Alumni Achievement Award Recipient Scott Brown

Scott Brown is a Canton native, a 2003 graduate of Canton High School, and one of four children of Marty and Kim Brown, though there were many other kids around as their family was a foster family while he was growing up.

He attended Spoon River College because it kept him closer to home.  Though he loved computers from a very young age, Scott credits a dual credit class taken at SRC with helping to fuel his interest in technology and with ultimately leading to his career. TimBukTech, a technology consulting firm that Scott officially founded in 2004, when he was just 19 years old, and for which Scott serves as owner and President, is the proof of that excitement for his work.

In September 2004, Scott opened a location in Macomb.  In 2005, he opened his first storefront location in Canton.  By 2009, TimbukTech had moved to its current location on Randolph Street in Macomb, and by 2014, it had moved to a larger location on East Chestnut in Canton.  In 2016, TimbukTech expanded to Washington, its third location, and the company now has nearly 20 employees and is continuing to expand.

TimbukTech has become a leader in the business technology sector in central Illinois, specializing in network security, risk assessment and management, computer repair and installation, and other information technology service and guidance to small businesses in small towns.

Along with his technological knowledge, it was the combination of his appreciation for his hometown and his desire to help his community that led him to contact Chris Helle, Director of Fulton County ESDA.  A high-profile search for a missing person in Fulton County in August 2020 triggered Scott to ask how he could help.  Ultimately, Scott purchased and donated a drone, equipped with thermal imaging, which is used in Fulton County on a regular basis and has even been used in counties across the region in emergency situations.

In 2021, Scott was recognized for his professional efforts, the growth of TimbukTech, and his service to the community by being named the Canton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Business Person of the Year.  The award not only recognizes growth in the business, but integrity and ethics in business dealings and a sense of civic responsibility and leadership.

Alumni Achievement Award Recipient Brian Fengel

A native of Canton and a 1983 graduate of Canton High School, Brian Fengel came to SRC with the intention of being a welder.  Brian attended SRC at various times from the fall 1982 to spring 1987 semesters, and took a variety of courses, but he earned that welding certificate in December 1985.

Brian turned to law enforcement after a family member fell victim to a scam and completed an internship with the Canton Police Department through SRC, which fueled his passion for law enforcement.  He joined the Bartonville Police Department in January 1990, and he became Chief of Police in 1998.

He is a 2001 graduate of the FBI National Academy and also graduated from the Northwestern University Executive Management Program.  During his tenure as Chief, he served on the Illinois Silver Search Task Force, AMBER Alert Task Force, and Elder Abuse Task Force, and he worked the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.  He established the Bartonville Police Explorer program, and also established the Bartonville Safety of Seniors Program.

Chief Fengel retired in 2019, after 29 years in law enforcement, to become the Director/Coordinator of the Central Illinois Police Training Center, located at Illinois Central College in East Peoria.  In this role, Brian coordinates training efforts for over 50 law enforcement agencies across the area.  He has also taught as an Adjunct Professor in criminal justice and criminal investigation at ICC for nearly 20 years.

In June 2014, he was elected the 4th Vice President for the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police Board of Directors and is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He serves and has served on many boards, and Chief Fengel also serves as a member of the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Review Board, which operates under the United States Department of Justice, thanks to an appointment from the United States Congress in January 2015.

Chief Fengel has also served as a member of the Illinois State Law Enforcement Medal of Honors Committee. Chief Fengel was awarded the State of Illinois’ Elderly Service Officer of the Year award, sponsored and presented by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, in October 2012.

Brian is a life-long resident of Central Illinois, originally from Canton but a resident of Peoria County for the last three decades.  Locally, he remains involved in Kiwanis, Shriners, Lions Club, and other community service agencies.  He and his wife, Tanya, have two children, Emily and Blake, an SRC alumnus himself and a member of the Snapper baseball team.

Alumni Achievement Award Recipient Chris Helle

Chris Helle, a native of Farmington, currently serves as Fulton County’s Emergency Services and Disaster Agency (ESDA) Director and 911/Emergency Telephone Coordinator.  After graduating from Farmington Community High School in 1997, Chris immediately became a full-time student at SRC. When he earned his Associate Degree at SRC in the summer of 1999, his intention was to pursue a career in criminal justice.

