............Press Release Archive

April  2007

Grundy County Teen Conference Showcases Character, Attitude and Relationships
Annual event teaches junior high school students about making positive choices
The 2007 Annual Grundy County Teen Conference took place on the wet, snowy morning of April 12th, but the event's warm and positive messages more than made up for the weather. Read more.

March  2007

Premier Academy High School Youth Receives State Award
Joliet, IL
Samantha Ziblis, a student at Premier Academy High School, was among eight students from across Illinois to receive Outstanding Student Awards from the Illinois Coalition for Educating At-Risk Youth (ICEARY).  Read more.

February  2007

NTTF:  Making a Difference for Grundy County Youth
Empowering youth, families, schools, and communities to address and prevent problems
In raising children and teens today, Grundy County parents face a host of threats -- including alcohol and drugs, gangs, and Internet predators.  But there are many positive forces as well, including a 13-year-old community coalition known as the Grundy County No Tolerance Task Force (NTTF).  Read more.

Premier Academy High School:  Getting Youth Back on the Path to Success
Joliet, IL
Regional Safe School Programs provide alternative education options for at-risk students to:  promote a structured, yet nurturing environment; implement a comprehensive individual learning plan for each student; incorporate in-kind services as needed; and provide students with a successful transition back into their respective home-schools and community.  Read more.

January  2007

Education Service Network:  Connecting People for the Benefit of the Community
Connectedness.  Collaboration.  Community.
While these buzzwords reflect society's reliance on technology in 2007, they mean a great deal more to the Education Service Network, an educational and social agency serving Will, Kendall and Grundy counties.  For ESN, collaboration has been and always will be the key to success.  Read more.

Alcoa Donation Will Help Premier Academy Mission
Company donates $20,000 to Morris alternative school
Alcoa Global Engineered Products General Manager Howard Somers and Human Resource Manager Lu Fatlan presented a check for $20,000 to Premier Academy, Morris Campus, from the Alcoa Foundation.  Read more.

Grundy County Teens Attend Statewide Drug Prevention Conference
Teens Against Tobacco Use (TATU) Member "Band Together" at Pheasant Run Event
Thirty-two teens from the four Grundy County high schools joined with thousand other students and adults who attended the Illinois Drug Education Alliance (IDEA) 24th annual statewide drug prevention conference themed "Band Together to Be Drug-Free."  Read more.

Joliet Noon Lions Test Premier Students for Vision Problems
Volunteer service assists 27 middle school students
The Joliet Noon Lions Club today demonstrated why they are so well-known for helping the blind and visually impaired.  The local Lions Club International affiliate spent two hours at Premier Joliet Middle School, testing 27 students for various visual problems.  Read more.

Community Kindness Brings a Happier Christmas to 10 Premier Students
Needy Students Treated to Christmas Shopping Trip
Thanks to a dedicated group of local donors, ten students at Premier Academy Middle School spent a happy day shopping and celebrating The Reason for the Season.  Read more.

Mobile Dentists Give Premier Academy Students Something New to Smile About
Smile Illinois Coming to Joliet Alternative School November 21-22
Students at Premier Academy, a Joliet alternative high school and middle school, will be able to go to the dentist when they go to school on November 21-22, 2006.
Read more.

September 2006

Grundy County Teens Say Yes to Helping Younger Kids Say No to Tobacco
Teens Against Tobacco Use (TATU) Training held September 20, 2006
When it comes to keeping kids from smoking, sometimes the most effective prevention messages come from other youth.
Read more. 

August 2006

Where Opportunity Knocks:  
Premier Academy provides a second chance at high school
by Casey Toner from the Morris Daily Herald News 
High School just isn't for some kids.  They might want to learn, but find themselves incapable or handicapped in a structured environment.  That's where Premier Academy High School takes over.  
Read more.

Premier Academy and Taiwanese School Share International Spotlight for "Best Practices"
Student Services Program Showcased at International Conference following Visit by Taiwanese Educators.
Joliet, IL:   A program designed to help alternative school students with counseling and other needs was recently highlighted as a "best practice" at the 2006 Global Conference of the National Career Development Association (NCDA) in Chicago.
Read more.