INA, Ill. (April 18, 2019) - Fifty-six Rend Lake College students were inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor (PTK) Society Rho Xi chapter today. In addition to being a big day for the students, RLC Professor and Athletic Director Tim Wills was named the 2019 Teacher of the Year by RLC's PTK students.
Pictured are the 2019 Phi Theta Kappa Inductees. They are, in alphabetical order, Jebediah Baumgart Allison Blair, Samantha Bright, Dawson Brown, Mitchell Bulla, Kennedy Cloe, Debra Compton, Elizabeth Crawford, Brandon Davis, Baili Diefenbach, Allysa Doza, Ashtyn Dye, Townsend Ellis, Gillian Emrich, Dakota Frederick, Amanda Gardner, Bran Glidewell, Derrick Gradford, Leila Hall, Kelsi Ham, Paige Hamel, William Heard, Jaxon Heintz, Mac Hickman, Chelsea Hill, Daniel Hill, Kelley Hiner, Victor Iwunze, Khortnee Kerkemeyer, Afton Kirk, Paolina Marlo, Jayme McDonald, Reed McIntosh, Chase Merlenbach, Avery Miller, Raquel Minor, Autumn Mohr, Morgan Montgomery, Olivia Montgomery, Mason Morris, Jamie Newton, Jonathan Padget, Lane Parker, Charles Parton, Susan Ray-Badger, Grace Ryder, Lindsey Seidel, Josh Shook, Barbara Simmons, Karlee Skelton, Mason Smith, Kaylea Stewart, Celia Summers, Jacy Walker, Caleb Wellen, Daniel Wolferding, Jon Zeman.
PTK Sponsor and RLC Director of Academic Advisement Jena Jensik began the ceremony by congratulating the students on their hard work and welcoming them to the honor society.
Before the students officially signed the PTK charter and were inducted, 2018 Teacher of the Year Cindy Caldwell, RLC Mathematics Professor, offered words of encouragement, stressing that the inductees believe in themselves and keep striving for success.
For his part, Wills was appreciative of the gesture of being named the 2019 Teacher of the Year.
"I am truly honored and humbled to be selected as the PTK Teacher of the Year. The fact that this award is chosen by the student inductees makes it even more special," Wills said.
Professor and Athletic Director Tim Wills speaks to the 2019 Phi Theta Kappa induction class after being named 2019 Teacher of the Year.