Dr. Robert Bobell: 2025 SRC Distinguished Alumni Award

Dr. Robert Bobell, was born in Peoria, Illinois, and graduated from Canton High School. He earned his Associate in Science degree from Spoon River College in 1982, followed by a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Western Illinois University and a Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Missouri–St. Louis.

For the past 37 years, Dr. Bobell has served as Owner and President of Progressive Vision Center, LTD in Canton, Illinois. Throughout his career and community involvement, he has held numerous leadership roles, including Past President of both the Community Concert Association and the Kiwanis Club of Canton (where he was also named Kiwanian of the Year). He has also served as a member of the Spoon River College Foundation Board, the Canton Park District Board, and the Graham Hospital Board of Trustees (where he was Past Vice Chairperson). Since 2008, he has been a member and Past Board Chair of the Mid-America National Bank Board of Directors. In 2017, he was honored as the Canton Area Chamber of Commerce Businessperson of the Year.

Dr. Bobell considers his greatest professional achievement—outside of his beloved family—to be building his optometric practice from the ground up, which has now grown to include three eye doctors, nine employees, and two locations. His advice to SRC students and employees is simple yet powerful: “Get involved as much as possible at both SRC and in your community. You will receive much more in return than you will ever give.”

Dr. Bobell is married to Carla, and they have two adult sons, Westin and Nathan.

Clayton Shay Widmer: 2025 SRC Alumni Achievement Award

Clayton Shay Widmer was born in Peoria, Illinois, and attended Canton High School. He graduated from Spoon River College in 2013 before transferring to Illinois State University, where he studied sociology and psychology. While at SRC, Clayton served as both Vice President and President of the Student Government Association.

Reflecting on his time at SRC, Clayton shared, “After my first semester, I had a terrible GPA. I dug myself out of a hole, and by the time I graduated, I was in great academic standing—thanks in large part to my professors and other staff. For me, SRC was a great transition into adulthood.”

After college, Clayton moved to Nashville to pursue a career in music. Since then, he has toured across the U.S. and Canada, performing for crowds of up to 20,000 people. He has released 20 songs, earning tens of millions of streams and charting on the iTunes Country charts.

Clayton’s advice to SRC staff is to “continue to push students to find something they are passionate about.”

Robert Reading: 2025 SRC Alumni Achievement Award

Reading, an Eagle Scout originally from Morton, Illinois, graduated from Spoon River College in 1967 Bob with an Associate of Arts in Biology. He credits SRC speech instructor Daisy Coty with transforming his life, saying she “used solution-focus tools to help turn my serious speech stuttering into coherent speech to-day.” Inspired by her impact, Bob has generously supported SRC students through scholarships and endowments.

With the perseverance he learned from Daisy, Bob went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Illinois State University. He then built a successful career—first in pharmaceuticals and later as a retail housewares manager at K’s Merchandise. His passion for helping others led him back to school, and in 1993 he earned a Master of Arts in Community Counseling from Bradley University. He went on to achieve National Board Certified Counselor and Certified AODA Counselor status in 1994, followed by Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in 2000.

Bob spent 14 years at White Oaks Treatment Residential Center for Men in Peoria, helping men overcome addiction and maintain recovery. During his first retirement, he stayed active as a high school wrestling assistant coach, substitute teacher for grades K–12 in Peoria schools, and volunteer at a church soup kitchen.

In 2007, Bob returned to his beloved counseling work, joining Dr. George Gilbert at Samaritan Family Medical Services, where he supported more than 200 addiction patients dealing with mental health challenges. He fully retired in September 2017.

Bob and his wife, Marianne, who retired from Caterpillar Inc., have been happily married for 52 years. A Master Gardener since 2012, Bob leads gardening projects at Holy Family Catholic Church in partnership with the U of I Extension. He also enjoys bicycling with friends from Landmark Health Club and, until recently, volunteered in the Cursillo spiritual program at prisons in Canton and Kewanee.

Jason Parsons: 2025 SRC Alumni Achievement Award

Jason Parsons was born in Peoria, Illinois, and graduated from Canton High School in 1994. He attended Spoon River College, where he studied art and education, before earning a Bachelor’s in Education, a Master’s in Instructional Technology, and a Master’s in Educational Leadership—all from Western Illinois University.

Jason spent 12 years teaching art and graphic design and another 14 years as a K–12 administrator, all within the Canton CUSD #66 district. In 2007, he was honored as Canton High School’s Teacher of the Year. As curriculum director, he helped launch several innovative programs, including Lego Education, the Dual Credit Running Start program, and Project Lead the Way courses in biomedical science, engineering, and computer science.

Today, Jason is the owner and operator of Snowman’s Reindeer Farm, which he has run for the past two years, and he also serves as the part-time principal at Canton Royals Alternative School.

