Alignment Collaborative for Education - ACE
Northern Kane County Region 110, in partnership with Camcraft and Matrix, offered Central High School students the opportunity to study the latest automation and robotics applications in manufacturing. The February 12 visit attracted students interested in engineering and manufacturing careers to highly automated operations beyond the classroom. Thank you to Camcraft and Matrix for championing these experiences for the region’s future engineering and precision manufacturing workforce.
ECC Education Day on February 10 attracted future teachers from School Districts 300 and U-46. More than 140 students interested in the education career pathway were joined by Elgin Community College along with Aurora University and Northern Illinois University education professionals to learn about transfer opportunities for students interested in the teaching profession. Students toured facilities, learned about 2+2 programs with Aurora and NIU, visited with educational professionals in leadership roles across the region’s school districts, and learned about upcoming paid internship opportunities dedicated to building the region’s teacher pipeline.
On January 29, in partnership with School District U-46, the Alignment Collaborative for Education hosted Student Resource Day at Elgin High School. The event reached nearly 500 students and provided students with essential life and career readiness resources.
Working alongside community partners including Color Code Personality Science Educator Tena Raglin, Elgin Community College, Elgin Neighborhood Network, Fox Valley Fire & Safety, IHC, NAMI Kane-south, DeKalb and Kendall Counties (NAMI KDK), Northern Kane County Region 110, Pregis, and Wintrust Bank, the event featured a morning of targeted programming for each grade level. Students engaged in three different presentations designed to meet specific needs as they progress through different phases of their high school careers.
For freshmen, the morning prioritized the development of healthy mental and academic foundations. Students explored career pathways through CTE courses with Northern Kane County Region 110 and participated in a Color Code Personality Science workshop with educator Tena Raglin to identify personal strengths that drive academic success.
The Elgin Neighborhood Network and NAMI KDK also delivered “Ending the Silence,” a vital training session on recognizing the warning signs of mental health conditions. Presented to both Freshmen and Sophomores, this essential resource ensured that all underclassmen were equipped with the tools to support their mental health.
Sophomores gained a unique perspective on postsecondary planning through a student-led panel that shared firsthand accounts of their internship experiences and the college search process. This peer-to-peer engagement, combined with a preview of the upcoming Virtual Postsecondary Day and Junior year summer internship opportunities, gave students a realistic roadmap for becoming career-minded upperclassmen.
As postsecondary planning intensifies for Juniors, the morning offered a “deep dive” into postsecondary options. Students coordinated their attendance for the Virtual Postsecondary Day and heard from Elgin Community College regarding transfer opportunities. Representatives from Wintrust Bank also provided a presentation focused on financial literacy, specifically building strong financial histories and credit scores for both juniors and seniors.
Seniors received career-focused resources, emphasizing the immediate need for real-world skills as they prepare to graduate. Learning about top careers for 2026 and participating in behavioral interviewing, the seniors are prepared for their entry into the workforce. Human Resource professionals from Fox Valley Fire & Safety, IHC, and Pregis volunteered their expertise to provide coaching and professional advice necessary to navigate the competitive job market.
What would have been an idle day waiting for peers to conclude schoolwide testing became a day where students learned how to actively take their future into their own hands. The success of the Student Resource Day at Elgin High School underscores the importance of providing students with essential tools for academic and career success, ensuring every student graduates academic and career ready.
Article by Annabelle Mique, Program Coordinator
School District U-46 Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Johnson was named to the National School Public Relations Association’s (NSPRA’s) list of “Superintendents to Watch.” Each year, NSPRA recognizes superintendents with fewer than five years of experience who demonstrate dynamic, fast-paced leadership with strong communication at its core. The selection process was highly competitive, with a deep field of outstanding nominees, from which only 30 superintendents nationwide were selected.
“These leaders understand that communication is not just about sharing information. It is about building relationships,” said NSPRA Executive Director Barbara M. Hunter, APR. “Through meaningful engagement with families, staff, and community members, they are advancing their districts with clarity and purpose.”
