ROCHELLE — If you think the shelter in place order that closed Illinois schools March 20 has left students sleeping all day and gaming all night, you are wrong. 

Putting e-Learning responsibilities aside, Rochelle Township High School boasts socially conscious kids who have used this time to apply for a grant that will preserve Rochelle history. The RTHS Interact Club successfully competed for a Community Foundation of Northern Illinois In Youth We Trust Grant. 

The RTHS team refers to what they’re doing as Interact-ing with history. They decided to seek $3,500 to help the Flagg Township Historical Society maintain the Flagg Museum in downtown Rochelle.Word of their success came from Ciara Stahly, CFNILprogram officer and IYWT liaison, who informed them via e-mail.

“Congratulations,” the email read. “CFNIL’s Board of Trustees approved the In Youth We Trust Council’s recommendation to grant the Rochelle Interact Club $3,500 for ‘Interact’ing With History Project. You should receive your check sometime in the next few weeks, along with information regarding the final report.”

Due to the COVID-19 health crisis, there will be no formal grants reception, but Stahly said the plan will be to host a virtual reception to honor the work of all these outstanding young people.

“In the past, we have had the grantees give a short speech explaining their projects,” Stahly said. “With this year’s reception being virtual, the Council would like a representative to create a brief video.”

Plans

Cue Madelyn Ohlinger and club advisor Alison Vrana. They got their heads together (virtually together) this week to work on a script, which Ohlinger will perform and submit. Senior Gabby Harding and junior Alexis Sanford also worked on this grant. It was Ohlinger who first suggested Interact consider the Flagg Museum as the recipient. 

“I first went into the museum in November of 2018,” Ohlinger said. “My mom brought me. I started working there that same month. Whenever I think of the museum, I think of the amazing staff who work there. They are so friendly and kind, and are a huge part of what makes volunteering there so special to me. They have so many artifacts; I love getting to see old pictures of Rochelle, of old buildings and businesses that played a big part in the history of our town.”

It’s no wonder she is interested in Rochelle history — the Ohlinger family has lived and farmed in Rochelle for six generations. As a contingency of the grant, the Interact members are expected to be hands-on through the completion of the project. 

Because of the shelter in place order issued by Gov. Pritzker to minimize the spread of the coronavirus, Ohlinger said the club will make this a mandatory event next year so it can have the full support of the club next year. Ohlinger said that Interact works with student council and the other service clubs for their fundraisers.

“We hoped to raise additional money for the project through our annual students versus staff volleyball and basketball games,” she said. “Unfortunately, like so much else since March 14, the event was cancelled.  We hope to reach out (to other clubs) for their help in this project and to any student at RTHS who wishes to volunteer.”

Interact hopes to underwrite the cost of painting and repairs and hopefully there will be enough for cleaning the museum afterward.