Casey-Westfield Students Earn Drone Certifications and Ag Awards; Elementary Raises $6,500

Casey-Westfield CUSD C-4 Board Meeting | December 15, 2025

Article Summary: Administrator reports presented to the School Board highlighted hands-on learning achievements, including drone certifications for aerospace students and top finishes for the FFA team. Meanwhile, Monroe Elementary celebrated a successful fundraiser and immersive history projects.

Campus Achievement Key Points:

• Vocational Success: Aerospace students earned drone certifications from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

• FFA Rankings: The High School Ag team finished 5th overall in recent contests; student Garrett Tingley placed 7th individually.

• Fundraising: The Oakland Noodle fundraiser at Monroe Elementary raised $6,500 for the BRAVE program.

• Curriculum: Fifth graders engineered shoes to simulate conditions at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War.

CASEY, Ill. — Vocational training, competitive agriculture awards, and hands-on historical experiments were at the center of the administrative reports presented to the Casey-Westfield CUSD C-4 Board of Education on Monday, December 15, 2025.

Junior/Senior High Principal Jim Sullivan provided updates on the district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) progress. Students in Mrs. Keeney’s Aerospace class have successfully completed their drone TRUST certification through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Additionally, Mrs. Becky Lee’s Carpentry classes recently held their annual “Candy Canes on Main” shopping event, raising funds to purchase lumber and supplies for the program.

The district’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter reported a strong showing at recent competitions. The team finished 5th overall at both the Agronomy contest and the Dairy Products Challenge. Individually, student Garrett Tingley placed 7th overall in the Agronomy Contest at Lake Land College.

At Monroe Elementary, Principal Kacie Rhoads reported that the recent Oakland Noodle fundraiser was a major success, generating $6,500 for the school’s BRAVE program.

Rhoads also highlighted immersive projects in the fifth-grade curriculum. In Social Studies, students studied the American Revolution and the conditions of the Continental Army at Valley Forge. Working in groups, students designed and created shoes made of cardboard, cotton, and tape, then tested them outside in cold conditions to understand the importance of teamwork and adequate gear.

In the sciences, fifth graders have been experimenting with chemical and physical changes, including combining yeast and hydrogen peroxide for exothermic reactions. Meanwhile, high school biology students are finalizing mammal skull identification projects and modeling cell membranes.

The reports also noted that the High School Christmas Jazz Concert is scheduled for Thursday, December 18, at the Nazarene Church.