One of the major accomplishments for which Dr. Johnson was recognized was leading the district’s “Unite U-46” effort — a community engagement initiative that successfully secured a $180 million bond approval in spring 2023, approved by a majority of voters in all three U-46 counties. The community support is now powering the completion of several district-defining, decades-in-the-making projects that will result in a major shift of the current educational landscape.
Dr. Johnson’s nomination for the NPSRA honor included letters of support from community leaders who recognized her for the relationships she has built across the school district.
Nancy Coleman, executive director of the Alignment Collaborative for Education, cited Dr. Johnson as a champion of efforts to provide work-based opportunities and paid internships for high schoolers and to create a path through which future teachers can complete their education degrees and certifications without having to leave the community.
“Dr. Johnson is defining a culture that embraces collaboration for the benefit of students, families, and the overall economic prosperity of the region,” Coleman said. ”Her unwavering commitment to supporting youth is always present as she works beside teachers and business community leaders to ensure students can graduate academic and career ready, prepared for successful futures.”
Carol Gieske, CEO of the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce, praised Dr. Johnson’s visible leadership, responsiveness, and forward-thinking communication strategies that have made her a trusted and respected voice in Elgin and beyond. “She exemplifies the kind of superintendent who not only leads with integrity but also builds lasting bridges between schools and the broader community,” Gieske explained.
“Dr. Johnson exemplifies what it means to be a transparent, engaging, and visionary communicator — one who not only ‘talks the talk,’ but consistently ‘walks the walk,’” said Amber Peters, the executive director of Enriching Partnerships for Early Learning, noting how Dr. Johnson has used her strong communications and relationship-building skills to increase awareness and support for the importance of early childhood education. “As both a leader and a parent, Dr. Johnson understands the power of communication to build trust, foster connection, and inspire collective action,” Peters said.
Karla Jiménez, Elgin Community College’s chief community & government relations officer, highlighted Dr. Johnson’s belief that “strong communication is at the heart of effective leadership,” in particular mentioning the award-winning “Johnson on the Job” video series in which the superintendent visits U-46 employees to experience the work they do first-hand, and shares their stories with the public. “Dr. Johnson leads with authenticity, care, and courage,” Jiménez said. “She’s a thoughtful communicator, a collaborator by nature, and a superintendent who never loses sight of the students and families she serves.”
Dr. Johnson has deep roots in U-46. She attended U-46 schools from kindergarten through high school, graduating from Elgin High School. Her parents were both U-46 educators, and after college, she returned to the district as a language arts educator, coach, high school principal, and district administrator. She was named interim superintendent in February 2023, and officially became superintendent of the state’s second-largest school district for the 2023-24 school year.
This year’s “Superintendents to Watch” will be formally recognized at the NSPRA 2026 National Seminar in New Orleans in July.
U-46 Press Release
Tara Burghart
January 12, 2026
As we prepare to celebrate the holidays, we want to take a moment to rejoice in each of you, our business, community, and school partners. Together, we will conclude 2025 serving over 15,000 students where you have invested more than 13,000 volunteer hours.
Yes, the numbers are strong and are expected to grow to over 17,000 students in 2026 with an estimated volunteer contribution of more than 18,000 hours. However, it is also about our efforts to reach the students that need the resources the most.
It is about starting in middle school ensuring students and parents are informed about all the career pathway opportunities available in our 11 regional high schools. It is also about you being willing to invest a minimum of 60 hours in individual students that have never had the experience to work in their career field of choice. It’s about being a champion for youth beyond the walls of the high school showing them early how to best succeed in a competitive and challenging world.
Having a positive impact on the lives of students beyond what the schools can provide alone is why the Alignment partnership is critical to the future of those individuals, their families, and the community. Because of you, we can be the difference between no career plan and one that leads to a successful future.
Adriana, Annabelle, Edgar, and I thank you for investing in Alignment’s mission. We wish you all Happy Holidays, and a prosperous New Year in 2026!
