ARLINGTON HEIGHTS
“Bye, Bye Birdie” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 1 p.m. Sundays through Feb. 11 at St. Viator High School, 1213 E. Oakton St. Tickets cost $9. Dinner-show packages are available Friday and Saturday for $19. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. For tickets, call 847-392-4050, ext. 349.
CRYSTAL LAKE
District 47 and 155 students in grades 3 to 12 can enter the Write & Win literacy contest through Feb. 17 by reading a book and writing a new ending for it in 1,000 words or fewer. Children in grades 3 to 5 should read and write for “Because of Winn-Dixie;” grades 6 to 8, “Red Kayak;” and grades 9 to 12, “Rules of Survival.” Essays are due April 3. Entry forms and contest rules are available at the public library, 126 Paddock St., and at www.crystallakelibrary.org. Call 815-459-1687.
DISTRICT U-46
The Larkin High School Visual and Performing Arts Dance Academy will present its sixth annual Bring a Book to Life show, “How Would It Feel” by Mary Beth Goddard, at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the high school, 1475 Larkin Ave., Elgin. Tickets cost $9 for adults and $6 for students and senior citizens. Call 847-888-5200.
A Renaissance fair will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday in the South Elgin High School auditorium, 760 E. Main St. Call 847-888-7014.
A community blood drive will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday in the Streamwood High School auditorium, 701 W. Schaumburg Rd. Call 630-213-5500.
DISTRICT 54
Sixth-Grade Parent Information Night will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday in all junior high schools. The meeting is open to parents of sixth-grade pupils who will attend junior high next year. Parents can learn about curriculum and student activities, tour the buildings, visit with staff members and ask questions. For more information, call the school your child will attend.
Parents can visit the programs offered by the open enrollment schools on the following days: multiage program, 6 p.m. Thursday, 7:30 a.m., Friday, 9:30 a.m., and 1 p.m., Tuesday, and 7 a.m., and 6 p.m., Feb. 8, Dirksen, 116 W. Beech Drive, Schaumburg, 847-357-5600; early instrumental music, 11 to 11:30 a.m. and noon to 12:30 p.m. for violin Wednesday, and 9 to 10 a.m. Feb. 7 and 9 for English-Japanese dual language, Dooley, 622 Norwood Lane, Schaumburg, 847-357-6250; English-Spanish dual language, 9 to 10:30 a.m. Feb. 7 and 21, Enders-Salk, 345 N. Salem Drive, Schaumburg, 847-357-6400; 9 a.m. Feb. 6 and 12:30 p.m. Feb. 8, Hanover Highlands, 1451 Cypress Drive, Hanover Park, 630-736-4230; English-Spanish dual language, 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 6 and 7, MacArthur, 1800 Chippendale Rd., Hoffman Estates, 847-357-6650; multiage and multiple intelligences, 1:15 p.m. Feb. 7, 9:45 a.m. Feb. 9, 1:15 p.m. Feb. 12, and 11:15 a.m. Feb. 23, Lincoln Prairie, 500 Hillcrest Blvd., Hoffman Estates, 847-357-5955; and literacy academy, 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 20 and 22, Muir, 1973 Kensington Lane, Hoffman Estates, 847-357-6444.
DISTRICT 156
Nominations for McHenry High School’s Distinguished Graduates will be accepted through Feb. 16. To be considered, nominees must have graduated from McHenry High School for at least 15 years ago. Graduates selected will be invited to an academic recognition dinner in spring. Nomination forms can be obtained from Robert O. Swartzloff, Center for Education Services, 4716 W. Crystal Lake Rd., McHenry, IL 60050. For details, call Gina Swinney at 815-385-7900.
DISTRICT 200
Volunteers are needed to read to pre-kindergarten through middle-school pupils during the 16th annual Love to Read Week from Feb. 12 through Feb. 16. Volunteers can choose the day, time, school and grade level at which they would like to read. They may select their own reading material, ask for a suggestion from the teacher or get help from the Woodstock Public Library. To participate, call the Community Services Office at 815-337-5147 by Friday.
DISTRICT 211
Schaumburg High School will host a free District 54-District 211 combined concert at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the school’s main gym, 1100 W. Schaumburg Rd. Call 847-755-4801.
