March 28, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Sorority gives grants to teachers

Psi Iota Xi is a National Sorority with local chapters in various midwestern states.  This philanthropic group helps people.  The main focus is on music, art, literature, speech, and hearing but this can branch out in many directions.  Membership is open to women who wish to enrich libraries and local philanthropic events in their area.

Iota Sigma is a chapter of Psi Iota Xi that is chartered in St. Joseph, IL.  Locally we support the Summer Reading Program at the Swearingen Memorial Library in St. Joseph as well as in Homer, IL.  We make donations to Feed the Need at the St. Joseph United Methodist Church.  We have sponsored a music student who has traveled to Florida to present with his school.  

This year we decided to offer grants to teachers at the St. Joseph Grade and Middle Schools to teachers who have special projects that expand their curriculum.  These projects were required to focus on music, art, literature, speech, or hearing.  Teachers were asked to present us with information on their goals and how they would use the money if their project was selected.  

A committee from Iota Sigma read through the materials sent to us and have decided that these three teachers’ projects would each be partially funded:

Allison Schuette Speech and Hearing for grades preK – 8th

Amber Garrison & Stephanie McCall Literature – Grade 8

Maria Wilson, Lady of the Library Literature – Middle School Librarian 

On November 7, 2023 the members of Iota Sigma presented awards to those projects selected at the St. Joseph Middle School.

Left to Right:  Alisyn Franzen (Middle School Principal), Jill Robbins (Iota Sigma Member), Amber Garrison (8th Grade Literature Teacher), Stephanie McCall (8th Grade Literature Teacher), Rita McCannon (Iota Sigma Member), Maria Wilson (Lady of the Library),  Allison Schuette (Speech and Hearing Teacher), Michelle Wagner (Grade School Principal).

Submitted by:  Jill Robbins

in Schools
Banner
Related Posts

St. Joseph MIddel School 7th Grade High Honor Roll

November 9, 2021

November 9, 2021

Ahart, Lillian Barbee, Zhou Bello, Abigail Burnett, Colin Clark, Elizabeth Crider, Abigail Dahl, Hayden Davis, Iris Farber, Madison Franzen, Nolan...

Pence hired as full-time superintendent once again

September 2, 2022

September 2, 2022

Todd Pence is a full-time superintendent once again. On Wednesday, the St. Joseph Grade School Board of Education voted to...

St. Joseph Middle School 7th grade honor roll

November 14, 2023

November 14, 2023

FIRST NAME LAST NAME Ramsay Arnold Henry Beeler Adam Bello Teagan Blacker Bailey Blakley Nora Buckley Grant Clark Logan Crider...

St. Joseph Middle School 5th grade high honor roll

June 7, 2023

June 7, 2023

LAST NAME FIRST NAME Bacon Adalyn Barnhart June Bronowski Elijah Burnett Ethan Crackel Bowen Daniel Jocelyn Dirksmeyer Claire Fisher Camden...

SJO to stay with in-person instruction after Thanksgiving

November 16, 2020

November 16, 2020

St. Joseph-Ogden High School is going to stay with in-person instruction, Superintendent Brian Brooks announced Monday night. Last Thursday, Brooks...

St. Joseph Middle School 8th grade honor roll

June 7, 2023

June 7, 2023

LAST NAME FIRST NAME Albrecht Samuel Barbee Zhou Canamore Willis Ditchfield Nickolas Ennis Jameson Gaines Leah Garrett Elijah Graham Skyler...

Heritage Junior High Honor Roll

March 26, 2019

March 26, 2019

Heritage Junior High has compiled the list of honor roll students for the second quarter. A student must have a...

St. Joseph 7th Grade Honor Roll

November 9, 2021

November 9, 2021

Albrecht, Samuel Benoit, Zachary Canamore, Willis Colvin, Jaxson Ditchfield, Nickolas Downs, Justin Ennis, Jameson Gaines, Leah Garrett, Elijah George, Gunnar...

Hallett is new SRO in place at St. Joseph, PVO schools

September 10, 2019

September 10, 2019

Champaign County Sheriff’s Deputy Shawn Hallett has always held the police in high regard. “As a child, I remember having...

St. Joseph Grade School updates parents on COVID concerns

August 31, 2021

August 31, 2021

Fifty-five students from St. Joseph Grade School are in quarantine for exposure to COVID-19. Forty-two of those students are related...

SJO High Honor Roll

January 11, 2020

January 11, 2020

FreshmenActon, AlyssaAtwood, McGwire Baker, Kaytlyn Baltzell, Olivia Carter, Maddux Casanova, Yamilka Chambers, Ariana Coursey, Cale Cromwell, Aiden Dahman, Zachary Elsbernd,...

‘Helping them reach their potential is humbling and rewarding at the same time’

January 26, 2023

January 26, 2023

A performance today will culminate one of the most powerful artistic and personal experiences Justin Lee has had in his...

SJO fourth quarter high honor roll

June 2, 2021

June 2, 2021

Freshmen Allen, LoganBaltzell, OwenBeetz, SamanthaBurkhalter, ChloeDivan, RachelEricksen, SadieFrick, AddisonGetty, GraceGrant, BriannaHaake, LoganHarper, ChloeHarris, RachelHausman, BrodyHueber, AnnabelleJacob, TannerJolley, KyaJones, HeleneKibler, ToriLannert,...

Talk of the Town with Superintendent Todd Pence

May 27, 2019

May 27, 2019

Every week we ask a village mayor, trustee, school administrator or board of education member three questions. This week is...

SJO to host event for seniors

April 1, 2021

April 1, 2021

The administration at St. Joseph-Ogden High School wants to give their seniors some sense of normalcy.   “The decision to have...

Comments
Leave a Reply