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Admin — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 18:39:53 GMT

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RLC to Boost Dual Credit Opportunities with $145,369 Grant from Illinois Community College Board

nathanwheeler@rlc.edu (Nathan Wheeler) — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 04:00:00 GMT

INA, Ill. (April 23, 2024) — The Illinois Community College Board announced in March that it is awarding a $145,369 grant that will expand Rend Lake College’s dual credit opportunities for high school students in the district. In all, the ICCB injected $3 million into dual credit at community colleges across the state. The program allows students the ability to earn college-level credits while still in high school. RLC dual credit has saved area students and their families nearly $20 million since being first introduced in 2002 when students in the RLC district saved just under $69,000. In FY23, it saved them a combined $997,466 in tuition and textbooks.

COLLEGE SIGNING DAYS 2024 - Woodlawn High School

nathanwheeler@rlc.edu (Nathan Wheeler) — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 04:00:00 GMT

COLLEGE SIGNING DAYS 2024 - NCOE HIGH SCHOOL

nathanwheeler@rlc.edu (Nathan Wheeler) — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 04:00:00 GMT

Legence Bank Partners with Rend Lake College Foundation to Sponsor the 33rd Annual Scholarship Reception and Award Scholarships to Deserving Students

nathanwheeler@rlc.edu (Nathan Wheeler) — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 04:00:00 GMT

INA, Ill. (April 11, 2024) – Legence Bank, a community-focused financial institution, proudly sponsored the 33rd Annual Rend Lake College Foundation Scholarship Dinner, contributing $5,000 towards scholarships and event support. This generous donation will directly benefit two exceptional RLC students, Brockton Miller and Madison Shephard, by providing them with scholarships that recognize their hard work, academic achievements and community service.

RLC Board Of Trustees Meeting Highlights April 9, 2024

nathanwheeler@rlc.edu (Nathan Wheeler) — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 04:00:00 GMT

Prairie State Generating Company Hosts Educational Tour for RLC Students

nathanwheeler@rlc.edu (Nathan Wheeler) — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 04:00:00 GMT

PRAIRIE STATE GENERATING COMPANY HOSTS EDUCATIONAL TOUR FOR REND LAKE COLLEGE STUDENTS

MARISSA, Ill. (April 3, 2024) – Prairie State Generating Company opened its doors last week to a group of students from Rend Lake College's Agricultural Mechanics, Diesel Technology, and Heavy Equipment Tech programs. The exclusive tour of its coal mine and power plant facilities provided a unique hands-on learning experience for future technicians and mechanics.

The tour was organized by PSGC Public Relations Specialist Alyssa Lohmann Kreger. Diesel Technology Instructor Colin Jones and Heavy Equipment Technology Associate Professor Zach Vahlkamp accompanied the students, who were divided into two groups, each getting an opportunity to witness first-hand the operations of one of Illinois' most popular energy producers. Students included Isaiah Bassinger, Jason Kinzinger, Braydan Reames, Kody Kempfer, Zach Stanford, Tucker Dearmond, Connor Terry, Caleb Boulds, AJ Lenkaitis, Jacob Grommet, Dawson Abbott, Jacob Piasecki, Patrick Gill, Bryce Bieber, Wyatt Pilson, Drake Barnett, Brady Ingram, Matthew Worthington, Landon Leeper, and Richard Bassinger.

Rend Lake College students toured the Prairie State Energy Campus on March 26. FROM LEFT are; Isaiah Bassinger, Instructor Colin Jones, Jason Kinzinger, Braydan Reames, Kody Kempfer, Zach Stanford, Tucker Dearmond, Connor Terry, Caleb Boulds, AJ Lenkaitis and Jacob Grommet.

Initial reactions of the students as they first entered the coal mine and the power plant

"I was very impressed with how organized and how the machinery is being ran," Kempfer said.

Stanford shared his excitement about the tour, noting, "I was very excited to have the chance to go and that it was all new to me and how interesting it was to see how things were ran on both sides."

“I liked how they showed the process of how they take coal out of the mine to process it and ship it over to the power plant and which then they showed us how it was being burned,” Kinzinger said.

Rend Lake College students toured the Prairie State Energy Campus on March 26. FROM LEFT, are; Associate Professor Zack Vahlkamp, Dawson Abbott, Jacob Piasecki, Patrick Gill, Bryce Bieber, Wyatt Pilson, Drake Barnett, Brady Ingram, Matthew Worthington, Landon Leeper, and Richard Bassinger.

Misconceptions the students had going in that were challenged on the tour

Students were particularly impressed by the cleanliness of the underground operations and the innovative use of lime to control dust underground, which also aids in illuminating the tunnels. On the power plant side, the focus was on environmental control processes, dispelling misconceptions about emissions and revealing that steam is what you can see exiting the stack.

A memorable moment for the group was witnessing a miner navigate through the crosscut and observing the roof bolter in action. The balancing of a nickel on the generator assembly due to its stability left a lasting impression on the students.

Key takeaways from the tour

The tour also highlighted the diverse career opportunities within the energy sector beyond traditional mechanic roles. Students learned about the potential for advancement and mobility within companies like Prairie State, which values employee development and care.

"Looking towards the future, I think that this tour opened some eyes as to what goes on at a facility like Prairie State," Jones said. "Also, this tour showed the students that there are different kinds of job opportunities and career paths that they can go down and they are not just limited to a mechanic job as their career."

For more information about Prairie State Generating Company and its educational initiatives, please visit Prairie State Energy Campus.

PSGC Media Contact: Vice President, External Affairs & Organizational Strategy Alyssa Harre, Prairie State Generating Company, aharre@psgc-llc.com, 618-824-7667

RLC Media Contact: Director of Marketing & Communications Nathan Wheeler, Rend Lake College, wheelern@rlc.edu, 618-437-5321, Ext. 1234.

END

RLC Connecting JL Buford Students & NASA EXPERTS for Stellar Solar Eclipse Educational Event

nathanwheeler@rlc.edu (Nathan Wheeler) — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 04:00:00 GMT

INA, Ill. (March 30, 2024) — Rend Lake College will host 150 sixth graders from J.L. Buford Grade School for an education event Friday leading up to The Great American Eclipse. The students will learn about the reasons why eclipses occur, eclipse safety, and ways to enjoy the event. Representatives from NASA will be on hand for a keynote address and to facilitate some activities with the participants. Additionally, attendees will have the exciting opportunity to receive exclusive NASA merchandise during the event.

RLC's Innovative Transition Summit Unlocks Student Potential

nathanwheeler@rlc.edu (Nathan Wheeler) — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 04:00:00 GMT

INA, Ill. (March 26, 2024) — Rend Lake College, in partnership with the Mid-South Transition Planning Committee, hosted its 12^th Annual Transition Summit on March 7. Attended by more than 100 junior and senior high school students from special education programs in the area, the Transition Summit introduced them to career options, as well as the RLC campus, faculty, staff and students.

Diversity Week April 1-5 at RLC

nathanwheeler@rlc.edu (Nathan Wheeler) — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 04:00:00 GMT

INA, Ill. (March 26, 2024) — During Diversity Week, April 1-5 at Rend Lake College, cultural and international themed events are offered with the purpose of increasing awareness, understanding and inclusivity. The events are open to all students, faculty and staff and have ranged from film showings to guest speakers, wellness activities and performers.