Instead, he went into the family sawmill business, Sawmill Hydraulics, and was key to helping the business grow into a national brand.  He was named the 2010 Small Business Exporter of the Year for his efforts.

At the same time, Chris was beginning to develop a passion for public service.  He first served as the Emergency Services Director in Farmington, his hometown.  In that capacity, he helped build Farmington’s efforts into a top-notch program.  Chris was recognized by the Governor of Florida and by FEMA for his role of providing support in the aftermath of the 2004 hurricane.  He was also recognized for those efforts by the Fulton County Board and was appointed as director of the county’s ESDA.  Chris serves on the Illinois Search and Rescue Advance Team. He was recognized as 2004 Volunteer of the Year in Emergency Management and as 2013 Neighborhood Hero.

Under his leadership, Fulton County ESDA has become the premier Emergency Services Agency in Illinois.  This volunteer-dependent agency is highly trained and has evolved from a group of trained storm spotters into a group that can support and command full-fledged disaster recoveries. Chris has written and received multiple grants for the county, and local governments and agencies. His leadership has also organized and unified all the local first responder agencies, allowing them to utilize each other’s expertise.  Through social media, Chris has built a large following through his accurate and comprehensive weather and disaster notifications; though, he humorously acknowledges the role that family/agency cat Trash Panda has played.

In his role as ETSB Coordinator, he has overseen a remap of the county, the process of renaming roads, adding addresses to parcels that never had them, and building a communication network that keeps Fulton County residents safe.

Chris and his wife, Stacey, have two teenaged children, Maddie and Ryan, and continue to live in Farmington.

Alumni Achievement Award Recipient Lindsey Larson

As an enthusiastic teacher, a talented performer, a committed social activist, and a dedicated mother of triplets, Lindsey Larson demonstrates exemplary abilities to lead and organize with fervor, to tackle challenges with courage, and to act on behalf of others with infectious zeal, despite not yet reaching the age of 40.

She served as Drum Major for the Canton High School Marching Band, performed in numerous plays, musicals, and Madrigals, reached the IHSA State Speech Competition in Poetry, and earned First Princess in the Friendship Festival Queen competition.  High School is also where Lindsey became an alumnus of Spoon River College, as a Dual Credit student.

As a teenager, Lindsey also volunteered at KARE, where kids and adults with special needs enjoy joint activities in social settings. Her rewarding work at KARE led Lindsey to Northern Illinois University right after high school where she earned a degree in special education. After graduation, Lindsey began teaching in DeKalb. While there, she also continued performing in local theatre. She met her future husband, Josh, and they moved to Washington after getting married.  She taught special education, participated in shows, and earned her master’s degree from Xavier University.

They decided to start a family and learned, while participating in an SRC Community Chorus production, that they would become parents of triplets — Hannah, Gwendolyn, and Elliot.  They moved back to Canton within a few years.

Chad Murphy, Director of the SRC Adult Education program, encouraged Lindsey to consider Spoon River College as her next career move and she accepted a position as GED instructor in 2019.

Today Lindsey serves on the board and teaches at The Breathing Tree Yoga Studio on the Square in Canton.  She fits in SRC Community Chorus performances around her children’s schedules. She organizes the local Live Life Full fundraisers, which has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research.

She credits her background in special education with being her primer for advocating for her own special needs child, life as a GED instructor, and life as a community member who works to help lift others up and realize their own potential.

Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees: 1964 Canton Community College Baseball Team

The Canton Community College/Spoon River College Alumni Association inducted members of the 1964 Canton Community College baseball team into Athletic Hall of Fame during the annual Alumni Association Awards Reception held November 6 at the Canton Campus.

Team members are Bill Anderson, Chuck Bentley, John Doolan (deceased), Mike Frisch (deceased), Ron George (deceased), Ed Hoffman, Carroll Herman (deceased), Dick Kautz (deceased), Jack Meyer, Jasper “Jay” Parrish (deceased), Rich Prosser, Paul Swiger, Ken Walker, Ed Warner, Randy Welch. Coach Harry Smith (deceased) and Manage Lee Baker.

