The Rotary Club of Granite City has named Jersey Egberg and Adalynn Knowlton as the Students of the Month for February. Both are juniors who were nominated by their teachers. The selection was based on academic achievement, participation in extracurricular activities, civic honors and awards, and involvement in organizations.
Each student will receive a framed certificate and a gift card. They will also be recognized at the Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast scheduled for March 24, 2026.
Jersey Egberg is involved in multiple school sports teams including hockey, soccer, and tennis. She has received the Chessy Nikonowicz 100% XC Award and participates in Saturday Scholars. Egberg is the daughter of Amber Egbert.
Adalynn Knowlton has earned a place on the Secondary Honor Roll and holds a Varsity Letter. She is active with Renaissance, Hockey Club, AA Travel Hockey Team, High School Hockey, Youth Hockey Clinics, and volunteers for Billies Kids Toy Drive as well as Relleke’s Farm. Knowlton is the daughter of Christina Justus.
Granite City Community Unit School District 9 serves Madison County and includes several schools such as Granite City High School and Coolidge Junior High School (source). According to data from the Illinois State Board of Education, there are 320 teachers in this district earning an average salary of $67,898; about three-quarters are women (source). The district reports that none of its teachers have more than ten absences per year (source).
The district’s student population is composed of approximately 65 percent White students, with Black students making up about 16 percent and Hispanic students nearly 12 percent (source). In the 2019-2020 school year, enrollment was reported at just under six thousand students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade (source). Spending per student reached $17,739 that year (source).
The chronic truancy rate for this district stood at over twelve percent during that period—higher than the statewide average—with “chronically truant” defined as missing five percent or more of required school days without valid excuse (source).
More information about Granite City School District #9 can be found at www.gcsd9.net.
