Best & Brightest
• Jessica Baird, daughter of Richard and Linda Baird of Palatine, pledged Delta Gamma sorority during the spring semester at Albion College in Michigan. The "DGs" support Sight Conservation and Aid to the Blind. Baird is a sophomore at Albion and a graduate of William Fremd High School.
• Ann Elise DeBelina, daughter of James C. and Mary L. DeBelina of Palatine, studied French in Lyon during the Spring 2008 term as part of the Language Study Abroad Program at Dartmouth College in student in Hanover, N.H. She is a member of the class of 2010.
• Tristan Erlenbaugh of Hoffman Estates, a junior majoring in communications at University of Illinois, Chicago, received the Colvin Communications and 2007-08 Athletic Academics Honor Roll award. She was recognized at the 2008 Night of Champions banquet and awards ceremony on April 29. She has been named to the dean's list the past three semesters and is a member of the UIC Flames women's gymnastics team.
• Malinda Holmer, daughter of Mitch and Karen Holmer of Schaumburg, is a student at Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne University who is playing division I soccer. She led the Summit League goalkeeper average saves per game in fall conference play with a total of 103 saves in her freshman season. She was nationally ranked 34th in the NCAA division I with 6.44 saves per game.
Holmer, a secondary art education major, made the Semester Honors and Dean's List. She was also honored for her academic excellence by being selected to the Summit League Fall Academic All-League Team and was one of only 35 student-athletes to post a perfect 4.0 grade point average while in season. Holmer is a 2007 graduate of Conant High School.
• Hollie Logsdon of Schaumburg, a student at Millikin University in Decatur, accepted membership and was initiated into National Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society for First Year Students on April 27. Logsdon is an English-writing major and a graduate of Schaumburg High School. Membership in Alpha Lambda Delta is open to full-time freshman who earn a scholastic average of 3.5 or better and are in the top 20 percent of their class.
• Patrick Mundschenk, son of Brad and Nancy Mundschenk of Deer Park, was one of 20 Monmouth College student-athletes recently named to the Midwest Conference All-Academic team for the winter sports season. Mundschenk, a sophomore accounting major, earned the honor as a member of the Fighting Scots men's track and field team. To be named to the MWC's All-Academic team, a student-athlete must have completed at least one year at the institution, carry a cumulative GPA of 3.2 and earn a varsity letter in that sport.
• Meghan O'Kelly of Hoffman Estates was recently initiated into the Phi Kappa Phi Chapter at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she is studying news-editorial journalism.
• Stephen Park, son of Ty and Yon Park of Inverness, was selected as a winner of the 2008 National Merit Scholarship. Park attended William Fremd High School in Palatine and, as a junior, transferred to Shattuck-St. Mary's High School, Faribault, Minn., to be part of their residential soccer program. He plans to attend Princeton University in New Jersey and is the top 2008 recruit for the Princeton soccer team that plays in the NCAA Division I.
• Tanya Romano of Palatine, a student at Millikin University in Decatur, accepted membership and was initiated into National Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society for First Year Students on April 27. Romano, who is a PB. (secondary teachng K-l2 and 6-12) major, is a graduate of William Fremd High School. Membership in Alpha Lambda Delta is open to full-time freshman who earn a scholastic average of 3.5 or better and are in the top 20 percent of their class.
• Amanda Udelhofen, daughter of Deborah and John Udelhofen of Inverness, and a senior at William Fremd High School, has been awarded a Presidential Scholarship to attend North Central College, Naperville. Presidential Scholarship range in value from $11,000 to full tuition per year.
• Sara Volpe of Schaumburg was one of five students in the Department of Advertising at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, who won a silver Addy Award for her creative work in advertising. The American Advertising Federation of Central Illinois presented the awards Feb. 29 in Springfield. Volpe's work was titled "Q-tips" and entered in magazine campaign category. She now qualifies for entry into AAF's regional and national Addy competitions.