McHenry County Retired Teachers
Association
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2
MCRTA's Founding
The McHenry County Retired Teachers Association was established at 2:30 P.M. on April 26, 1960, at Clarence Olson School, Woodstock.  In addition to two persons from IRTA and two from the Lake County RTA, McHenry County retired teachers present were Vida Austin, Helen Brewer, Mary Gannon, Frances Garland, Margaret Gillies, Mary Gillies, Catherine Renich, and Cora White.

MCRTA is an affiliate of the Illinois Retired Teachers Association, founded in 1955; and the National Retired Teachers Association, founded in 1947 and the parent of the American Association of Retired Persons.  MCRTA works closely with IRTA to enhance the welfare of all retired teachers in the State of Illinois.

Over the years, our MCRTA leadership has been in the hands of loyal, dedicated retired teachers.  Those who have served as presidents for our organization are listed below.  The Association appreciates their outstanding guidance.

Presidents
1960          Frances Garland, Woodstock 
1961-62     Suzanne Reed, Elected President and *Katherine Renich, "Presiding President", Woodstock 
1963-64      Iola Shepard, Harvard 
1965-66      Frances Brand, Crystal Lake 
1967-70      Julia Feffer, Crystal Lake 
1971-72      Jennette Burbank, Woodstock 
1973-76      Lucille Thurow, Huntley 
1977-78      Leila Coons, Woodstock 
1979          John Richards, Woodstock 
1980-81      Olive Nolan, Woodstock 
1982-83      Carrie Hage, Harvard 
1984-87      Herb Mroch, Harvard 
1988-89      Vernon Hajeck, Woodstock 
1989           Eleanor Wilkens, Woodstock 
1990-93      DuWayne Sheldon, Crystal Lake 
1994-97      Ken Swanson, Ringwood 
1998           Bill Courtright, Harvard 
1998-01      Steve Polep, Oakwood Hills
2002-05      Marti Swanson, Ringwood
2006-07      Al Boeldt, McHenry
2008-09      Mike DeWolfe, Johnsburg
2010-11      Lois Shartiag, Barrington Hills
2012-23*    Steve Polep - Oakwood Hills

2022-23.     Joann Jazak

McHenry County Retired Teacher of the Year

In 1988, a gubernatorial proclamation asked that we honor outstanding retired teachers.  Each unit submits the names of local honorees to the IRTA.  Those honored by McHenry County Unit 13 include the following:

     1988          Vera Perry* -  Woodstock
     1989          Carrie Hage* - Harvard
     1990          Verda Dierzen* -  Woodstock
     1992          Eleanor Wilkens - Woodstock
     1993          DuWayne Sheldon* - Crystal Lake
     1994          Edith Newcomer* - Crystal Lake
     1995          Marie Husmann - McHenry
     1996          Edith Brandt - Crystal Lake
     1997          Ken Swanson - Ringwood
     1998          Marti Swanson - Ringwood
     1999          Betty Anderson - Huntley
     2000          Don Seaton - McHenry
     2001          Steve Polep - Cary 
     2002          Beulah Allyaud - Woodstock
     2003          Mary Stompanato - Woodstock
     2004          Herb Rangl - Marengo
     2005          Venus Nienow - Woodstock
     2006          Velma Dysart - Crystal Lake
     2007          Greg Johnson - McHenry
     2008          Henry Kenyon - McHenry
     2009          Al Boeldt - McHenry
     2010          Beth Marcello
     2011           Mike DeWolfe
     2012           Norb Wolter
     2013           Lois Shartiag
     2014           Bev Aweve
     2015           Jude LaFrancis
     2016           Dick Seaborn
     2017           Marlene Griffith
​     2019           Mary Noe
     2021           Linda Young

  
        
