Congratulations to our very own Superintendent, Randy Vincent, on winning the Grand Prize Illinois Homegrown Hero Award! He was presented this award by the St. Louis District Dairy Council on Thursday, May 15 in front of the entire school, his family, and his friends. Below is the letter Mrs. Ashley Follmer wrote to the SLDDC to nominate Randy for this award, followed by the official announcement made by the SLDDC
Home Grown Hero Application: Randy Vincent
On September 21, 2021 our school hit rock bottom. Our principal/superintendent had just left us after a month into the school year and the staff at Cornell Grade School was trying to pick up the pieces while keeping our school running. Cornell was in jeopardy of losing our school credentials because of the mask mandate. Parents and community members were upset with us and we didn’t know what was going to happen next.
At the school board meeting that night, the staff had been notified that our Regional Superintendent would be in attendance. So, many of our faculty came to the meeting. The event had been moved to the gym to accommodate a large number of people. As the staff walked into the board meeting we saw an unfamiliar man sitting behind us, who we all assumed was the Regional Superintendent; however, this man ended up being the person that was going to save our school from destruction, Mr. Randy Vincent.
The next day Mr. Vincent introduced himself as the interim principal/superintendent at Cornell Grade School. Within our first official meeting at school, he was able to help put our faith back in the education system. With his prior knowledge of handling difficult situations at schools, he had confidence in being able to resolve some of our issues that the past administration was unable to handle.
Mr. Vincent has been in education for the past forty-seven years. Through his tenure he has climbed the ladder in education by being a respected teacher, principal, superintendent, and after his first retirement, an interim administrator. With his expertise he was confident that he could help get Cornell Grade School back on track even if it was just a temporary position. However, even after discovering obstacles he has never confronted, he stayed positive and helped calm the waters for teachers, parents, and community members alike. Mr. Vincent stayed true to his word of being willing to help us instead of running for the hills like our last administrator. And for that dedication we are forever grateful for him.
During his four years with us we have moved from a low performing school district to proficient. Mr. Vincent helped us get a new reading curriculum and maintain professional development for our new math curriculum. He continues to find grants to help fund what we need in the classroom as well as making updates to our aging school building.
Every day he supports our staff and students. He finds solutions to our problems in a professional way. His leadership is such a positive addition to our school which, unfortunately, is something we have been lacking for many years. Through his time at Cornell he has been a great mentor and a person we all can rely on. We even dressed up like Mr. Vincent for Halloween to show our respect for him. The surprised look on Randy’s face when he walked into the office with all of us wearing white mustaches and Illini or Chicago Cubs gear was priceless. That day he sent out an email, thanking us for the great welcome and a quote that stated, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." That day, he felt the love and respect we all have for him along with the sadness that will occur when he will finally retire from education.
Even though Mr. Vincent plans on retiring, he still found us a great administrator to fill his position. She has attended events and has been working alongside Mr. Vincent since September to help make this a smooth transition. Also, Randy has looked into our finances for the future and prepared a referendum to help keep our school open for many years. Even at the end of his educational career, he still cares about Cornell Grade School and wants nothing more than to set us up for success. Without his guidance we would not be in the great position we are in today.
Therefore, we cannot thank Mr. Randy Vincent enough for taking a chance on a little country school like Cornell. He took pride in his work and helped transform our school into a great learning environment. Mr. Vincent even started a new slogan at our school, “It’s a great day to be a cougar!” Because this truly is a great school to work at and educate our youth.
Whether or not he is selected as the Homegrown Hero, Cornell has truly been awarded by having this determined and honorable educator leading our crew into calmer waters these last few years.
By: Ashley Follmer
2025 Homegrown Hero Winners Make a Difference
Dairy Farmers Honor Community Heroes
ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- While everyday heroes have received special recognition in recent years, dairy farmers are hardly newcomers to saluting standouts in the community. For eight years running, they have honored individuals who improve the lives of others with the Homegrown Hero Award. Implemented by St. Louis District Dairy Council (SLDDC), the award rallies schools to nominate those who make a difference.
“Each year, we are amazed by the heroes nominated, and the work they do right here in our own backyard. It’s wonderful to learn about school cafeteria workers, teachers, principals, custodians and volunteers who creatively and tirelessly work to make their communities a better place,” said Monica Nyman, SLDDC Senior Nutrition Educator.
Schools across Missouri and Illinois submitted nominations earlier this year for the Homegrown Hero campaign. The contest encouraged schools to share their nominee’s story in their own way. Letters, essays, photos and videos detailed inspiring stories of those who strive to improve the lives of others every day.
With a keen eye on what is happening locally, farmers are a natural fit for recognizing those who go the extra mile. “Along with providing safe and wholesome food, farmers are invested in their communities. They take care of their cows, the land and their neighbors. When it comes to heroes, we like to say that it takes one to know one,” Nyman said.
Overall, seven individuals in Missouri and 8 individuals in Illinois were nominated for the award. On May 15th, SLDDC awarded the grand prize Illinois Homegrown Hero Award to Randy Vincent from Cornell Grade School in Cornell, IL. Vincent assumed the role of interim principal/superintendent to offer guidance and leadership during a challenging time for the school district. Over the past few years, he has played a pivotal role in transforming the school into a thriving, positive learning environment.
The 2025 Missouri Homegrown Heroes: Jenna Alt, Tommie Ellenberg, Autumn McBride, Tim Page, Officer Valenti, Kenny Witte, Matt Yates
The 2025 Illinois Homegrown Heroes: Jeanne Heier, Matt Hermsmeier, Francie Hoerner, Brayden McClure, Steve Stierwalt, Emmie Renth, Officer Salvi and Randy Vincent.
Grand Prize winners are listed in bold.
