Girls Basketball Camp forms and waivers will go home with students this week or forms will be available at the grade school office! 🏀😍
CHS: AWARDS NIGHT INVITATIONS
Email invititation have been sent to student emails in addition to the previously mailed letter. Ask your student to check their email to confirm their invitation to CHS Awards Night. Thank you
CHS: AWARDS NIGHT
The Academic "C", Bars, and Athletic Awards will start promptly at 6:00pm, followed by a brief intermission. The Scholarship Awards portion of the ceremony will begin at 6:30pm. Please enter through the Professor Sharp Cafeteria, doors open at 5:45pm.
CHS: SOFTBALL & BASEBALL CANCELATIONS
Today's home softball and baseball games are canceled due to wet field conditions.
This whole week we are celebrating our incredible Teachers and Staff. We can not thank you enough for all you do!
Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week 2024
CGS!!!! Tomorrow, the 7th and 8th Grade Spirit Games BEGIN!!! We kick it off with Patriot Day!!! So wear your red, white, and blue!! And don't forget your canned goods to bring in all this week! 🧡😎❤️🤍💙
CHS: Football Parents Meeting
5pm tonight in Professor Sharp Cafeteria
CHS: EARTH DAY SNOW CONES
Students who worked the Earth Day Event at a variety of locations around the community were rewarded with Snow Cones today during lunch. Our students worked very hard and it was a well deserved treat!
Thank you!
CHS: 2024-2025 STUDENT COUNCIL OFFICERS
Congratulations to your 2024-2025 Student Council Officers:
President: Addy Gottschammer
Vice President: Southern LaChance
Secretary: Kendall Nanney
Treasurer: Isabel Smith
Extra-Curricular Chair: Brendan Malley
CHS: ILLINOIS STATE AG MECHANICS CONTEST
Noah Homan competed in the Illinois State FFA Agriculture Mechanics contest in Welding, on Thursday May 1st, hosted at Illinois Central College. Out of 33 FFA members competing,
Noah placed 4th in the state!
Congratulations and great job Noah!
CHS: 2024 SISHSA BANQUET
Wednesday, May 1st CHS administrators and six of our students attended the 52st Annual Southern Illinois Society for High School Achievement (SISHSA) Banquet where our six students were recognized for their high level of achievement among the top high school seniors across Southern Illinois. Our administrators, Principal: Jeremy Blechle, Assistant Principal: Robin Barton and recognized students Garret Hopkins, Emma Diskey, Jordan Buskohl, Mabry Wingerter, Josalynn Anaya, and Lucas Thompson are pictured in the attachment. Congratulations on your accomplishments and worthy recognition! (photos courtesy of Jim Beers)
CHS: 2024-2025 NHS OFFICERS
CONGRATULATIONS
to next year's NHS Officers!
President : Whitney Sulser
Vice President: Will Welge
Secretary: Rylie Conley
Treasurer: Jack Heffernan
CHS: EARTH DAY SNOWCONE FRIDAY
Reminder to bring your Earth Day Snow Cone voucher for pulling together with us to serve both the community and planet we call home. Snow Cones will be served during lunch tomorrow 5/3/24. Thank you!
CONGRATULATIONS to these CGS Jr. Jacket Trackletes!!! They will be competing in the SIJHSAA Class L State Track & Field Meet in Carterville on May 11th.
400m Relay Team: Donnie Sabo, Xzyavier Wilson, Preston Liefer, Danny Worley
Long Jump: Danny Worley
Shot Put: Kingston Turner
WE ARE PROUD OF YOU ALL!! 👏😎
CHS: SIUC MORRIS LIBRARY FIELD TRIP
Chester High School Creative Writing and Senior Composition Classes (both taught by Rana Hodge). 25 students total.
The field trip idea came from an assignment in Creative Writing. One of the first class projects was to “create a field trip,” and students had to complete the official school paperwork with real details, plans, times, dates, a budget, a reason it connects to the class, and even state standards. Two of the projects were approved by Principal Blechle — the first was a class field trip to the Chester Public Library, submitted by Hannah Kaemphe and Nico DeGuzman, and this field trip to Carbondale was created by Ice Smith and Austin McDonald. Cherie Watson of SIUC helped Miss Hodge plan the agenda and guided us throughout the day.
To prepare for the trip, students in both classes had to research and teach their fellow students about a variety of topics pertaining to the experience, including presentations on Professor Sharp, Professor Allison Joseph, SIUC history, Faner Hall, and more.
Students were given the Saluki Welcome in the rotunda of Morris Library, where they also received a tour and a visit to special collections. Here research specialist Aaron Lisec prepared a unique look at Chester history — from Civil War letters to 1970s photographs, students were surprised to learn that there were archival records and some downright interesting artifacts being preserved from their hometown.
In the afternoon, students headed to the Sharp Museum for a tour guided by Wes Stoerger. Due to their research, they understood the Sharp legacy and the connection from Chester to the halls in the Carbondale gallery. Here they saw exhibits from SIUC art students, Southern Illinois women artists, regional artists, world art, and historical art collections. Pieces ranged from ceramics and paintings to interpretive dance (on film) and even a series of work depicting a unique language created by Carbondale artist Marquez Scoggin.
At the gallery, Professor Allison Joseph (world-renowned poet and SIUC faculty member) led a poetry workshop with Chester students on Ekphrastic poetry — or, poetry inspired by art. Students learned about the subject with a mini-lecture by Joseph, and then wrote poetry inspired by the art in the Sharp Museum.
At the end of the workshop, students shared their work with Professor Allison Joseph and the group. Joseph explained that the rough drafts and fresh ideas are like “wet paint,” and students should continue to work with them, ideally even visiting the original art again for new ideas and inspiration — but despite the short amount of time the students had to work, she was impressed with their creativity, boldness, and ability to tackle big emotions with small words. Some students wrote poems of heartbreak and pain, while others saw uplifting visions or were curious about the art. Professor Joseph invited students back for a Writers’ Conference — a two day workshop in June for high-school students who are passionate about the art of writing. Several students expressed excitement about the idea and hope to return to SIUC this summer.
CGS & CHS: THANK YOU
Both CGS & CHS would like to thank Kristen Gonzalez of Ritter Real Estate for the gift of treats during Staff Appreciation Week. Thank you!
CHS: STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK DRESS UP DAYS
Thank you Chester CUSD 139 Staff for making a difference everyday. 🧡
CHS: 2024 IPA BREAKFAST
Mabry Wingerter recognized as a student
who exemplifies leadership, good character,
and strong academics. Congratulations Mabry!
CHS: SIGNING DAY 2024
Wednesday, May 8th 2:25 pm
Come join the CHS family as our Seniors sign commitments to their plans for the coming year.
Family, friends, and community welcome.
Ceremony will be in Colbert Gymnasium
Please enter through the Professor Sharp Cafeteria
Doors open to the public at 2:10pm
CHS: 2024 SPRING CONCERT
Tuesday, May 7th, 7:30pm
Performance in
Colbert Gymnasium
Please enter through the Professor Sharp Cafeteria
