What a day! It started out for Wayne and Brent with a ride (thanks to Mark) to Wayne's first vocational appointment which was at Sikich. Sikich is a multi-disciplined chartered accountancy firm who have a staff of 300 and a $48 million turnover. Wayne met with a number of different partners, including lunch with an investment banker and a tour of the premises (which includes a gym, games room and relaxation room!).
Meanwhile, over at the Illinois Maths and Science Academy (IMSA) Brent, Kate, Cheryl and Naomi were having an amazing start to their first vocational day. IMSA was established in 1985 by the Illinois General Assembly as part of the States educational reform package to address the critical need for the education of students who had particular strengths in math or science. Students are there for 3 years (Sophmore, Junior and Senior) before going off to College (University). All academic staff have at least a Masters Degree. Although the priority is on math and science, they also take classes in History, Languages, Social Sciences, Fine arts, and Well-Being. One of the founders (in the picture above) is Dr. Leon Lederman who has a Nobel Prize in Physics and told us of the time he met Albert Einstein!
The morning started with a meeting with the School's Principal for us all. We then split for a while and Cheryl and Kate met with the College and Academic Counsellor, followed by a Wellness class visit where they got to do Yoga for a while! Meanwhile Brent and Naomi met with the Residential Life Director and then with the Alumni and Development office. We all then spent time with Chris, who is the Instructional Technology Designer - he is basically in charge of pedagogy professional development for staff, as many of them have Masters Degrees in their specialist subjects, but no teaching qualifications!! We finished with a tour of the campus, wonderfully led by one of the students, and left with our mouths wide open in wonder and amazement!
From here we were taken to a Outlet Stores Strip Mall where we had a chance to do some shopping - I think everyone came away with something - and in the two hours we were there, we only saw about 1/3 of the stores!
Brent, Wayne and Kate then met the District 6440 District Governor before taking a walk around the beautiful downtown of Geneva, home of the Kane County Courthouse among other things.
We then had a meal in a bar in St. Charles before ending our day.
Off to Starved Rock national Park tomorrow after a TriCity Rotary Breakfast. Watch this space!
Thanks to Mark and Denny for their fantastic narrated journeys between appointments!
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