The Daily Herald from Chicago, Illinois • Page 67

DflflyHCIflld Tuesday, February 29,2000 NEIGHBOR Section 3 SCHOOLS: Students solve problems with inventions Continued from Page 1 DuPage. John Marchese, 21, who also attends COD, said he really did have fun working as a custodian in the Magic Kingdom. An elementary education major, Marchese said more people stop custodial workers for information and direction than any other "cast member" in the park. He said the experience including the seminars Disney provided expanded his communication skills. "I'm going to go back either in custodial or as a character," he said.

And he hopes the work will give him the edge he needs to get accepted as a transfer student at the University of Chicago. Certainly, the experience wasn't all work, either. Students in the program live in fully furnished, two- and three-bedroom apartments on Disney property. The gated communities have pools, tennis and basketball courts, and students get free shuttle service to their jobs and to stores. On top of that, they get free passes to all the theme parks and discounts at restaurants and on Disney merchandise.

Wouldn't that attract any college student? When Hoffman asked the students in the audience if they were ready to sign up, the crowd burst into applause. Enough said. Invention convention Baby-sitting for a toddler presented specific challenges for Stephanie Young, 9, of Glendale Heights. Just about the time she'd get the youngster all settled in a game or activity, the child wanted to do something else. "She gets out of control," Stephanie said.

"I can't keep her occupied and get stuff for her at the same time," What to do? Stephanie was inspired to create the Youngster Funster, a baby-sitting tool equipped with everything she'd need. She started with a denim long- sleeved shirt and filled it with all the tools of her trade snacks, a puppet show, a backdrop for the puppet show, small games, and plastic rings for teaching shapes and colors. The creation was one of the more viable products to come from the fourth- and fifth-grade Invention Convention at Reskin Elementary School in Glendale Heights. Students had to identify a needed product or service, research the item to confirm it didn't already exist, then create it. A fellow fifth-grade student, Caitlin Cielenski, 9, also filled an obvious void with her highly marketable creation.

How do you stop snow from going past your gloves and up your coat arm when you're playing outside in the snow? The Glove, with a special foot-long cuff sewn in, keeps those arms warm up to the elbows. But even little inventors run into snags during the testing phase. "Next time," Caitlin said, "I'll make the gloves waterproof." Youthful career paths It's never too early to start thinking about a career. Second-graders at Benson School in Itasca are gearing up for a two- day look at possible future jobs. The school, 301E.

Washington will hold career day March 9 for second-graders, followed by a community leader luncheon March 10, Principal Dawn Esposito said. "On career day, we have invited about 25 to 30 adults to come to the school and give a short presentation about their careers," she said. The children sign up to hear three or four speakers talk about their jobs. Career day is part of the social studies curriculum for second- graders. The next day, local dignitaries will come to the school to have lunch with the students.

"They sit right down with the students and talk about their jobs," Esposito said. "We've invited the mayor, chief of police, fire chief, people from the library and the (Spring Brook) Nature Center." The students and dignitaries will enjoy a catered lunch while chatting it up about careers and what their jobs entail. "It's nice because the kids really get to find out about what they do," Esposito said. Daily Herald staff writers Catherine Edman and Leslie Cummings contributed to this report. These two Glendale Heights fifth-graders might be on the road to fame with their inventions.

The No-Snow Glove is modeled by Caitlin Cielenski, while Stephanie Young shows off her baby sitter's helper, the Youngster Funster. The students at Reskin Elementary School created their designs for the school's Invention Convention. Daily Herald Bright Martha Fahlgren, a second-grader at St. Alexander's School in Villa Park, created a park and playground out of blocks in the annual Block Kids Building Program at Villa Park's Iowa Community Center. Martha won first place.

More than 30 first- through fifth-graders participated in the contest, which is designed to motivate kids to work in the construction industry. Daily Herald Mfchna A structured lesson Contest challenges kids to build something from scratch BY DEBORAH KADIN Daily Herald Staff Writer "Caution: work zone" was on one sign. "Hard hat area" was on another. Yellow tape blocked off the site from trespassers. A typical construction project? Not exactly.

