Seventh-grader Nathan Rihm tried on several helmets with the help of assistant coach Chad Clark before finding one that fit Wednesday, the day before the first football practice at Jasper Middle School. Seventh- and eight-grade football players filed into the school's weight room to try on helmets, pants and shoulder pads.
Tony Hassfurther, left, and Tom Pund honored Americaâs farming history as they operated an antique corn shredder at a farm show near Ferdinand.
Before being placed in a mandatory boy-girl arrangement, the 10 girls and 13 boys about to make their first communion at St. Raphaelâs Church in Dubois arranged themselves in the church basement for the beginning of Mass.
Second-grader Kevin Nguyen gives his raised hand extra support as he tries to express to teacher Julie Dillenburg that he knows the answer to a word question at St. Patrick Grade School in Joliet. St. Pat's, as it is affectionately known, is the oldest Catholic school in the Joliet diocese.
Levi Hulsman, 11, of Jasper, and his grandfather Ed Durcholz, 68, of Ireland, were in the woods by dawn to open the squirrel hunting season, which runs through January. They saw deer, wild turkey and a pair of box turtles but squirrels were scarce and the hunters went home with empty bags. Durcholz said record-low temperatures in the spring stunted nut growth and the squirrels are more spread out in search of food.
Addie Gabhart helped her father, Eric, skin a rabbit in the backyard of their Portersville home. The Gabhart children raise rabbits for meat.
The Sander family gathers every fall to pull horseradish to clean, peel, grind and can, but the recipe falls to family matriarch Viola Sander, 80, who "eyeballs" the amounts of ingredients until the batch tastes right.
The Walgren family of Naperville, Corey, 10, left, Josh, 7 and their father Doug react to a missed opportunity by the Jackhammers, who left a runner stranded on base, during the second-inning of a game with the Kansas City T-Bones at Silver Cross Field in Joliet.
Madisonâs Chad Liter, right, tried to vault in a run in the third inning, but was stopped by Jasperâs Alex Bohnert during Class 3A sectional semi-final action.
Royce Muskeyvalley is overcome with emotion as he helps his Rock Island basketball team raise the Class 3A championship trophy at the Peoria Civic Center.
Southridgeâs Adam Bauernfiend, center, stared at the ceiling as he and his teammates listened to coach Tom Hawworthâs words of consolation after a 75-52 loss to Perry Central in the sectional opener at Huntingburg. The Raiders ended the season with just three wins.
Doc Ellis, left, a member of the Holland town council, laughed as he watched the head of Owen Hunefeld, 1, disappear under Ellis' hat as they stood under a shade tree at the Holland Community Festival in Holland Park. Ellis was talking to Chad and Jamie Hunefeld, of Holland, when Owen, in the arms of his father, reached for Ellis' hat.
Anthony Quinn taught basic lawn-mowing techniques to an eager helper, his son Kaden, 8, at their home near Beckman and Maute streets in Jasper. Quinn said his son is not old enough to mow solo, but "by the time he's ready to do it himself, he won't want to do it anymore."
Omar Brown leans against the ropes after drills at the Harvey Boxing Club at Restoration Ministries. Brown was the first kid in the gym on this day, running several laps before his fellow club members arrived.
Claude Wineinger, 93, lives on the same farmland his grandfather settled 160 years ago in what is now Nicholson Valley.
Kevin McNicholas of St. Charles, was dapper in his American Legion Honor Guard uniform as he took in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. McNicholas was among 80 veterans who flew to D.C. with "Honor Flight Chicago," which brings World War II vets to the World War II Memorial.
Several Forest Park players sported mohawks and other hairstyles to prepare for a first-round sectional tournament game with Castle at Heritage Hills. Nathan Allen, left, and Trae Childress chose to carve out lightning bolts to celebrate their speed.
Second-graders Caleb Williams, left, and Brayden Betz shook hands before wrestling in practice. Meeting at the center of the mat and shaking hands is one of the first things young wrestlers learn in the Jasper Pee-Wee Wrestling League.
Cassie Wertman, 12, of Holland, says she can't imagine a life without horses. She and her equine companion, Leo, have competed in three Dubois County 4-H Fairs.
Dunn Elementary School Principal Chandra Byrd-Wright hugs Tanesha Swain, 10, outside her Chicago home, where Tanesha's sister, Taccara Swain, 15, was shot in the head. Taccara was caught in the crossfire of a gunfight, according to police reports.
Daniel Serrato, 2, clings to his father, Rafael, as family and friends of fallen Illinois National Guard Sgt. Christopher Abeyta, hug outside Hickey Memorial Chapel in Midlothian.
Ron Santo's beloved Wrigley Field is reflected in the window of the hearse carrying his body. Following Santo's funeral, his hearse processed through the streets of Chicago, including a loop around Wrigley, where fans waved, cried and gave him one last cheer.
Sister Mary Edward Heckel, 96, says good-bye and gives a blessing to Sister Veronica Marie Knies. Sister Veronica Marie died on Good Friday and the sisters she lived with at the infirmary held a special wake in the chapel.
A barn swallow found a divine perch from which to sing in the hayloft of Gene and Mary Lou Vaal's farm southeast of Ferdinand.