News Briefs: Regional win for WJH science olympiad; new branding from Chicago Botanic Garden; Highland Parker takes top job in Long Grove

The Wilmette Junior High School science olympiad team recently earned the first-place trophy at the meet at Harper College to advance to the state meet on April 20 at the University of Illinois in Champaign.

Wilmette Junior High’s team won three competitions (Disease Detectives, Tower and Reach for the Stars) and finished in the top three in 13 of 23 categories en route to the regional championships. As a result, 12 different individuals earned at least two medals for their performances, according to a release from Wilmette District 39.

“I could not be happier for this group,” said George Nelson, the team’s coach and a seventh-grade science teacher at WJHS, in a statement. “They have worked extremely hard and put a lot of time and effort into improving as our season has progressed. It was great to see that hard work rewarded at the Regional meet and we are excited to showcase our knowledge and talent at the state meet in April.”

The school district describes science olympiad as a co-curricular educational program that strives to ignite the passion for science, medicine and engineering in young minds.

“We are extremely proud of our students’ diligent efforts and inquisitive innovation throughout these competitions,” Superintendent Dr. Kari Cremascoli said in the release. “Their critical thinking, creativity and collaboration helped them to earn these outstanding results. We cannot wait to cheer them on at the state competition!”

New logo and tagline for Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden has unveiled a new logo and tagline; though, their mission won’t change.

The new branding will unite the garden’s programming but allows each to stand on its own, according to a release from the institution.

“We have grown so much, in so many ways over the last five decades,” said Jean Franczyk, the garden’s president and CEO in a statement. “The refreshed branding recognizes that growth and provides a new way of seeing the garden by elevating the full breadth of its work.”

The new logo and tagline are inspired by the center of a coneflower, or echinacea, and the vibrant colors reflect the hues of the garden. In the tagline, “with three powerful words,” is a nod to the mission of the botanic garden: “Plants. People. Planet.”

The botanic garden worked with The Scratch Collective, a women-owned company based in Chicagoland, to develop the new branding, which will be celebrated during the garden’s free admission days for Illinois residents between Tuesday-Friday, March 19-22.

To read more about the new logo and tagline, visit the garden’s website.

Below are more details on the free days.

• Tuesday, March 19: Starting at 8 a.m. for members and 10 a.m. for the public, experience live music on the Welcome Plaza, along with offers and activities at the Garden Shop and Garden View Café. The first 100 celebrants will receive a Garden branded yard sign.
• Wednesday, March 20: Starting at 10 a.m., participate in Negaunee Institute Science Chats at the Rice Plant Conservation Science Center. The first 100 celebrants will receive a Negaunee Institute branded echinacea seed kit.
• Thursday, March 21: Starting at 10 a.m., drop in to a cooking, sound meditation or art class at the Regenstein Learning Campus. The first 100 celebrants will receive a Regenstein School bamboo spatula.
• Friday, March 22: Starting at 10 a.m., stop by the Windy City Harvest farmstand in the Regenstein Center to purchase locally grown spinach and meet program participants. The first 100 celebrants will receive a Windy City Harvest canvas tote bag.

Sparkman is Long Grove’s new village manager

Highland Park resident Chris Sparkman was named the new village manager of the Village of Long Grove.

Prior to joining Long Grove, Sparkman worked for the Village of Grayslake, most recently serving as the assistant village manager.

“Our Board of Trustees interviewed numerous candidates and selected Chris because of his proven track record of effective governance and community development,” Village President Bill Jacob said in a press release. “His expertise in strategic planning, budget management and stakeholder engagement will help our Village tremendously.”

Long Grove is in Lake County and has a population of 8,366 people. To learn more, visit the town’s website.