SHG’s Kennedy Green wins academic scholarship in Illinois REALTORS® Bicentennial Essay Contest
A Sacred Heart-Griffin high school student was among 23 scholarship winners in an essay contest that celebrates Illinois' bicentennial.
Kennedy Green, a Junior at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, was awarded $750.00 toward academic expenses by submitting an essay on the theme "Home is Where the Heart Is." Her entry was selected from among more than 450 essays submitted as part of the contest sponsored by Illinois REALTORS® as part of the association's celebration of the state's 200th birthday.
"We are so pleased to see the great talent from high school students throughout the state and most of all their interest in the Illinois Bicentennial," said Vicky Turner, CRS, SRS, GRI, a Dixon REALTOR® and chair of the Illinois REALTORS® Bicentennial Task Force. "Both the quality and the quantity of the essays received strongly show the strength of our youth in Illinois and reinforce the importance this state plays in their lives."
Green’s entry was judged a winner by a 10-member selection committee. In all, the association's Bicentennial Task Force awarded one $1,000 scholarship, 11 scholarships for $750 and 11 scholarships for $250. A full list of winners can be found at IllinoisRealtors.org/Bicentennial.
“It was a pleasure to award this scholarship to such a fine young lady. She wrote a wonderful essay that reminds us of the the beauty and diversity of Illinois as well as its historical significance,” said Dan Sale, chief executive officer of Capital Area REALTORS.
The essay contest is one of several ways Illinois REALTORS®' members are marking the state's 200th birthday. Twenty-nine Local REALTOR® associations have undertaken service projects and fundraising efforts for historic properties throughout Illinois. Capital Area REALTORS raised $14,009.92. for the Springfield Art Association at Edwards Place for renovation efforts of the second-floor staircase.
On Aug. 26, the state association plans to open Bicentennial Plaza – A REALTOR® Community Partnership in Springfield. The pedestrian walkway which links Springfield's historic sites will feature interpretive exhibits of people, places and events which connect with Abraham Lincoln's vision for a nation of equal opportunity for all.
The Plaza's grand opening is a Signature Event of the state's Bicentennial Commission's celebration of the birthday milestone.
Illinois REALTORS® is one of the state's largest trade associations, representing more than 47,000 members engaged in all aspects of the real estate business.
Illinois REALTORS® Bicentennial Essay Contest winners
Essay finalist: $1,000
• Hannah Young, Wheaton Academy, West Chicago
Essay finalist: $750:
• Gabrielle Allen, Warrensburg-Latham High School, Warrensburg
• Jade Bellairs, Woodstock High School, Woodstock
• Bailey Brooks, Forreston Junior/Senior High School, Forreston
• Megan Coakley, Grant Community High School, Fox Lake
• Dillon Davey, Barrington High School, Barrington
• Kennedy Green, Sacred Heart-Griffin, Springfield
• Emma Nelson, homeschool student, Brookport
• Cooper Peterson, Glenwood High School, Chatham
• Amber Tomlin, Heyworth High School, Heyworth
• Clare Turano, Willows Academy, Des Plaines
• Camilla Vazquez, William Fremd High School, Palatine
Essay finalist: $250:
• Kolten Conklen, Sterling High School, Sterling
• Miranda Dianovsky, The Chicago High School for the Arts, Chicago
• Sydney Minssen, Prophetstown High School, Prophetstown
• Michael Murray, Joliet Catholic Academy, Joliet
• Cecilia Nam, Vernon Hills High School, Vernon Hills
• MacKenzie Orozco, Belvidere North High School, Belvidere
• Andrew Ottoson, Waterloo High School, Waterloo
• Heidie Raine, Byron High School, Byron
• Kylee Rus, Sterling High School, Sterling
• Melissa Singleton, Mahomet-Seymour High School, Mahomet
• Ashley Wagge, Manteno High School, Manteno
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