Today, the RTHS Choirs proudly hosted the Interstate 8 Choral Festival. Choirs from Sycamore High School, Kaneland High School, Ottawa Township High School, LaSalle-Peru Township High School, and Morris Township High School came together for a day of shared music-making and collaboration. Each group also had the opportunity to work with guest clinician Dr. Brian Winnie from Western Illinois University.
They ended the day as one combined choir and performed together under the direction of Dr. Brian Winnie. The festival was a meaningful experience focused on musical excellence, collaboration, and the celebration of talented young musicians!
Seniors & Parents!
It’s time to order your Official Graduation Announcements. Announcements feature the official graduation ceremony text and are personalized with the student’s name.
Order online at Herffjonesil.com
This past Friday, the RTHS Concert Choir participated in the 2026 Big Sing at NIU alongside Dekalb High School, Kaneland High School, and the NIU Concert Choir. They performed their own set and also got to share the stage with the other groups. It was quite the enriching experience! Thank you to Dr. Eric Johnson for extending the invitation!
COMING SOON!
The Rochelle Hiring Expo returns to RTHS in 2026! Juniors and Seniors will have the opportunity to participate in a hiring expo, connect with local employers and colleges, and explore a variety of career options. Members of the public are also welcome to attend from 12:00–2:00 PM. Public can register in advance for a chance to win $200 in Community Cash at hubsgethired26.eventbrite.com. Hope to see you there!
The Rochelle Hiring Expo returns to RTHS in 2026! Juniors and Seniors will have the opportunity to participate in a hiring expo, connect with local employers and colleges, and explore a variety of career options. Members of the public are also welcome to attend from 12:00–2:00 PM. Public can register in advance for a chance to win $200 in Community Cash at hubsgethired26.eventbrite.com. Hope to see you there!
Congratulations to the Rochelle FFA Horse Evaluation Career Development Event teams that competed at the Illinois FFA State competition today at Black Hawk East, in Kewanee.
The Reasons team placed 7th overall with Sawyer Stockton placing as the 6th place individual.
The non-reasons team placed 8th overall!
Are you interested in learning about the trades and gaining hands-on experience this summer? There will be two Heavy Metal Camps, one in DeKalb and one Rockford, specifically designed for students aged 15-19 who are interested in pursuing careers in the sheet metal, piping, and plumbing trades.
~ Camp Highlights:
*Hands-on learning: Work on real projects and gain valuable skills in sheet metal, piping, and plumbing.
*Union connections: Build relationships with union professionals and training facilities.
*Summer fun: Learn while having fun and making new friends who share your interest in the trades.
Click the link for more details.: https://www.hmse.org/campers/camp-overview-campers.html
~ Camp Highlights:
*Hands-on learning: Work on real projects and gain valuable skills in sheet metal, piping, and plumbing.
*Union connections: Build relationships with union professionals and training facilities.
*Summer fun: Learn while having fun and making new friends who share your interest in the trades.
Click the link for more details.: https://www.hmse.org/campers/camp-overview-campers.html
ATTENTION SENIORS!
If you’re planning to attend Kishwaukee College this fall, don’t miss your chance to apply for Kishwaukee College Foundation scholarships! Academic and dual credit scholarships for in-district high school students are automatically awarded once you enroll at Kishwaukee College.
The Foundation scholarship application is available now through March 13.
Apply online at:
https://kishwaukeecollege.academicworks.com/
If you’re planning to attend Kishwaukee College this fall, don’t miss your chance to apply for Kishwaukee College Foundation scholarships! Academic and dual credit scholarships for in-district high school students are automatically awarded once you enroll at Kishwaukee College.
The Foundation scholarship application is available now through March 13.
Apply online at:
https://kishwaukeecollege.academicworks.com/
This week's Hub Award winner is Laila Vazquez. Laila's been doing awesome things for RTHS for years now, and we greatly appreciate the way she carries herself both in and out of the classroom. She is mature, respectful, dedicated, amazing, and so much more. Thank you, Laila, for all you do to make RTHS a better place!
ACT Prep Class Information
We are honored to announce that the RTHS Concert Choir has been invited to be featured in the 2026 NIU Big Sing. This is a meaningful recognition of our students’ dedication, musicianship, and hard work. RTHS will perform alongside the NIU Concert Choir, Kaneland High School, and DeKalb High School, and we are proud to represent our school on this distinguished stage while sharing our music with the broader choral community.
Come check out the performance at the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall at NIU this Friday at 7pm! Tickets must be purchased at go.niu.edu/performances. Hope to see you there!
Summer Job Opportunity for Students. Full or Part Time. Applications may be picked up at Oil X-Change ~ 1361 N. 7th St. in Rochelle.
Congratulations to the RTHS Speech Team. They competed in the Rockford Jefferson Tournament this past weekend and earned 2nd place in the team competition and had many members earn finalist honors.
National School Counseling Week 2026 (February 2–6), sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), recognizes the vital role school counselors play in our schools and the tremendous impact they have on student success and career planning.
At RTHS, we are grateful for the dedication, guidance, and support provided every day by Mr. Mike Dale, Mrs. Tasha Bonnell, Mr. Javier Zepeda, and Mr. Colfay Pointer. Their commitment to our students makes a meaningful difference in helping them navigate academics, personal growth, and future goals.
