Students, teacher, lead drive to State rock

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Governor JB Pritzker Monday, June 6, joined legislators, students, and teachers at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle to designate Dolostone as the official rock of the State of Illinois.

Illinois governor JB Pritzker signs House Bill 4261 Monday, June 6, at Morton Arboretum in Lisle. The bill designates Dolostone at the official Illinois State rock. Al Benson/The Voice

House Bill 4261 began as an initiative by a group of elementary school students from Pleasantdale Middle School in Burr Ridge and Maplebrook Elementary School in Naperville.

The initiative was led by Jennifer Lauermann of Lisle, Pleasantdale fifth grade science teacher and middle school science coordinator.

Lauermann, a former Auroran, is a graduate of Aurora University and West Aurora High School.

After Pleasantdale students discovered that Illinois did not have a State rock, they created a ballot and had students across the State vote. The chosen rock was Dolostone.

Dolostone, a form of limestone, forms the majority of Illinois’s bedrock, establishing a foundation for the state’s other natural terrain. Its name comes from its original discovery in the Dolomite Alps.

Illinois recognizes several other official symbols of the State, including; state bird- the Northern Red Cardinal, state flower- the violet, state tree- the white oak, and state fish- the bluegill. More officially designated state flora and fauna can be found on the Illinois DNR website.

“Seeing young people use their voices and the democratic process to make change in our state is truly inspiring,” said governor JB Pritzker.

“These young leaders have a bright future of organizing and civic engagement that I am excited to watch. They could not have picked a better rock to represent the strength and stability of Illinois.”

State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) said, “Developing this legislation has been a fantastic learning experience for students across our State, and this is an opportunity to show the next generation that they are capable of great things.

State representative Yang Rohr, (D-Naperville) added, “With today’s bill signing, we’re not only establishing an official state rock with a long history of economic and geological significance to Illinois, we’re building the foundation for a new generation of lifelong learners who are civically engaged and ready to contribute to their communities.”

—Al Benson

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