ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Eighth graders at Lincoln Middle School participated in the Rotary Academy today, a program designed to teach leadership skills and prepare students for high school.

The Rotary Academy, founded in 2001 by the Rockford Rotary Club, aims to support students in the area and increase graduation rates. This year, the program will have served 220 students, adding to the over 4,000 students helped since its inception.

"The purpose of Rotary Academy is to teach them that they have leadership skills, and to use leadership skills to help make better decisions," said Paul Von Driska, president of Rockford Rotary. "So, this exercise is a great team-building exercise where they have to work together and help each other succeed."

The Rotary Academy involves a crate-stacking ch

See Full Page