for nine out of 13 statewide polls. They were rated higher than traditional powerhouses like Centralia, Rockford West, Quincy and Thornton. The Giants finished that magical season with a 35-1 record, with Crystal Lake handing out the lone blemish, in a three-point defeat midway through the season. Fans took the loss hard, including Cody LeBaron, a Hebron sophomore at the time. “I can remember crying all the way home,” she says.

Many years later, this remarkable feat remains fresh in the minds and spirits of residents in this small farming community. It’s exactly the boost this town needs. Like most, Hebron has fallen on hard economic times. Subdivisions have stopped growing. Most factories, like Kenosha Beef International, have closed. So, too, have Gabel’s drugstore, Katie’s Diner and several other businesses.

“What strikes me is how many people remember,” says Spooner. “People know it’s been 60 years. They’ve heard about it from their parents, or they’ve read about it in newspapers. They know the story. It’s amazing that people still recognize us.”

The 1952 Giants continue to be honored. On March 18, the players will be recognized during a celebration at the high school. Schulz, Spooner and the Judson twins will participate in a Q&A session, and a luncheon with the champions is scheduled. Fans are encouraged to dress in 1950s attire. Reserve players Jim Wilbrandt, Bill Thayer, Jim Bergin and Joe Schmidt also are expected to attend the reunion.

The 60th anniversary celebration is being planned by a group of dedicated volunteers, including Bobette and Mel Von Bergen, who own a vegetable farm and country market on the east side of Hebron. The Von Bergens also helped to plan the 40th and 50th anniversaries.

“It’s something we’re very proud of,” says Bobette, a 1961 Hebron graduate. “We didn’t realize how important it was at the time. Basketball was big in Hebron. We had to do something to honor this great team.”

Long Road Home

John Lalor wasn’t born when the Giants won the state championship, but growing up, he heard plenty of stories from his father. When he became athletic director at Hebron High School 10 years ago, he was surprised at the lack of attention that was paid to that once-in-a-lifetime team.

“We should be proud of them,” Lalor says. “There was hardly any memorabilia on display. Why wasn’t that stuff up? I don’t think we realized how truly special these guys and their accomplishments were. We needed to do something to honor them.”

Today, the memory of the championship team burns brightly. Reminders are everywhere, starting with basketball hoops that line the main street in downtown Hebron. Walk down the front hallway at Hebron High School, and the large championship trophy is encased next to a framed portion of the original basketball court bearing the letter “H.”

Hanging on the walls outside the gymnasium are large black-and-white photos capturing the highlights of the Giants’ memorable run. They were taken by Don Peasley, a Woodstock photographer and reporter who chronicled the team’s dream season. Inside the gym hang the retired jerseys of the five starters, along with one that belonged to the Judsons’ older brother, Howie, who played on the 1940 state tournament team and went on to pitch in the major leagues for the Chicago White Sox and the Cincinnati Reds.

But this wasn’t the gym where the 1952 Giants played their home games. They played down the hall, on a small stage housed in an auditorium with room for about 400 fans. In the event that one of the players might fall off the stage chasing a loose ball, fathers and other male fans were encouraged to sit in the front row. “If the players came flying off the floor, they could catch them,” says Lalor. Game tickets were hard to come by. When games sold out, fans went home to retrieve ladders, which they propped up against the exterior of the building to watch from the windows.

Knowing he had a pretty good team, Ahearn scheduled a majority of his team’s games on the road. “He wanted his team to play in hostile environments, against bigger schools in larger gyms, as a way to prepare for the playoffs,” Lalor says. “That way, they wouldn’t panic when they played in big games. He knew what he was doing.”

Players from the Hebron 1952 state championship basketball team were treated like celebrities everywhere they went. (Don Peasley photo)

Ahearn was a stickler for details. He gave his players a list of instructions to follow in order to become more polished basketball players. His suggestions included doing 50 pushups and 100 jumping jacks, eating good foods, and getting lots of sleep. “He really stressed the fundamentals,” says Phil. “Play good defense. Get your hands up. Fumbling is a sin in basketball. Back then you didn’t make crosscourt passes. Be awake at all times, be quick but don’t hurry, and don’t talk to spectators. We didn’t deviate from them. Back then, Coach’s word was it. We were to always be gentlemen.”

Hebron’s coach wouldn’t allow any distractions, either. Ahearn’s players were forbidden to read any newspapers or listen to the radio during basketball season. They didn’t even know who the star player was from the opposing team. “When we got to the final against Quincy, the coach told us that they had an All-American in Bruce Brothers,” Phil says. “I had never heard of him. But we weren’t afraid of anyone. We were confident every time we walked out onto the court.”

At the beginning of the state tournament, Ahearn gave his team members one simple message before they faced St. Mary’s of Woodstock. “He came into the locker room, wrote the number 11 on the chalkboard, circled it and said, ‘Win the next 11 games and you will be state champions,’” says Schulz. “He walked out and never said another word until the game began.”

