Community News
Partnership awards 18 students with scholarships
The Partnership for Educational Excellence awarded 18 students with scholarships.
Once again, the Partnership for Education Excellence awards academic tuition scholarships to a vast majority of the graduating class of 2013. Approximately 25% of graduates earned a scholarship from the Partnership which is a slight increase from 2012 where 20% of graduates earned a scholarship.
The Partnership is entering their 21st academic year of existence and have been able to award over 310 students with scholarships totaling over $180,200 to graduates from Gillespie High School who have gone on to either a 2-year or 4-year college, university, or technical school.
“Every penny we have donated came from supporters to benefit these great students,” John Fassero, Jr., president of the education foundation, proclaimed. “We want to thank you.” Every scholarship receipient was awarded $500 payable to their school they attend this fall. The Partnership also recognized two music students with $100 scholarships as well to total over $8,200 donated to graduating students from GHS this school year.
This year’s scholarship winners are:
Jessica Bauman, child of Amy Bauman and Richard Bauman of Sawyerville IL, was awarded the Josephine Fassero Memorial Scholarship. Jessica will attend Western Illinois University and plans to major in Spanish for elementary school students. The JOSEPHINE FASSERO MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by friends and family. Josephine, born in Kansas and raised in Livingston, attended Sanford Brown Business School but had to return home to care for her ailing mother. She married John Fassero of Benld and raised two children, Florence and John, Jr. “Even though she could not continue her formal education, Mom could speak Italian, Slovenian and German. She prized education and would be pleased to know that a scholarship in her name will help someone continue theirs,” says John, Jr. Her devoted family also includes 6 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
Zachary Besserman, child of Timothy Besserman and Karla Smith of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Michael Valenti Memorial Scholarship. Zachary will attend Blackburn College and plans to major in law enforcement. The MICHAEL VALENTI MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP, given by friends and family, is awarded in loving memory of this 1998 GHS graduate who lost his life in 1999 in a tragic accident on the brink of his higher education.
Kortney Carr, child of Bob and Dana Carr of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Mark and John Madden Memorial Scholarship. Kortney will attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and plans to major in advertising and public relations. The JOHN and MARK MADDEN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by family to lovingly honor this father and son. Both played Miners football, graduated from GHS and St. Louis University Law School. John returned to Gillespie to serve the community he loved in private practice, as a county public defender, and for 43 years as Gillespie City Attorney. He died at the age of 78 on 10 October 2009. His son Mark lived half as long, dying suddenly at the age of 39 on 11 October 2005. He was a trial attorney with Moser and Marshalak in St. Louis.
Alexander Dopuch, child of David and Donna Dopuch of Benld IL, was awarded the Benld Rotary Scholarship. Alexander will attend Lewis and Clark Community College and plans to major in business. The BENLD ROTARY CLUB SCHOLARSHIP is given by local members of this international service organization whose motto is “Service above self.”
Brenden Engelke, child of Brian and Lisa Engelke of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Henry Marcacci Memorial Scholarship. Brenden will attend Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and plans to major in business and accounting. The HENRY MARCACCI MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by friends and family. Hank taught business in CUSD#7 for 33 years and served as county superintendent of schools for eight years. He and his wife Lucille raised seven children. Hank died at age 101 on January 25, 2011.
Kaily Frensko, child of Brian and Gina Frensko of Benld IL, was awarded the Emil Borgini Memorial Scholarship. Kaily will attend Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and plans to major in nursing with an emphasis on pediatric oncology. The EMIL BORGINI MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by anonymous donors. Emil began in 1958 as a teacher of English, French, and history in Benld. He then taught and coached baseball, football, and basketball at Gillespie High School. He was GHS principal for 20 years and later was district superintendent.
Kylie Frensko, child of Brian and Gina Frensko of Benld IL, was awarded the Helen Tiburzi Memorial Scholarship. Kylie will attend Lewis and Clark Community College and plans to major in nursing with an emphasis on neonatology. The HELEN TIBURZI MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by family and friends. Helen and her husband “Mac” operated a small grocery in Sawyerville before she became chief cook in the Benld school cafeteria. They raised five children – Jim, Dennis, Karen, Joan and Jill. Jim taught in CUSD#7 and Dennis is GHS principal. Several grandchildren are past Partnership scholars.
