Latest news with #NationalMeritFinalists
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
More than 1,500 Maine Township District 207 grads cross the stage as leaders declare ‘you are ready'
Maine Township High School District 207 has bid farewell to its three graduating classes, conferring some 1,500 seniors with their diploma and declaring them ready for their next chapter. Commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2025 were held last month for students of Maine South, Maine East and Maine West high schools. 'Today is a celebration of your hard work, your perseverance and your growth. You have spent the last four years building knowledge, confidence and friendships,' Maine East Principal Melissa Pikul said during that school's graduation ceremony May 18 at Rosemont Theatre in suburban Rosemont. The school is part of the three-school, Park Ridge-based District 207. The Maine East graduating class included 457 graduates. Krishna Gandhi was the chosen student speaker for the Maine East graduating class. 'Our power lies in what we choose to carry forward,' said Gandhi in her address. Her comments spoke of the student body's diversity and the 'quiet strength' of their families. About 70% of the Maine East grads have been accepted into two- and four-year colleges, as well as trade schools, according to District 207 spokeswoman Kimberly Thevenin. They are headed to schools as nearby as Oakton Community College, University of Illinois-Chicago, and Northwestern, Loyola and DePaul universities, as well as others farther away like University of Miami and Tulane University, she said. 'You are about to enter a world with less structure than high school. A world definitely filled with endless opportunities, but also many unexpected challenges. Life beyond Maine East won't follow a bell schedule, it will not provide a rubric, nor will there always be a retake. It will be less forgiving and less predictable,' Pikul said in her commencement address. But, she declared, 'you are ready!' Commencement was also held May 18 for the 619 graduates of Maine South. An informal survey of students there indicates that about 500 students will go on to two- and four-year colleges and universities. Eleven students indicated in the survey that they would be attending trade school, according to Thevenin. Maine South grads collectively amassed about $13 million in scholarships as they prepare to attend such schools as University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign – indicated as No. 1 among the top destinations – Indiana University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and even University of Notre Dame and University of Tennessee-Knoxville. The school's Class of 2025 also includes two National Merit Finalists, said Thevenin. May 18 was also the big day for the 482 graduates of Maine West, where the Class of 2025 also includes two National Merit Finalists. Like its sister schools, graduates of Maine West, which is located in Des Plaines, are headed to local area schools, but also Northern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University, University of Missouri and Boston, among others. Pikul's directly addressed the graduates of her school, but her sentiments could be applied districtwide. She said the graduates' high school experience has prepared them for 'exactly this moment.'
Chicago Tribune
12-03-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Around the Southland: Tootsie Roll Drive nets $60K, prescribed burns at Midewin, more
Perez KOC donates $60K from Tootsie Roll Drive Father Perez Knights of Columbus Council 1444 in Chicago's Mount Greenwood neighborhood gave away $60,000 during a recent celebration of the community's support of its residents with intellectual disabilities. The money was raised through its 2024 Tootsie Roll Drive. Co-chairmen Bill Donnelly and Brian Larkin served as emcees during the event, and representatives of nine of the 11 area groups accepted their donation and detailed how the money will help with transportation, equipment, training and other ways. Donations this year went to Mount Greenwood Park Special Recreation, Chicago Public Schools Stevenson School Special Olympics, Misercordia Heart of Mercy Home, West Pullman Park Therapeutic Recreation, Covenant Ability Network, Brother Rice High School Mount Sion, Chicago High School of Agricultural Sciences, Good Shepherd Center, and the Special Religious Education programs at the Archdiocese of Chicago, St. Cajetan and St. Mary Magdalene. Grand Knight Ed Finneran thanked the co-chairmen as well as the generous community and volunteers. This year's Tootsie Roll Drive will be Sept. 19-21. Prescribed burns planned at Midewin Prescribed burns will take place this spring with the U.S. Forest Service, starting as early as mid-March, throughout Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Wilmington. Exact sites will depend on temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, and smoke dispersion. Some residents and visitors may see or smell smoke; the burn sites will be monitored carefully and local authorities will be notified in advance. The welcome center and trailhead kiosks will have specific information on where burning will happen. Prescribed burns help reduce hazardous fuels, enhance and stimulate native vegetation, reduce woody vegetation encroachment and prepare sites for restoration. Pfeiffer Road extension project earns public works award The village of Frankfort's Pfeiffer Road extension project received the 2025 American Public Works Association Award – Southwest Branch Public Works Project of the Year in the Transportation category