The team was the 1964 NJCAA Region IV Champions and NJCAA Illinois State Champions

After a solid regular season, the 1964 Canton Community College men’s baseball team got hot at the right time and won the NJCAA Region IV Championship en route to being the NJCAA State Champions of Illinois. No CCC or SRC baseball team has ever advanced further into postseason play.

The team scored convincing wins in the playoffs over Black Hawk, Morton, and Belleville (now Southwestern Illinois College), allowing just five runs in the three victories. This advanced them to the Section Championship, where they won the first game against Ellsworth Community College (Iowa Falls, IA). Unfortunately, they dropped games two and three to end their season one game short of the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, CO — an eight-team tournament to crown the National Champion. Coach Harry Smith’s Crusaders ended the season with a record of 13-8.

Alonza Bradley: October Student Shout-Out Recipient

Alonza Bradley of Fiatt was the recipient of the Student Shout-Out for October at Spoon River College, and will receive a $100 Visa gift card. Bradley was recognized for “being an exemplary student who embodies the core values of SRC: caring, respect, integrity, fairness, and responsibility.”

“Alonza is unfailing supportive and respectful of his peers, and I admire his humanity — he is a deeply kind and empathetic person,” said English professor Laura Bandy. “I also appreciate his creativity and grit — he has a talent and passion for writing, but without follow through, that talent would go to waste. Alonza always follows through, spending time with his writerly endeavors every day and routinely seeking out ways to become stronger with his craft. I am a big fan of Alonza Bradley and am glad that he has chosen Spoon River College as an academic home.”

Bradley plays on the Spoon River College E-sports team and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa. He will graduate in the spring of 2022, and plans to transfer to Brigham Young University with aspirations of becoming an English professor.

The Student Shout-Out is an initiative that encourages any faculty or employee to nominate a student who deserves a special shout-out. “The reason can be big or small, but the important thing is that we hear about the positive and helpful things our students are doing,” said Abby Beck, TRIO advisor on the Macomb Campus.

SRC Literacy Program and District Libraries Announce Events for 30th Annual Family Reading Night

The Spoon River College Literacy Program is pleased to announce the 30th Annual Family Reading Night on Thursday, November 18. Held in partnership with libraries and schools throughout the SRC district, the goal is to encourage families to take time to read together as a family. With help from a grant from Dollar General, Spoon River College will provide 25 free books to each library to hand out to attendees.

“Taking time to read together as a family is a great habit to cultivate, and we hope this event will inspire families to make time to do that. Our libraries do a wonderful job of finding fun and creative ways to support Family Reading Night,” said Cyndi Johnston, adult education program coordinator at Spoon River College.

The activities, locations and times of each library’s event are listed below.

Astoria: The Astoria Public Library will celebrate with Family Reading Kits that will be available for families to pick up anytime on Thursday, November 18. The kits are filled with snacks, book marks, family activities, as well as a book and other surprises.

Canton: Parlin-Ingersoll Library will give out take-home packets November 15-19 that will include a book list, a canvas, playdough, and how-to-draw pages. They will also host an in-person event, “Reading Colors Your World: Family Art Night,” on Thursday, November 18 from 5:30-7 p.m., that will feature three stations: Doodles, Sculpture, and Painting. Registration is required for the painting sessions. For more information or to register, please call the library at (309) 833-6038 or stop in and ask for Ms. Tiffany.

Cuba: The Spoon River Library will celebrate Family Reading Night on Thursday, November 18 from 5:30-6:30 with games, treats, and prizes for all ages.

Farmington: The Farmington Area Public Library will celebrate with a book walk, snacks, a reading corner and more on Thursday, November 18 from 6−7:30 p.m.

Havana: Havana Public Library will celebrate with a hybrid family reading program. Special packets will be available to pick up inside the library starting November 15 until supplies run out, and those participants will be eligible for a door prize drawing that will be held on November 30. There will be a book log inside the packets to fill out and return for extra chances in the drawing. In addition, watch their Facebook page for interactive activities and challenges November 15-20.

Lewistown: The Lewistown Carnegie Library will celebrate Family Reading Night Wednesday, November 17 starting after school until 8 p.m. with a book give away and a craft for all visiting families.

Macomb: The Macomb Public Library will host Reading Day on Thursday, November 18 from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Rushville: The Rushville Public Library will celebrate by giving away a free book and a take and make Thanksgiving themed craft from 4−7 p.m. on Thursday, November 18.

