Lucas Allen, Laura Jenkins and Andy Place to be inducted into Heritage High School Hall of Fame
By Brett McMahon
The Heritage High School Hall of Fame will induct three new members during its May 3 banquet.
2023 marks the second year for the Academic Achievement Hall of Fame, which inducted four members in its inaugural year of 2022. The concept was born in 2020 when Cindy Happ was working in the Homer Public Library and came across a book written by a Heritage alumnus, Jessica D. Jenkins, about women’s suffrage.
That led to organizing a book signing and conversations with Heritage Superintendent Tom Davis about creating a means of recognition for former students. Each nominee must be a Heritage High School Graduate, having graduated at least ten years prior to induction. Categories considered by the selection committee include: Science and Engineering, Business and Industry, Agriculture, Fine Arts and Entertainment, Community Service, Education, Military Achievement, Politics, Government, Philanthropic Endeavors, Athletic Accomplishment, and National and International Distinction.
The 2023 Inductees include Lucas Allen, Laura Jenkins and Andy Place.
Lucas Allen
Allen graduated in 1999 before graduating from the University of Illinois with Bachelors in Agriculture Education.
He then began teaching at Central High School in rural Kankakee County as an agriculture
teacher and FFA advisor. Along with his fellow Ag teachers, Luke assisted his students in
creating a feed and greenhouse co-op business with his students, grossing over $100,000 retail
sales yearly. He has assisted twelve students in receiving their State FFA Degrees and three students receiving their American FFA degree.
Luke has been part of creating new FFA Chapters for 29 schools, and has guided 25 schools in
adding additional Ag teachers to their staff. He supports schools in developing dual credit
agreements and has planned or presented at least 50 workshops for teachers.
One of Luke’s areas of interest is developing Agriculture, Food, & Natural Resources (AFNR)
programs in urban and suburban areas with special emphasis on inspiring nontraditional and
under-served populations to find their passion in AFNR careers. This passion led him to chair
the planning committee of the Cultivating Change Foundation, which works to support LGBTQ+
people in AFNR careers. He has become a national speaker for LGBTQ+ inclusion in agriculture
and AFNR education, and this work has led to co-chairing a new Ag Education Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Task Force in Illinois.
Luke has been serving as an Agriculture Program Advisor for Facilitating Coordination in
Agricultural Education (FCAE), a special project of the Illinois State Board of Education, since 2006. In his role he serves as a technical resource for teachers, administrators, counselors, and others with an interest in Agriculture, Food, & Natural Resources education. Luke’s territory includes 16 counties in Northeast Illinois.
Luke has served as Education Committee Co-Chair of the Illinois Governor’s Rural Affairs
Council from December 2016 to July 2019. He is a non-voting member of seven County
Ag-in-the-Classroom Advisory committees, and participates in five community college advisory
committees. He was elected as a trustee of the Winfield Fire Protection district four weeks ago,
and serves on his local church council.
Laura Jenkins
Following graduation Laura studied at Quincy University, Quincy, IL, and received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in May 2000. While she was attending school, she was a starting point guard and captain on the women’s basketball team, and was inducted into the Heritage Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001.
In August 2000, Laura began her teaching career as a first-grade teacher at St. John Lutheran School in Champaign before accepting a third-grade position in Rock Falls, IL. While at Rock Falls, Laura incorporated senior citizen volunteers from the local community to foster positive mentor relationships with students. She completed her Reading Recovery certification from National Louis University in 2003.
Laura then taught at Unity East Elementary School in Philo, IL, from 2004-2017. Laura’s first few
years at Unity were spent as a reading specialist providing supplemental literacy support to
struggling 2nd – 6th graders. In 2006, while teaching, she studied and received her Master of
Science in Elementary Education from Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL. She became a
kindergarten teacher for Unity East in August of 2007. During her tenure at Unity, Laura helped
spearhead the implementation of the school’s Response to Intervention (RtI) process,
developed a character education curriculum to foster students’ social-emotional growth, and
played an active role on Unity East’s Leadership and Curriculum teams. Laura completed her
Gifted Education certification in 2010 and as a result of that learning, partnered her young
students with upper elementary students for weekly STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) challenges and collaborative activities.
