Honorable mentions: Lake County Leadership Team 2016-2017
Manal Ahmed
Libertyville High School
Hometown: Libertyville
Class: Junior
Parents: Saima Abbasi and Rehan Ahmen
Sponsor: Kelly Angelos, counselor
Community service: Tutoring through Boys & Girls Club of Lake County; teacher's assistant at Islamic Foundation North Sunday school; volunteer at The Urban Muslim Minority Alliance Center, helped plan 5K and Field Day and raised funds to make care baskets for refugees; volunteered through Islamic Foundation North Youth Council and Sisters Steppin' Up.
Elizabeth Bartusiak
Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart
Hometown: Lake Forest
Class: Senior
Parents: Paul and Alison Bartusiak
Sponsor: Chris Schmidt, Interim Principal
Community service: Kumbaya Counselor NEIC; planned Project Sisterhood at Feed My Starving Children; organized Pennies for Pandas to benefit World Wildlife Fund for Nature; volunteer at Lake Forest Library; vacation Bible school volunteer at Church of St. Mary.
Olivia Bloemke
Grayslake Central High School
Hometown: Grayslake
Class: Senior
Parents: Jeffrey and Amy Bloemke
Sponsor: Dustin Chierico, social studies teacher
Community service: Serving meals to the homeless at Uptown Cafe; mission trip to Dominican Republic; Hunt for the Cure; Students Against Destructive Decisions; mission trip to Thailand.
Mari Brady
Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart
Hometown: Grayslake
Class: Senior
Parents: Linda Brady
Sponsor: Michael Ford, counselor
Community service: School of St. Malachy in Chicago art and school supplies drive; volunteer at Bernie's Book Bank; volunteer at Feed My Starving Children; volunteer at For Kids 5K; writing and decorating letters to veterans/nursing homes with Service Club.
Lauren Caffarelli
Carmel Catholic High School
Hometown: Libertyville
Class: Senior
Parents: Rich and Jill Caffarelli
Sponsor: Michael Fitzgibbons, campus minister
Community service: Altar server trainer at St. Mary Parish Buffalo Grove; eighth-grade retreat leader; National Honor Society and Mu Alpha tutor; St. Joe's Parish Libertyville Appalachia mission trip; Eucharistic minister and lector at St. Mary Parish.
Jessica Diol
Wauconda High School
Hometown: Wauconda
Class: Senior
Parents: Karrie and Steve Diol
Sponsor: Wendy Mills, teacher
Community service: Set up FBLA book drive; serving food and cleanup at Meals for All; FBLA Main Street Mile and Run; reading to elementary schoolchildren; math and English tutoring.
Luke Edwards
Carmel Catholic High School
Hometown: Libertyville
Class: Senior
Parents: James and Eileen Edwards
Sponsor: Kambra French, mission effectiveness coordinator
Community service: St. Mary of Vernon Youth Ministry Peer Team Leader; Kairos retreat leader; Eucharistic Minister/Liturgy Committee; welcoming incoming students through Ambassador's Club; Catholic Heart Work Camp summer mission trip.
Jacquelyn Garza
Grayslake North High School
Hometown: Grayslake
Class: Senior
Parents: Janet & Israel Garza
Sponsor: Chris Kubic, Social Studies Dept. chair
Community service: Volunteer juror with Nicasa's Teen Court; serving food and cleaning beds at PADS Homeless Shelter; Autism Camp counselor at Ellis Elementary; helped create Knights United group to promote a healthy lifestyle; volunteer at food drive.
Grace Hurley
Libertyville High School
Hometown: Libertyville
Class: Senior
Parents: Colleen Hurley, Paul Hurley
Sponsor: Nancy Stevens, counselor
Community service: Stars Special Olympics Swim Club coach; missionary/counselor at Camp Barnabas; volunteer leader for Capernaum group for teenagers with special needs; leader/teacher in the special needs and 1-year-old room at the Chapel; hospital volunteer at Advocate Condell Medical Center.
David Messmer
Lakes Community High School
Hometown: Lindenhurst
Class: Senior
Parents: Matthew Messmer and Kiwol Messmer
Sponsor: Erin Smith, counselor
Community service: Lab assistant at high school Chemistry department; vice president of Lakes Community High School Evergreen Club (environmental club); Tri-M Music Honor Society treasurer; Marching Band trumpet section leader; Church Band.
Patrick Schoenfelder
Antioch Community High School
Hometown: Antioch
Class: Senior
Parents: Steve & Kathy Schoenfelder
Sponsor: Darcy Peck, counselor
Community service: Lakeland Predators Wrestling Club assistant coach; volunteer at Antioch Lions Club Chicken BBQ festival; volunteer at Antioch Parks & Recreation Department July Fourth Festival; volunteer at Antioch Sequoit Pride 5K Run/Walk; Sequoit Wrestling concession stand.
Jason Schulz
Warren Township High School
Hometown: Gurnee
Class: Senior
Parents: Paul and Bonnie Schulz
Sponsor: Trini Hartley, counselor
Community service: Civil Air Patrol Cadet Deputy Commander; president of the Spanish National Honor Society; volunteering through National Honor Society; captain of the freshman and sophomore soccer teams; student council.
Annie Scoltock
Grayslake North High School
Hometown: Lake Villa
Class: Senior
Parents: James and Mary Pat Scoltock
Sponsor: Dolores Heupel, AP Biology teacher
Community service: Volunteers through National Honor Society; Advocate Condell Hospital student volunteer; Beacon Place community center volunteer, tutor and mentor; foreign exchange student tutoring; SWAT student-run tutoring program
Olivia Shinners
Grant Community High School
Hometown: Ingleside
Class: Senior
Parents: Daniel and Kathy Shinners
Sponsor: Ashley Gaura, teacher and student council sponsor
Community service: Varsity Dance Team captain; organization of homecoming and schoolwide pep rallies in 2015 and 2016 through student council; St. Baldrick's Cancer Fundraiser and Dodgeball Tournament through student council; Big Dawg Mentor to freshman through TEAM.
Leslie Vargas
Round Lake Senior High School
Hometown: Round Lake Beach
Class: Senior
Parents: Luis and Jeannette Vargas
Sponsor: Kelli Snyder/School Counselor
Community service: Center for Conservation Leadership Environmental Volunteer; volunteer at Feed My Starving Children; volunteering through National Honor Society.
Kaitlyn Watkins
Mundelein High School
Hometown: Mundelein
Class: Senior
Parents: Connie Watkins & Tim Watkins
Sponsor: Randy Lerner, Math Department chairman
Community service: Community service project for nonprofit Safe Families for Children; volunteering through National Honor Society; volunteering through FBLA; Assist in organizing Freshman Orientation for Link Crew.
Emma Wenckowski
Lake Zurich High School
Hometown: Lake Zurich
Class: Senior
Parents: Eric and Julie Wenckowski
Sponsor: Meghan Wood, counselor
Community service: student council president; F.A.M.E. peer mentorship; P.E. Leadership peer mentor; Locks of Love donation volunteer; organizing volunteer opportunity at Cedar Lake Assisted Living and Memory Care.
Jordan Zatz
Adlai E. Stevenson High School
Hometown: Buffalo Grove
Class: Senior
Parents: Rick Zatz and Heather Lajewski
Sponsor: Zara Dittman, Freshman Mentor Program coordinator
Community service: Freshman Mentor Program; Family and Career Community Leaders of America; volunteering through National Honor Society; 300 Hours of Service Club; Class Board/Student Senate.