First Lady Patricia Blagojevich awards college scholarships
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA["I can't begin to express how honored the Payton family is to be hosting this wonderful event recognizing the achievements of such self driven and accomplished young adults. Everyone knows my father loved football, but he loved children even more and for the first time my mom,
Jarrett and I will all be attending to not only celebrate the graduates but also my dad's birthday." Brittney Payton said. "We couldn't think of a better way to celebrate his life and birthday, than with the children he has helped for so many years, giving back is dad's true legacy."
"We applaud these hard-working youth and the strong, loving families who have supported their success," said DCFS Director Erwin McEwen. "DCFS is proud to encourage the future achievement of these young scholars."
As First Lady, Patricia Blagojevich has worked tirelessly to promote initiatives that help Illinois families bring up happy, healthy, and successful children. To promote early childhood literacy throughout Illinois, she has championed initiatives to encourage children to read, including the Children's Reading Club. The First Lady also spearheaded the Illinois Pediatric Vision Awareness Initiative, the first state sponsored campaign in the U.S. to specifically target Amblyopia, or ‘lazy eye', in children. Most recently the First Lady launched "Ask Before You Eat," a statewide education campaign designed to prevent unintentional and potentially-life threatening harm to children with food allergies.
Students receiving scholarships and awards include (Former IL DCFS wards that have been adopted and moved out of state are scholarship eligible):
Jeffrey Bakken, 18, Batavia, to attend DePaul University
Yesenia Barzaga, 18, Chicago, to attend Northeastern University
Jacqui Batts, 18, Chicago, to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Jaquta Box, 18, Chicago, to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Christine Caffey, 18, Lawrence, KS to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Sherell Cannon, 18, Cahokia, to attend Eastern Illinois University
Celetha Chatman, 18, Lombard, to attend Augustana University
Milton Colbert, 18, Oakbrook Terrace, to attend Michigan State University
Donald Curry, 19, West Olive, Michigan, to attend Grand Valley State University
Jody Danna-Hoehne, 18, Elgin, to attend Northern Illinois University
Rose Davis, 17, Chicago, to attend Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
Shaayna Day, 18, Chicago, to attend Northern Illinois University
Robert Dodd, 18, Manteno, to attend Eastern Illinois University
Heather Eckart, 18, Decatur, to attend Richland Community College
Andrew Ehrich, 18, Frankfort, to attend Eastern Illinois University
Ryan Fagerson, 18, Cary, to attend Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
Ann Fitzpatrick, 17, Elk Grove Village, to attend Harper College
Renee Fix, 20, Springfield, to attend Lincolnland Community College
Yesenia Gonzalez, 18, Chicago, to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Jomyron Graham, 18, South Holland, to attend Northern Illinois University.
Nathaniel Griffi n, 18, Gurnee, to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Vesta Hall, 18, Sugar Grove, to attend Northern Illinois University.
Martell Halloran, 18, Palatine, to attend Eastern Illinois University.
Ashley Hawkins, 17, Sauk Village, to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Brittany Helfrich, 18, Fairview Heights, to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Zehabu Herd, 17, Naperville, to attend Hope College
Betty James, 18, Riverdale, to attend Loyola University
Osiris Johnson, 18, Chicago, to attend Eastern Illinois University
Gregory Keller, 18, Bradley, to attend Illinois State University
Lindsey Flowers, 18, Perry, to attend Western Illinois University
Jennifer Logan, 19, Arlington Park, to attend Quincy University
Jason Lopez, 18, Granville, to attend Illinois Valley Community College
Sheila Manns, 18, Chicago, to attend University of Illinois at Chicago
Felicia McAllister, 18, Sauk Village, to attend Northern Illinois University
Robert McAuliff, 18, St. Charles, to attend Elgin Community College
Erin McErlean, 18, Chicago, to attend Illinois State University this fall
Danielle Moon, 18, Chicago, to attend University of Southern California
Victoria Nelson, 18, Glenwood, to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Melisa Ori, 18, Antioch, to attend College of Lake County
John Phillips, 18, Oblong, to attend Belmont University
Joshua Rademaker, 19, Mapleton, to attend Western Illinois University
Ladiedre Rugen, 18, Flossmoor, to attend Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
Nicole Sikora, 18, Fox Lake, to attend Harper College
Nickolas Steele, 18, Bellwood, to attend Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
Kimberly Tracewski, 18, Bloomington, to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Marian Trella, 18, Des Plaines, to attend Bradley University
Shantaye Wonzer, 20, Peoria, to attend Bradley University
Desiree Woodson, 18, Champaign, to attend Eastern Illinois University