Allison Goldasich, child of Mark and Amy Goldasich of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Carol Enrico DeLucca Memorial Scholarship for a Top Girl Graduate. Allison will attend Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and plans to major in radiology technology. The CAROL ENRICO DE LUCCA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FOR A TOP GIRL GRADUATE is given by husband Greg, daughters Ashley and Allison, and friends. This Benld native, a respected educator and counselor, had a consulting business that helped high school and college students pursue their goals through higher education.
Abigal Harszy, child of Joseph and Diana Harszy of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Andrew Easton, Sr., Memorial Scholarship. Abigal will attend Louisiana College and plans to major in mathematics education. The ANDREW EASTON, SR. MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by friends and a family filled with teachers. This life-long educator and football coach was a devoted and positive mentor for hundreds of young people. “He would have loved the idea of helping young people continue their educations,” according to his wife Florence and children Andrew, John, and Ann Marie.
Elizabeth Heyen, child of Kelly and Mary Heyen of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Rick Richards Memorial Scholarship. Elizabeth will attend Illinois State University and plans to major in agribusiness. The RICK RICHARDS MEMORIAL AGRICULTURE SCHOLARSHIP is given by family. This GHS graduate and local farmer is remembered fondly for his kindness and generosity to his family – wife Barb and daughter Lisa – and many friends.
Haylie Kirkwood, child of Jeff and Tracie Kirkwood of Dorchester/Gillespie IL, was awarded the Betty Olive Memorial Scholarship. Haylie will attend Illinois College and plans to major in nursing with an emphasis on oncology. The BETTY OLIVE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by family because of the high value she placed on education. Known for her “green thumb” and prolific flower and vegetable gardens, this native of Alhambra cherished a lifelong dream of becoming a nurse. She focused instead on raising her children – Judy, Kay, Pam, Patti, and Randy, all graduates of CUSD #7 – on the farm.
Deanna Landreth, child of Alecia and Gilbert Landreth of Benld IL, was awarded the James Rosentreter Memorial Scholarship. Deanna will attend Ranken Technical College and plans to major in architecture. The JAMES ROSENTRETER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by his wife Judy and family: “Our dad spent his life helping others pursue educational and financial goals. It’s fitting that dad is sharing his dream of a young person’s success.” His sons are Rodney and Jerry, a GHS teacher; both of their wives are teachers; two of his grandsons are Partnership scholars.
Chase Peterson, child of Jennifer and Darrin Peterson of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Joseph Libbra Memorial Scholarship. Chase will attend Lewis and Clark Community College and plans to major in nursing. The JOSEPH LIBBRA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by family. Married 48 years to Eileen, he was a hard working grain and livestock farmer, proud of his Army service in Korea, and dedicated to their four children – Mary, Trish, Joe and Carol – and eight grandchildren.
Kathryn Stromsland, child of Susan and Peter Stromsland of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Matt and Marge Turcol Memorial Scholarship. Kathryn will attend Millikin University and plans to major in pre-medicine. The MARJORIE & MATT TURCOL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by family and friends. Matt and Marge’s greatest joy was their family. Marge is remembered by all for her generous and caring ways. Matt was mayor of Benld and president of the CUSD#7 school board. Their daughter Susan is a frequent mini-grant recipient and two of their grandsons are Partnership scholars.
Guinevere Tesio, child of Shannon and Jason Tesio of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Elinor Davies Memorial Nursing Scholarship. Guinevere will attend Lewis and Clark Community College and plans to major in nursing with an emphasis on neonatology. The ELINOR DAVIES NURSING SCHOLARSHIP is given by friends and family – husband Larry and sons Mike and Tim and their families – in honor of Elinor who served many decades as school nurse in CUSD#7 and was an active member of the Gillespie First United Methodist Church.
Jade Tieman, child of Joe and Marti Tieman of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Carroll-Keupper Family Memorial Scholarship. Jade will attend Western Illinois University and plans to major in nursing. The CARROLL-KEUPPER SCHOLARSHIP was established by the late Rosemary Keupper Valle and her sister Lillian Keupper in honor of their families who have been involved in medicine, world health, and banking/finance. Their grandfather Anthony Carroll was an early member of the Gillespie school board.
The partnership was also pleased to administer two music awards on behalf of the estate of Evaline Boehmke. The band and choral faculty of GHS chose Rebecca Korunka for chorus and Dakota Barber for band; each recipient was awarded $100 for excellence in music.
The Partnership is a 501c3, IRS-chartered, not-for-profit foundation. To keep up with their activities or to make a donation, visit their website at www.thepartnershipcusd7.org or write them at P.O. Box 125, Gillespie, IL 62033. All donations and memorials are acknowledged by mail when names and addresses are provided.
