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Alignment Collaborative for Education - ACE

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Karen Fox receives “Volunteer Extraordinaire” Elgin Image Award

The Alignment Collaborative for Education had the distinct pleasure of nominating Karen Fox for the “Volunteer Extraordinaire” Elgin Image Award. As a Governing Board member and community leader, Karen has been instrumental in providing support to students and families throughout School District U-46. Having served as a teacher and educator for over 35 years, Karen has shaped decades of students for future success.

Karen’s contributions to the community are not just limited to education. Examples of that leadership include guiding the community’s Census 2020 campaign, assisting U-46 with its latest successful referendum, serving as president of the Gail Borden Public Library Foundation as well as assisting Alignment with the implementation of the Elgin Neighborhood Network with United Way Metro Chicago.

Karen’s legacy is defined by her “contagious spirit of service” quietly encouraging and championing what is best for Elgin, its students and their families. Her nomination read “When Karen Fox is at the table, great things happen.” Thank you to the Elgin Development Group for selecting Karen for this award. All of Elgin will agree that no one deserves it more!

Manufacturing Day Grows Across School Districts U-46, 300, 301 and 303

Alignment Manufacturing Tour at Harting

Thank you to Northern Kane County Region 110 and our Manufacturing Partners

Thank you to Northern Kane County Region 110 for a most successful fourth annual Manufacturing Day. Approximately 600 students from school districts U-46, 300, 301, and 303 participated in industry tours with the region’s most prominent manufacturing companies, opening their doors and welcoming students to tour their facilities and learn more about manufacturing professions.

Walking the site floors, students met industry professionals who shared their experiences and advisement for multiple manufacturing careers. Region 110 Work-Based Learning Specialist, Dr. Todd Stirn, coordinated the tours sharing why these tours are so valuable. “There are hundreds of thousands of well-paying, satisfying jobs in manufacturing going unfilled, yet many young people aren’t aware of these opportunities. Bringing students and manufacturers together through these tours is the perfect solution.”

As students make plans for their future career, Terry Stroh, Region 110’s EFE director, shared that “many students during the tour discovered opportunities to join the region’s competitive summer internship program, connecting classroom learning to real-world experience”. Through this partnership of manufacturing companies, both students and local manufacturers look toward the promise of a strong future workforce. Nancy Lesincki, senior talent advisor for HARTING, posted “We undoubtedly have the best community partners working alongside us with the aim of facilitating manufacturing growth and careers in Illinois.”  

Thank You to Our Host Manufacturing Companies

  • Advanced Compressor Technology
  • AFC Materials
  • AJR Filtration
  • Babbitting Service Inc.
  • Bucher Hydraulics
  • Clarke Environmental
  • Custom Aluminum
  • Echo USA
  • Elgin Sweeper
  • Flender
  • General Kinematics
  • Genesis Automation
  • HARTING Americas
  • Hoffer Plastics
  • ITW Shakeproof
  • Lakeview Precision Machining
  • Mazak
  • Middleby Marshall
  • McCormick FONA
  • Pactiv Evergreen
  • Richardson Electronics
  • Sauber Manufacturing
  • Swiss Automation
  • Wittenstein

Senior Postsecondary Day Reaches Over 1,300 Students!

2025 Senior Postsecondary Day Recap

More than 25 universities, colleges, and organizations joined Alignment and School District U-46 for the Senior Virtual Postsecondary Day on October 15. Reaching the largest number of seniors to date, 1,342 students were exposed to a multitude of college and career pathways.

As they met with admissions counselors and visiting faculty, students were able to gain valuable guidance as they envisioned the next steps in their academic and professional endeavors. Specialized sessions also provided students vital tools and resources through college essay tutoring and financial literacy discussions for FAFSA preparation and personal finance. From learning about different apprenticeship and technical programs at Elgin Community College, to exploring military service opportunities, to hearing from U-46 alumni share their personal postsecondary experiences at various institutions, there was something for every student to feel empowered in pursuing their postsecondary plans.

Thank you to the following colleges, universities, and organizations for partnering with Alignment and U-46 to offer the Senior Postsecondary Day:

  • Aurora University
  • Bradley University
  • Butler University
  • College of DuPage
  • DePaul University Dominican University
  • Elgin Community College
  • Grand Valley State University
  • Harper College
  • Honest Game – NCAA Academic Eligibility
  • Illinois State University
  • Indiana University
  • Judson University
  • Lincoln College of Technology
  • Loyola University
  • Marquette University
  • Northern Illinois University
  • Pathways Planning and Insights
  • Purdue University
  • rich and REGULAR (Personal Financial Management)
  • Roosevelt University
  • Southern Illinois University
  • Universal Technical Institute
  • University of Illinois Chicago
  • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • University of Iowa
  • University of Wisconsin Madison
  • University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
  • U.S. Armed Forces
  • Western Illinois University

Thank you to all the volunteers from these organizations who made this event a huge success, as well as to our Alignment partners from the U-46 Postsecondary Success Team, and Northern Kane County Region 110, who facilitated 16 different sessions for students.

