I facilitate bringing speakers to sixth, seventh and eighth graders at Kilmer Elementary School in Rogers Park. The story Sun-Times reporter Amy Yee wrote in April about Zach Waickman turning cooking oil into biofuel in his lab at Loyola University Chicago seemed fascinating and relatable to the students.
Amy helped me get in touch with Zach, who graciously came to our school and talked to the students about how the cooking oil, which comes from the university kitchens, ends up as fuel for campus buses. He also told them about how a byproduct from the process is made into liquid soap that is also used on campus.
Speakers at Kilmer, like Zach, are also encouraged to share their life journey and how it led to the careers they chose. I did not know Zach’s journey before Amy connected us. But I found Zach’s story as interesting as his lab work, if not more.
As a high school student, Zach’s goal was to leave Cleveland and move to Chicago. He toured universities with his mother and 8-year-old brother. When it came time to choose which university he’d enroll in, Zach left the decision in the able hands of his little brother. And that’s how he ended up at Loyola to study broadcast journalism. As a senior, he was chosen among others students to develop the cooking oil to biofuel. He fell in love with the chemistry, left journalism behind and was hired to lead the lab after he graduated.
Zach presented his life story with enthusiasm and humor. I hope his nonlinear path inspired students to keep an open mind and explore whatever comes their way. They should also note not to discount the advice of family, especially younger siblings.
James Dickes, Rogers Park
Show our Sox!
Now that our White Sox are watchable again, I think the City Council needs to pass an ordinance requiring any bar or entertainment establishment that has four or more televisions to have at least one showing the Sox game when they’re playing.
As a Sox fan, I have always been frustrated by the lack of Sox games turned on at the bars and restaurants that I visit. I understand the pecking order of the city with the Cubbies being the sentimental favorites, but when establishments have a multitude of screens, and the owners choose to show East Coast college lacrosse games or bowling over the Sox, I have to take my business elsewhere.
It gets frustrating to constantly request to see Sox games and get stared at like we are out-of-towners asking for a big favor. At the end of the day, can’t we just all get along and give local Sox fans equal time on the screens?
Steven Fortuna, Naperville