May 3, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Harper finds positive outlet in music

St. Joseph-Ogden sophomore Lauren Harper loves to sing.

That is why she loves the choir.


“It’s basically the time where I get to de-stress and do what I love,” she said. “I also love the people there.”


Harper was named Fine Arts Student of the Month and was nominated by band director Chuck Hess.


Hess said Harper is a team-player.


“She always exhibits a great attitude,” he said.


Harper said she is looking into attending Illinois State University where she plans on studying music or becoming a theater director for high school programs.


Harper said being a fine arts student at SJO is great because of the family atmosphere.


“I cannot stress enough how much of a family we are,” she said. “We all support and lift each other up.”


Harper only joined the band this year, which she said was an adjustment.
“Entering a program in the middle of your high school career is hard,” she said. “I’ve been in fine arts before but never high school band. It has been a struggle getting used to it, but so worth it.”


Harper said she was honored to be chosen as Fine Arts Student of the Month during her first year in band.


“It feels awesome knowing that I have made a positive impact,” she said.

in Schools
Banner
Related Posts

Talk of the Town with PVO Superintendent Vic White

May 16, 2019

May 16, 2019

Every week we ask a school superintendent, board member or mayor three questions. This week we talked to PVO Superintendent...

Harper brings Wednesday Addams to life

April 2, 2022

April 2, 2022

The characters in the Addams Family are well known. But that didn’t stop the actors at St. Joseph-Ogden from putting...

SJO Third Quarter Honor Roll

March 30, 2021

March 30, 2021

FreshmenArmstrong, AdenBott, MyaBuss, TylerDenhart, GarrettFrasca, JosephHayes, JayciLannert, LaurenMaroon, CarsonMcBride, SethMcMahon, ShannonSantiago, DanielWard, ElissiaWilson, Spencer SophomoresActon, AlyssaAlwes, CanyonBurch, TaylorCarter, PaytonChatterton, GwenCollins,...

SJO 2021-2022 1st Quarter Honor Roll

October 29, 2021

October 29, 2021

Freshmen Allinger, OliviaAltenbaumer, JaredBesson, WilliamBirt, EliBirt, MilesBowlin, ChazBrazelton, HoldenButts, LandenChatterton, SarahChristians, PresleeFrerichs, LylaGriebat, JoeGuido, MasonHesterberg, HaleyIdeus, TinleyJohnson, KendrickJohnson, SethKindle, AmilliyaKnap,...

SJO Fall Athletic Awards

November 15, 2019

November 15, 2019

CROSS COUNTRY-BOYS MOST VALUABLE-2019 – Brandon Mattsey MOST IMPROVED – 2019 – Logan Wolfersberger TIM MIES EFFORT AWARD-2019- Charlie Mabry...

SJO HONOR ROLL

November 5, 2020

November 5, 2020

FreshmenAllen, ChloeAllinger, KadenBott, MyaBrown, KylerCarter, PaytonChahine, MayaHarbourt, JamesHayes, JayciJones, HoldenLannert, LaurenLeVeck, JakeMaroon, CarsonMcBride, SethMcMahon, ShannonStevens, MadisonSweet, ZoeyWaller, BraxtonWilson, Spencer SophomoresActon,...

St. Joseph Middle School 7th grade high honor roll

November 14, 2023

November 14, 2023

FIRST NAME LAST NAME Charlene Barbee Callie Barnett Reid Bewley Brady Blunier Tabbitha Brown Ella Buhs Sophia Chahine Charlotte Christians...

St. Joseph Middle School 8th grade honor roll

April 7, 2022

April 7, 2022

8th Grade Honor Roll Barrowman, Kylie Bartlett, Guinevere Blackburn-Kelley, Timera Blackburn-Kelley, Timothy Campbell, Shelby Coffey, Christopher Daly, Nathan Dwyer, Caleb...

SJO announces academic letter winners

May 17, 2021

May 17, 2021

Academic Letter Winners for the 2019-2020 Academic Year Class of 2020 (Graduates)Lindsey Aden Jenna Albrecht Michara AllenMallory Ames Kendall Ayers...

PVO Junior High Second quarter honor roll

January 13, 2023

January 13, 2023

7th Grade Highest Honors (3.7-4.0)Tyler BonnyIsabella FrerichsCasen GoffGaby GomezGeorge HaleRoyce LoschenLane McKinneyAtleigh MillerAirin RashKeegan RobertsKorinne TravisEvelyn ValentineLucas WatersAdyn Westerfield 7th...

SJO 2022-2023 1st Quarter Honor Roll

October 28, 2022

October 28, 2022

FRESHMANAlexander, MatthewBeals, JosiahBlackburn-Kelley, TimBlackburn-Kelley, TimeraBrooks, BellaCoffey, ChristopherDaly, NathanEricksen, KatherineGossett, JeffreyHale, CharlesHayes, CoyHood, BryannaHuckstadt, AmeliaJackson, NickMcKinney, EmmaPreston, GraceRay, GrahamRetz, LanceReynolds, JaxsonSexton,...

St. Joseph Middle School 7th grade honor rolls

January 19, 2022

January 19, 2022

7th Grade High Honor Roll Ahart, Lillian Albrecht, Samuel Bello, Abigail Benoit, Zachary Burnett, Colin Clark, Elizabeth Crider, Abigail Dahl,...

Maxey to step aside, but ‘SJO is a better place’ because of former SRO’s role at school

August 15, 2019

August 15, 2019

Alicia Maxey, like many other high school students, didn’t exactly know what she wanted her future job to entail when...

National Honor Society inducts new members

April 23, 2019

April 23, 2019

On April 22 the St. Joseph-Ogden High School National Honor Society inducted 20 new members. Those students include: Isabelle Brooks,...

Comments
Leave a Reply