The "site" was the gym at the Iowa Community Center in Villa Park and it featured 33 individual work areas, each with a one-person construction crew. They all had 45 minutes to build a masterpiece. Impossible? Not for Barry Beranek, a fourth-grader, from St. Alexander's School in Villa Park. He won the grand prize in the Block Kids Building Program competition Saturday.

Barry used his 100 blocks to create a drawbridge that works. He built a "power plant," fashioned a piece of string to pull up part of the bridge and put foil "boulders" around the area to stabilize the structure. He received a $150 savings bond and the right to go on to a regional competition in April. First place went to Martha Fahlgren. The number 13, her "construction site," turned out lucky for the second-grader at St.

Alexander's, who created a park and a playground. "I like to play, and I like playgrounds, so I thought it would be a really neat thing to build. I'm going to add swings and a slide," Martha said. She received a $75 savings bond. Second place went to Danny Brown of Lombard, who build a bridge and a ferry boat to take cars to the bridge.

He won a $50 savings bond. Children in first through fifth grades participated in the competition, which was sponsored by the O'Hare Suburban Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction. The chapter has sponsored the competition locally since 1993 to motivate children to work in.the. construction industry. HONOR ROLLS No more room at Army Trail plaza Continued from Page 1 lanes.

Going northbound, there are four lanes for manual and two lanes for automatic. That adds to the congestion, especially since people trying to exit at Army Trail Road cannot take advantage of the I-PASS only lanes. They need to add another lane going northbound. L.M., Wood Dale A. The tollway authority has no plans to add any lanes at the Army Trail toll plaza, in part because they have no room left to expand, said Jan Kemp, media relations assistant for the tollway.

"There really isn't anything we can do about it," Kemp said. Most of the congestion drivers see at the Army Trail plaza comes from the backups caused by people trying to get on either Route 53 or Interstate 290 eastbound, she said. "An extra lane would not help that backup," she said. She did say she would pass along the suggestion to change one of the four manual lanes into an automatic lane. Q.

The stretch of Chicago Avenue from Huffman to Washington in the Naperville Historic District doesn't have any speed limit indications. Traveling west, there is a 30 mph sign before Huffman, but eastbound from Washington, there's no indication until well Shelter finds new families for older animals BY KIMBERLY BUCK Dairy Herald Correspondent Each year, hundreds of thousands of pets end up homeless. Some are given up because their owners can no longer care for them. Others are runaways. Many are simply abandoned and left to fend for themselves.

The good news is that a lot of these animals end up in local shelters, including the DuPage County Animal Shelter in Wheaton. That's where Jesse was when Nancy Nehls Nelson and her husband, Curtis Nelson, visited the shelter. The Naperville couple have adopted all their dogs from animal shelters. Their first two dogs lived with them for about 12 years until they became very ill and had to be euthanized Shortly after the dogs died, the couple began looking for another dog to adopt "We got our first dog from a shelter in Naperville, and the other we adopted from the DuPage County Animal Shelter," Nehls Nelson said. "Whenever we have adopted dogs, we have always looked at several shelters before making a decisioa" The Nelsons had to bring their third dog, which they had adopted from the Naperville shelter, in to meet Jesse at DuPage before the adoption could be finalized.

"I think adopting an older dog is, in a sense, like taking in a foster child," Nehls Nelson said. "They bring past baggage and issues with them from their previous lives, and they can't communicate their likes and dislikes tf, you verbally. When a If you What: Adoptions at the DuPage County Animal Shelter When: 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays; 10:30 a.m.

to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays Where: 120 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton Call: (630)682-7197 puppy, it comes to you at a young age, and you are aware of most of the experiences that it has had." Despite a few minor problems at first, both dogs have adapted well to life with the Nelsons.

The dogs are now beginning to play with each other and get along very well Dogs, cats, puppies and kittens are available for adoption at the shelter six days a week, for a small fee. Nancy Krai, an animal caretaker and adoption follow-up coordinator at the shelter, said the $60 adoption fee includes spaying or neutering, inoculations, and the insertion of an identifying microchip. "When an animal is lost and taken to a shelter, the chip can be scanned with a special machine, which win teB the shelter where an animal is registered," Krai said. "If one of our chips is scanned, it will tell the shelter that found the anima! to call here, and we can tell them the name and phone number of the animal's owner." Krai said the DuPage Animal Shelter always has adult dogs and cats for adoption. Kittens are generalfcravail- able in the spring and fall, and puppies occasionally are.