His commitment to the community runs deep—he helped found the Canton High School Archery and Trapshooting programs, served as head Trapshooting coach for six years, led local Canada canoe trips for 21 years, coached numerous youth teams, and was a dedicated Boy Scout troop leader.

One of Jason’s lifelong goals is “to continue growing as a successful business owner within our community, creating opportunities to provide visitors with a magical and educational experience at our reindeer farm.”

Jason is married to Dawn and has three children: Mady, Carter, and Jaycee.

KiLee Lidwell-McFerren: 2025 SRC Alumni Achievement Award

KiLee Lidwell-McFerren was born in Canton, Illinois, and graduated from Canton High School in 1995. She attended Spoon River College, earning an Associate of Arts degree, before transferring to Southern Illinois University, where she completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Education. KiLee later earned a Master of Education in Educational Organization and Leader-ship from the University of Illinois.

She began her career as an art educator, a role she held for 13 years before transitioning into administration as an Assistant Principal. In 2017, KiLee returned to her hometown of Canton to become Principal of Lincoln Elementary School. Her leadership and dedication have earned her notable recognition, including the Canton YWCA Women of Achievement Award (2024) and the Illinois Principals Association Illinois Principal of the Year Award (2025).

In addition to her role as principal, KiLee serves as the CUSD #66 Homeless Liaison, supporting students and families in need.

KiLee holds many fond memories of her time at Spoon River College—creating sets for campus plays, working in the art studios, exhibiting in the annual art show, playing on the SRC softball team, and serving on the President’s Screening Committee as the student representative to the Board of Trustees.

She strives to live by the words of Jane Goodall: “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”

KiLee is married to Jason McFerren, also an SRC graduate. Together, they have two daughters, Juniper and Linnaea.

Amy Lynn Evans: 2025 SRC Alumni Achievement Award Recipient

Amy Lynn Evans was born in Havana, Illinois, and graduated from Canton High School in 1988. After graduation, she began her career as a Certified Nursing Assistant, a role she held for 21 years. In 2017, Amy earned her Associate of General Studies degree from Spoon River College, where she was named to both the Dean’s List and Presidential List and was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

Since 2008, Amy has served as a Title I Intervention Reading Assistant at Lincoln Elementary School. She initially pursued a role in education to better understand the school system as her son entered middle school, but soon discovered her passion for making a meaningful difference in the lives of students.

Amy’s leadership and advocacy have extended well beyond the classroom. She has served as the local president of the Canton Edu-cation Association since 2009 and currently sits on both the Illinois Education Association (IEA) and National Education Association (NEA) Boards of Directors. She is also a Grassroots Political Activist for IEA Region 13 and an Ambassador for the Illinois chapters of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Her dedication to education and mental health advocacy has earned her significant recognition. In 2024, Amy was named the Illinois Education Association’s Support Professional of the Year. This year, she received both the IEA Reg Weaver Human and Civil Rights Award and was honored among the Top 5 National Education Support Professionals by the National Education Association.

Recently, Amy worked with Representative Norine Hammond on House Bill 3000, legislation amending the school code to ensure that mental health and suicide awareness resources are included on school staff badges. The bill was signed into law in August 2024.

Amy is married to Billy Evans and is the proud mother of one son, the late Doyle Hutton III.

TC Wright: 2025 CCC/SRC Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee

TC Wright was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and attended Iroquois High School. Sports have always been a big part of his life, thanks to his family’s influence. He came to Spoon River College to play basketball and earned his Associate of Arts degree in 2022. TC chose SRC because he “needed a fresh start” and learned about the college through a friend.

During his time at SRC, he earned numerous honors, including 1st Team All-Conference, 1st Team All-Region, and 2nd Team All-American. After graduating, he continued his education at Campbellsville University before going on to play professional basketball for the Newfoundland Rogues, where he’s competed for the past two years.

In addition to his athletic career, TC has worked as an aide for elderly patients with traumatic brain injuries. He considers graduating from both high school and college his greatest achievements, as many of his friends were not able to accomplish the same.

Looking back, TC says what he enjoyed most about SRC was the close-knit bond among the sports teams and athletes. His advice to current students is: “Enjoy your time and cherish it. I’ve been all over the world, and Spoon is a place I still cherish. There’s no place like Spoon.”

When he’s not on the court, TC enjoys cooking, playing video games, and coaching.

SRC Community Chorus Concert Features WIU International String Quartet

SRC Community Chorus Concert Features WIU International String Quartet

The Spoon River College Community Chorus presents Handel’s MESSIAH and Winter Olio on Saturday, December 6 and Sunday, December 7 at the First Christian Church in Canton.  Over 50 singers, technicians, and production staff will be joined by the Western Illinois University International String Quartet.

The WIU International String Quartet program, now in its 20th year, was formed in 2005 by the Western Illinois University School of Music to give international students the opportunity to come to the United States and study in Illinois. The quartet members receive full scholarships to WIU.