For more information about the Literacy Project at Spoon River College, visit www.src.edu or call Cyndi Johnston at (309) 833-6038.

National First-Generation College Student Celebration Day November 8

National First-Generation College Student Celebration Day is November 8, in honor of the date when the Higher Education Act of 1965 was signed by President Lyndon Johnson, providing federal funding with a goal of strengthening resources and making college more accessible for all students.

Jill Olson, director of the TRIO Student Success Services program at Spoon River College, planned celebrations on the Canton and Macomb campuses to mark the occasion. TRIO is a federally funded program designed to help students overcome social, academic, class, and cultural barriers in higher education. Being a first generation college student is one of the eligibility requirements of the TRIO program.

“We define first generation students as those whose parents have not completed a four-year degree,” said Olson. “They are less likely to be familiar with college processes, like the FAFSA and how to get financial aid in place. It can be overwhelming, and TRIO helps students navigate these systems and processes. Helping at risk students overcome as many of these barriers as possible increases their chances of successfully completing a college degree or a certificate program.”

TRIO participants at Spoon River College are provided with personalized advising for career, transfer, and degree planning. Workshops covering topics ranging from personal financial literacy to time management and study tips are offered, and professional math and science tutors as well as peer tutors are available for both one-on-one and group study opportunities.

TRIO advisors place an emphasis on preparing students to transfer, aiding in selection of the correct transfer classes to take and traveling with students to visit four-year universities. Eligible transfer students who are TRIO members can have their application fees to their four-year schools waived.  Cultural outings, including to museums and art exhibits (at no expense to students), are part of the program, and members regularly participate in community service projects.

“Our off-campus trips enable the TRIO students to connect socially with other students, while exposing them to experiences they may have never taken part in on their own,” said Olson.

TRIO participants are also eligible for an exclusive scholarship program and have access to a private computer lab and study space, free printing, and are able to borrow textbooks, graphing calculators and voice recorders. In 2020, the program introduced a laptop lending program that has been highly utilized by students.

“TRIO works with each student where they are at,” Olson said. “If the student wishes to use all our services, we are happy to cater to that. If they only need transfer assistance, we can provide that for the student. Each student’s academic journey and needs are different, and we work to meet each student’s individual needs while they are at SRC.”

“Our goal is to improve the academic success of our students so they can successfully graduate and transfer to a four-year university.”

Cake and punch will be served to all Spoon River College faculty, staff, and students in both Canton and Macomb during the week of November 8 to recognize those who are or were first-generation students.

To learn more about TRIO, visit www.src.edu, or contact Jill Olson at jill.olson@src.edu or 309-833-6029.

At Risk Student Determined to Succeed – Trinity Brock

Trinity Brock is considered the college student who is at risk of not completing a degree. She is  a first-generation (parents did not complete a Bachelor’s degree) and low-income student, and only 20 years old and living on her own while working full-time and carrying a full load of classes at Spoon River College.

Brock also has a trauma-filled past and struggles to stay mentally healthy. Born in Arkansas, she was brought to Illinois when she was six years old by her grandmother. Her father was never in the picture and her mother lacked the ability to provide a healthy and nurturing home life. Brock was just 4 when she experienced sexual abuse for the first time. When she was 12 and it happened for a fourth time, she spoke out.

“I tried to tell another family member, but they didn’t believe me and it got swept under the rug, so after that I didn’t say anything,” Brock said. In eighth grade she was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and spent almost three weeks in a psychiatric ward.

At the end of her freshman year of high school, she was credit deficient, behaving badly, and “didn’t like authority.” High school officials expelled her, and she enrolled at Royals Academy in Carthage, an alternative program designed for students with a variety of needs.

At 16 she traveled to Texas with her mother and her mother’s boyfriend, but when Brock and the boyfriend couldn’t get along, she was the one left behind. Through the efforts of her therapist, her grandmother, and Texas CPS, she made her way back to Illinois, enrolling once again at Royals and finally completing her graduation requirements.

Brock said Royals’ teacher Kim Featherlin had a life-changing impact on her. “I probably would not have finished if it hadn’t been for her. She supported me in every way possible, even outside of class. She cared, and that’s what I needed. Royals is a great school—alternative schools are more trauma aware—and the teachers take pride in it.”