All cats adopted from the shelter are tested for feline leukemia. "There is an adoption application that people must complete in order to adopt an animal," Krai said. "An application is filled out, and the person who wants to adopt meets with an adoption counselor in order to go over their application. The entire process generally takes less than 24 hours." Prospective "parents" can look at the animals prior to filling out an application, but cannot take them out of their cages until they have been approved After approval is complete, there is an area inside the shelter where people can play with the animals and a fenced in area outside. 'Tf people do not find an animal that they want that day, they can always come back," Krai said "We generally keep applications on file for a few months." Katie Ryan of Wheaton has nothing but the highest praise for the shelter and its employees.

Ryan, husband Peter and children Peter, 11, Emily, 9, and Thomas, 7 adopted their second dog, Anna, from the DuPage County shelter. "We adopted our first dog, Shemp, about six years ago, and our second dog Anna last November," Ryan said. "When we adopted Shemp, we were a little concerned, because one of my sons was a baby at the time. But there were no problems at all. He was housebroken from the beginning, and there were no behavior problems." Ryan's mother, who lives with the family, had a dog that died Jesse's adoption by Curtis Nelson and his wife, Nancy, of Naperville is one of many success stories from the DuPage Animal Control Center in Wheaton.

After that, the Ryans decided to adopt Anna. "When we went to see Anna, we brought along Shemp to see how the two dogs got along with each other," Ryan said. "They got along fine, and we haven't had any problems with the two of them." Ryan feels that it is important to adopt older animals, since there are so many of them that need a loving home. "People will eventually buy the tit- tle puppies and kittens in the pet stores," Ryan said. "It's the older dogs and cats, whose owners have either abandoned them or can no longer take care of them, that need homes." Those same reasons prompted Daily Herald Shenton John DiMeo and his wife, Laura, to adopt their dog from the DuPage Animal Shelter.

"Most people want puppies, but we wanted an adult dog who needed a loving home," the Lombard man said. "We went to several different shelters to look at dogs, and when we went to DuPage, we saw the dog that we wanted "He kept coming up to the front of his cage, and he wanted to play with us right away. He took to us immediately, and we took to him as well. "The people at the animal shelter are very good. They give the animals a lot of affection and attention, but with the number of animals it's not as much as they would get in a home." Technology Center Technology Center of Addison has announced the stu- dents who qualified for the 1999-2000 A Honor Roll.

"A--TEAM HONOR ROU Addison Trail High School: Ivan Bajic, network technician; Raul Barajas, network technician; Joseph Cote, computer info systems; Daniel Guen-a, computer info systems; Andrew Krzanwoski, network technician; Steve Ustwan, er Karina Luna, travel and tour services; Jason Morrow, medical lab assistant; Anay Reyes, travel and tour services; Arthur WkJula, computer Wo systems. Community Dltt 94, Wett Chfcago: Ashley cosmetology; Janet Drenth, child care; Martsol Garcia, certified nurse assistant; Chris Grrpr- sr. machine tod; Jdio Gomez, multimedia and production; Julie Hentfron, Hofmann, computer into systems. Freddy Lopez, automotive technology; Teresa Lym CHvera, child care; Christopher Pagnozzi, rnuW- media and TV produtiton; Mary Patenaude, chijd Erick Ponce de Leon, conslruction'lrades; KeBy Quarto, cosmelology; Lydia nary and pastry arts; MjcheSe Skala. child care.

