DuPage County Leadership Team honorable mentions
Iman H. Abdallah
School: College Preparatory School of America
Hometown: Palos Park
Class: Senior
Parents: Habes Abdallah and Bothaina Zahdan
Sponsor: Duc Do, English language arts curriculum coordinator
Community service: Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago; Quran Summer Camp; Christ Advocate Medical Hospital volunteer; Mosque Foundation Sunday school teacher assistant; Helping Hand volunteer
Emily Bajzek
School: Metea Valley High School
Hometown: Naperville
Class: Senior
Parents: Tom and Pat Bajzek
Sponsor: Lauren Winiarski, teacher
Community service: Best Buddies chapter president; Camp SOAR counselor; St. Patrick’s Nursing Home Happy Hour volunteer; Adaptive Physical Education volunteer; Special Olympics volunteer
Laine Bruzek
School: Wheaton Warrenville South High School
Hometown: Wheaton
Class: Senior
Parents: Scott and Kirby Bruzek
Sponsor: Mike Kosky, school counselor
Community service: National Honor Society peer tutor; organizing a fundraiser to benefit the Lutheran Malaria Initiative; St. John Lutheran Church: Sunday school and vacation Bible school leader and organized donations for Christmas Sharing program
Michelle Caballero
School: Neuqua Valley High School
Hometown: Naperville
Class: Senior
Parents: Steve and Maureen Caballero
Sponsor: Jacob Heilicser, guidance counselor
Community service: Philippine Frontline Ministries outreach/volunteer; Community Christian Church: helped organize and run two benefit dinners for the Philippines ministry, serves as a child care volunteer and worship leader
Ricardo Diaz Jr.
School: Addison Trail High School
Hometown: Addison
Class: Senior
Parents: Josefina Diaz and Ricardo Diaz
Sponsor: Courtney DeMent, assistant principal
Community service: Adventist GlenOaks Hospital front desk aide; School Basketball Camp for young kids; Feed My Starving Children service project through National Honor Society; Salvation Army bell ringer
James Dunlea
School: St. Francis High School
Hometown: Wayne
Class: Senior
Parents: Sean and Helen Dunlea
Sponsor: Trudy Rigney, guidance counselor
Community service: Started Cleats For Athletes, which collects used sports cleats and donates them to athletes who are unable to purchase cleats for themselves; Costumes for Kids, which collects new or gently used Halloween costumes for children
Kenneth Gonzales
Northwest Suburban Leadership Team winner
School: Bartlett High School
Hometown: Carol Stream
Class: Senior
Parent: Haydee S. Baesa
Sponsor: Stephanie Fullhart, counselor
Community service: Organized coffeehouse benefit for pediatric cancer research; as choir president, organizes choir’s annual Adopt-a-Grandparent program; Goodman Youth Arts council; organized Halloween Dance for seniors at the Victory Centre and valentine-writing for residents from local nursing homes
Connie Hsu
School: Glenbard South High School
Hometown: Lombard
Class: Senior
Parents: Li Kao and Sidney Hsu
Sponsor: Jamie Frodyma, counselor
Community service: Health Track volunteer coach; Salvation Army bell ringer; National Honor Society volunteer events
Emily Johnson
School: Fenton Community High School
Hometown: Wood Dale
Class: Senior
Parents: Gail Johnson
Sponsor: Todd Leden, principal
Community service: Morton Arboretum volunteer; Project CARE, mentoring elementary school students; Wood Dale Park District Scare Walk makeup artist/guide
Robert Kaylor
School: Glenbard East High School
Hometown: Lombard
Class: Senior
Parents: Randy Kaylor and Janice Kaylor
Sponsor: Laura Broderick, social studies/National Honor Society adviser
Community service: Fourth-grade classroom volunteer at Madison Elementary School; District 44 Music Parents Association event volunteer; District 87 Board of Education student liaison; District 44 Science Fair volunteer
Alex Kessler
School: Lake Park High School
Hometown: Medinah
Class: Senior
Parents: Steve and Heidi Kessler
Sponsor: Christine Ward, school counselor