In the state tournament, Hebron beat Champaign, Lawrenceville and Rock Island. In the championship game, the Giants, from a town with a population of 700, squared off against Quincy High School, a team from a town of 44,000. That game was played at Huff Gymnasium, on the campus of the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, in front of nearly 7,000 jubilant basketball fans. It also was the first televised Illinois State Championship game, with thousands across the Midwest watching from home.

The Giants won 64-59 in overtime, thanks to balanced scoring from four players who finished in double figures, led by Schulz, with a game-high 24 points.

“Bill improved so much,” says Spooner. “He came from having never played basketball before eighth grade to being the star of the championship game. He worked hard at the game. We never would have won several games without Bill, that’s for sure.”

On the way home from Champaign, the team was recognized in every town along the way. Well-wishers lined the streets as the caravan of cars made its way through. “We started home with 30 cars in Champaign, and before we knew it, there was a stream of cars from one town to another,” says Phil. Later that week, the team traveled around northern Illinois, visiting with young fans from area schools. “We won, but we didn’t realize what we had done, until the fans started to swarm us. They couldn’t get enough of us.”

Fond Memories

The windows in the old gym at Hebron High School have long been replaced by brick; the hardwood floor has been covered with tile; the balcony has been converted into storage space.

These days, the room is used mostly for school plays and occasionally wrestling practice. Only the original backboards remain from the Giants’ glory days. But standing on the court, surrounded by silence, it’s easy to imagine the shrill sound of the referee’s whistle, the cheerleaders prancing across the floor, the thunderous applause that must have rained down on the Giants in this same room 60 years ago. “For me, it’s emotional to relive those memories,” says Spooner.

Over the years, much has been made of Hebron’s historic season. A book, Once There Were Giants, was written by Scott Johnson and Julie Kistler. Becoming Giants is a DVD written and directed by Dean Rowe, a former television producer and director, who lives outside of Hebron. Rowe spent six months producing the one-hour documentary with Harold Rail, of Afterglow Creative Services, Woodstock.

“This is the epitome of a team effort – the good guys won,” Rowe says. “Here was a school with 50 boys to pick a team from. It’s a story of how they all came together. This was a team that not only liked each other, but also played clean basketball. They were tough, and they wanted to win. They became celebrities as high school kids.”

Following high school, all five starters from the Hebron team received Division I basketball scholarships. The Judson twins played at the University of Illinois; Schulz and Spooner played at Northwestern University; Wilbrandt played for Valparaiso University.

“It changed our lives,” says Spooner. “We never thought about going to college, but all of a sudden, people were contacting us.”

The players have long since hung up their sneakers and gone separate ways. They have built careers and raised families. But they still reunite several times a year. They meet for a hot dog and talk about their kids and world events. And there’s plenty of chatter about the good old days.

Now in their late 70s, the players are still in demand. Over the years, they’ve participated in Hebron alumni games, shot free throws at community fairs, taken rides on parade floats and made guest appearances at local libraries.

Fans won’t let the memory die. LeBaron, who graduated from Hebron in 1954, moved around the country with her husband, Ed, who served in the Marines. She says wherever they lived – whether overseas or in Yuma, Ariz. – people always made a connection to her hometown. “Everywhere we went, people said, ‘Hebron, Ill. Oh, that basketball town,’” says LeBaron, who has retired from a 30-year career as office manager at Hebron High School.

Schulz, too, has found that the Hebron team is remembered around the world, whether he’s attending the Rose Bowl in California, or vacationing in Spain. At a book signing, fans waited in line for 2½ hours for an autograph from the players. Bobette Von Bergen’s younger brother was named after Paul Judson. “We felt like rock stars,” says Spooner. “It was overwhelming.”

Still, time marches on. Coach Ahearn passed away in 1976, shortly before the 25th anniversary of the championship team. Don Wilbrandt died in 1998. Paul Judson lives in Florida. Spooner lives in Huntley and Schulz lives in Northbrook. Phil Judson, who still goes by the nickname “Swish,” lives in Gurnee, where he referees more than 100 grade-school basketball games a year.

Most sports fans remember the popular 1986 movie, Hoosiers, starring Gene Hackman, about Milan High School and its boys basketball team that overcame great odds to win the 1954 Indiana State Championship. At the time, Indiana, like Illinois, held a single state basketball championship for all of its high schools.

Rowe, the producer and director of the Hebron documentary, says the Giants’ story likewise has the potential to be turned into a feature-length movie. “This is a McHenry County story, it’s an Illinois story and it’s an international story,” he says. “It’s right up there with Hoosiers.”

“We’re part of history,” says Schulz.

Adds Spooner: “What we did will never happen again.”