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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

Emily Bajzek
Laine Bruzek
Michelle Caballero
Ricardo Diaz Jr.
James Patrick Dunlea
Connie Hsu
Emily Johnson
Robert Kaylor
Alex Kessler
Joyce Lee
Sabrina Lichon
Molly McCann
Maryam Bint Muhammad
Grace Nelson
Samuel Nevins
Haley Nichol
Ryan Pape
Carrie Phillips
Nicole Puccini
Angel Ramirez
Varun Sampat
Kelsey Sayner
Rachel Sterling
Megan Sutton
Katarina Werner
Colin White
Christine Wu
Ryan Yocum
Julie Patel
Jennifer Krick
Kenneth Gonzales
Stanley Yuan