2012-2013 Lake County Academic Team
Neeta Abraham
Warren Twp. High School
Hometown: Gurnee
Parents: George and Sujatha Abraham
Sponsor: Gail Triveline, counselor
Class rank: School does not rank
GPA: 4.54 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 34
Planned major: Neuroscience/pre-med
Awards, honors: President’s Education Award; Illinois State Scholar; AP Scholar
Personal statement: “I excel academically, and that has prepared me for the rigorous premedical studies I plan to complete, but my personal growth is actually what I would consider my biggest accomplishment. Instead of just being able to regurgitate information, I have gained the confidence and empathy that will drive me to reach my goal of being a free clinic doctor in a Third World country.”
Sponsor’s endorsement: “Neeta understands the importance of a good education, and has many talents which she developed through hard work and commitments. Neeta makes her decisions and choices based on a strong inner moral code and integrity. She demonstrates an inner confidence that allows her to focus on achieving her goals.”
Emma Castaños
Warren Twp. High School
Hometown: Gurnee
Parents: Jorge and Marjolein Castaños
Sponsor: Gail Triveline, counselor
Class rank: School does not rank
GPA: 4.61 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 35
Planned major: Mechanical engineering
Awards, honors: National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar; AP Scholar with Distinction Award; National Merit Commended Scholar
Personal statement: “By exploring engineering, I discovered my natural drive for mathematics and the sciences. With each year of high school, my schedule began to increasingly reflect my interest in science and engineering. Not only did I find success in my enjoyment of my coursework, outside recognitions of my talent and dedication emerged as a result along the way.”
Sponsor’s endorsement: “Emma is well-respected by not only her peers, but also the staff. Great discussions come from the groups Emma is part of and she takes a leadership role when necessary. She is very logical and persistent in her studies. She is at the top of her class and still maintains a quiet, caring and modest approach to others.”
Justin Doong
Stevenson High School
Hometown: Kildeer
Parents: Shain-jer Doong and Shwu-ing Chen
Sponsor: Christian H. Thibaudeau, mathematics teacher
Class rank: School does not rank
GPA: 4.7429 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 36; SAT: 2400
Planned major: Engineering
Awards, honors: National Merit Scholarship; AP Scholar; Gold Honor Roll
Personal statement: “I hope to become an engineer, pursuing my passion for math and science while tackling real-life problems to better lives. Yet I also aspire to be an entrepreneur, building on my high school leadership experience as an executive board member of National Honor Society and realizing my own ideas and vision.”
Sponsor’s endorsement: “Justin is a highly competent thinker and problem solver. At our high school, students in math classes sit in groups of four, encouraged to interact and work many problems together. Justin’s social and academic skills allow him to feel comfortable answering group members’ questions and his helpful attitude makes him a strong role model.”
Brienne Lubor
Carmel Catholic High School
Hometown: Mundelein
Parents: Stuart and Phyllis Lubor
Sponsor: Principal Lynne Strutzel
Class rank: School does not rank
GPA: 4.52 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 36
Planned major: Biology/pre-med
Awards, honors: Superior Honors (9-12); Most Valuable Student Award; National Spanish Exam Achievement (Bronze Level AP; Silver for Level 10)
Personal statement: “I have learned that success doesn’t come through being lucky, loud, or even armed with connections. Success comes from volunteering enthusiastically in the hope of helping others. Accomplishments shaped my high school career but also provided the clues to my future’s possibilities — my purpose in life is to serve my community as a doctor.”
Sponsor’s endorsement: “One teacher describes her as ‘gifted in so many ways.’ Not only is she committed to academic excellence, which is evidenced by her grades, but she is a leader. She leads by doing, by being the person others imitate. In class she reaches out to students in need, very open and genuine.”
Caitlin McCarthy
Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart
Hometown: Winnetka
Parents: Patrick and Michele McCarthy
Sponsor: Principal Madonna Lee Edmunds
Class rank: School does not rank
GPA: 5.67 on a weighted 5.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 34
Planned major: Finance and international business
Awards, honors: Class Honor Award (Highest GPA in grade) 2010, 2011, 2012; Susan B. Anthony History Award; Science Honor Society
Personal statement: “‘To whom much is given, much is required.’ God has blessed me with a loving family, supportive friends, a phenomenal education and many talents. In return, I wish to use my gifts for a purpose that is bigger than myself. I seek success in academics, tennis, and extracurricular activities because I wish to gain all the tools necessary to make an impact on this world.”
Sponsor’s endorsement: “This is a young woman who wants to make a mark on the world. She has high expectations of herself and wants to use her education for the betterment of the world.”
