2013-14 Fox Valley Academic Team honorable mentions
Prachi Aggarwal
Illinois Math and Science Academy
Hometown: Algonquin
Parents: Vinod and Alpana Aggarwal
Sponsor: Julia Husen
Class rank: Students are not ranked
GPA: Not calculated
Test scores: ACT: 34
Planned major: Neuroscience
Awards, honors: AP Scholar with Honor, National Honor Society, Illinois State Scholar
Lauren Bell
Crystal Lake South High School
Hometown: Lake in the Hills
Parents: Rodney and Kerry Bell
Sponsor: Brett Collins, counselor
Class rank: 4 out of 424
GPA: 4.688 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 31
Planned major: English and history
Awards, honors: Illinois State Scholar, AP Scholar, National Honor Society
Mara Casado
Harvest Christian Academy
Hometown: Gilberts
Parents: Eduardo and Lourdes Casado
Sponsor: Wendy Mattner, guidance counselor
Class rank: 2 out of 32
GPA: 3.954 on a traditional 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 28
Planned major: Psychology or social work
Awards, honors: Honor roll, National Honor Society, National Society of High School Scholars
Katherine Cheng
West Aurora High School
Hometown: North Aurora
Parents: Moses and Anne Cheng
Sponsor: William Stanley, counselor
Class rank: 3 out of 752
GPA: 4.78 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 32; SAT: 2030
Planned major: Human development and psychological services
Awards, honors: National Merit Commended Scholar, Illinois State Scholar, Ayn Rand Essay Competition Semifinalist
Natalia Gawlik
St. Charles North High School
Hometown: St. Charles
Parents: Tadeusz and Jadwiga Gawlik
Sponsor: Robert Freitag
Class rank: 1 out of 513
GPA: 5.86 on a 5.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 32
Planned major: Biomedical engineering
Awards, honors: Prairie State Achievement Examine Scholar, Top 5 Percent of Graduating Class, Academic High Honors
Alana Goodrich
Geneva High School
Hometown: Geneva
Parents: Stephanie and Dale Goodrich
Sponsor: Shari Klatt, guidance counselor
Class rank: 2 out of 451
GPA: 4.61
Test scores: ACT: 35; SAT: 2230
Planned major: Mathematics
Awards, honors: National Merit Commended Scholar, AP Scholar, Illinois State Scholar
Caitlin Hansen
Larkin High School
Hometown: Elgin
Parents: Donald and Linda Hansen
Sponsor: Stefany Montgomery, counselor
Class rank: 2 out of 439
GPA: 4.889 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 33
Planned major: Business or math
Awards, honors: AP Scholar with Honors, Illinois State Scholar, National Honor Society
Ryker Harner
Aurora Central Catholic High School
Hometown: Aurora
Parents: Chris and Janet Harner
Sponsor: Bridget Buckley, guidance director
Class rank: 3 out of 131
GPA: 4.36 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 34
Planned major: Chemical engineering
Awards, honors: AP Scholar, President's Award for Academic Excellence, Illinois State Scholar
Samantha Rae Hoyt
Westminster Christian School
Hometown: East Dundee
Parents: Doug and Kelley Hoyt
Sponsor: Carolyn Palmer, principal
Class rank: 3 out of 52
GPA: 4.07 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 33
Planned major: Biology, forensic science
Awards, honors: National Merit Finalist, Science Olympiad First Place, Rotary Club Honors Award
Anna Ivarson
Cary-Grove High School
Hometown: Cary
Parents: Thomas and Michele Ivarson
Sponsor: Matthew Berg
Class rank: 3 out of 406
GPA: 4.697 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 35
Planned major: Chemical engineering
Awards, honors: High Honors all four years, Illinois State Scholar, represented Cary-Grove at Argonne National Laboratory's Science Careers in Search of Women event
Emily Kabeshita
St. Charles North High School
Hometown: St. Charles
Parents: Miko Kabeshita and Maya Ito
Sponsor: Kathryn G. Zimmer
Class rank: 5 out of 511
GPA: 5.744 on a 5.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 32
Planned major: Pre-med
Awards, honors: Illinois State Scholar, AP Scholar, Spanish National Honor Society Vice President
Shruti Kansara
Hampshire High School
Hometown: Hampshire
Parents: Sunil and Rekha Kansara
Sponsor: Geoffrey Falk, English teacher
Class rank: 1 out of 276
GPA: 6.0089 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 33
Planned major: Political science
Awards, honors: AP Scholar with Distinction, Illinois State Scholar, Japanese Language Gold Medalist
Kurt Pazdra II
Harvest Christian Academy
Hometown: Lake in the Hills
Parents: Kurt and Wendy Pazdra
Sponsor: Wendy Mattner, guidance counselor
Class rank: 3 out of 32
GPA: 3.93 on a 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 30
Planned major: Psychology
Awards, honors: Honor roll, National Honor Society, AP Scholar, Rotary Club of Elgin Straight A's
Maggie Powers
Elgin High School
Hometown: Elgin
Parents: Katy Warren
