News Briefs: HPFD Pancake Breakfast on Sunday, Regina students talk women’s rights in NYC, Glencoe official picked for national group

The Highland Park Fire Department will host its annual Pancake Breakfast from 7:30-11 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20, at Fire Station 33, 1130 Central Ave.

The event will feature pancakes, a chance to meet Highland Park’s firefighter/paramedics and more. Proceeds from the event will benefit Camp I Am Me, a program of the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance that supports children recovering from burns.

The cost is $7 for adults and $3 for children.

Regina Dominican students off to NYC for empowerment conference

Three Regina Dominican High School juniors — Esthela Gemoets, Courtney Park and Rowan Daly — represented the school at the United Nations’ International Day of the Girl-Girls Speak Out! & Action Conference in New York City on Oct. 11.

The conference, with a theme of “Girls’ Rights in the Future,” will empower girls globally and address the challenges they face.

The students will join peers from around the world to advocate for safe, educated and healthy lives for all girls through discussions and activities. The event coincides with the UN’s International Day of the Girl, a resolution adopted in 2011 to highlight the rights and challenges faced by girls globally.

The school emphasized its commitment to independent thinkers, truth-seekers, and confident leaders, aligning with the conference’s goals.

Principal Dr. Kassie Porreca, Assistant Principal Verna Allworth and Director of the Leadership Institute Julie Koenigsberger will accompany the students.

Glencoe Parks leader earns national recognition

The Glencoe Park District’s Executive Director Lisa Sheppard has been elected as a fellow into the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, according to a news release.

The academy is a prestigious organization of leading practitioners and educators in the parks and recreation profession.

Sheppard was inducted into the academy at its general membership meeting on Oct. 9. To be eligible for election, individuals must have served for at least 15 years in a high-level administrative role in a park and recreation agency or as a recognized educator in the field. Additionally, candidates must demonstrate outstanding leadership in professional organizations through service, writing, speaking and a commitment to advancing public parks and recreation. The Academy has a limited membership of 137 active members across the United States.

“I am truly honored to have been voted into the AAPRA, joining such an incredible group of professionals from across the country,” said Sheppard in the release. “I have always been passionate about advancing the Parks and Recreation profession, which plays a vital role in supporting the mental, physical, and social well-being of a community through parks, facilities, and programs.”

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