From: "Lori Peters" <lpeters@besd61.k12.il.us>
To: <landmark@ga.k12.pa.us>
Subject: intro letter
X-RCPT-TO: <landmark@ga.k12.pa.us>
Status: U

Hello from Bradley West School!! :)

Bradley West school is comprised of students from Grades 3-5. We have 21 3rd, 4th and 5th grade classrooms with approximately 575 students in our school. We have a library, two computer labs,, a gym/cafeteria, a music room, two learning resource rooms, the LEP room and six restrooms. Our school motto is "Doing Our Best = Success." We have special activities and events like D.A.R.E, Student of the Week, Student of the Month, Student Council Meetings and School Spirit Days on Fridays.

Those of us that are participating in the Landmark Game attend LEP (the Learning Explorer Program). We meet twice a week with five or students coming to class at once. (There are 12-18 people in each grade that come to LEP. Each time we come we start out with TOPS Problem Solving Cards or Stories With Holes. This makes our minds begin to roll and prepares us for what's ahead. Our creativity has really been put to the test with holding Mock campaigns and elections and building Indian homes. Our research skills have been tapped by creating State A,B,C books, completing Family Roots books and discovering about Native American life in our country.

Bradley, Illinois was originally named North Kankakee and later changed to Bradley in honor of David Bradley, a huge factory owner that used to make furniture and founder of our town. Bradley is nestled between two other cities-Kankakee is to the south and Bourbonnais is to our north. If we want to travel to Chicago we have a 60 minute drive north to the city. It only takes 15 minutes to get to Indiana.

If you were to visit Bradley, Illinois we might go to Hidden Cove. We could go roller skating, play laser tag or play video/arcade games. If it was in the summer time we could also play miniature golf, go paddle boating or go-carting, play on the umper cars or hit some balls in the batting cages or driving range. If we needed some clothes, food or music we could go across the street to the Northfield Square Mall. If you like to learn new things or if you have a younger sibling we could go to the Children's Museum. If you love the outdoors, we could visit the Perry Farm (a huge farm and preserve with walk and riding paths, picnic areas, the Indian caves and farm animals/petting zoo). Both are right next to our school. In the summer and the fall many of us play football or cheerlead for the Lions or Bears Jr. Football League, play soccer at the Dynamo Soccer fields or play softball/baseball at Slater Field. We also have the Kankakee State Park which is only 10 minutes away from our school where we could fish, picnic, or explore. We could also take a younger brother or sister to Safety Town--it helps small children understand road, fire and disaster safety. If you came to visit us now (during this cold, snowy winter) we could take you sledding/tobagganing at Poop Hill. (It's a large hill that is located near the Sewer Plant, hence the name). We could also go ice skating at Olivet Nazerene University. We also have Gala Lanes if you like to go bowling or three separate movie theatres and we could catch a movie.

Good luck to all of you participating! We are ready to have some fun and do some digging for all of your landmarks!