Rockford Sun

The candidate for Illinois' 11th Congressional District commended the Morton Arboretum and the Shedd Aquarium for their notable contributions to conservation, stating, "Congratulations to the Morton Arboretum and the Shedd Aquarium for your impressive work in helping to conserve trees and freshwater ecosystems." The candidate, Evans, who is set to compete against incumbent Democrat Bill Foster, further expressed his admiration by saying, "It is also impressive that they included area teachers in these trips to learn about these species."

"Congratulations to the Morton Arboretum and the Shedd Aquarium for your impressive work in helping to conserve trees and freshwater ecosystems," said Jerry Evans, according to Facebook. "It is also impressive that they included area teachers in these trips to learn about these species. These teachers will be able to bring what they learned into their classrooms and create a more “innovative and experience-based curriculum” for learning. Keep up the great work!"

In a Facebook post, Evans referenced an article from the Daily Herald that spotlighted the conservation advancements made by both organizations. According to the Daily Herald, The Morton Arboretum and Shedd Aquarium have each been recognized as a Center for Species Survival by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The publication reported that Shedd Aquarium was named "the first dedicated Center for Species Survival: Freshwater," while Morton Arboretum received its designation as "Center for Species Survival: Trees" in March 2023.

Screenshot of Jerry Evans for Congress April 18 Facebook post | Jerry Evans for Congress Facebook page

Researchers from Shedd’s Aquarium embarked on journeys through Central America to study freshwater mussels, as per the Daily Herald. These trips allowed researchers to investigate the filtering capabilities of these mussels.

According to information from the Daily Herald, researchers from the Arboretum collected 250 herbarium specimens in Mexico. They also discovered 20 new individual critically endangered trees in Baja California Sur and initiated restoration work for tropical cloud forest ecosystems in Guatemala.

Silvia Alvarez-Clare, Ph.D., Director of Global Tree Conservation at the Arboretum, emphasized education's role in their mission. In a news release from Morton Arboretum she stated, "Education is a fundamental component of our work. By supporting local educators to create innovative and experience-based curricula, we hope to reach hundreds of students to inspire their continued learning about the natural world and become advocates for biodiversity conservation."

Evans has built his campaign around education and community service in the Chicago area. As a small businessman and founder of a suburban music school, he holds a degree in music from Wheaton College. Currently residing in Warrenville with his wife and sons, Evans is actively engaged in mentoring, missionary training, and participation in missions to India, Mexico, and South Africa. His website states that he and his four siblings were instilled with "the Midwestern values of hard work and the importance of helping those around you" by their parents.

The 11th Congressional District, which Evans is contesting for, covers most of McHenry and Kane Counties along with parts of Boone, Lake, DeKalb, DuPage, Cook and Will Counties. The district is currently represented by U.S. Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL) and has a population exceeding 700,000 according to the Census Bureau.