In 2014, Laura achieved National Board Certification and received the Master Teacher
designation on her licensure – an outstanding distinction among her peers. Laura taught at
Meade Park Elementary in Danville, IL, from August 2017-2020 utilizing trauma-informed
teaching practices. While at Meade Park, Laura completed a 2nd master’s degree in Curriculum
and Instruction from Eastern Illinois University with a capstone project highlighting the need for purposeful play in our early childhood classrooms.
In 2022, Laura was a Golden Ruler recipient for Vermilion County, IL. She currently teaches
kindergartners at Salt Fork South Elementary School, Sidell, IL and mentors new teachers and
National Board candidates pursuing their certification.
Andy Place
Following graduation, Andy attended St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA, on a basketball scholarship and majored in Physical Education. He made the Dean’s List and was Academic All-
Conference as a Fighting Bee. The Bees won their conference three out of his four years and participated in the NAIA National Tournament. During his senior year, Andy served as a captain
on St. Ambrose conference championship team. Andy received his bachelor’s degree and served as the University’s student representative for Intramural Sports. During his collegiate
years, he returned to the area to play with his former Heritage teammates on Dave Jones’s summer basketball teams that won numerous tournaments under the banner “Allerton Ballers” and “The Squishy.”
Following his graduation from St. Ambrose, Andy coached basketball in Iowa at the college and
high school levels. He coached in the NAIA Final Four and was assistant coach of the year at
Iowa City West culminating in a fourth-place finish at the Iowa State Basketball Tournament.
Andy coached and worked numerous basketball camps around the Midwest and East Coast, and
was a consistent instructor at Snow Valley Basketball School, considered the top basketball teaching camp in the country.
Andy went on to teach two years of elementary physical education for Westville school district
before returning to Heritage. While at Heritage, he taught elementary physical education for four
years, junior high social studies for two years, coached junior high track three years, and lastly
taught high school physical education for two years where he implemented athletic performance
training and renovated the high school weight room. From 2007-2015 Andy coached the high
school boys’ basketball team achieving the school’s first-ever ranking in the Associated Press
Top Ten Poll. Andy served on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Basketball Coaches
Association. He received his first Master’s Degree in Athletic Coaching from Greenville
University achieving a perfect 4.0 GPA and wrote a Thesis that completed his special education endorsement.
Andy taught next at Champaign Central High School, where he held the following roles during a
six-year period: physical education, safety and health teacher, behind-the-wheel instructor, Dean
of Students, and assistant basketball coach. Throughout these years, he provided basketball
skill instruction to numerous area high school and college players. Andy helped students in their
respective sports by mentoring and assisting in the transition from high school to collegiate
athletics. While at Champaign Central, he completed his second Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Eastern Illinois University with a 3.9 GPA.
Andy continues his career at Mt. Zion School District where he works in the high school physical
education department. He assists the high school boys’ basketball team, while coaching the
junior high girls’ team. Andy’s 2022 7th grade girls team placed third in the IESA State Tournament helping him receive the IBCA Coach of The Year.
Place is a Physical Education teacher, assistant boys’ basketball and girls’ basketball coach in the Mt. Zion school district. Each alum was chosen by the Hall of Fame committee members giving careful thought to the nominees each year. Areas of consideration include schooling and/or work experience after graduation, awards and honors, professional contributions, community activities and their positive impact on society and our world. The selection process begins in August each year, and culminates with the choices being made in February. The induction ceremony is then held with the honors banquet in May of the same year.
Nine members including teachers, community members, and administrators sit on the Heritage Hall of Fame Committee that decides induction. There is no set number of inductees for each year, but those who don’t make the cut are held over for review in future years. Members of the four communities that make up the district: Homer, Allerton, Broadlands, and Longview are encouraged to visit the school website and nominate alumni for consideration. The induction is combined with the honors banquet, to recognize both past and present Heritage students, with those inducted to the Hall of Fame having a plaque added to the wall at the school along with the one they are given upon induction.
