Happy National Fast Food Day: McDonald's Franchise began in Illinois in 1955

• Fast Food
• McDonalds

Happy National Fast Food Day everyone, it is a day to eat wonderful and delicious food. McDonalds is a major staple of American fast food cuisine. It has been around for decades and is a popular place for families across the country to dine. But, did you know this popular fast food chain’s first franchise restaurant was right here in Illinois?

McDonald’s first started as a small burger joint run by the McDonald brothers — Richard and Maurice — in San Bernadino, Cal. However, Ray Kroc was the one that would turn McDonald’s into the major franchise it is today. Kroc chose to begin that journey in 1955 by establishing a McDonald’s restaurant in the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines.

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Be extra kind on World Kindness Day!

• Kindness
• November
• Wilmette

World Kindness Day is Nov. 13. It’s a day to promote being kind to each other, to yourself and to the world!

The occasion was first introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement. This organization was formed at a Tokyo conference in 1997, when Japan brought kindness organizations of multiple nations together and emphasized the necessity of a global kindness movement. Today, over 28 countries are part of the World Kindness Movement group!

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Naval Academy’s first African American female brigade commander will be an Illinois native

• Success
• Naval Academy

Midshipman leadership positions have been announced for the spring semester of the Naval Academy in Annapolis, and the list includes Illinois’ own Midshipman 1^st Class Sydney Barber, who hails from Lake Forest. Barber will become the Academy’s first African American female brigade commander.

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Did you know? Today is National STEM Day!

• technology
• Computer Science
• STEM

Nov. 8 is National STEM Day! STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The I-STEM Education Initiative at the University of Illinois aims to foster accessible, effective STEM teaching and learning—from preschool through graduate education—at local, state and national levels. I-STEM strives to prepare a diverse STEM workforce to tackle pressing global challenges. This campus coalition wishes to foster STEM citizenship through communication and public engagement, foster ungraduated and graduate STEM education reform, and advocate for STEM education.

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