Extraordinary student artist gets District 214's biggest award

Elk Grove High School senior Pascal Pahl is the winner of the 2014-15 Richard W. Calisch Arts Unlimited Award.

The award is given annually to a student with extraordinary abilities in areas of music, art, dance, creative writing, drama or speech - a prestigious honor in a school district rich in talent.

An Elk Grove Village resident, Pahl showed enthusiasm, dedication and talent from the start of his high school career, immediately joining Elk Grove's choir, jazz and symphonic bands and the school's musical theater program. Over the last four years, Pahl has balanced academics and arts, taking Advanced Placement courses, starring in four high school musicals and earning state and national recognition for his talent as a tenor and on the trumpet.

Most recently, he was selected by The National YoungArts Foundation as one of 800 winners out of 11,000 applicants from a variety of disciplines. Pahl was named a 2015 Jazz Voice Honorable Mention Scholar and placed in the top 13 Jazz voice artists in the nation.

"The Elk Grove High School community has been extremely fortunate to enjoy Pascal's creative gifts over the past four years," said Joe Wolfe, Elk Grove High School teacher and fine arts coordinator. "We are very proud of his accomplishments and look forward to seeing where his talents take him in the future."

The honorable mentions from the District's five other schools are:

• Jessica Brooks, a national award-winning vocalist in the choral and theater programs at Buffalo Grove High School.

• James Farquharson, a four-year speech, theater, choir and show choir performer at Prospect High School.

• Athena Kopulos, a member of the theater, choral and dance programs at Rolling Meadows High School.

• Maggie Monaxios, a singer, actress and dancer at Wheeling High School who has played an integral role in the theater program.

• Calvin Tran, a state qualifier in speech and a successful orchestra member at John Hersey High School.

The award is named after longtime District 214 English teacher Richard Calisch, a supporter of the arts and humanities who established Arts Unlimited 214 - a springtime celebration of the arts - more than 20 years ago. He died in August 1994.

The school board honored Pahl with the award on May 21.