(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A Chicago high school library that was the only Illinois library to be a finalist for a big renovation grant has now won the whole thing.
When WBBM Newsradio spoke to Library Director Andie Townhouse just over a month ago, she was trying to round up votes for her library at Roberto Clemente High School in Ukrainian Village.
The votes, she hoped, would translate into the library winning a makeover grant from the national not-for-profit Heart of America.
“The Clemente library has been static and antiquated and not reflective of 21st Century thinking,” Townhouse said.
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This week, she found out the library got 7,000 votes — almost half of all those cast.
So out of 200 entries, Townhouse and Clemente won. It’s not yet known how much grant money will be forthcoming.
“It’s funny because it’s been so much rejection over maybe 15 year of my teaching career. Just a lot of no,” Townhouse said. “And then someone says yes in a very big way — that makes up for all of those no’s.”
The first planning meeting was set for Friday.
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