Best regards,
Nancy
Nancy Coleman
Executive Director
Alignment Collaborative for Education
Sponsored by the AED Foundation and in partnership with Northern Kane County Region 110, Alignment hosted its 2025 Internship Host Recognition Breakfast on December 4 at Bartlett Hills Golf Club. More than 50 organizations came together for the event to recognize all host sites that provided a total of 243 students with paid internship experiences during 2025.
Welcomed to Bartlett by City Manager Paula Schumacher, the morning’s program highlighted the profound success and impact of this growing internship initiative that originally began five years ago with the first interns placed with the Village of Bartlett.
Alongside presenting awards to each 2025 host organization, the event featured compelling testimonies from past interns, industry representatives, and elected officials Hanover Park Mayor Rodney Craig and City of Elgin Mayor David Kaptain, embodying the significance of creating internship experiences that invest in the future success of the community.
Partners from Advocate Sherman Hospital, AED Foundation, Elgin Community College, Hoffer Plastics, Seigle Foundation, and Wintrust echoed the students’ sentiments in the importance of students being in the workplace to engage with industry professionals. Sharing their internship host experiences, these partners emphasized the reward and return of this future workforce investment to the region. With 243 interns placed for a minimum of 60 hours, the 55 host sites invested over 13,000 hours in these internship experiences representing more than a $700,000 return on investment to the school districts and the community.
Two student panels representing Bartlett, Central, Hampshire, Larkin, South Elgin, St. Charles East, and Streamwood high schools highlighted how their internship experiences have shaped their future career goals. From skill development to gaining stark clarity on what careers to pursue, interns expressed their immense gratitude to host organizations and confidently encouraged all the organizations in the room to support students and the future workforce by becoming a host site in 2026.
Superintendents from School Districts U-46, 300, 301, and 303 each announced increased financial commitments to sponsor internships next year. Elgin Community College (ECC), confirming on Monday following the breakfast, a third year of funding under the Taking Back the Trades grant securing a 33% increase from 2025 resulting in 100 high school students receiving paid summer internship opportunities in 2026.
Combining the financial support from the school districts, ECC, and the business partners that have already committed funding for 2026, the goal is to match 300 students to their career goal in this paid work opportunity. Alignment and Northern Kane County Region 110 are working to identify all internship opportunities by March 1. If your organization is interested in offering internships for Summer 2026, please contact Nancy Coleman at colemanace@align4edu.org, Terry Stroh at terry.stroh@central301.net, or Dr. Todd Stirn at efe.stirn@central301.net for further information.
Advanced Compressor Technologies
Bob Loquercio Auto Group
Bucher Hydraulics
Elgin Sweeper
Hampton, Lenzini and Renwick, LLC
Hoffer Plastics
ITW Shakeproof
Judson University
KS Auto Care
Lakeview Precision Machining
Service Concepts
Shales McNutt Construction
Village of Bartlett
West Side Tractor
WT Group
Bartlett Hills Golf Club and Banquets
Centro de Información
City of Elgin – City Manager’s Office
Downtown Neighborhood Association
Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce
Elgin Development Group
Elgin Symphony Orchestra
Explore Elgin Area
Gather Pingree Grove
Gowns for Good
The Haight
Golden Corridor Family YMCA
Keith French Photography
Microsoft
Office of State Representative Anna Moeller
Opiquad, LLC
Rosati’s
Wintrust
Advance Preschool
Anderson Humane Veterinary Clinic
Bartlett Park District
Central Community School District 301
Community Unit School District 300
Hanover Township
Mid-Valley Special Education Cooperative
Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association
Pet Vet Animal Clinic
Precious Angels
School District U-46
South Elgin Parks & Recreation
Tails Humane Society
Two Rivers Head Start
Bartlett Police Department
Elgin Fire Department
Elgin Police Department
Hanover Park Fire Department
Hanover Township Emergency Services
Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
Advocate Sherman Hospital
Athletico
Diamond Physical Therapy
OrthoIllinois
VNA Health Care
Well Child Center
ACE is a member of the Alignment USA communities of collaboration and collective impact.
