M.A.K.E.-I.T. Program Hits Capacity, Announces “Diggin’ It” Summer Theme

Litchfield CUSD #12 Meeting | January 20, 2026

Article Summary:
The Litchfield School District’s M.A.K.E.-I.T. program reported a successful end to the calendar year with enrollment at full capacity and a waiting list. Program Director Kelley Walker announced plans for the upcoming summer session, which will feature a paleontology theme.

M.A.K.E.-I.T. Program Key Points:

  • Full Enrollment: The program finished the year with 38 registered students and currently has a waiting list.

  • Holiday Service: Students participated in community service activities in December, including caroling at Evergreen and Litchfield Health and Rehab Center.

  • Summer Plans: The 2026 summer program theme will be “Diggin’ It,” focusing on dinosaurs, fossils, and gardening.

LITCHFIELD – The Litchfield Community Unit School District No. 12 received a written update regarding its M.A.K.E.-I.T. program, highlighting strong participation numbers and community engagement efforts as the new year begins.

According to a report submitted by Program Director Kelley Walker, the program ended the calendar year with 38 registered students, filling the program to capacity. Walker noted that a waiting list has been established for families hoping to join.

The breakdown of attendance includes 19 students attending after school only, two attending before school, and 17 students utilizing both morning and afternoon sessions.

The report detailed a shift in curriculum during December to focus on giving and community service. Instead of traditional homework sessions, students operated “Santa’s Workshop,” creating snow globes and ornaments as gifts for their families.

“We talk about how important it is to give,” Walker wrote in the report. “The door is shut and parents aren’t allowed into the room. The kids love keeping their gift making ‘top secret’.”

Students also engaged with the broader community by caroling in the neighborhood and visiting residents at Evergreen and Litchfield Health and Rehab Center.

Looking ahead, Walker announced that the 2026 summer program theme will be “Diggin’ It.” The curriculum will focus on paleontology, history, and gardening. Activities will include digging for “fossils” in a pirate ship sandbox donated by Hometown Treats and Eats.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Violence Interrupters, local activists lead CTA safety push

Violence Interrupters, local activists lead CTA safety push

By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Violence Interrupters founder Tio Hardiman has joined with faith-based leaders and community activists across the city...
Illinois Quick Hits: Chicago man sentenced for sex trafficking

Illinois Quick Hits: Chicago man sentenced for sex trafficking

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A Chicago man has been sentenced to 28 years in federal prison for sex trafficking and kidnapping....
IMG_4391

North Monroe Business Awarded Facade Improvement Grant

Litchfield City Council Meeting | February 5, 2026 Article Summary: The Litchfield City Council approved a facade improvement grant to assist with renovations at 314 North Monroe Street. The TIF-funded...
Meeting Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: LLCC Board of Trustees for December 15, 2025

LLCC Board of Trustees Meeting | December 15, 2025 The Lincoln Land Community College Board of Trustees met on Monday, December 15, 2025, to handle end-of-year financial business and receive...
Chicago aldermen call out transportation dept. over Complete Streets, bike lanes

Chicago aldermen call out transportation dept. over Complete Streets, bike lanes

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A Chicago alderman says the city’s Complete Streets program is a disaster that’s costing taxpayers hundreds of...
Illinois quick hits: Moody's predicts static job growth in Illinois

Illinois quick hits: Moody’s predicts static job growth in Illinois

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Moody's predicts static job growth in Illinois According to a report prepared by Moody’s Analytics for the Illinois Commission on Government...
Litchfield Logo Graphic.4

Litchfield City Council Sets New Hunting Registration Rules, Allows Two Stands Per Hunter

Litchfield City Council Meeting | February 5, 2026 Article Summary: The Litchfield City Council on Thursday passed an ordinance establishing a mandatory registration system for hunters on city property. Following...
WATCH: LA leaders, lawmakers discuss wildfire legislation

WATCH: LA leaders, lawmakers discuss wildfire legislation

By Madeline ShannonThe Center Square Insurance companies could be compelled to pay homeowners in Southern California who lost their homes in the January 2025 wildfires, if elected leaders have their...
'Fraud tourists' plead guilty in Minnesota fraud case

‘Fraud tourists’ plead guilty in Minnesota fraud case

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Fraud investigations continue in Minnesota as the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday two "fraud tourists" have pleaded guilty to stealing millions from taxpayers in...
Illinois lawmakers push uniform election reporting to enhance voter confidence

Illinois lawmakers push uniform election reporting to enhance voter confidence

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers are considering legislation that would require local election authorities to report election data in...
GOP leaders eye second DHS funding stopgap after Dems reject White House offer

GOP leaders eye second DHS funding stopgap after Dems reject White House offer

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square With the deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security only days away, Democrats have refused an offer from the White House to strike a...
Texas sheriff proposes bipartisan solution to border issue

Texas sheriff proposes bipartisan solution to border issue

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square As Congress debates Department of Homeland Security funding, bipartisan support could be reached in one area: establishing federal responsibility for recovering dead bodies in border...
Mills fires back at Oz threats of federal intervention

Mills fires back at Oz threats of federal intervention

By Chris WadeThe Center Square Maine Gov. Janet Mills is pushing back on the Trump administration's threats of a federal takeover if it doesn't turn over details of state Medicaid...
Trump warns Canada over bridge, deal he says will eliminate hockey

Trump warns Canada over bridge, deal he says will eliminate hockey

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square President Donald Trump warned Canada over plans for a bridge and a deal with China that he says would eliminate ice hockey and the Stanley...
FBI named high profile man 'co-conspirator' to Epstein, files show

FBI named high profile man ‘co-conspirator’ to Epstein, files show

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Department of Justice unredacted portions of documents in the Jeffrey Epstein files with mentions of high profile figures at the request of Congressional...