Ortacoll High School: Patrick Spera, machine tod. Community District 99, Downem Grove North: Michael Brown, multimedia and TV production; Data, automotive technology; Teresa de la Vega, cosmetology; Brian Eiber, construction trades; Cory firm, construction trades; Robert Ftori- no, multimedia and TV production; Nick Gregrjr, automotive technology. James GroWe, culinary and pastry arts; Andrew Heller, multimedia and TV production; Richard Hughss, network technician: Eugene Johnson, con- trades; Ryan Lane, computer info systems: Justin Mack, computer info systems; April Malftanb, cuUnary and pastry arts; James computer Wo systems; Corn Martin, multimedia production. Robert Morehouse II, pre-engineereing CA.D; Richard Putra, medical lab assistant; Mark Raimaii, automotive technology; NataSe RanaBo, data" entry; 'Anthony Steuer, medical lab assistant; Brandon Stewart, automotive technology. Community District 99, Downers Grove South: Jessica Alejandro, medical and health careers; Sara cosmetology; Jefferey Oavis, automotive technology; Steve Ester, construction trades; Christina Gonzalez, medical and health careers; Craig Hurtt, automotive technology; Jeremy Keen, construction trades.

Christopher King, medical and health caraeVs; Jennifer Klonowski, cufinary and pastry arts; Catherine Manas, pre-engineering CAD; Joshua Mappa, automotive technology; Christopher Marek, construction trades; Elizabeth Mirous, David Olson, machine tool: Dptesh Anthony automotive technology; Kenneth Runge, notogy; Michelle S3, cosmetology; Brad Statemah, Jason Szczesruak, strucHon trades; Jlnson Vachachira, automotive technology; Victor Vazquez, automotive technology; Christina Vitagiiano, cosmetology. Fenton High School: Amir Ahmed, certified nurse assistant; TaTfeha CampbeJ, chM care; ca Dabeca, medical and health careers; Vanssa DeJesus, cosmetology; Rosaba Gallegos. computer info systems; Jute Grischow, cosmetology; Louteo medical and hearth careers. MaybeKne Luna, cosmetology, Victor Michelsen, -r cosmetology; Christian Pineda, automotive technology: Zeeshan Skkfiqul. techi; Shahrukh Siddsquui, computer info systems; Nancy Vaca, travel and tour services.

Gfenbard East High Schood: Corinne Befndl. -certified nurses assistant Matthew Boehm, aviation; Michael Braum. machine tool; Sara Brychta. child care; Francisco Carlos, automotive technology'; Evan Connoney, automotive technology; Dan DiNa- -tale, automotive technology; Monica Fonseca, cosmetology. Megan Hickey, child care; Shawn Hildebrandt, automotive technology; Ken Keilh.

cuDnary arid arts; Brittany Layman, cufinary and pastry arts; Justin Lechowich, automotive David eteclraTicsfccrnpOter Marti-no, marftlne loof; Jason MUer, etectronica'compuler Liza Pagayon, madical and hoatlh careera; Mitai Patel, computer info systems; Darnell Perry'map, pastry arts; Armando Rivera, machiiie Slavik Shuliga. HVACR; Don Smtey, culinary and pastry arts; Timothy Street, automotive techriol'- ogy; Nadia Sysun, cosmetology; Jeffrey Valla'rio, macine tool; Mike Volkmann, computer info systems, Gtenbvd North High School: Antonio Battfila. construction trades; George Chapman, computer inio systems; Marda D'Angelo, child Downer, culinary and pastry arts; Hizabelh Eddy, cosmetology; Allan Emmens, multimedia and TV production; Shirtand Inriiss, constructkxi trades. Amanda Jones, certified nurse assistant Richard Kamey, computer info systems; Erin Lamb, cosmetology; Michelle Lesmeisler, cosmetology; Amy Marchessault, cosmelology; Michael Mitlman, machine tod; Wifcert Martinez, computer info systems; Christopher Pofizzi, automotive Paul Rossi, construction trades: Jonathan Srnilh. cuOnary and pastry arts; Joe SienkSevjicz, computer info systems; Jessica Sokdoskis.cosmetctogy.Kris- Une Sdberg, cosmetology; Renee Taglia, cosmetology; Jacquefyn Vera, child care; RucS Watther, net.

work technician; MeBssa Volpe, medical and health careers; Brandon Winter, automotive technology: Sharon Zernko, certified nurse assistant- Glenbird South High School: Andrew Clark, aviation; Robert Homanski, automotive technology; Victoria Sowa, cosmetology. Glenbird High School: Gregory'Aneis- ctilinary and pastry arts; Nick Delgadillo. automotive Jamas DruckemSer, mede and TV production; Cory Erickson. machine tod; Jacqueline Gardley, computer info systems; Jeanna Jacqurt, cosmetology, Ryan Jans, machine -MJ. Porter tod.

