Even though I was born after most of the schools on this site were deactivated, I get told by my peers that my knowledge of the high school scene, present and especially past, is second to none, but I don’t like to claim that. I am originally from Rock Falls, and moved across the Rock River to Sterling, graduating from Sterling H.S. in 2005 while being a part of one of the classic high school rivalries, that of Sterling and Rock Falls High Schools, on both sides of the spectrum.
My love for the high school glory days came about while researching some of the high schools in my area. I was enthralled about the 1950-51 Hillsdale High School Boys Basketball team (see Hillsdale High School on this site) being the only athletic team in school history to win IHSA hardware. I wonder where that District Championship plaque is located today?? Upon a visit to Tampico High School (also see Tampico High School on this site) I stumbled upon the Trojans’ football field and track oval and could feel an experience of what it was like to come from a smaller school and represent the community well in their athletic endevors. Mind you, this is coming from an alum of Sterling High School, a much bigger school than Tampico.
After working with Prep Sports Online and the Sterling Daily Gazette/Dixon Telegraph, I started the Northern Illinois Sports Beat website, which covered high school sports in Northern Illinois. After 10 years of operating that website, I rejoined the Gazette/Telegraph in 2014. I joined this website shortly after it’s creation and am excited to be learning more about everything. I graduated from Sauk Valley Community College with an A.A. in Mass Communication in 2010. While at Sauk and Highland Community Colleges, I was Sports Editor for the school newspapers and won awards for my writing (so I guess you can call me an award-winning journalist). I reside in Sterling.
In times where state funding for education is hard to come by, especially here in Illinois, many of the school closures are unexpected and sometimes wrong – albeit in some cases it’s good thing. Unfortunately for most of these schools, there is not a public record that not only shares statistics, but the personal and memorable moments behind one’s time at their school that is not around anymore. This website was created to share the memories, stories and experiences of one’s most important time of their lives: The years of early adulthood, the Glory Days, of high school in Illinois.