Congratulations to the Washington Junior High Quadrant Basketball Team for winning the 7th annual Joliet Grade Schools Foundation for Educational Excellence “Hoops for D86” fundraiser. Members of the winning team included: Victoria Green (Edna Keith Elementary), Timothy Jones (Eisenhower Academy), Dan Kelley (Eisenhower Academy), Jason Kuefler (Woodland Elementary), Devan McCammack (Edna Keith Elementary), Nate McCullum (Washington Junior High), Jordan Miller (Woodland Elementary), Ariana Moore (Edna Keith Elementary), Samuel Olea (Woodland Elementary), Brandyn Smith (Washington Junior High), Christian Smith (Building Support Services), Dan Wikert (Washington Junior High).
Proceeds from the event will benefit Joliet Public Schools District 86 students. In addition to the employee basketball tournament, District 86 school administrators played a basketball game against a team comprised of community members. Cheerleaders from M.J. Cunningham Elementary, Dirksen Junior High, Hufford Junior High, A.O. Marshall Elementary, Pershing Elementary, Sator Sanchez Elementary, Isaac Singleton Elementary, and Washington Junior High Schools also performed at the event.
Corporate sponsors of the event included ExxonMobil Corporation (Full Court) and First Midwest Bank (Three Point Club). Half Time Sponsors included Bill & Margaret Benoit, Brown & Brown Insurance, Grand Prairie Transit, Precision Control Systems, Inc., and Rival5 Technologies Corp. Booster Sponsors were J.L. Adler Roofing and Sheet Metal, Inc., CenterPoint Properties, Brian Feltes & Associates, Inc., ITR Systems, K12 Insight, STR Partners LLC, and Vanguard Energy.
The Joliet Grade Schools Foundation for Educational Excellence was established in 2003 to enhance and enrich educational opportunities for Joliet Public Schools District 86 students. Over the past 16 years, the Foundation has awarded 366 classroom grants totaling over $400,000 and provided more than $49,500 in scholarships to benefit District 86 students.