Welcoming a New CEO at Vermilion Advantage
Vermilion County partners welcomed Amy Brown as the new Chief Executive Officer of Vermilion Advantage. As Vermilion County continues to align education, workforce, and employer partnerships, initiatives such as College Express and internships are helping students more clearly connect classroom learning to meaningful postsecondary and career pathways close to home.
College Express and Regional Partnerships Continue Expanding Postsecondary Opportunities in Vermilion County
As the College Express program concluded its 2025–2026 academic year on May 5, regional education and workforce partners across Vermilion County continue to build stronger connections among students, postsecondary education, and local career opportunities. Through a partnership between Danville Area Community College, the Vermilion Vocational Education Delivery System (VVEDS / EFE 400), local school districts, […]
Expanding Impact Across Southern Illinois
The Southern Illinois Leadership Community continues to build on strong momentum, with pilot schools in Vienna, Herrin, and Carbondale successfully implementing key 2-year program goals. These early successes are now serving as a model for broader regional adoption. Looking ahead, the focus is on sustaining this progress and scaling impact. Existing goals will remain in […]
Vienna Students Pioneer Dual Credential Welding Pathway
Two Vienna High School seniors, Daniel Holderfield and Hunter Wasuleski, are making school history as the first students in the Shawnee Community College district to graduate from high school while completing Shawnee Community College’s one-year Combination Welding certificate program. Through a partnership with Shawnee Community College, the students received hands-on, industry-focused training aligned with American […]
District 214 Students Put Investment Skills to the Test in Annual Competition
District 214 students put their financial skills to the test during the annual Investment Competition at Forest View Educational Center. Prospect High School’s Team Azure took home the top prize after navigating real-world stock market simulations, presentations, and fast-paced investment challenges. “Scared money don’t make money” may not follow the rules of grammar, but it […]
Health Professions Students Excel at State Competition
Elk Grove High School Health Professions students earned top honors at the Illinois Health Occupations Students Association (HOSA) State Leadership Conference, with 15 students placing in the top 10 among 1,500 competitors statewide. Their achievements highlight the dedication and hands-on learning happening across District 214’s healthcare pathways. Read more.
District 214 Student Entrepreneurs Pitch Ideas at Startup Showcase 2026
Student entrepreneurs from across District 214 pitched innovative business ideas at Startup Showcase 2026. Buffalo Grove High School students behind AuraLink, a magnetic jewelry clasp designed to make necklaces easier to fasten, earned top honors and $3,000 in startup funding. Offered at all six comprehensive high schools, District 214’s Entrepreneurship Program gives students hands-on experience […]
Barrington District 220 Hosts Annual Innovation Showcase
Innovation was on full display at Barrington 220’s annual Innovation Showcase, where students from across the district shared projects that reflected creativity, curiosity, and real-world learning. The event brought together learners from elementary school through high school, giving families and community members a unique opportunity to see the progression of student learning across grade levels. […]
Room to Grow Attends NIU Health Sciences Event
Room to Grow grant leaders attended NIU’s Advancing Health Education Together event this June. Led by NIU’s Area Health Education Center, participating community college partners learned about valuable tools and resources available to all students pursuing healthcare careers. As NIU is Highland Community College’s nearest state public university, new partnerships between the two continue to […]
Room to Grow Sponsors Attendance at Summer Camps
As the spring semester wound down, Room to Grow leadership at Highland Community College used two connections to support access to opportunity in the region. HCC and Northern Illinois University reached an agreement to utilize Room to Grow Grant funds to sponsor northwest Illinois students’ attendance at NIU STEAM camps this July. Eight regional high schoolers are […]