In 2020, Brock enrolled at Spoon River College. She joined the TRIO Student Support Services program, a federally funded program specifically designed to support at risk students. She takes advantage of the one-on-one tutoring and the workshops offered to TRIO students. She also meets regularly with TRIO director Jill Olson and TRIO advisor Abby Beck.

“Having a support system is a big thing for me; I’ve never had one before, and it’s vital,” Brock said. “I can go to Miss Abby and Miss Jill for anything, even just to talk. Math teacher Shelli Stuart has also been a big part of my support system here.”

Despite working full-time, attending school full-time, and working to stay mentally healthy through therapy, Brock is making time to experience college life. She serves as president of the Student Government Association and has joined the Speech and Debate team. During Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerich’s visit to the college in September, Brock was one of three students who volunteered to share their stories during a discussion of college affordability, and she spoke quietly but candidly about her situation.

Brock is working towards her associate degree with an anticipated graduation date of fall 2022. She plans to transfer to WIU, although she’s still debating what her major will be. “At first I wanted to do social work, to help other kids escape what I went through, but I also find myself being drawn to education. I feel it will be one of those two things.”

While it’s normal for a college student to be unsure of a career path, Brock says it bothers her to not have a solid plan. “I don’t like being undecided. It puts me on edge.”

Brock also says she finds it hard to relax and often feels out of place. Besides the depression and anxiety, she was recently diagnosed with ADHD and Bipolar disorder. She doesn’t like the way the medications make her feel, but she also doesn’t do well without them.  She suffers from panic attacks, becomes overstimulated, and sometimes has to leave the classroom. “It becomes too much. I can hear the papers shuffling and the pens clicking.”

Despite it all, Brock is determined to build a better future for herself. She loves her job at Wesley Village and works hard at her college studies, even though she says her schedule is often mentally and physically exhausting.  “Sometimes, I just have to cry it out.”

It takes courage to share such a personal story, but Brock feels it’s important to be transparent about her mental health and the sexual abuse she experienced.  “I want others who are also struggling, no matter what their situation is, to know that they are not alone. I want to give them hope that they can achieve what they want to achieve.”

ROYALS (Regional Office Youth Alternative Learning Services) Safe Schools and Alternative Programs are offered through the Regional Office of Education #26. For more information call 309-575-3226 or visit their webpage at https://www.roe26.net/.

For those who may be struggling with their mental health or are victims of sexual assault or domestic violence, please reach out. WIRC-CAA Hotline – (309) 837-5555; Fulton-Mason Crisis Service – 309-647-8311; Quanada Hotline – 1-800-273-TALK (8255); National Suicide Prevention Hotline – 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Spoon River College Theatre Announces Company for Silent Sky

​The theatre at Spoon River College has announced the cast and crew for its Nov. 12-14 production of Lauren Gunderson’s 2015 drama Silent Sky.

Lauren Gunderson holds the distinction of being currently the most-produced living American playwright. The true story of early-20th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt, Silent Sky explores a woman’s place in society during a time of immense scientific discoveries in this “luminously beautiful play, an intellectual epic told on an intimate scale” according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The San Francisco Chronicle calls Silent Sky “sheer magic…with bursts of smart, infectious humor.”

Director Douglas Okey, a member of the SRC faculty, said that Silent Sky “shows a historical figure in a dramatic light, highlighting the accomplishments of Henrietta Leavitt but really presenting her character in a human story.” Okey added that the play, while a drama, “has lots of light, comedic moments.”

SRC Theatre presents its plays in the Taylor Hall Theatre on the college’s Canton Campus. Silent Sky runs Nov. 12 and 13 at 7:00 p.m. and Nov. 14 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 each and can be reserved using the reservations form on the Theatre page at SRC.edu or calling (309) 649-6257.

Members of the company for Silent Sky, comprising both currently enrolled students and community members, include: Lauren Avery, Kaitlynn Tutt, Kirsten Seeley, Sydney Munson, Hannah Zimmerman, Lily Rogers, Haiden Lee, Stacy Smith, Madelynn Wilcox, Ethan Tinsman, Aaron Haacke, Rachel Hickle, Hunter Martin, Aimee Kalb, Destiny Evans, Sienna Rader, and Keeara Virag.