Lake County Gazette

Two mascots from Denver’s professional sports teams visited John E. Flynn, A Marzano Academy last week, entertaining students with a special appearance. Rocky, the mascot for the Denver Nuggets, and Bernie from the Colorado Avalanche engaged with children on the playground.

Students were told to expect a “surprise guest,” but many expressed excitement when Rocky and Bernie ran onto the playground. The mascots interacted with students through various activities: Rocky demonstrated his “behind-the-back” basketball shot, while Bernie tossed students’ shoes into a basket and gave out hugs and high fives.

The event left an impression on students, who can now recognize these mascots at future games.

Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 serves several schools in Lake County, including elementary and middle schools as well as Waukegan High School. More information about the district’s demographics and schools is available at https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/. The district has a diverse student body—3.2 percent White, 13.2 percent Black, 79.5 percent Hispanic, and 1.3 percent Asian according to state data (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The teaching staff includes over 1,000 teachers earning an average salary of $63,524; most are women (71.1 percent), and none have more than ten absences per year (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In 2020, the district spent $23,429 per student for a total expenditure of $359 million (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).