It's not often Aurora is able to hire a new class of firefighters, so when this year brought seven new firemen to the cities staff I asked if I could follow them through the process. On their last day of training they burn down a vacant home as an exercise to see how fire moves through the house. | Brian Powers~Sun-Times Media

March 12 Volunteer Doug Tomsha holds onto display case displaying a painting of Dick Jacobs who became Elgin's first casualty in World War II during the attack of Pearl Harbor, as he hangs a window banner of Woodruff & Edwards employees during WWII at t

As the sun sets in Kendall County on Tuesday, June 5, 2012, the planet Venus (dot on right side of sun) can clearly be seen silhouetted against the glowing yellow disc along with the Somonauk water tower. | Steven Buyansky~Sun-Times Media

Olga Lopez of Elgin tries to get her bearings while helping her son Ricky get settled in his dorm during move-in day at North Central College in Naperville in Naperville on Wednesday, September 5, 2012. | Steven Buyansky~Sun-Times Media

Neighbor Rick Anderson lifts Army National Guard Spec. Matthew Castrovillo into the air to welcome him home during a celebration in front of his home in the Mallard Point subdivision in Sugar Grove on Thursday, September 27, 2010. | Steven Buyansky~Sun-Times Media

Jack McGraw participates in drills with his teammates during a Haines Middle School Hurricanes football practice on Thursday, October 4, 2012 in St. Charles. | Steven Buyansky~Sun-Times Media

Alexis Rodriquez (left) and Abel Barron hand a roll of masking tape back and forth as they add to a giant tape ball. Cowherd Middle School students are hoping to make the Guinness Book of World Records by making a giant masking tape ball in teacher Matt Harding's Language Arts class on Tuesday, October 30, 2012. | Steven Buyansky~Sun-Times Media

Chris Kirsten hugs his 3rd-grade daughter Callie af she finished her day at May Watts Elementrary School in Naperville on Friday, December 14, 2012 after a shooter killed 27 people in Connecticut, including 20 children in a school. | Steven Buyansky~Sun-Times Media

May 30 A water droplet falls from a Monarda "gardenview scarlet' bee balm plant that was planted over the Memorial Day weekend at the Elgin Public Museum Native Medicinal Garden. The plant that attracts hummingbirds and used to make a tea. | Michael Smart

October 3 Fourth-grader Kelsi McCaw, 9, strolls with father Ed McCaw toward Fox Meadow Elementary School in South Elgin during Walk to School Day. The event is to help promote a healthy lifestyle with the students. | Michael Smart~Sun-Times Media

March 20 MIke LaComb of Gilberts talks with senate candidate Cliff Surges at Crusin' tavern in Gilberts. | Michael Smart~Sun-Times Media

June 9 The Glenbard South Girls Softball team celebrate after beating Marengo 2-1 in the Class 3A Girls Softball Championship game at Eastside Centre in East Peoria. | Michael Smart~Sun-Times Media

July 18 Emily Thompson, 11, of St. Charles laughs at her brother Paden Thompson, 8, who gets face lick from his Jersey cow named Peanut during opening day of the Kane County Fair in St. Charles. | Michael Smart~Sun-Times Media

June 6 Noah Laffrey, 5, of Gilberts (in wheel) finds a comfortable spot on a tractor during “Farm Day” at the Dundee Township Library in East Dundee. | Michael Smart~Sun-Times Media

May 23 Trish Hansley with a photo of her late son TJ who served in Iraq. Trish's 21-year-old son died in his sleep at a military hospital last June after suffering from PTSD and other psychotic disorders after returning from a 12 month tour in Iraq. The f

June 20 Andy Stalker of Choice Skateboards, skate in the new skateboard park during the grand opening of River Bend Community Park in the Valley View section of northeast St. Charles. | Michael Smart~Sun-Times Media

April 28 Jesse Perez kisses his father, Adolf Perez's head as Adolf and his wife Merle Perez renew their vows at Tower Hill Care Center in South Elgin. | Andrew A. Nelles~For Sun-Times Media

May 3 A miniture poodle named Max gazes at fish in a mobile aquarium called the Hawg Trough May 3, 2012 along with Paige Paulson, 8, (from left) and Elizabeth Hoke,9, of Elgin outside the Centre of Elgin. The fish were caught by the Illinois Department of

April 11 Adam Bear, 11, (center) holds a cup of grapejuice (representing wine) as Rabbi Jonathan Kohn holds a braided candle at Congregation Kneseth Israel in Elgin, as young students learn about the Jewish holiday of Passover. | Michael Smart~Sun-Time

February 15 Ernie Broadnax's great-great grandmother Ann Bosley escaped slavery from the south by underground railroad at the beginning of The Civil War and headed north settling in Elgin on Freemont Street. She died in 1937 at the age of 99. | Michael Sm