Community service: National Honor Society president; Trinity Lutheran Church audio/video crew member; Camp Earth community service event; Helped fellow student with an Eagle Scout project
Jennifer Krick
Northwest Suburban Leadership Team winner
School: Bartlett High School
Hometown: Carol Stream
Class: Senior
Parents: Thomas and Lynn Krick
Sponsor: Dave Marszalek, counselor
Community service: Tutoring freshmen; volunteer youth volleyball instructor; clothing drive chairwoman; freshman orientation classroom leader; historian for the high school Spanish Club; volunteer at PADS shelter, Our Savior Lutheran Church
Joyce Lee
School: Wheaton Academy
Hometown: Naperville
Class: Senior
Parents: Phinetta Robinson-Lee and James Lee
Sponsor: Dan Crabtree, college counselor
Community service: Calvary Church: nursery volunteer and youth group worship team vocalist; Joy Program Daycare Center
Sabrina Lichon
School: Benet Academy
Hometown: Naperville
Class: Senior
Parents: Francis and Nancy Lichon
Sponsor: Laura Lundstrom, college counselor
Community service: Pennies for Plumbing fundraiser; Windows for Warmth fundraiser; volunteer work through school’s Recycling Club
Molly McCann
School: Immaculate Conception High School
Hometown: Elmhurst
Class: Senior
Parents: Brian McCann and Mary McCann
Sponsor: Cindy Thomas, English teacher
Community service: Parish Youth Ministry, mission trips to Mississippi and Michigan; Elmhurst Police Department Peer Jury; Animal Care League, volunteering at an animal shelter; organized a volleyball tournament to raise money for Habitat for Humanity
Maryam Bint Muhammad
School: College Preparatory School of America
Hometown: Lombard
Class: Senior
Parents: Muhammad G. Kabir and Zakia Sultana
Sponsor: Duc Do, English language arts curriculum coordinator
Community service: Humanitarians Offering Peace Everywhere; Big Brother/Big Sister tutoring; Feedy for the Needy; National Honor Society service events; DuPage County student election judge
Grace C. Nelson
School: Benet Academy
Hometown: Wheaton
Class: Senior
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Donald Nelson
Sponsor: Laura Lundstrom, college counselor
Community service: One world, One Kitchen Refugee Cooking Classes founder; Benet Academy Outreach, various volunteering and tutoring; Wheaton All Youth Relay For Life team leader; Catholic Heart Work Camp; English as a Second Language tutor
Samuel Nevins
School: Glenbard West High School
Hometown: Glen Ellyn
Class: Senior
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Nevins
Sponsor: Peter Monaghan, assistant principal for student services
Community service: Glen Ellyn Resource Center tutor; PADS volunteer; St. Petronille Youth Ministry mission trip
Haley Nichol
School: Addison Trail High School
Hometown: Addison
Class: Senior
Parents: Debbie and Jeff Nichol
Sponsor: Laura Magnavite, social studies teacher
Community service: Cosley Zoo junior zookeeper; Morton Arboretum volunteer; Pay It Forward CORE team member; Miss Addison; community service through National Honor Society
Ryan Pape
School: Metea Valley High School
Hometown: Aurora
Class: Senior
Parents: Michael and Theresa Pape
Sponsors: Tom Daugherty, college/career counselor; and Debra Roerig, social studies teacher
Community service: Operation Snowball, volunteer group facilitator; Boy Scouts of America (Troop 508), led and volunteered in various service projects; Nick Kot Charity, race committee member; Feed My Starving Children
Julie Patel
School: James B. Conant High School
Hometown: Roselle
Class: Senior
Parents: Jitendra Patel
Sponsor: Talbott Behnken, Student Council adviser
Community service: Alexian Brothers Rehabilitation Hospital volunteer; president of student council; co-founder of HEROES (Helping Everyone Respect Others and Expect Safety), a safe haven for kids who are bullied; president and secretary of Health and Medical Careers Club; National Honor Society
Carrie Phillips
School: Glenbard West High School
Hometown: Wheaton
Class: Senior
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Phillips
Sponsor: Peter Monaghan, assistant principal for student services