MCRTA Scholarship Winners--Please scroll down to see current year's winners
     
1995     Emily Benecke, Marengo High School
1996    Aaron Swank, Crystal Lake Central High School
1997    Nicole Schafer, McHenry West High School
1998    Brittany Witek, Hampshire, Marion Central High School
1999    Kelly Bandur, Cary-Grove High School
            Jeremy Little, Woodstock High School
2000   Deanne Lund, McHenry East High School
           Anne Prusina, Marian Central High School
2001   Amanda Maguire, Harvard High School
          Sara Walkington, MCC (Woodstock High School grad)
2002   Louise Henshaw, Prairie Ridge High School
           Rochelle Ruzicka, McHenry West High School
2003   Kurt Carlson, Woodstock High School
          Clarisse Iftner, Harvard High School
2004  Tera Beaty, Huntley High School
          Brian Koppen, Johnsburg High School
2005   Emily Larkin, Woodstock High School
          Samantha Sebastian, Crystal Lake South High School
2006   Jennifer Barnes (Richard Swanson Memorial), McHenry East HS
          Laura Gibbons, Marengo Community High School
          Jessie Rigby, Woodstock High School
2007   Malyssa Jankowski (Alice J “Sally” Ronan Memorial), Woodstock HS
          Danielle Knaizer, Crystal Lake South High School
          Mary Lawler, McHenry West High School
2008   Ryan Forner, McHenry West HS (Richard Swanson Memorial Scholarship)
          Susanne Johnson, Cary-Grove High School
          Nathan Staller, McHenry West High School
          Stephanie Tate, Woodstock HS (Alice “Sally” Ronan Memorial Scholarship)
2009   Ashley Faith, McHenry West High School 
          Elizabeth Linning, Crystal Lake South High School 
          Julianne Pacana, Huntley High School 
          Alayna Pierce, Cary-Grove High School 
          Blair Rummel. Richmond-Burton High School 
          Tracy Trebes, Harvard High School 
2010   Michael Spilg - Cary Grove H.S.
          Colleen Leonard - Woodstock H.S.(Alice “Sally” Ronan Memorial Scholarship)
          Brianna Roberts - Richmond Burton H.S.
          Matt Simon - McHenry West H.S.
          Emily Shaefer - Crystal Lake South H.S.
          Kelly Seklecki - Jacobs H.S.
2011   Megan Terese - Woodstock H.S.(Alice “Sally” Ronan Memorial Scholarship)
          Annie Nelson - Woodstock North H.S.(Alice “Sally” Ronan Memorial Scholarship)
          Valerie Lee - Prairie Ridge H.S.
          Samantha Ivers - Crystal Lake South H.S.
          Samantha Hildebrandt - McHenry East H.S.        
2013   Kailey Bogucki-Cary-Grove High School
          Hailey Keefe-Woodstock High School (Alice Ronan Memorial scholarship)
          Danielle Scott-McHenry West High School
          Aaron Spivey-Richmond-Burton Community High School
          Kristina Williams-Marengo Community High School
2014  Daphne Austin-Harvard High School
          Jessica Escontrias-Woodstock North High School  (Alice Ronan Memorial scholarship)          
          Sydney Jozwiak-McHenry East High School  (Ken Swanson Memorial scholarship)
          Elizabeth Schmidt-Crystal Lake Central High School.
2015  Daphne Austin-Harvard HS
          Jessica Escontrias-Woodstock HS (Alice Ronan Memorial)
          Sidney Jozwiak-McHenry East HS (Ken Swanson Memorial)
          Elizabeth Schmidt-Crystal Lake Central HS 
2016​  Madysen Gerlinger  Prairie Ridge High School. 
         Samantha Rose Lewandowski McHenry West High School.  
         Anna MacLean Richmond-Burton Community High School. 
         Madison Melson Harvard High School. 
         Amber Sena McHenry West High School (Ken Swanson Memorial Scholarship).
2017  Rebecca Alvarez Crystal Lake Central High School.(First Marcia Wright Memorial Scholarship)
         John Anderlik, McHenry East High School graduate (Frank Leo Rosanova Memorial Scholarship. 
         Brittany Huellen Prairie Ridge High School. (First Marcia Wright Memorial Scholarship. 
         Allyson Kamrat McHenry East High School. 
         Rebecca Kendeigh Cary Grove High School. 
         Alexandria Muschong Woodstock High School (Sally Ronan Memorial Scholarship). 
         Justin Wilcox Harvard High School 
2018 James Cormier Crystal Lake Central High School.  (Marcia Wright Memorial Scholarship) 
         Michael Godek Huntley High School. (Marcia Wright Memorial Scholarship)  
         Kelsey Hallin Harvard High School,
         Danielle Klenske Marengo High School. 
         Margaret McGee Huntley High School. 
         Brianna Mudra McHenry East High School (Margaret Anne Vadnais Memorial Scholarship)  
         Lauryn Straub Woodstock High School (Sally Ronan Memorial Scholarship)  
2019 Ruby Galarza Harvard High School, 
        Makayla Golden McHenry East High School (Daniel J. Melchionda Memorial Scholarshi).  
        Kayly Hogan Richmond-Burton High School.  
        Nathaniel Murrin McHenry West High School (Swanson Memorial Scholarship)
       Jourden Reis Woodstock North High School (Sally Ronan Memorial Scholarship)  
        Bailey Schneyr Prairie Ridge High School (Marcia Wright Memorial Scholarship) 
        Mairead (Maggie) Stotz Crystal Lake South High School.  (Marcia Wright Memorial Scholarship)  
        Kathryn (Kate) Urosevich Huntley High School.
2020 Madison Buchanan-Johnsburg HS
        Abigail Enck-Crystal Lake South HS (Marcia Wright Memorial Scholarship)
        Makayla Huff-Johnsburg HS
        Anna Karcz-McHenry East HS (Marcia Wright Memorial Scholarship)
2021 Ashley Ahrens-Johnsburg HS (Marcia Wright Memorial Scholarship)
        Aaron Moehrlin-Marengo HS
        Connor Ray-Marengo HS
        Julia Vogt-Cary Grove HS (Marcia Wright Memorial Scholarship)
2022 Linnea Diersen-Crystal Lake South (Marcia Wright Memorial Scholarship)
         Maxwell Folbrick-Richmond-Burton HS
         Thomas Oeffling-Johnsburg HS
​         Lauren Snelgrove-Marengo Community HS (Marcia Wright Memorial Scholarship)