NIU Today

by Emily Prieto and Adam Lopez When we remember the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one aspect that stands out is the strength to speak out against injustices which too often occur in the world. Although not recognized as a national holiday with the ability to shut down banks, all schools or post...

The DeKalb High School Marching Band is going to the 2013 Allstate Sugar Bowl, played Wednesday, Jan. 2, in New Orleans. During the trip, the young musicians will play four times, compete and perform during the halftime festivities. A “Cajun Kick-Off” to raise funds for the trip is scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday,...

NIU’s Office of Admissions invites volunteers from the university community to assist Thursday, Oct. 4, with Discover NIU Day. This invitation-only event is directed to seniors enrolled in the high schools that comprise the DeKalb County school system: DeKalb, Genoa-Kingston, Hinckley-Big Rock, Kaneland, Sandwich, Somonauk and Sycamore. The purpose of the event is to show...

Dan Gediman, executive producer of National Public Radio’s “This I Believe” series and co-editor of the books, “This I Believe” and “This I Believe II” is coming to NIU. Gediman will speak at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18, and 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, in the Carl Sandburg Auditorium of the Holmes Student Center. For...

For nearly 50 years, Jonathan Kozol has dedicated his life to addressing the increasingly complex and urgent issues that face public education, including the challenge of providing equal opportunities to every child, regardless of racial origin or economic status. Among the most respected and eloquent writers and speakers on public education, he has had numerous...

Northern Illinois University will host the Illinois High School Association state football finals in odd-numbered years beginning in 2013 and running through 2021 the IHSA announced today. “This is a great day for our university, the DeKalb-Sycamore community and our entire northern Illinois region,” said Jeff Compher, NIU associate vice president and director of Athletics....

Students in the online School Business Management master’s degree program in the Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations (LEPF) recently came together for a rare face-to-face class and toured three state-of-the-art facilities: DeKalb High School, Sycamore Middle School and North Grove Elementary School in Sycamore. A unique feature of this online cohort is that...

The DeKalb High School Percussion Ensemble, the DeKalb County Hospice and the world music program at NIU are hosting a benefit concert, “Transformation Through Rhythm,” at 7 p.m. Monday, March 26, in the auditorium at DeKalb High School. DeKalb County Hospice hopes to raise awareness of both the local and global need for music therapy,...

The CSA Sinfonia will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22, in the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall of the NIU Music Building. The concert is free and open to the public, and the auditorium is accessible to all. Performing at Wednesday’s concert is concerto competition winner Genevieve Smelser, who will play the “Concerto for Violin”...

Two contestants from the 2012 Miss America pageant will visit the NIU campus Friday, Jan. 27, to attend the Castle Challenge. Miss Illinois Hannah Smith, who is a future NIU student, and Miss Iowa Jessica Pray will join DeKalb Barb and Sycamore Spartan fans at the NIU Convocation Center. Photograph opportunities will be available from...

When the new DeKalb High School first opens its doors to students Tuesday, Sept. 6, every member of the Barb family will see what District 428 Board of Education President Tom Matya already sees. “What a wonderful asset this (District 428-NIU) partnership is for the DeKalb community,” Matya said recently as he joined his school...

Edward James Olmos in “Stand and Deliver?” Robin Williams in “Dead Poets Society?” Forget about those guys. There are new stars in the tutoring game.  This May, after wrapping up their own finals, a group of NIU students stayed on to help DeKalb High School students prepare for their end-of-year exams. The NIU students are part of...