Performing with the SRC Chorus in 2025 are Georgica Parvu, from Romania, on violin; Helena Iacob, from Romania, on violin; Gabriel Gene Regojos, from the Philippines, on viola; and Juan Marco Robledo Galvez, from Guatemala, on cello.

The quartet’s appearance is made possible by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council and the Two Rivers Arts Council.

The Sunday matinee is sold out; however, tickets for the Saturday, December 7, 7 p.m. are still available.  Tickets for the 20^th anniversary concert may be purchased at SRC Chorus.

Spoon River College Hosts Annual 10th Grade Career Expo at Canton Campus

Approximately 370 sophomores from Astoria, Canton, Cuba, Farmington, Havana, Lewistown, Spoon River Valley, and VIT school districts were on campus to talk with professionals from a wide variety of career areas at the annual 10^th Grade Career Expo held November 7 at the Canton Campus.

The annual event gives students the opportunity to talk with professionals and gather information about multiple career choices, including the education, degrees, skills required for a specific job, and what a typical work day looks like.

“A huge thank-you to the schools for attending, and to the 58 presenters who took the time out of their busy day to both inspire and educate the students on the career fields available to them, many which are right here in Fulton County,” said Brandi Ketcham, advisor and coordinator for the event.

The career areas represented were Agriculture/Mechanical/Food/Natural Resources/Engineering/Logistics: Fulton County Farm Bureau; Martin Tractor; Prairie Hills Resource Conservation and Development, Inc.; Spoon River Animal Clinic; University of Illinois-Springfield; Retired engineer Ted Neuendorf; Cook Medical; and Spoon River College (Diesel and Power Systems Technology, Logistics, and Welding);

Arts/Communications/Computers/IT/Business: Mid-America National Bank; Canton Hy-Vee; International Award-Winning Sleight of Hand Artist; State of Illinois; and Spoon River College (Computer Information Systems, Art, Marketing, and Business Office);

Education/Human and Public Service Cluster: Fulton Mason Crisis Service; Fulfill Your Destiny Life Coach; Fulton County Emergency Medical Association; Illinois State Police; Canton School District; Western Illinois University (Speech Pathology and Audiology); McCarthy and Jackson Law Firm; and Spoon River College (Early Childhood Education);

Health Care: Carl Sandburg College (Dental Hygiene and Radiology); Graham Health Services (Rehabilitation, Imaging, Behavioral Health, Doctor, Laboratory, Pharmacist, Clinic Nursing, Nursing Education, Hospital Nursing, and Quality Department); Canton Union School District; Advanced Rehab and Sports Medicine; and Spoon River College (Nursing/Nursing Assistant).

Pictures from the event can be viewed on the Spoon River College Facebook page. For more information about Spoon River College, visit www.src.edu.

Graduates of the SRC Community Leadership Academy Recognized

This fall marked the 24th SRC Community Leadership Academy to be offered through the Spoon River College Office of Community Outreach, and the newest graduates were recognized at the Lifelong Learning Conference held October 10 at the Canton Campus. They were Martha Davis, Connie Heller, Michelle Howe, Pam Jump, Jodie and Robbin Kost, Judy Lietze, Evelyn Oaks, Judy Spahn, and Rebeca Wilcoxen.

The Academy started as the Retirees Leading Academy funded by grant money in 2006, and at that time was held twice a year. The name was changed a few years ago and is now only held once a year.

“Class sizes have ranged from six to eleven participants, and including our current graduating class members, we’ve had a total of 212 graduates of the program,” said Andrea Barbknecht, director of community outreach in Canton. “Coordinators are Kathy Lock, Janice Bruster, and Mary Williams, who are graduates of the program. They secure the tours, speakers, and participants in the program.”

Tours and speakers for this class included the Spoon River College campus with President Curt Oldfield; History of Banking in Fulton County with Rick Klinedinst; Graham Health System with CEO Bob Senneff; State of the City with Mayor Kent McDowell; Fulton Mason Crisis Service with Community Educator Julie; Canton Fire Dept. with Assistant Chief Hanlin; Canton Police Department with Officer Josh Wages; Fulton County Jail; COOK facilities; Fulton County Rehabilitation Center with Shelly Entrekin; Fulton County Ambulance with Chris Blackwell; Canton Park District with Amanda Atchley; Canton Area Heritage Center; Canton Area Chamber of Commerce with Director Carla Bobell; Spoon River Partnership for Economic Development with Executive Director Michelle Spiva; and Canton Main Street with Jennie Grove.

For more information about the Academy, Lifelong Learning, and other events and classes offered through Community Outreach, visit http://www.src.edu/outreach.

Pictured are (front, l-r) Pam Jump, Evelyn Oaks, Michelle Howe, Robbin Kost, (back), Judy Leitze, Rebecca Wilcoxen, Martha Davis, and Jodie Kost. Not pictured are graduates Connie Heller and Judy Spahn.