Jennifer Jurewfcz, cufinary and pastry arts; TSfariy Micek. cosmetotogy; Javier Randa, automotive technology; Jennifer Triner, child care; Jeri Voissern, computer info systems; Sara Voissem, computer infosystsms. Central High School: Joey Gates, constructor) trades; James Kanak, conslrucliph trades; Craig Nachowitz, automoHve lechhology, Karen Yifrach, cosmetology. South High School: Cyruhia Avalos, cosmetology; Candice GHjson, cosmetology; Kori- stanSn Koziol, auto body. Ufca Park High School: Chris Aden, automotive tachnolcgy; Jonathan Block, construction (rades; Rachel Buonincontro, cosmetology; Francisco Cat- aiono, cufinary and pastry arts; Colleen fied nurse assistant; Peter DeSario, machine' loo); Wicky Dharart, network technician.

Anthony Dialo, cuOnary and pastry arts; DanieSe DiMaggto. child care; Richard Fafinski. machine tod; Daniette Rore. cosmetology, Victoria Hartses, crfid care; Jenrefer Kuzma, medical and health careers- Suzanne Lewftan, cuftiary and pastry L'ynene KBemann, cufinary and pastry arts. Nicds Norwood, cosmetology; Todd Olson construction trades; Jennifer Ormsby, medicaraRd health careers: Erik Pagete, HVACR; Marivel Reyna, cuBnary and pastry arts; Nfchdas Rubino, machine tod; Mmberiy medical lab Kyta Swanson, medical and health careers: David Szwed, machine tod: Vicki Tsafogiarmis, cosmetbl- ogy, Nicole WBems, cosmetology.

Kfah Schoof: Miguel Caceres II. cufinary and pastry arts: Jason Penick, computer info systems; Amy Tatro, child care; Robert VoSghtmann, -automotive technology, Nfcd Wats, cosmetology. NapetvflJe Central High School: Cara Bassetto cosmetology; CandanceDoane, cosmetology. NapervIlM North High School: Sienne EHaz, Whettoo Academy: Courtney MBtotejczyk. eh8d care Wheaton North Hfgh School: Jessica 8arr, medical and health careers; Stacey Caruso, cuEnary and pastry arts: David Cieslik, matin tool; John Gizzo, muJemeda and TV production: Christopher Jen, computer Wo systems; David Kolar, computer info systems: Peter Ktockars, auto body; Jeremiah Lutes, cuBnary and pastry arts.

Richard Morton, multimedia and TV production Lauren Nizidek, cosmetology, Roxiey Parrotte, md- timedia and TV production; Jason Richardson. muMi- medM and TV production; Derek Ridge, automotive technology; Heather Tunaitis. child care; Chris Ziegter, culnary and pastry arts. High School: James Adamson, multimedia and TV production; Brad Cnrnfetewski, murSmedia and TV production; Janice DeStefano, medical and health careers; Jessica tenz, cosmetology; Tennyson Gfcson, computer info systems; Alan Hackert, machine lool; Christina Hatcherson, cosmotology. Aytunn Humann.

cuSnary arri pastry ats; Zachaiy Ingram, construction trades; Brian Kraus, machine toot Dustn Lackey, machine Randl Lange. cos- melology; Matt Logan, construction trades; Scon Mier. network technician; Randy SulSvan, machre tool; Raquel WBSams, medical and healsh careers Joe Ziefiriski, beyond the area. The street is residential and goes through the North Central College campus. What is the speed limit through that area? Are there plans to put up any signs? S.T., Naperville A.

The speed limit along that stretch of road is indeed 30 mph, said city traffic engineer Fred Ranck. State law does not require signs- to be posted for that speed limit, he said. However, based on the concern expressed, his department- cunj Dually Olta, 11IUA placed in that area. The Signs were automotive James Oruckemaier, rriuW- installed late last week..