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Gillespie will host a Community Blood Drive with ImpactLife, the provider of blood components for local hospitals. The blood drive will be from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Monday, May 11 at 900 Broadway, inside Gillespie Methodist Church Gym.
To donate, please contact Brenda Lowe at (217) 7101336 or visit www.bloodcenter.org and use code 60020 to locate the drive. Appointments are requested. You may also call ImpactLife at 800-747-5401 to schedule.
Potential donors must be at least 17 years of age (16 with parental permission form available
through www.bloodcenter.org) and weigh more than 110 pounds. A photo I.D. is required to donate.
For questions about eligibility, please call ImpactLife at (800) 7475401. Donors who last gave blood on or before March 16, 2026, are eligible to give at this drive.
Blood donation is a safe, simple procedure that takes about 45 minutes to one hour. Individuals with diabetes or controlled high blood pressure may be accepted as eligible donors.
ImpactLife is a nonprofit community organization providing blood products and services to more than 100 hospitals and emergency medical service providers in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, as well as researchers and resource sharing partners across the country.
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Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Wednesday night approved a package of four capital improvement projects totaling more than $160,000 in value. Work will start on the projects after the end of the current school year and is expected to be completed before the start of the 2026-27 academic year in August.
The board met on Wednesday night after Monday’s inclement weather forced the district to reschedule the board’s regular monthly meeting.
The board approved entering into a contract with Fisher Tracks, Boone, Iowa, to resurface the district’s all-weather track at a cost of $105,209. Supt. Shane Owsley told the board the district will use about $50,000 from an all-weather track activity fund, with the remainder to be paid with proceeds from an alternate revenue bond issue approved last year for capital improvements.
Great Western Abatement, Jerseyville, was retained to remove flooring containing asbestos from the choir room floor and middle school gymnasium school at a cost of $40,700. Great Western’s bid was the lowest of seven bids, ranging up to $65,000, submitted for the work. Additionally, the district is paying $8,900 to Reliable Environmental Services, Springfield, for engineering and design work associated with the asbestos removal.
All-purpose rubberized flooring material will be installed on the middle school gym floor by Dynamic Sports Construction, Leander, Texas, at a cost of $51,424.
For the first time in a number of years, the high school gymnasium floor will be sanded and refinished with new artwork. Blast Technologies, St. Louis, was hired to sand the 4,200-square-foot floor at a cost of $5,250. Designs Unlimited, Pinckneyville, will paint game lines and logos on the floor before sealing it with a clear stain at a cost not to exceed $18,738.
The board also accepted a bid of $33,890 from DeLaurent Construction, Wilsonville, to resurface the 118,700-square-foot parking lot at Benld Elementary School.
Though no action was taken, Board President Mark Hayes reported that the Building and Grounds Committee had directed Owsley to investigate the cost of replacing the CUSD 7 administrative building.
“This building is very much in need of replacement,” Hayes said. “It’s beyond its time.” During Monday’s torrential rainfall, Hayes said water came in through windows and water seeped in under the sill plate, bringing displaced nightcrawlers into the building. Staff members ran fans after the storm in an effort to dry out the interior.
According to Hayes, the school has been in contact with the local Baptist Church to investigate the possibility of acquiring the former Trinity Baptist Church for use as an administrative building. Church officials, however, have not yet made a decision about the fate of the former sanctuary after Gillespie’s two Baptist churches merged.
Owsley said the current administrative building comprises about 6,000 square feet. Current estimates are $400 per square foot for new construction which would translate into about $2.5 million to replace the administrative facility. The district might be able to shave some dollars off that estimate by reducing the size of the building.
“There’s a lot of unusable space in this building,” Owsley said, suggesting a more efficient floorpan could reduce cost. He also mentioned the possibility of a basement to provide storage space for outdated documents.
In addition to construction costs, Owsley noted, the district would be responsible for tearing down the existing building.
“I have no idea what’s in this building,” Owsley said, raising abatement concerns. “I’m guessing disposal of this building is going to be expensive.”
Hayes said Kevin Wills, the district’s bond issue advisor, will attend the June board meeting to discuss the possibility of refinancing some existing bonds to free up enough revenue to build a new administrative building. The administration currently is housed in a “temporary” structure that has served as the administration building for several decades.
