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I photographed my first Kane County Cougars home game on May 16 as a photo intern with the Kane County Chronicle. Being a part of the press resulted in my behind-the-scenes view of the Cougars game against the Peoria Chiefs. I wasn’t there to photograph the action – I was there to capture the essence of the ballpark that the average fan wouldn’t generally experience. 

Initially, I focused on the fans, specifically children. They all seemed to be enjoying their colorful Dippin' Dots snacks or paying more attention to their counterparts than the action on the field. 

To photograph the players on the field, I was led through a simple, gray door that connected to a worn, shady passage. I spotted a hamper brimming with baseballs and rakes hung with haste. It was a sports fan's secret garden as it led directly into the player’s dugout. The dugout was messy, with empty cups and bats carelessly leaning on the bench. This dugout was a lounge, a home and an area for the players to cheer on their fellow teammates and friends. The dugout, that night, was the essence of America's favorite sport.

-Michaela Simone

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The minute I saw the advertisement for the St. Charles Park District Turtle Wrangler Training program, I knew I wanted to photograph participants in the program. The only problem was that I would have to wait until it was sunny and warm enough for the turtles to be outdoors. 

The district now has dozens of turtle wranglers registered to take their turtles out for a moment in the sun, and Tuesday – with temperatures reaching the low 90s – was a day for wrangling. 

Pam Otto, manager of nature programs and interpretive services at the St. Charles Park District – and a columnist for the Kane County Chronicle – called me Tuesday afternoon to let me know that three trained wranglers, Azul Canon, 8, Sam Tomka, 8, and Vivian Johnsen, 9, were, in fact, wrangling. The program also trained the young animal lovers to feed fish, clean the rabbit's cage and wrangle the resident lizard.

– Sandy Bressner

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I've been waiting all year for the weather we've had this week and luckily, I've been able to spend an hour or so each day in the sunshine.

Monday I had the chance to cover a home Kane County Cougars game as part of a feature we are doing on designated hitter Rock Shoulders. Not only does Rock have arguably the best name in baseball, he was recently named the Cubs organizational Minor League Player of the Month for April. 

-Sandy Bressner

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In an instant, it seemed that the classmates, friends, cameras and television crews surrounding him disappeared the moment T.J. Gleason saw his dad, Tim, in the front seat of a minivan as it pulled up outside his school Wednesday. Tim had been serving overseas with the Illinois National Guard since June 2012.

The entire school and several community members gathered as multiple fire trucks, police cars and motorcycles formed a motorcade for Tim Gleason, his wife, and three younger sons, to pull off a surprise for T.J., who stood waiting with his kindergarten class at Corron Elementary School.

T.J. tore away from his class and ran full speed into his dad's arms.

The look of pure joy on both Tim and T.J.'s faces was priceless. Not to mention that it was Tim's birthday. But from the look of the moment, you would think it was T.J.'s birthday too.

-Sandy Bressner