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District 102 wins on Bingo night in Buffalo Grove
Missy Frank co-chaired Aptakisic-Tripp District 102's annual Bingo tournament March 8 at Meridian Middle School in Buffalo Grove. The PTO event helps fund district initiatives. | Michael Schmidt~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 21, 2013 2:36PM
BUFFALO GROVE — For the umpteenth year in a row, more than 600 members of the Aptakisic-Tripp Elementary District 102 community packed into Meridian Middle School for the PTO’s annual Bingo tournament.
Missy Frank, co-chair of the Bingo night committee, helped pull together the most recent version, held on March 8.
She assembled a group of volunteers and the materials, and amassed dozens of items for the $5 and $1 raffles. Giveaways included televisions, packages from the Chicago Bulls and Cubs, Apple iPads and gift certificates from numerous local businesses.
Q: Bingo is a game of absolute chance with no opportunity for players to separate themselves by skill. Yet, generation after generation, it remains popular. Why do people play Bingo?
A: They feel there’s a skill in how they pick their card. The joy of Bingo is that it’s hands-down the best family activity. It’s not only the smart kids who can do it, or the athletic kids who can do it, everybody can do it. We just had a basketball tournament ... the odds of winning are going to be better if you’re good. That’s the problem with kids these days, they focus on what they’re good at, and that’s it. The kids who don’t excel at any one thing, this is where they get to win.
Q: You talked about the difficulty of getting students to work hard in areas where they are not naturally skilled. Higher education is becoming more specialized. Is it hard to convince kids that there is value in working hard in a subject that probably isn’t going to lead to a job down the road?
A: I understand why — it’s such a tough market. We see kids who are naturally good in math, so the parents push them in that direction. As a parent, I am trying to create a well-rounded child. I have a student who is beyond his age in math, so we push him harder in the other areas.
Q: What does the PTO do for the district?
A: Our main goal is to raise funds. Our superintendent, Dr. (Theresa) Dunkin, just was named one of the top superintendents for technological savvy in the country. The PTO raises about $100,000 a year for everything, and we divvy that up. We are able to supplement the ideas that the district has. It brings our community together. I joined the PTO because when I moved here, I didn’t know anybody. Now, we walk around, and we know everybody. It’s nice to be able to walk around town, and smile at people. I know you, because you did popcorn at a PTO event. A lot of parents, it’s the social life for them.
Q: What will the Bingo money go toward?
A: Bingo goes straight to education. That’s our biggest expenditure.
Q: What will your next technology purchase be?
A: We don’t decide what the district buys. We’re just parents, and we want to help. But, I believe iPads are the big push this year. It’s such a weird time right now. As a parent, it’s overwhelming, it’s scary what’s out there.
Q: Who is the best Bingo tile caller... or, who is the worst?
A: Some of the principals, they’re great public speakers. Greg Michels, the co-principal at Tripp, this man brings energy and excitement. I think he wanted to be a World Wrestling Federation announcer. He’s like ‘Aannndddd nnooowwwww...”
