Dist. 54 applauds outstanding members

Schaumburg Township District 54 honored several of its outstanding alumni, students and student scholars to a room packed with proud parents and teachers at its board meeting Thursday.

Community member Claudia Bellinger was honored for her work helping organize and shop for Blackwell school's Food for Families program.

Six students were named All American Scholars in the Pop Warner Program, which encourages participation in football, cheerleading and dance: Janae Allen, Yaritza Luna, Emma Mueller, Jessica Potempa, Mary Claire Shaughnessy and Molly Shaughnessy.

Twenty students received a gold pin in the 2010 Math Olympiads contest for scoring in the top two percent in the nation and competing on their school's honor roll team in the 2010 Math Olympiad competition.

The following Campanelli students were honored: Heemani Brahmbhatt, Haricharan Cheruvu, Khushal Shah, Nebeyu Tibebu and Lisa Yang. Dooley students include Eliot Chang, Akira Di Sandro, Cody Mui and Sarina Sugita. Armstrong students honored were Calvin De Ocampo, Ryan Greenwalt, Surya Gudivada, Simrah Khaleel, Shaan Patel, Jeet Raol, Molly Salerno and Ushna Zamir. Dirksen students honored Thursday were Kevin Kovathana, Jason Schoo and David Tornabene.

Two alumni were honored in the district's Outstanding Alumni category at Thursday night's meeting. Christine Maxwell, who has a long list of accomplishments including being a National Association for Down syndrome board member, a Special Olympics Global Messenger and most recently the co-chair of Advocate Lutheran General Hospital's 2010 Gala, was honored for the long list of achievements she has earned in her years since learning to read and write via several of the district's schools.

Also honored is alumni Justin Harper, who was named Kane County's Police Officer of the Year for saving the life of a woman who had been overcome by exhaust fumes in her garage.

Harper, whose father Bill is on the district's board, noted that several teachers from the district made a very positive impact on his life at a young age.