Sponsor: Cristina Cabrera
Class rank: 10 out of 540
GPA: 4.938 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 30
Planned major: International relations and political science
Awards, honors: National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Illinois State Scholar
Lauren San Diego
Aurora Central Catholic High School
Hometown: Aurora
Parents: Ramir and Lisa San Diego
Sponsor: Bridget Buckley, guidance director
Class rank: 4 out of 131
GPA: 4.3 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 31
Planned major: Nutrition and dietetics
Awards, honors: Third place Biology WYSE Sectionals 2014; United States Achievement Academy National Award Winner 2013; Suburban Christian Conference Academic All Conference 2013
Parth Shah
Larkin High School
Hometown: Elgin
Parents: Pritesh and Raksha Shah
Sponsor: Claudia Martinez-Carter
Class rank: 5 out of 439
GPA: 4.772 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 25
Planned major: Biology
Awards, honors: Straight A Rotary, AP Scholar, Varsity Letter in Math Team, National Honor Society
Hiba Shahid
West Aurora High School
Hometown: North Aurora
Parents: Shahid Pervaiz and Sadia Nazir
Sponsor: Valerie Copeland, counselor
Class rank: 2 out of 752
GPA: 4.8 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 30
Planned major: Biomedical engineering
Awards, honors: First Place ICTM Mathletes Regionals, Finalist Writing Competition for Waubonsee Community College, National Merit Commended Scholar, Illinois State Scholar
Charles Shin
Marian Central Catholic High School
Hometown: Crystal Lake
Parents: Min and Myung Shin
Sponsor: Rebecca Reed, guidance director
Class rank: 3 out of 160
GPA: 4.57 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 32; SAT: 2070
Planned major: Computer science
Awards, honors: Salutatorian, Top 10 Percent of Senior Class, High Honor Roll, Illinois State Scholar
Kyle Sommerfield
Huntley High School
Hometown: Huntley
Parents: Eric and Kris Sommerfield
Sponsor: Dennis Brown, teacher
Class rank: 2 out of 540
GPA: 4.626 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 35
Planned major: Biology with pre-med track
Awards, honors: Salutatorian, AP Scholar With Distinction, University of Notre Dame Glynn Family Honors Program
Mira Suvagia
Central High School
Hometown: Elgin
Parents: Brett and Rina Suvagia
Sponsor: Sarah Schwartz, counselor
Class rank: 1 out of 227
GPA: 4.22 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 30
Planned major: Biochemistry
Awards, honors: The Central Academic Award for three years, Prairie State Achievement Award for Mathematics and Science, The Central Science Award
Ethan Vargas
School: Elgin Academy
Hometown: Bartlett
Parents: Lori Vargas
Sponsor: Doug Sept, director of Upper School
Class rank: Students are not ranked
GPA: 3.96 on a traditional 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 35; SAT: 2120
Planned major: Computer science and engineering
Awards, honors: Cum Laude Society, Rotary Club Straight A Award, National French Exam National Placement Winner for three years (top 15 percent)
Mark Waldron
Dundee-Crown High School
Hometown: Sleepy Hollow
Parents: Mark Waldron III and Stephanie Waldron
Sponsor: Lynn McCarthy, principal
Class rank: 2 out of 558
GPA: 6.0 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 32
Planned major: Business or computer science
Awards, honors: National Student Leadership Conference for Business; AP Scholar with Distinction; Worldwide Youth Science and Engineering Regional Competition: Individual third place in mathematics
Carly Rose Willing
South Elgin High School
Hometown: Bartlett
Parents: Richard and Sallie Willing
Sponsor: Dominique Zewde, guidance counselor
Class rank: 1 out of 636
GPA: 4.975 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 33
Planned major: Neuroscience
Awards, honors: High Academic Achievement 4.0 and above Academic Excellence Award Medal, Presidential Scholar, Illinois State Scholar, AP Scholar
Darlene Ymson
Central High School
Hometown: Elgin
Parents: Carmelito and Diwata Ymson
Sponsor: Sarah Schwartz, counselor
Class rank: 4 out of 246
GPA: 4,13 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 28
Planned major: Biochemistry or pre-pharmacy
Awards, honors: Central High School Award of Excellence, The Elgin Noon Rotary Club Second Year Honor Award, AP Scholar with Honor Award
Kurt Zepeda
Marmion Academy
Hometown: St. Charles
Parents: Grace and David Zepeda
Sponsor: The Rev. Joel Rippinger
Class rank: 4 out of 124
GPA: 4.745 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 31
Planned major: Computer science
Awards, honors: First place in the Illinois Association of Teachers of English Writing Competition (Prose), Superior Honor Roll all four years (above a 4.0 average GPA), National Honor Society