MINE SUBSIDENCE STUDY
After several minutes of discussion, the board took no action in relation to entering into a contract with Marino Engineering and Associates to assess the district’s risk for incurring damage from a mine subsidence event. Owsley said existing maps show that portions of Gillespie Middle School are undermined. While the high school is not undermined, a major subsidence would likely damage the high school as well as the middle school. In recent months, more than one residential home on Elm Street near the school property has experienced damage from mine subsidence.
Marino’s $94,000 Phase I proposal would “determine the likelihood of something happening to one of our buildings,” Owsley said. The problem is that too much information could negatively impact the district’s ability to purchase subsidence insurance. “Information is great until it’s not.”
The district currently pays about $300,000 for mine subsidence insurance on the middle school, high school and vocational arts building. The school carries no subsidence insurance on BenGil Elementary because mine shafts under the building were grouted before the school was built.
“If we find out there’s not a major concern,” Owsley noted, it could reduce the district’s subsidence insurance costs.
On the other hand, if the study reveals a high risk of experiencing mine subsidence, the insurer could drop the district at the end of the current policy’s term. With only two companies in the country offering subsidence insurance, the district could end up with no insurance at all to cover damage from mine subsidence.
The only way to avoid that scenario would be to implement whatever options Marino might recommend to reduce risk. Those recommendations would likely include grouting (backfilling) mine shafts under the middle school. Grouting for the elementary school cost $4 million. To grout under the middle school would likely run as much as $6 million or more.
The only way the study would make sense, Owsley suggested, would be if the district was “comfortable making the corrections the study is going to make.”
Moreover, $94,000 would cover only a preliminary assessment.
“To get a full understanding of what’s going on underground, we’d be looking at a half million dollars,” said Owsley.
The issue was allowed to die when no board member moved to consider the contract.
COMMUNITY SOLAR PARTICIPATION
On a motion by Bill Carter, seconded by Weye Schmidt, the board voted unanimously to enter into a contract with Summit Ridge Solar to participate in a community solar project. Under terms of the 15-year contract, the district will realize a 13 percent savings on electrical power bills. The contract is automatically renewable for five years unless the district chooses to withdraw.
“Illinois provides a number of incentives for using solar,” Owsley said. “However, not everyone likes the look of having solar panels on their property. This will get us the benefits without putting up solar panels on our property.”
Summit Ridge’s proposal was the most lucrative of the proposals the district received. Other companies offered shorter terms with savings of five percent.
After 20 years, it’s likely the savings would drop to five percent. Owsley said he was told the district was better off going with the longer contract to get 13 percent in savings for as long as possible.
The school district was able to secure such favorable rates, according to Owsley is because there is an issue with solar fields storing the power they generate. “Our main usage time is during their maximum production time.”
DISTRICT FOCUS
During a District Focus segment, the board recognized sophomore Matrix Wright, whose art was the only entry from the United States included in the 2026 TOLI International Student Art Exhibition. The exhibition is a project of The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies in New York. The exhibit includes student art relating to themes associated with the Holocaust.
Wright’s work, entitled “An Immortal Continuum,” attempts to portray “the constant entrapment a Holocaust survivor might feel.”
Exhibition organizers received more than 250 entries from around the globe.
BUDGET PROCESS
On a motion by Peyton Bernot, seconded by Board President Hayes, board members voted unanimously to begin work on developing a district budget for fiscal 2027. Board members also approved a routine measure to permit expenditure of fiscal 2027 funds after July 1, pending approval of a new budget.
The school district’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30 but new budgets typically are approved two to four months after the start of the fiscal year.
The current fiscal year’s $19 million budget was approved in September last year.
PERSONNEL
Following a one-hour executive session to discuss personnel and other issues, the board voted unanimously to approve the request of long-time middle school English and language arts teacher Kim Henderson, effective at the end of the 2028-29 school year.
Board members also voted unanimously to hire Andrew Crook as a first-year, non-tenured high school English teacher for the 2026-27 school year, pending documentation of certification and a routine background check. A graduate of Gillespie High School, Crook earned his teaching certificate at Illinois College, Jacksonville and for the past two years, he taught English at North Mac High School.
In separate actions, the board made multiple assignments to staff the district’s summer school program. Those hired include: Jessica Kelly as a middle school teacher, Ashlee Gibbs as a high school math teacher, and Jennifer Brown and Rob Macias as high school drivers’ education instructors. Each of the positions are contingent upon adequate student enrollment to offer the classes. In addition to academic staff, the board hired Andy Hirstein as a summer school food service worker.
