The Batavia Chamber of Commerce has named Linda Schielke its 2025 Citizen of the Year for her decades of service, leadership and dedication to the Batavia community, officials with the group said. Schielke expressed gratitude for the honor. “There are so many wonderful people in this town doing so many great things all of the time. It is a true honor to receive this recognition,” Schielke told The Beacon-News. Chamber officials had praise for her dedication over the years. “Linda’s name rose quickly to the top for a simple reason – her heart for Batavia is unmatched,” Batavia Chamber President and CEO Margaret Perreault said in a Chamber of Commerce news release. “Her influence touches every corner of our community, often in ways people don’t even realize. She leads with grace, shows up without being asked and helps make Batavia the special place we are all proud to call home.” Even though it’s been years since she has been in the classroom, Schielke is remembered as a Batavia teacher. Former students still greet her as Miss Anderson, a testament to her ongoing connection to the children she served, Chamber of Commerce officials said. She met her husband, longtime Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke, “in classic small-town fashion,” while he was dressed as Santa Claus at Louise White School in the city where Linda was a teacher. They married in 1986 and will celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2026. In addition, Linda Schielke is known as a mentor, historian and musician. She brings a “vibrant presence in nearly every corner of Batavia civic life,” Chamber of Commerce officials said. The Batavia Chamber of Commerce every year recognizes those who make extraordinary contributions in the community. Some of the nomination letters for Linda Schielke came from past recipients, including Marge Brown, named 2023 Citizen of the Year, along with her husband, former longtime Batavia Ald. Dave Brown. “Linda has dedicated herself to the betterment of our community, not in search for recognition, but through an unwavering, hands-on commitment to improving our city’s culture and spirit,” Marge Brown said. “Linda embodies the very best of Batavia’s community spirit.” Linda Schielke came to Batavia in 1979 as a sixth-grade teacher. Her impact in Batavia spans generations – from her students at Louise White Elementary to the countless residents touched by her leadership in music, historic preservation and patriotic celebrations, officials said. Schielke grew up on a farm near Leland. The youngest of three daughters, her parents instilled in her a love of history, craftsmanship, service, music and community, Chamber of Commerce officials said. Those values followed her into a distinguished career in education, where she went on to become an elementary principal, curriculum director and assistant superintendent in other communities including Downers Grove, West Chicago, Carol Stream and Bloomingdale. She retired from the education profession in 2011 as assistant superintendent in Bloomingdale. Prior to her retirement in Bloomingdale, Schielke was selected by Illinois Math and Science Academy founding President Stephanie Pace Marshall to serve as director for “The Center” at IMSA responsible for teacher training at the academy. She served as an administrator at Aurora-based IMSA for eight years. “Everything I ever did in curriculum was about helping teachers teach better and helping kids learn more,” Schielke said. Schielke was also the founder of the Batavia Community Band in 2013, which now is a fixture at the community’s civic events, including Memorial Day, Flag Day, the Fourth of July and Celebration of Lights. The Batavia Community Band has nearly 85 musicians, with 50 to 55 performing at any given event. The all-volunteer musical group received the Batavia Chamber of Commerce Spirit of Batavia Award in 2013, just one of the high points in being involved in the band, Schielke said. “The band makes us feel as though we’re back in high school again,” she said. Schielke’s passion for history and patriotism is threaded through her community work, Chamber of Commerce officials said. She served on the Batavia Flag Day Committee to plan the 2016 centennial celebration and was a founding force behind the Fox Valley Patriotic Organization. Alongside Austin Dempsey and Marty Callahan, Schielke helped drive the years-long effort to build the Dr. Bernard Cigrand Flag Day Monument in Batavia, raising awareness and funding for the project. Another memorable moment for Schielke was cutting the ribbon for the Flag Day Monument, she said. “The Flag Day Monument was a labor of love. It took years, but it was worth every bit of the effort,” Schielke said. “There were some true heroes in the building of the monument,” she said of the volunteer committee involved in the project. On a state level, Schielke serves on the Board of Trustees of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, helping select recipients of the state’s highest honor, the Order of Lincoln. The organization supports the Student Laureate program, which honors outstanding seniors for their academic and extracurricular achievements at Illinois colleges and universities. “I have always considered myself as a lifelong learner. There’s no better way to keep going and growing than to share your time and talents with others. The old saying about you do truly get back more than you give is something I have found true in my life. I feel a high percentage of Batavians do care deeply about the town and each other. I am inspired by people all of the time,” Schielke told The Beacon-News. In addition to history, Schielke has a passion for antiques. She is often called upon when people are searching to “find the right home” for a family heirloom, Chamber of Commerce officials said. Schielke was notified that she had been named Citizen of the Year when she happened to walk into Batavia City Hall for the weekly band practice where the chamber’s nominating committee had just decided on its selection. Schielke will likely remember for a long time how she was notified of the honor. “It was band practice and the group met in the council chambers,” she told The Beacon-News. “I walked into the council chambers and here’s this wonderful standing ovation from prior Citizens of the Year. They usually notify the person over a conference call.” The Batavia Chamber of Commerce will honor Schielke on Thursday, April 23, at the chamber’s “Inspire 2026: A Celebration of Those Who Inspire Us” event at Revelry on South River Street in Batavia. The Batavia Chamber of Commerce launched the annual tradition of recognizing individuals in 1985. Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News. ...read more read less