Highschool principal is a hometown hero

The Rev. F. William Etheredge, principal of Aurora Central Catholic High School, will be presented with the Hometown Hero Award by Mayor Tom Weisner during halftime of the school’s varsity basketball game on Friday.

The Chargers will face St. Edward Central Catholic High School of Elgin at 7:30 p.m. at home.

“Father Etheredge works diligently for the spiritual and academic development of children and young adults,” Weisner said.

“He consistently demonstrates his faith with kindness and humility, and generally embodies the traits we all strive to inspire in our young people.”

The city presents Hometown Hero Awards to recognize an individual’s contributions to Aurora.

Etheredge also serves as superintendent of the Catholic schools in the Aurora deanery.

Before his Aurora assignment, he was an associate pastor in both DeKalb and Rockford and an assistant principal of Boylan Central Catholic High School in Rockford. He graduated from West Aurora High School and then entered Waubonsee Community College, where his father, the late Sen. Forest D. Etheredge, was the college’s president. His mother is Joan Etheredge.

Rev. Etheredge went on to Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., before attending Gregorian University at the North American College in Rome.

Both Etheredge and Aurora Central Catholic are celebrating milestones in 2008. Etheredge was ordained to the Catholic priesthood 25 years ago, and Aurora Central Catholic is celebrating its 40th anniversary following the consolidation of Aurora’s Madonna and Roncalli high schools in 1968.

The Beacon News