Unit #20 Board of Education recognizes Lady Braves and heroic students

Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 11:54 AM

By Steve Anderson

It was a special night at the Lawrence Unit #20 Board of Education meeting Wednesday night at Lawrenceville High School.

The board, along with the Lawrence-Allison Fire Protection District, recognized two Unit 20 students--Tanner Budds and Evan Griffin. They were presented with lifesaving awards from the firefighters for their heroic actions in helping rescue students in a school van fire in November of 2025.

Also recognized were the Parkview 8th grade Lady Braves basketball team. They finished third in the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) Class 3A State finals after completing an undefeated regular season. Along the way, they captured both regional and sectional titles.