Kaitlyn Norum
Grayslake North High School
Hometown: Grayslake
Parents: Raymond and Rosanna Norum
Sponsor: Sarah Dahl, counselor
Class rank: Second out of 373
GPA: 4.548 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 33
Planned major: Management, with focus on nonprofit sector
Awards, honors: On highest honor roll all semesters; National Merit Commended Scholar; Illinois State Scholar
Personal statement: “Volunteering at nonprofits over the years has helped me to feel that I am changing the life of someone who faces greater adversity than I will ever know. I believe with all of my heart that my personal purpose is to use my gifts and abilities to change someone’s world, and that in doing so, I can start a chain reaction that will resolve injustices across the entire world, even if that day comes long after I have gone.”
Sponsor’s endorsement: “Kaitlyn truly has special gifts of intellectual dedication and personal compassion that would brighten any classroom and school. She is a wonderful leader in the classroom.”
Adele Padgett
Stevenson High School
Hometown: Lake Forest
Parents: James Padgett, Rosanne Fitko
Sponsor: Brett Erdmann, AP Biology teacher; community service coordinator
Class rank: School does not rank
GPA: 4.68 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 36
Planned major: Math, biology or economics
Awards, honors: National Council of Teachers of English Achievement Award in Writing; Illinois Association of Teachers of English Best Poetry and Prose Contest Winner; Outstanding Student in Junior English
Personal statement: “I love finding ways to solve problems. Becoming one of the top female chess players in Illinois has shaped the way I analyze problems and make decisions — I approach each move analytically, assessing various options before making my move. This model of thinking has become second nature to me.”
Sponsor’s endorsement: “Adele is a straight-A student with a first-class heart. She has a proven track record of high performance. She is one of the nicest students I have ever worked with and is extremely mature.”
Nishad Phadke
Libertyville High School
Hometown: Libertyville
Parents: Ashok and Sarojini Phadke
Class rank: School does not rank
GPA: 4.742 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 35; SAT: 2330
Planned major: Computer science
Awards, honors: Illinois All-State Debate Team member; fourth place, Illinois Math League; ninth place in national TEAMS engineering competition
Personal statement: “My parents have always urged me to do my best. Not necessarily to become a doctor, or a scientist or a mathematician, but just to perform as well as I can. This, in many ways, has come to define me. My determination to improve has made me an adaptable, focused individual, and it is my drivenness that has created who I am today.”
Sponsor’s endorsement: “This brilliant young man is someone who truly values his education. He thrives in the world of textbooks and is academically exceptional across the board. He values learning for the sake of learning and for the self-improvement it is going to bring. His AP Physics teacher stated, ‘He is already less a physics student and more a physicist.’”
Daniel Santos
Carmel Catholic High School
Hometown: Beach Park
Parents: Belinda and Danilo Santos
Sponsor: Principal Lynne Strutzel
Class rank: School does not rank
GPA: 4.50 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 32
Planned major: Accounting and management double major
Awards, honors: AP Scholar with Distinction; Department Awards in English and Social Studies; Superior Honors
Personal statement: “It’s 4 a.m. on a scorching morning in the projects of Manila; My cousin, Levi, gathers phone cards and snacks on a cart to begin a long day’s work. He belongs in school. He belongs on the basketball courts, enjoying his only chance at a childhood. But ... he works to provide for his family’s survival. I watch with Beats around my head and LeBrons on my feet, swallowing back guilt. Beyond the stray dogs and jeepneys of my parents’ impoverished homeland exist experiences that define who I am. On these minuscule islands in the Pacific lie my main life goals, to help people and give back to the Third World.”
Sponsor’s endorsement: “With his quiet, humble presence, he is able to bring people together and truly bring out the best in everyone.”
Matthew Tabrizi
Vernon Hills High School
Hometown: Vernon Hills
Parents: Dominic and Maria Tabrizi
Sponsor: Rebecca Bellito, counselor
Class rank: School does not rank
GPA: 4.584 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 36
Planned major: Mechanical engineering
Awards, honors: National Merit Finalist; AP Scholar; Illinois State Scholar
Personal statement: “After college, I will use not just the material I learned but, more importantly, the analytical skills I refined and expanded to confront real problems and better the local and even global communities.”
Sponsor’s endorsement: “This student is one of the most accomplished students, both academically and extracurricularly, with whom I have worked. His high school course selection was the most rigorous available at our school, and he has earned straight A’s in these classes. His drive for excellence in his academics is not based solely on the grade earned; he also aspires to promote thoughtful, intellectual discussion in all of his classes. The discipline he displays in the classroom is also evident in the wide array of activities he participates in outside of the classroom.”