for projects that cost less than $5 million. Mayor Keith Igle received the award during a recent ceremony at the Patrick Haley Mansion in Joliet. Igle said in a news release 'the project reflects our dedication to investing in Frankfort's infrastructure and improving the quality of life for our residents.' The $3.75 million project extends a two-lane urban roadway with a landscaped median, new sidewalk, expanded multi-use path, street lighting system and 12th water main. It also modernized traffic lights at U.S. 30 and Priffer Road in Frankfort. The project was founded by the village, Rebuild Illinois Funds and a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity. Four D230 students named National Merit Finalists Consolidated High School District 230 has announced its four National Merit Finalists, who are among top academic achievers having ranked in the top .5% of U.S. high school seniors. At stake are more than 6,800 scholarships totaling nearly $26 million, which are awarded in the spring. Stagg High School senior Adrian Gunka plays flute in the marching band, was a member of Model United Nations and is a Stagg mathlete. He has taken 11 Advanced Placement classes and passed the high school graduation exam at Jan Karski Polish School. The five-time camp counselor at Camp Vista in Wisconsin volunteers at Charger Learning Center and the Children's Museum in Oak Lawn. Sandburg High School senior Brandon Torres is among the top 20 players in Scholastic Bowl and is an executive board member. He helped automate the bowl's season tournament schedule and created a spreadsheet to track more than 9,000 tutoring hours as president of Mu Alpha Theta. An AP Scholar with Distinction, Torres is a former Mathlete and ACES member. Sandburg senior Jocelyn Chan co-founded the school's Dungeons & Dragons Club, is lead programmer and competition team driver for the robotics team, on the Superintendent Student Advisory Committee and an award-winning member of the badminton team, Scholastic Bowl, Mathletes and SkillsUSA. She is an AP Scholar with Distinction, completed 14 AP classes and is a Mu Alpha Theta and national Spanish Honors Society member. Stagg senior Grant Saunders is a member of Mathletes, Scholastic Bowl and Model UN and plays tuba in marching band. He volunteers through his scouting troop and is an academic mentor at Stagg. Program in South Holland honors 19th Amendment's 100 years Hindsight in 2020: The Long Road to Universal Suffrage will be presented at 7 p.m. March 18 at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 651 E. 166th St., South Holland. Illinois Road Scholar Jeanne Schultz Angel will give a presentation celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. The free event, open to all, will explore where the country stands and where it's going related to universal suffrage. It's hosted by Heritage Quilters Guild of South Suburbia and co-presented by the Illinois Humanities Road Scholars Speakers Bureau. Information is at or by emailing heritagequilters@ Caregiver group learns about memory loss patient wandering Smith Village's Caregiver Support Group meets at 6:30 p.m. March 18 at 2320 W. 113th Place, Chicago, to talk about how to mitigate wandering by people with dementia. Attendees will learn what causes people with memory loss to wander and how to decrease it. Alice Kean, a Smith Village resident trained by the Alzheimer's Association to lead the support group, noted it's important to understand risks and triggers of wandering and strategies to prevent it. She'll be joined by co-presenter Bridget Murphy, Smith Village's life enrichment director, who also was trained by the association. The group, which meets monthly, allows caregivers to share experiences, learn from one another and connect with others. To reserve a spot, call 773-474-7302.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Three MISD students named National Merit Finalists
Feb. 7—MIDLAND — Three Midland ISD seniors have been named National Merit Finalists for the Class of 2025. This is the first time since 2020 that MISD has had a National Merit Finalist and the first time since 2015 that the district has had multiple finalists in the same year. The finalists are Legacy High School senior Trey Rolston, Midland High School senior Caleb Brown, and Young Women's Leadership Academy senior Sanjana Vadlapatla. Each of these students has demonstrated exceptional academic achievement, dedication, and leadership. "This recognition is a testament to the hard work, discipline, and commitment of our students, their families, and their schools," said Dr. Amanda Melchor, Executive Director of Secondary Teaching and Learning. "We are incredibly proud of Trey, Caleb, and Sanjana for this well-earned honor." Earning the title of National Merit Finalist places these students among the top academic performers in the country. This distinction signals to colleges and universities that they are among the nation's brightest students, potentially increasing their chances of gaining admission to competitive institutions and receiving financial aid opportunities. Each finalist advanced through a rigorous application process, which included their PSAT or National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test results, academic record, community service, leadership roles, employment history, and awards received. The National Merit Scholarship Program recognizes less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, making this a significant accomplishment. National Merit Scholarship winners will be announced in March. For more information on the National Merit Scholarship Program, visit
