Shawnee's 'Best' to be honored
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<p class="p1">Shawnee Community Unit School District No. 84 plans to honor two of its "best" this weekend.</p><p class="p1">The District 84 Board of Education has selected two recipients for the 2016 Shawnee's Best award. </p><p class="p1">This year's recipients are Mike Hanson and Shelly Clover-Hill. </p><p class="p1">Clover-Hill and Hanson will be recognized during a homecoming ceremony which is planned Saturday, Jan. 23, at Shawnee Junior-Senior High School in Wolf Lake.</p><p class="p1">Here's a look at the honorees, as provided by the school district:</p><p class="p1"><strong>Mike Hanson</strong></p><p class="p1">Hanson was born in Robinson, and then moved to Grand Tower at the age of 2 when his father transferred to the Grand Tower power plant. </p><p class="p1">He attended Grand Tower Grade School and then Shawnee, lettering in baseball and basketball, and played the drums in the marching and concert band.</p><p class="p1">After graduating with the class of 1973, Hanson pursued a career in music as a drummer, first playing in local bands and then working his way to touring with national acts out of Nashville, Tennessee, most notably RCA recording artist Earl Thomas Conley, earning credit as a published BMI songwriter, and performing on radio, television and in some of the largest venues in the United States and abroad alongside such artists as Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson and Hank Williams Jr. </p><p class="p1">During this same period, he married his wife of 39 years, Denise Ellet Hanson (class of 1974) and together they had two sons, Michael II (class of 1996) and Todd (class of 1997.)</p><p class="p1">It was this family relationship, particularly coaching his sons, that brought about his decision to leave the life on the road, return to school and get a degree that would allow him to become an educator and to coach full time.</p><p class="p1">He enrolled in John A. Logan College in Carterville in 1995, earning his associates degree with honors, and transferring to Southern Illinois University to graduate magna cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in English in 2000.</p><p class="p1">An English position opened at Shawnee High School that year and he became the high school English teacher, athletic director and varsity baseball and basketball coach that same year.</p><p class="p1">In 2005, Hanson decided to pursue his master's degree in administration, graduating from Williams Woods University in 2007 and moving up to his current position as principal in 2011.</p><p class="p1">Athletics, the driving force behind his decision to enter education, were always at the forefront of his efforts at Shawnee. In his tenure as coach, the teams he coached achieved the following:</p><p class="p1">1991 JH boys baseball state champions.</p><p class="p1">1996 JH boys basketball state champions.</p><p class="p1">Seven IHSA regional baseball championships.</p><p class="p1">Two IHSA regional basketball championships.</p><p class="p1">Five SEC conference season baseball championships.</p><p class="p1">Five SEC conference tournament baseball championships.</p><p class="p1">Two SEC conference season basketball championships.</p><p class="p1">One SEC conference tournament basketball championship.</p><p class="p1">He also achieved the second annual Du Quoin Invitational championship in 1999, when Shawnee defeated, in succession, Meridian, Carterville, Benton, Cairo and Du Quoin in the same week. He was named IBCA basketball coach of the year in 1996 and SIBCA baseball coach of the year in 2010.</p><p class="p1">He is currently on the steering committee and board of control of the Southern Illinois Junior High Athletic Association, a board member of the Union County CEO, a member of the Illinois Principals Association and a former president of the Shawnee Education Association.</p><p class="p1"><strong>Shelly Clover-Hill</strong></p><p class="p1">Clover-Hill was born and raised in Grand Tower. </p><p class="p1">She attended Shawnee District No. 84 from kindergarten through 12th grades and graduated from Shawnee High School in 1988.</p><p class="p1">After high school, she played college softball at Three Rivers, until a second knee injury sidelined her career.</p><p class="p1">She earned her associate of science degree from Shawnee College, a bachelor of science degree from Southeast Missouri State University, a master's degree in educational administration from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, a superintendent endorsement from SIUC and is currently finishing her educational doctorate degree in curriculum and instruction at McKendree University in Lebanon.</p><p class="p1">While attending college, Clover-Hill coached junior high girls' basketball and softball for Shawnee.</p><p class="p1">After college graduation, she was hired as a teacher's aide at Shawnee Elementary North in Grand Tower and continued to coach junior high and high school girls' teams that won invitational, conference and regional tournament titles. </p><p class="p1">During her 14 years at Shawnee North, Clover-Hill worked her way up from a teacher's aide, to a teacher and eventually to principal while continuing to coach and attend night classes to work on advanced degrees. </p><p class="p1">She spent four years as a principal at Jonesboro Elementary School before returning home in 2011 as the first female superintendent of Shawnee School District No. 84.</p><p class="p1">Clover-Hill's past and present professional affiliations include the Illinois Principals Association, the Illinois Reading Council, the Illinois Association of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, Southern Illinois School Masters, the Illinois Association of School Boards, the Illinois Association of School Administrators, the Illinois Association of School Business Officials and the Illinois Association of Small and Rural Schools.</p><p class="p1">She currently serves on the boards of the Five County Regional Vocational System and Tri-County Special Education Cooperative.</p><p class="p1">She served as the assistant regional superintendent of schools for Regional Office of Education No. 02 and coordinated the Illinois New Principal Mentoring Program, where she mentored 15 new principals over the span of three years.</p><p class="p1">Clover-Hill is the daughter of the late Mike Clover and Sondra Clover. Her sister, Becky Glodo, works for Shawnee No. 84 as a teacher's aide. Her niece, Katelynn, in enrolled in the nursing program at Shawnee College.</p><p class="p1">Clover-Hill was married to the late Jeff Hill. Clover-Hill lives in Anna with her Doberman fur babies Magnum and Remington. </p><p class="p1"><strong>Homecoming Spirit Week</strong></p><p class="p1">Here's a look at homecoming spirit week activities, as posted on District 84's website:</p><p class="p1">Tuesday, Jan. 19: Twin Day.</p><p class="p1">Wednesday, Jan. 20: Teachers dress like students. Students dress like teachers.</p><p class="p1">Thursday, Jan. 21: Class color day.</p><p class="p1">Friday, Jan. 22: School spirit day.</p><p class="p1">Saturday, Jan. 23, Homecoming:</p><p class="p1">4:30 p.m.: alumni hospitality room opens in library.</p><p class="p1">5 p.m.: Lady Reds vs. Dongola.</p><p class="p1">5:45 p.m. (approximate): senior high cheerleaders' performance. Presentation of Shawnee's Best honors.</p><p class="p1">7 p.m. (approximate): Redskins vs. Dongola.</p><p class="p1">7:30 p.m. (approximate): homecoming court recognition at halftime.</p><p class="p1">8:30 p.m. (approximate): homecoming coronation, followed by dance.</p><p class="p1">The homecoming queen court consists of Abbey McMahan, escorted by Brady Reynolds; Sierra Ramsay, escorted by Hunter Smithey; Alexis Charles, escorted by Eli Baltzell; and Chelsi Phelps, escorted by Stephano Craviotto. </p><p class="p3"> </p>