February 10 Westminster Christian head coach Ken Flickinger is hit with a bucket of water as the celebrate their their IHSA Class 1A Regional Championship win over Harvest Academy at Westminster Christian High School. The Warriors won the game 42-30. | Jo

Every season we try and look back and recognize the high school athletes at the top of their game. I love shooting these kids because they are always so excited to be awarded the honor and willing to try just about anything as was Naperville Central's Jill D'Amico who was named the Naperville Sun Soccer player of the year. We took the shot out at Central's soccer field and despite having to go play a few games over the coming days Jill dove, time after time, while her dad tossed the ball, until we got the perfect shot. | Brian Powers~Sun-Times Media

High school sports, especially the playoffs are a roller coaster of emotions. Last season West Aurora basketball team made a run into the playoffs and after a hard fought sectional win against Metea Valley, West standout Juwan Starks was rushed by his teammates on the floor and let out a big yell in excitement. I had made my way onto the floor as the buzzer sounded to capture the excitement and was thankfully right over Starks as his team jumped him. | Brian Powers~Sun-Times Media

One of my favorite assignments this year was the NATO protests in May. We have all seen the images of conflict between the cops and protesters but that was only a fraction of the weekend. For the most part there was just a lot of chanting and walking. Leading up to the big conflict at Michigan and Cermak you could feel the tension rising as the protest got restless and continued to try and push east toward McCormick Center. I fought my way to the front of the line of protesters to find this woman standing, shoulder to shoulder with the protesters. As tensions rose I noticed her turn to this young man and touch his cheek, almost as if to say, "it will be alright." Shortly after this the riot broke out and I lost track of them both in the chaos. | Brian Powers~Sun-Times Media

Aside from the big scuffle at Michigan and Cermak the protesters, were, for the most part, really laid back- almost to a fault. I never felt a clear sense of a direction stemming from a lack of leadership in the Occupy movement, leading to multiple groups going in multiple directions and thinning further their already low numbers. Also, after Sunday afternoon came and went it felt as if there was a giant weight lifted from everyones shoulders. That night they danced in the rain in front of the Art Institute and the next day was followed by a "cuddle summit" on Randolph street. | Brian Powers~Sun-Times Media

This year marked the beginning of a new home on the Mooseheart campus, The Maternity Home. I spent a few months following and documenting the first class of young women as they journeyed not only through the trials of being a teenager but going through a pregnancy at the same time. On one trip I went with house mom Amy, back right, and mother Lily as she got an ultra sound done at Rush-Copley to find out the sex of her baby on Tuesday, November 29, 2011. It is going to be a boy, the third in the house. | Brian Powers~Sun-Times Media

After covering two towns Fourth of July parades I was feeling less than stellar and the hot July afternoon. I paused for a minute while photographing the finish of Aurora's parade and decided to focus on the crowd that had gathered to watch the parade in it's final leg. Everyday I strive to make photos interesting photos that keep peoples attention and in this photo you can find an interesting face each time you look at it. | Brian Powers~Sun-Times Media

Some photos are incredibly beautiful while others have a deeper beauty that not everyone sees. After finishing up an earlier assignment I met Patti De Jesus tending to her garden despite the rising heat. We talked for awhile as I photographed her working and soon enough we said our goodbyes and I went back to the office. The photo never ran in the paper but it did on our photo blog online and the response was astounding. A comment from her son, 2000 miles away, said, "I swell with pride to see her and remember every moment of my blessed childhood being raised by this amazing God fearing woman." Being able to impact peoples lives while sharing the world around us is why I love my job and knowing that this photo brought back such good memories for this man is an amazing feeling. | Brian Powers~Sun-Times Media

I met Ramon Loza while photographing an assignment at Hesed House and after hearing him talk about his families struggles I knew I had to meet them. Fast forward a few months Ramon and his wife Destiny moved into their new home on the east side after two years of not having a home, living in and out of Hesed House and motels in the area. On their first day of moving in they both crashed on the floor, Ramon sprawled out at Destiny's feet knowing they finally had a place to call home. | Brian Powers~Sun-Times Media

Members of Living Stone Church in Aurora gather around and pray for Germaine Arbet of Batavia during a drive-through prayer service in the church's parking lot on Wednesday, September 19, 2012. | Jeff Cagle~For Sun-Times Media

Aurora Central Catholic fans try to distract Yorkville's Derek Piszczek as he inbounds the ball on Friday, March 3, 2012, in Sandwich. | Jeff Cagle~For Sun-Times Media

Bruce (right) and Jamie Wild, parents of Shaun Wild, receive hugs of condolences from students at North Central College during a memorial in Shaun's honor on Saturday, February 4, 2013, on the campus. Shaun, an NCC graduate, died early Saturday morning following a stabbing at Frankie's Blue Room that left two others injured. | Jeff Cagle~For Sun-Times Media