The board voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Foli Seferi as high school paraprofessional and as assisted football coach. Both resignations are effective immediately.
In other personnel action, the board appointed Cate Plovich as the BenGil Elementary School yearbook sponsor, and appointed Josh Ross as a volunteer assistant football coach, pending documentation of certification and a routine background check.
OTHER ACTION
In other action, the board:
• Approved a mens highs school soccer coop with the Carlinville School District, with the provision Carlinville will dissolve the agreement if it pushes its program into a higher competitive classification.
• Approved an intergovernmental agreement with Lewis and Clark Community College under which the college will recognize some high school courses as college level credits.
• Approved early graduation requests for an undisclosed number of students, provided all graduation requirements are met.
• Approved renewing the district’s membership in the Illinois Elementary Schools Association.
• Approved the final calendar for the 2025-26 school year pending no further emergency days. Barring the use of emergency days, Monday, May 18 will be the last day of student attendance, with graduation ceremonies set at 2 p.m., Sunday, May 17.
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One of the greatest annual events in American sports is the Saturday is the Kentucky Derby, which will be run for the 152nd time this Saturday. One past champion was bred in Macoupin County.
This week marks 137 years since the victory of Spokane, who captured the 1889 Kentucky Derby during the infancy of the event. The horse was bred at “The Meadows,” the farm of Gen. Richard Rowett one mile north of Carlinville.
Rowett horses, and their jockey colors of orange jacket and blue cap, were on tracks throughout the west and south. But Spokane was the greatest production of The Meadows, a nationally recognized breeding ground for thoroughbreds.
In 1885, a prized dark brown horse named Hyder Ali was standing at The Meadows when Rowett bred him to one of his top mares, Interpose. This pairing had produced favorable offspring in the past, including Grey Cloud, a fine racer owned by Noah Armstrong of the Doncaster Ranch near Twin Bridges in the Montana Territory.
Armstrong’s famous stable included such horses as Lord Raglan, the third-place finisher in the 1883 Kentucky Derby. When Rowett offered Interpose for sale late in 1885, Armstrong, familiar with the high quality of Rowett stock, purchased the pregnant mare and her suckling filly, Madelin, for the price of $1,000 and shipped the brood to Montana.
The Doncaster Ranch was known for its spectacular, three-story round barn that featured an indoor track. While in Spokane in the Washington Territory on business, Armstrong received word of the birth of Interpose’s colt. In honor of the city, he named the colt Spokane.
Spokane showed great promise as a two-year-old, winning two of five starts in 1888, and Armstrong entered him in the 1889 Kentucky Derby. Although a premier race, the Derby had not achieved the monumental status it enjoys today.
The race was run on May 9, 1889–a Thursday–in front of a crowd of 25,000, a fraction of the throngs that fill Churchill Downs today.
Home state favorite Proctor Knott was the overwhelming favorite at 1-to-2, while the relatively unknown Spokane was listed at 10-to-1 odds. That was enough for Frank James, brother of outlaw Jessie and a regular at countless tracks.
James, flush with a windfall of $2,400 from an earlier race that day, asked a bookmaker of the odds on Spokane. The reply was “Ten-to-one and the sky’s the limit.” James threw down $5,000 on Spokane, causing the bookmaker to reply, “As far as I’m concerned, that’s the sky!”
Under jockey Thomas Kiley, Spokane edged Proctor Knott by a head, setting a record at 2:34 ½ over the mile-and-a-half layout (it was changed to a mile and a quarter in 1896). He remains the only Kentucky Derby winner ever born in Montana.
Proving the win was no fluke, Spokane again beat Proctor Knott five days later at the Clark Stakes in Louisville. On June 22, Spokane won another key race of the era, the American Derby at Washington Park in Chicago, to become the first horse to win both races in the same season.
Back in Illinois, Rowett did not live to see the triumph of Spokane, as he died on July 13, 1887. His death was covered on page one of the New York Times the following day.
In addition to breeding, Rowett is also remembered as the first to introduce the true-bred beagle hound to this country from his native England. Prior to that, he was a Civil War officer and state politician.
The only horse actually born in Illinois to win the Kentucky Derby was the 1970 champion, Dust Commander.
Tom Emery of Carlinville, who wrote the award-winning biography Richard Rowett: Thoroughbreds, Beagles, and the Civil War, may be reached at 217-710-8392 or ilcivilwar@yahoo.com.
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