Dupage Policy Journal

Gov. Bruce Rauner learned a little arts and crafting a conversation during visits to two Illinois schools recently. 

Rauner's visits were part of his #GovClassroomVisit tour, which started with a call for video submissions on unique learning opportunities offered in Illinois’ schools. Rauner’s office received more than 100 submissions, which were whittled to five finalists, including Bloomington's Stratford Middle School’s Café 121 and Homewood-Flossmoor High School’s fine arts department.

“Education is the most important thing we do as a community,” Rauner said. “Every child, no matter where they live, should receive a high-quality education from cradle to career.”

Café 121 allows special educations students to practice speaking, listening and develop other social skills in a mock café setting, providing real-world experience in a learning environment. Homewood-Flossmoor’s arts program teaches students about time management, self-motivation and practical lessons on being an artist in the real world.

“Café 121 is an innovative and thoughtful approach to teaching important life skills to students with disabilities,” Rauner said. “Schools like Homewood-Flossmoor continually offer high-quality art programs that nurture students well beyond their time in school, and incorporating fine arts into education is vital in developing critical life skills for everyone.”