Community service: Organized toiletry drive for Junior Women’s Club; Prairie Path Clean Up and Recycling Extravaganza volunteer; Annual Day of Global Environmental Action volunteer; vacation Bible school/World Relief at Glen Ellyn Bible Church Community; Eco Club
Nicole K. Puccini
School: Lisle High School
Hometown: Lisle
Class: Senior
Parents: Cathy and Paul Puccini
Sponsor: Pete Sullivan, school principal
Community service: Lisle Teens With Character; Scarecrow Scramble teen volunteer coordinator; organized a service project to discourage people from dumping waste into storm drains throughout Lisle; Special Olympics volunteer; Girl Scout Day Camp
Angel Ramirez
School: Fenton Community High School
Hometown: Bensenville
Class: Senior
Parents: Magdalena Ramirez
Sponsor: Todd Leden, principal
Community service: Bensenville Emergency Management Agency volunteer; Wood Dale and Itasca Community Emergency Response Team; Wood Dale Police Department’s underage sale of tobacco prevention program; Bison Environmental Activist Team team leader; Bensenville Police Crime Prevention Unit
Varun Sampat
School: Neuqua Valley High School
Hometown: Naperville
Class: Senior
Parents: Bharat Sampat and Darshana Sampat
Sponsor: Babs Filkins, guidance counselor
Community service: Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential volunteer
Kelsey Sayner
School: West Chicago Community High School
Hometown: Winfield
Class: Senior
Parents: Dave and Tina Sayner
Sponsor: Bob Maxson, social worker
Community service: First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton leadership team; Winfield Public Library teen team member, Central DuPage Hospital volunteer; Feed My Starving Children; Muslim Action Day
Rachel Sterling
School: Glenbard East High School
Hometown: Lombard
Class: Senior
Parents: Kristin and Mike Sterling
Sponsor: Christopher Vandenberg, senior leader adviser
Community service: Key Club president; volunteering through National Honor Society; Senior Leaders; Lombard Waves Juniors volunteer coach; peer tutor
Megan Sutton
School: Immaculate Conception High School
Hometown: Elmhurst
Class: Senior
Parents: Scott and Becky Sutton
Sponsor: Cindy Thomas, English teacher
Community service: Teaches religious education classes; high school ambassador; National Honor Society; Christian Service Leaders
Katarina Werner
School: Willowbrook High School
Hometown: Villa Park
Class: Senior
Parents: Jeff and Kim Werner
Sponsor: Daniel Krause, principal
Community service: Volunteered at Nazareth Farm in Salem, West Virginia, with St. Alexander’s Youth Group; Navajo Mission Trip with St. James the Apostle’s Youth Group; Key Club; Locks of Love; Southwest Neighborhood Watch newsletter coordinator
Colin White
School: Willowbrook High School
Hometown: Villa Park
Class: Senior
Parents: Jim and Laurie White
Sponsor: Dan Krause, principal
Community service: Illinois Leadership Seminar volunteer; Nazareth Farm volunteer; National Honor Society service projects
Christine Wu
School: Naperville North High School
Hometown: Naperville
Class: Senior
Parents: George Wu and Holly Jiang
Sponsor: Ryan Hall, Key Club sponsor and guidance counselor
Community service: Naperville North Key Club; Edward Hospital teen volunteer; Naperville North Volleyball Girls Junior High Volleyball Camp; Safety Town summer program teen leader; J. Kyle Braid Leadership program
Ryan Yocum
School: Naperville Central High School
Hometown: Naperville
Class: Senior
Parents: Jim and Jamie Yocum
Sponsor: Eric Kaisling, world and classical language teacher
Community service: Red Rage president; J. Kyle Braid Leadership Foundation, various charities and volunteering; Adaptive Physical Education volunteer; Misericordia, Candy Days and on-site volunteering; Special Olympics volunteer
Stanley Yuan
Fox Valley Leadership Team winner
School: Illinois Math and Science Academy
Hometown: Naperville
Class: Senior
Parents: Li-Ping Yuan and Mary Yuan
Sponsor: Julia Husen, counselor
Community service: LEAD team coordinator, STARTALK Chinese language program, peer tutoring, library volunteer