217 Today: At this 124-year-old livestock show, kids steal the spotlight with their prize animals
Landon Witherow, 11, prepares to enter the ring with his market steer entry inside Hale Arena. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3
Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Today's headlines:
- The state’s annual public school report card shows students have largely caught up to where they were before the pandemic in reading, but are still struggling in math.
- Black students across Illinois grew their reading skills last year faster than any other group.
- Illinois taxpayers have been spending up to $49,000 per month to pay a single contractor at the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.
- The Fighting Illini football team is on the road this week to play the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
In today's deep dive, we’ll learn more about what it’s like for kids and teenagers who show livestock at one of the largest competitions in the U.S.
Reporting today contributed by Sarah Karp, Emily Hays, Alex Degman, Colin Hislope and Eva Tesfaye.