Middle school students share night of entertainment

ISLAND LAKE – Hundreds of middle-schoolers from the Wauconda and Island Lake area had a chance to hang out together Nov. 19 as Matthews Middle School played host to a special “Communities that Care function.”

Students from Matthews, Wauconda Middle School and Transfiguration School came for a night of games, movies, dancing, pizza and open gym time, while teachers, parents and officials of Island Lake stood by watching.

“I think it’s a great idea with the kids able to get out and have fun,” said Island Lake police Chief William McCorkle, who oversaw a climbing rope in the main gym. “And the teachers and parents can have fun without telling them to do homework in the classrooms.”

Island Lake Mayor Debbie Herrmann said the idea of having a special night for students to hang out at the middle school generated from the parks and recreation department in Island Lake last year.

“This is the future of our community,” Herrmann said. “[This event] gives kids something to do other than hang out on the streets.”

Last year, a “Communities that Care” function debuted on a Wednesday night at Matthews, but only about 45 students attended the event, said Matthews Principal David Wilm.

This year, more than 300 students were in attendance, and Herrmann said she hopes to host two or three more events by the end of the school year.

Besides being an avenue for students to participate in different activities, the gathering also allowed friends from different schools to hang out together, like Sam Smith and Aris Potash, who both said the event was a great idea.

“I would be at home watching TV,” said Smith, 12, a seventh-grader at Matthews. “This is way better.”

“I think it’s a good way to get with your friends and socialize,” said Potash, 13, an eighth-grader from Wauconda Middle School.

Matt Smyth, an eighth-grade language arts teacher at Matthews, played basketball with several of his students.

That was a lot of fun for Matt Carlson, 13, an eighth-grader at Matthews.

“I like how you can interact with different teachers,” Carlson said.

Carlson said he also enjoyed being able to hang out with his friends Scott Sharp, Bryce Denovo and Max Buechner, all 13 and eighth-graders at Matthews, as well as Brycin Stallings and TJ Keeton, both 11 and sixth-graders at Matthews.

“I would probably be hanging out with just one or two people [if I wasn’t here],” Carlson said.

The admission fee for the activity night was a donation of a winter coat for the Island Lake coat drive, or $5. Herrmann and her staff collected more than 100 coats and more than $500.

“If you look around, they’re all having fun,” Smyth said. “I think it’s a good idea to bring the community together.”