Please take a moment this week to thank our RTHS School Counselors for all they do!
At RTHS, we are grateful for the dedication, guidance, and support provided every day by Mr. Mike Dale, Mrs. Tasha Bonnell, Mr. Javier Zepeda, and Mr. Colfay Pointer. Their commitment to our students makes a meaningful difference in helping them navigate academics, personal growth, and future goals.
Please take a moment this week to thank our RTHS School Counselors for all they do!
February is a short month and the school year is flying by! Below you will find some upcoming events happening in February. Sports schedules can be found by scanning the QR Code below or on https://schools.snap.app/rochelletownshiphs
Friday, February 6th is the deadline to turn in the American Legion Americanism Essay. There is still time to pick up a packet in the Counseling Center if you would like a chance at competing for cash prizes! See Mrs. Harvey in the Counseling Center if you are interested and make sure those essays are turned in by the due date.
If your name is on the Renaissance Card Recipient list outside of the Counseling Center or Main Office, and you have not picked up your new Renaissance Card, PLEASE pick it up in the Counseling Center ASAP!
🎓SENIORS! ! It's scholarship season and scholarship applications are now open!🎓
Start applying NOW as the deadline for many local scholarships is March 13th and you may need to complete essays or have letters of recommendation . You can find a listing of the scholarships available on our RTHS homepage under the Counseling Center tab and Scholarship links or on Schoolinks under "Colleges" and then "Scholarship Matching" . Be sure to check them out and get them completed and submitted. Last year over $185,000 in local scholarships were awarded to the Class of 2025. Please see your counselor or Mrs. Harvey with any questions.
➡️Rochelle Website: https://www.rochelleschools.org/o/rths/page/counseling-center
➡️SchooLinks: https://app.schoolinks.com/dashboard
This week's Hub Award winner is Connor Macklin. Connor's teachers and Speech coaches rave about how helpful Connor is. He reaches out to see how he can help others, he's always positive, and he takes coaching/teaching well. We can't thank Connor enough for all he does to help make RTHS a better place!
Silver Service Volunteer Opportunity starting now or over the summer! Check out the flyer for more info.
⭐RTHS Honors January Rotary Student of the Month: Zachery Smith⭐
Rochelle Township High School is proud to recognize Zachery Smith, a junior at RTHS, as the January Rotary Student of the Month. Zachery exemplifies the Rotary ideals of service, leadership, and community involvement, making him a deserving recipient of this honor.
Throughout his three years at RTHS, Zachery has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to service, earning an impressive 325 Silver Service Hours. This remarkable achievement reflects his dedication to helping others while balancing a full schedule of academic and extracurricular activities, including Marching Band, Madrigals, Student Council, and Interact.
Zachery has generously volunteered his time and talents to support a wide range of school and community events. His service includes working at the Rochelle Little League concession stand, assisting with school dances, participating in Make a Difference Day, helping with Thanksgiving turkey distribution, and supporting numerous Interact events. He has also volunteered as a Biology tutor for a classmate.
Those who work alongside Zachery consistently praise his character and work ethic. His church supervisor shared, “We are very thankful for Zachery’s help. He is responsible, respectful, and always quick to jump in wherever he’s needed. We really appreciate him.” Similarly, his supervisor at the Rochelle Little League concession stand stated, “Zach always steps up and takes initiative. He is polite, a self-starter, and rarely needs direction. Zach is a great asset.”
Zachery’s commitment to service extends beyond school and organized activities. He assists at his church by running the live feed and slideshow during services and is also a valued employee at Ralphie’s BBQ and Catering, where he brings the same strong work ethic and positive attitude.
RTHS congratulates Zachery Smith on being named the January Rotary Student of the Month and thanks him for his continued dedication to service and community involvement. We look forward to seeing all that he will accomplish in the future.
Rochelle Township High School is proud to recognize Zachery Smith, a junior at RTHS, as the January Rotary Student of the Month. Zachery exemplifies the Rotary ideals of service, leadership, and community involvement, making him a deserving recipient of this honor.
Throughout his three years at RTHS, Zachery has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to service, earning an impressive 325 Silver Service Hours. This remarkable achievement reflects his dedication to helping others while balancing a full schedule of academic and extracurricular activities, including Marching Band, Madrigals, Student Council, and Interact.
Zachery has generously volunteered his time and talents to support a wide range of school and community events. His service includes working at the Rochelle Little League concession stand, assisting with school dances, participating in Make a Difference Day, helping with Thanksgiving turkey distribution, and supporting numerous Interact events. He has also volunteered as a Biology tutor for a classmate.
Those who work alongside Zachery consistently praise his character and work ethic. His church supervisor shared, “We are very thankful for Zachery’s help. He is responsible, respectful, and always quick to jump in wherever he’s needed. We really appreciate him.” Similarly, his supervisor at the Rochelle Little League concession stand stated, “Zach always steps up and takes initiative. He is polite, a self-starter, and rarely needs direction. Zach is a great asset.”
Zachery’s commitment to service extends beyond school and organized activities. He assists at his church by running the live feed and slideshow during services and is also a valued employee at Ralphie’s BBQ and Catering, where he brings the same strong work ethic and positive attitude.
RTHS congratulates Zachery Smith on being named the January Rotary Student of the Month and thanks him for his continued dedication to service and community involvement. We look forward to seeing all that he will accomplish in the future.
