Good News Sunday: College kid dominates in Final Four, turns pro ... in tuba

This is Good News Sunday, a compilation of some of the more upbeat and inspiring stories published by the Daily Herald during the previous week:

It's that time of year when the best of the student performers leave college early for the pros.

Vernon Hills' Robert Black knows what that is like.

"I was thinking about dropping out to play my first season," says Black, a sophomore attending Rice University remotely from his apartment in Milwaukee while he does his professional job as the principal tubist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

At age 18, Black skipped Vernon Hills High School's senior award day to travel to Milwaukee to audition. Black distinguished himself among more than five dozen tuba players and made the cut for the Final Four. In the months before the final audition, that group grew to about 20. Even so, Black won the position in January 2020 to become one of the youngest tubists ever hired by a major orchestra.

"I was sitting in the practice room and the personnel manager came in and told me I had won," Black remembers. He played a Christmas concert on the street in December 2020 as part of the MSO Winter Quintet, performed his first full concert earlier this month a couple of days before he turned 20, and is preparing for another performance with the MSO in May.

Achieving such success so early was a surprise.

"I had no clue," Black says, admitting he auditioned just for the experience and didn't think it would be the start of his professional career. "This is definitely my wildest dream."

For the full story, click here.

Aurora groups fill, hand out Easter baskets

Three hundred and fifty families served by an Aurora food pantry received early Easter baskets.

Aurora churches, businesses and community groups partnered to hand out baskets to families served by Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry in a drive-through distribution at the pantry.

Rebecca "Becky" Dunnigan, pantry community outreach and program coordinator, said baskets were filled with toys, books, bubbles, chalk, kites, candy and filled plastic eggs. The items were placed in colored baskets wrapped in cellophane.

A dozen students from Rosary High School in Aurora helped load baskets into pantry families' vehicles. Irene Robles, a West Aurora High School senior, donned an Easter Bunny costume to hand out plastic eggs.

Volunteers from St. Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church in Aurora completed basket assembly at the pantry.

Fifteen groups donated items to the baskets.

For the full story, click here.

Arlington Heights egg hunt returns

The Arlington Heights Historical Museum was hopping as the annual Easter egg hunt returned. Parents and kids alike charged the grounds to collect their eggs, which had been scattered about between the buildings.

Three-year-old Oscar Kiefer of Arlington Heights was all smiles as he counted his eggs with mom Selina after adding them to his basket.

More than 50 people were on hand for the initial 10 a.m. egg hunt. Additional hunts were scheduled for 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.

The museum is near downtown Arlington Heights at West Fremont Street and North Vail Avenue, the site of the Frederick W. Müller home and soda pop factory. It includes the original 1882 Victorian home, the coach house, 1906 soda pop factory, the 1908 Banta house and a replica 1830s log cabin.

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