“Rural towns may be losing population, but there’s a beauty of history there. If you take the time to look, there are hidden gems everywhere.”
Bob Chikos
On this episode
Host Joey Brewer visits with Bob Chikos—an educator, map enthusiast, and Teach Plus alum—who recently completed a remarkable personal quest: visiting all 102 counties in Illinois. Along the way, Bob discovered more than scenic backroads; he uncovered deep insights into our state’s rural-urban divide, education equity, and the stories hidden in every zip code.
What you’ll Learn in this Episode
- What it’s like to visit all 102 counties in the state (and take a selfie at every county line)
- Surprising differences and similarities between urban, suburban, and rural communities
- The realities of Illinois’ teacher recruitment and retention crisis and the potential of programs like Educators Rising to address it
- How rural communities like those in Forgottonia are rich with history and culture
Questions for further Discussion
- What do you think makes rural areas like Forgottonia both unique and underappreciated?
- How could schools build stronger urban-rural partnerships? What might an “exchange program” look like in your community?
- What structural issues does Bob highlight in Illinois education, and how might we begin to address them?
- In your own life or teaching practice, how can you “look closer” and discover the stories around you?
“We don’t have a teacher shortage. We have a teacher distribution problem—a state of haves and have-nots.”
Bob Chikos
About Our Guest
Bob Chikos is a veteran special education teacher at Crystal Lake Central High School who has spent two decades in the classroom. He’s also an advocate for education policy through organizations like Teach Plus and Advance Illinois. A lifelong fan of maps and geography, Bob recently completed a personal goal of visiting every county in Illinois, documenting his journey with a selfie at each border. You can follow his future projects on his YouTube channel, Chikostribe.
Sources to Explore
- County Lines – Randymajors.org: Interactive map tool that Bob mentioned that shows exact county lines.
- Educators Rising Illinois: A program aimed at inspiring and supporting future educators across the state. Illinois Education AssociationAurora University+2Illinois Education Association+2Facebook+2
- Advance Illinois – Teacher Shortage Initiatives: An organization working to address educational disparities and teacher shortages in Illinois.
- Jonathan Kozol’s Savage Inequalities: This work examines the disparities in American education, with a focus on Illinois.
- Robert Earl Hughes: Once the heaviest human recorded who hailed from one of the smallest towns in Forgottonia– Fishhook, IL (Pike County), just 20 miles east of Hannibal, MO.
- New Philadelphia National Historic Site: Discover the history of the first town platted and registered by an African American in the U.S. (Free Frank McWorter).
- Chikostribe: Bob Chikos Youtube channel
The Forgottonia Project 