Explore 2025 Highlights

EXPLORE 2025 NOW Arena Overview

Thank you to our business community partners, U-46 and volunteers for the most successful Explore to-date!

On October 1 and 2 more than 2,300 8th grade students from eight U-46 middle schools visited Explore 2025. This annual event connects students preparing to enter high school with more than a hundred careers to explore. Joined by 81 business and community partners as exhibitors, Explore showcases the fastest growing careers in the greater Elgin area from automotive and manufacturing opportunities to healthcare professions.

Nancy Coleman, Executive Director of Alignment shared: “Explore has become a model of how business and school partnerships should work that many other districts and communities wish to replicate. The business and school community is committed to investing early in building the future workforce for the region. We are truly grateful for that vision.”

Thank you to our fantastic board members, community volunteers, U-46 volunteers, teachers, administrators, and high school students who filled the NOW Arena with career exploration. The student photos tell the story along with the Daily Herald coverage by Rick West.

EXPLORE 2025 NOW Arena Overview

Celebrating Student Success – Region 110 Newsletter

Northern Kane County Region 110 shares their latest newsletter which highlights the incredible growth and impact of our Regional Summer Internship Program and other exciting initiatives. This issue, Giving Thanks – Celebrating Summer Internships 2026, showcases the inspiring stories of 243 high school students who gained real-world, hands-on experiences across multiple career pathways this past summer. None of this progress would be possible without the extraordinary commitment of our school districts, community partners, and local businesses who continue to invest in shaping tomorrow’s workforce.

Inside this edition, you will find:

  • Internship highlights across healthcare, manufacturing, IT, education, public safety, and more.
  • An invitation to participate in the 2026 Regional Summer Internship Program.
  • Updates on upcoming Manufacturing Month tours (October 16), the Educators’ Rising Mini Conference (October 30), and other student-centered opportunities.
  • Stories of students exploring careers in dentistry, first response, and skilled trades.

On behalf of Region 110 and the Alignment Collaborative for Education, thank you for your continued support of our students and schools. Together, we are building pathways that help students find their purpose, strengthen our workforce, and ensure lasting success for our communities.

We invite you to read through the newsletter and consider ways your organization might get involved in preparing the future workforce across our region.

Don’t Miss Senior Postsecondary Day

Alignment postseondary 2025

Attention U-46 Seniors! Don’t Miss
Senior Postsecondary Day
Wednesday, October 15!

Join us on Zoom choosing from 16 different sessions.

Sessions begin at 8:30 a.m. and end by 12:15 p.m.

Why You Should Attend:

Visit with Representatives from Universities, Community Colleges, Technical Institutes, and the Military along with U-46 Alumni.

  • Aurora University
  • Bradley University
  • Butler University
  • College of DuPage
  • DePaul University
  • Dominican University
  • Elgin Community College
  • Grand Valley State University
  • Harper College
  • Illinois State University
  • Indiana University
  • Judson University
  • Lincoln College of Technology
  • Loyola University
  • Marquette University
  • Northern Illinois University
  • Purdue University
  • Roosevelt University
  • Southern Illinois University
  • Universal Technical Institute
  • University of Illinois Chicago
  • University of Illinois Urbana
  • University of Iowa
  • University of Wisconsin – Madison
  • University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee
  • U.S. Armed Forces
  • Western Illinois University

Attend Sessions to Help You Learn More About:

  • FAFSA and Related Financial Aid Information
  • Personal Finance and College Affordability
  • Apprenticeship Opportunities Combining College and Work
  • Military Enlistment and Service
  • Preparing Essays for University Applications
  • Opportunities to Play Sports in College
Download Postsecondary Flyer in English
Descargar folleto postsecundario en español

Senior Postsecondary Day
Session Schedule
Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Choose one session below during each timeslot.

SESSION 1: 8:30 – 9:15 a.m.

Butler University

Grand Valley State University

University of Illinois- Urbana

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

College of DuPage

Harper College

STUDENT PANEL

DePaul University

Loyola University

Purdue University

University of Iowa

FAFSA and
Financial Aid
Information

SESSION 2: 9:30 – 10:15 a.m.

Preparing Essays for
University Applications

Bradley University

Dominican University

Judson University

Roosevelt University

Personal Finance and
College Affordability

ECC Apprenticeship
Programs

SESSION 3: 10:30 – 11:15 a.m.

