January 8, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

We the People holding one final fundraiser

There is one final chance to help the St. Joseph-Ogden We the People Civics Team fund their trip to Nationals later this month.


The team is selling raffle tickets for an IGA Shopping Spree.


Team advisor Marshall Schacht said the students will be selling the tickets through Wednesday morning.


“We are going to do the pull of the winning ticket on Facebook Live at 11:45 a.m.,” he said.


Schacht said the plan is for the winning shopper to complete their five minute shopping spree on Sunday evening.


The tickets are three for $25 or $10 a piece.


Anyone wanting a ticket can contact Schacht at the high school.


The team has also set up a go fund me. You can donate here.


The We the People Contest is a nationwide civics contest.


Teams must first win their state competition or place second through wild card availability to advance to the national contest in Washington, D.C. During the contest, students participate in simulated congressional hearings and testify as congressional experts before a panel of judges who act as congressional committees.


The groups are scored on a performance based-assessment. The students have to show they have a depth of knowledge, understanding and the ability to apply constitutional principals. This is the third year SJO has participated in the contest and the third year they are headed to the national convention in Washington, D.C.


The team recently held two successful fundraisers. One was a trivia and silent auction night.


Schacht said Kalli Ingram and Elizabeth Schluter worked very hard to find donations for the silent auction. 


“Businesses from SJO and Champaign-Urbana were very generous,” he said.


The silent auction raised more than $2,000.


As for the trivia night, 20 tables participated and The SJO Teachers won for the second straight year over Team Schuele and the Schacht family. 


“The questions were well-balanced and well-received by the audience,” Schacht said. “Mr. Beckett again did his bingo, raising over $500.”
In all, the event raised over $5,000.


This past Saturday the team held a Trail Run Event. The weather limited the number of runners but the the event was still a success.


Results:
Winner 5K Women:  Trish Black
Winner 5K Men:  Marc Mills
Winner 10K Women:  Paula Tankersley
Winner 10K Men:  Mike Tankersley
Winner 5K Girls:  Savanna Franzen
Winner 5K Boys:  Holden Brazelton

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