FFA Food Science team competes at State FFA’s Food Science team placed 3rd in the State Food Science Career Development Event (CDE) hosted at Southern Illinois - Carbondale on April 9.  The team of Drexel Douglass (’22), Evan Alvarez (’24), Juliana Bernardi (’22), and Peter Metivier (’23)...

FFA State: Four members place in top 5 Evan Kraft (’23) won first place at the Illinois FFA State Awards Day competition Saturday, March 26, competing in the Wildlife Production and Management event. Juliana Bernardi (’22) was named runner-up in the Food Service competition, while fellow seniors...

As the American Red Cross battles its first-ever blood crisis, experiencing the worst blood shortage in over a decade, Student Council hosted its second blood drive of the year Feb. 25.   Students, staff and community members donated a combined 75 units of blood, enough to save 225 lives.  The...

School Board cuts middle school foreign language The Unit 5 School Board voted to eliminate the 8th-grade foreign language program -- the result of a nearly $14 million budget deficit -- on Wednesday, March 9.  The Board removed the district’s 5th-grade instrumental music program from the list...

With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention no longer recommending universal indoor mask-wearing in K-12 schools and early education settings in low or medium COVID-19 Community Level areas, the Inkspot asked students why they opt to continue masking.

The IHSA State Speech Competition “was just mind-blowing,” according to Junior Ciara Wallace, one of Community’s three State qualifiers. Wallace, who competed in Feb. 18’s Poetry Reading preliminary round, described the State experience as “extremely competitive.” The competition at...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention no longer recommend universal indoor mask-wearing in K-12 schools and early education settings in low or medium COVID-19 Community Level areas, announcing the shift in COVID guidelines Friday, Feb. 25. As of Thursday, March 3, McLean County is one of...

Student Council collects 75 units of blood during spring blood drive In partnership with the American Red Cross, Student Council collected 75 units of blood during the annual spring blood drive on Feb. 25. Community’s most successful blood drive collected 99 units in 2019. This year’s drive...

Community's FFA chapter was honored as a Three Star National Chapter at the organization's National Convention & Expo on Oct. 28.  The award recognizes the group's activities last year, naming Community among the top 3% of the country's 8,817 chapters. Community, co-advised by Mrs. Liz Harris...

The most affordable Madrigals holiday performance in 20 years takes the stage this weekend. As a result of COVID-19 restrictions prohibiting food service, ticket prices dropped from a past average of $20 to $5 for the Chamber Choir and Madrigal singers' Christmas concert. While the local restaurant...

Staffing shortages, said Superintendent Kristin Weikle at the Oct. 17 School Board meeting, are “one of the biggest challenges [the district] is facing” this school year. Unit 5’s struggles to staff vacant positions in the food service and custodial departments, and the lack of substitute teachers...

Illinois students may take five excused “mental health days” under a law effective in January, prompting conflicting reactions at Community. In August, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1577, allowing students ages seven to 17 to “make up any school work missed” during their five mental-...

The Technology department collaborated on a one-of-a-kind holiday display for auction at the Baby Fold's 28th annual Festival of Trees. Supported by a $5000 grant, over 300 Technology students designed ornaments to decorate a "rustic-theme[d]" Christmas tree to help support the local children's agency....

During a national blood supply shortage, Student Council will host a blood drive Friday, Nov. 19. Students 16 and older are eligible to participate, with donors receiving a t-shirt and a $10 Amazon e-gift card provided by the American Red Cross.  With the American Red Cross' blood supply at its...