Neighbors in the News
Thursday, May 14, to: Stephanie Chang, Melanie Driscoll, Kathryn Egan, Aimee Kamish, Sean Mahon, Julia O'Rourke, Katerina Rallis, Roy Sye, Jordan Weiner, and Jordan Wohlner. Applicants were judged on academic standing, co-curricular activities, community involvement/work experience, awards/recognitions and personal essays.
• William Fremd High School junior Lena Brottman of Palatine was selected as a finalist in the 2009 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, which honors outstanding youth volunteers.
Brottman, who received an engraved bronze medallion Wednesday, May 20, during honors night at Fremd, was honored for raising more than $5,000 over the past five years for Make-A-Wish Foundation by conducting an annual "Heart to Heart" fundraiser during the week of Valentine's Day.
• State Representative Sidney Mathias (R-Buffalo Grove) announced the following 2009 winners of the General Assembly Scholarship for the 53rd District: Erin Horan of Wheeling, a second year student at the University of Illinois at Chicago; Weston Steinberg of Wheeling, a sophomore at Eastern Illinois University, studying elementary education with a concentration in mathematics; Devin Lundberg of Prospect Heights, a senior at John Hersey High School, who plans to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study actuarial science; John Rago of Prospect Heights, a senior at John Hersey High School, who plans to attend Northern Illinois University in the fall studying sports marketing; Nicole Pinakidis of Arlington Heights, a senior at Buffalo Grove High School, who plans to attend the University of Illinois to study mathematics; Elizabeth O'Connor of Arlington Heights, a senior at John Hersy High School, who plans to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study human development; Priti Patel of Mount Prospect, a student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Business; and Jaclyn Spitz of Buffalo Grove, a freshman at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign studying bioengineering.
These eight students were awarded a one-year full-tuition scholarship to attend the state university of their choice.
• Bridget Collins of Arlington Heights, a sophomore at Rolling Meadows High School, has ranked eighth in the nation in the 74th annual Le Grand Concours, the National French Contest, which was sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French.
• Schaumburg resident Athena Saldanha, 14, was named the winner of the Optimist International Illinois District's Oratorical contest held, May 9, in Peoria. Saldanha, who gave a five-minute speech on the topic of "For Me, Optimism is...," was awarded a $1,500 scholarship. She is the daughter of James and Rita Saldanha.
• James Sanford of Elk Grove Village, was honored with Catholic Charities' Employee Recognition Award for his exemplary service to participants in the agency's Family Based Services department, Intact Family program. The program serves families who are involved in the state's child welfare system.
For 15 years, Sanford has gone above and beyond to find resources for the families he serves by working with community leaders and putting in extra time. This past year, he was able to get a home for one of his families rehabilitated entirely by volunteers, which resulted in the children being able to remain with their parents.