Click here to see photos of the "Our Nation: The Fifty States" art quilt created by Mrs. Parkinson's Beye 2nd graders with local artist Pamela Penney. The class dyed fabric and yarn, designed individual quilt squares, then finished with some creative stitchery.

The quilt will be on display at the Oak Park Area Arts Council's gallery at Village Hall from March 1 through April 30, with an artists reception on Tuesday, March 2, 4:30-5:30 pm at Oak Park's Village Hall, room 101. Slide show photographs are by Oak Park photographer David Kindler.

An evening of exciting competition will get underway when robots take center stage in the 5th annual Brooks vs. Julian Vex Robotics competition. The event takes place on Wednesday February 24th at 7 pm in the Brooks Middle School gymnasium, 325 S. Kenilworth Avenue in Oak Park. You are cordially invited!

OPEF's after-school Vex Robotics teams are open to all District 97 middle school students. Young inventors control the design, performance and functionality of their robots, including the ability to program them to perform tasks by remote control or autonomously. This year, we've attracted a diverse group of 80 students who will compete in a challenge called the "Sponge Ball Bonanza." Students construct robots that collect sponge balls that must be lifted and delivered to a variety of difficult scoring targets. One is a tricky limbo bar that the robots must pass. Another target is completely hidden from view, requiring the use of sensors and programming to score.

Please come -- and bring the kids!