Illinois State University

Loyola University

Marquette University

University of Wisconsin – Madison

Elgin Community
College

Aurora University

Northern Illinois University

Southern Illinois University

Western Illinois University

Lincoln College of Technology

Universal Technical Institute

SESSION 4: 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

U.S. Armed Forces

DePaul University

Indiana University

Northern Illinois University

University of Illinois- Chicago

Honest Game
(Opportunities for
Playing Sports in
College)

FAFSA and
Financial Aid
Information

For questions, contact your high school counselor or email questions directly to postsecondarysuccess@u-46.org.

University, College and Technical Institute Panels

Size Reference Guide:

  • Small – Below 5,000 students
  • Medium – 5,000+ students
  • Large – 20,000+ students

Aurora University

Size: Medium
Aurora, IL

Education, Nursing, Social Work, Business

Bradley University

Size: Medium
Peoria, IL

Mechanical Engineering, Health Sciences, Computer Science

Butler University

Size: Medium
Indianapolis, IN

Business, Marketing, Communications, Pharmacy

DePaul University

Size: Large
Chicago, IL

Business, Digital Media, Visual and Performing Arts, Computer Science

Dominican University

Size: Small
River Forest, IL

Education, Health Sciences

Grand Valley State University

Size: Large
Allendale, MI

Engineering, Business, Education, Health Sciences

Illinois State University

Size: Large
Normal, IL

Business, Education, Health

Indiana University

Size: Large
Bloomington, IN

Business, Biological Sciences

Judson University

Size: Small
Elgin, IL

Architecture, Sports Administration, Business, Education

Lincoln College of Technology

Size: Small
Melrose Park, IL

Automotives, Electrical, HVAC, Medical Assistant, Welding

Loyola University

Size: Medium
Chicago, IL

Nursing, Health Sciences, Business, IT

Marquette University

Size: Medium
Milwaukee, WI

Nursing, Biomedical Sciences, Finance, Mechanical Engineering

Northern Illinois University

Size: Medium
DeKalb, IL

Education, Psychology, Health Sciences, Mechanical & Electrical Engineering

Purdue University

Size: Large
West Lafayette, IN

Engineering, Business

Roosevelt University

Size: Small
Chicago, IL

Psychology, Performing Arts

Southern Illinois University

Size: Medium
Carbondale, IL

Business, Education, Health Sciences

Universal Technical Institute

Size: Small
Lisle, IL

Automotive, Diesel Tech, Industrial Maintenance, Robotics, Welding, Wind Turbine Technician

University of Illinois Chicago

Size: Large
Chicago, IL

Business, Biological Sciences, Nursing, Architecture

University of Illinois Urbana

Size: Large
Champaign, IL

Engineering, Business, Computer Science, Psychology

University of Iowa

Size: Large
Iowa City, Iowa

Business, Communications, Nursing

University of Wisconsin- Madison

Size: Large
Madison, WI

Biology/Biological Studies, Business/Real Estate, Computer & Information Sciences, Economics, Education (#1 nationally), Engineering, Finance, Psychology.
D1 and major R1 research university

University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee

Size: Large
Milwaukee, WI

Health Sciences, Business, STEM

Western Illinois University

Size: Medium
Macomb, IL

Nursing, Business, Law Enforcement

Additional Sessions Offered

U.S. Armed Forces

Have an interest in the military but don’t know where to start? Sign up for this session to learn about the different branches (Army, Marine Corp, etc.) and how to pursue a military career after high school. Whether it’s going straight to bootcamp or joining ROTC at a university, the military offers many benefits to students regarding employment, affording college, job training, and leadership development.

FAFSA (2)

Learn the basics about paying for college. Topics covered include applying FAFSA, different types of financial aid, calculating the cost of tuition between community college and 4-year schools, resources for undocumented applicants, work-study opportunities, and scholarship opportunities.

College Essay Writing Support Workshop

Learn the basics and best practices for writing a powerful college essay. Get step-by-step guidance on how to get started, how to answer common essay prompts, and how to stand out and showcase who you are in your college applications.

Honest Game (NCAA)

Interested in playing sports in college? Join this workshop to learn about what it takes to play sports in college, the differences between NCAA Divisions I, II, III, and NAIA levels, and academic requirements and eligibility.

Elgin Community College Apprenticeship Programs

Earn your associates degree at ECC while receiving paid on-the-job training. ECC’s apprenticeship programs combine in-class instruction with mentorship by a local employer in the areas of CNA, Culinary, Trades, Firefighting and Paramedic Studies. Tuition, books, and fees are provided.

Personal Finance and College Affordability

Meet R & R Wealth Management and Pathways Planning Insights. Both organizations focus on personal finances and how to choose an educational pathway that maximizes your access to educational pathways aligned with your goals and financial future.