DISTRICT 214
Three short plays will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and Feb. 8 and 9 in the Black Box Theatre at Hersey High School, 1900 E. Thomas St., Arlington Heights. Tickets cost $7 at the door. Call 847-718-4882.
“In the Zone: An Evening of Twilight Zone,” based on the TV show “The Twilight Zone,” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday in Wheeling High School’s Sang Theatre, 900 S. Elmhurst Rd. Tickets cost $5 at the door. Call 847-718-7061.
“Hollywood Arms,” a comedy-drama based on the life of Carol Burnett, will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday in Rolling Meadows High School’s Gilbert Theater, 2901 W. Central Rd. Tickets cost $5 at the door. Gold Card holders may attend a performance at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Call 847-718-6520.
DISTRICT 220
The winter jazz festival will be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Johnson Auditorium at Barrington High School, 616 W. Main St. The concert will feature the jazz ensemble, Rithum Machine and jazz ensembles from Prairie and Station Middle Schools. Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for students. Senior citizens, children and Fine Arts Booster members will be admitted free. Call 847-842-3250. Orchesis will hold its annual “An Invitation to the Dance,” an evening of collaborative dance performances for students from neighboring schools, at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $5. Orchesis will perform with the dancers from Midwest Dance Collective at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10. Call 847-842-3214.
DISTRICT 300
The deadline for piano students in grades 3 through 12 to enter the piano festival is Wednesday. The festival will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. March 6 in Westfield Community School, 2100 Sleepy Hollow Rd., Algonquin. Each student should prepare two pieces–one memorized and one with sheet music–to play for a judge. Verbal and written comments will be given. Forms are available on www.d300.org and from elementary general music teachers and middle and high school vocal teachers. Deliver forms with a $5 check payable to CUSD 300 to Cathy Storm, School District 300, 300 Cleveland Ave., Carpentersville, IL 60110. Lists of room and time assignments will be delivered Feb. 26.
ELGIN
Highland Christian Academy will host a dinner dance and silent auction at 7 p.m. Feb. 10 at Villa Olivia Country Club in Bartlett. Proceeds will benefit the school, a ministry of Highland Fellowship Church serving students from preschool through 8th grade. Tickets cost $50. For reservations, call 847-741-5530.
HARPER COLLEGE
The Music Department faculty will present the annual Chamber Music Festival at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Harper College Performing Arts Center, 1200 W. Algonquin Rd., Palatine. Tickets cost $15 for adults; $12 for students; $10 for seniors, Harper students and staff; and $5 for children ages 12 and younger. Call 847-925-6100.
McHENRY COUNTY
Applications for McHenry County Conservation District’s Mitchell Memorial Conservation Scholarship must by submitted by March 1 to Deb Chapman, MCCD education services manager, Prairieview Education Center, 2112 Behan Rd., Crystal Lake. The scholarship was established after the death of McHenry County environmentalist Carl J. Mitchell to encourage young people to explore environment-related professions. The award will help fund student attendance at environmental workshops, camps, career seminars and other related events and is not intended for paying college tuition or fees. Any McHenry County high school student considering a career in conservation is eligible to apply by sending a letter that tells about themselves and describes the event they have chosen, why they wish to attend the event and how the activity fits the goals of the scholarship program. For details, call 815-479-5779.
McHENRY COUNTY COLLEGE
A financial aid workshop to complete the federal financial aid form online will be held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at McHenry County College, 8900 U.S. Highway 14, Crystal Lake. The 2007-2008 Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the form students must complete to be considered for federal and state grants, work-study programs and students loans. The Office of Financial Aid and Veteran Services at MCC will sponsor the seminar. For an appointment, call 815-455-8761 by Friday.
OAKTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
“Jazzin’ Around,” an evening of jazz standards performed by Oakton’s music faculty, will be staged at 8 p.m. Friday at Oakton Community College, 1600 E. Golf Road, Des Plaines. Tickets cost $8. Call the Oakton box office, 847-635-1900.
Auditions for a staged reading of “BFE,” the life of a 14-year-old girl trying to survive her suburban adolescence, will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday in Oakton Community College’s Studio One Theater, 1600 E. Golf Rd., Des Plaines. The director is casting men and women of all ages and ethnic groups. Prepared monologues and cold readings will be heard. No appointments required. Performances will be held Feb. 24 and 25. Call 847-635-1897.
