2014-2015 Lake County Leadership Team
Margaret Andersen, Woodlands Academy
Hometown: Lake Bluff
Class: Senior
Parents: Dave and Mary Andersen
Sponsor: Joanne Yorro, CROYA
Community service: Co-founded the KidsUganda Youth Board, which raised $50,000 to build a boys dormitory at the Maranatha Schools, and then collected medical supplies, sports equipment and other materials. Woodlands liaison to CROYA (Committee Representing Our Young Adults), which does service projects. Volunteer at Camp Hope, buddy for disabled people ages 11-30; and Baking Club, which holds bake sales.
Personal statement: "Meaningful interactions with people who differ from me set my heart on fire, a sensation I seek through service. I have no idea what career I hope to pursue; however, I do know I want to have a positive impact on people."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Margaret proves time and again what a successful leader she can be. She knows when to listen, to delegate, and when to lead. She is successful at creating an atmosphere where kids feel safe to be themselves."
Laura Bartusiak, Woodlands Academy
Hometown: Lake Forest
Class: Senior
Parents: Alison and Paul Bartusiak
Sponsor: Mary-Anne Salemi, Service Club moderator
Community service: Launched Girl Rising movement at Woodlands, brings in speakers to educate community about the injustices girls face; is creating a circus for inner-city children and teaching others to do the same; volunteers in the assisted living facility of Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital; organizes an all-school food drive that provides Thanksgiving meals for more than 15 families.
Personal statement: "Volunteering at my hospital ... has been one of the best experiences of my life. Not only has volunteering helped me to further understand my future career, but it has taught me a lot about the value of helping others and how there are so many ways I can help people."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Have you ever experienced the power of receiving a personal invitation to participate in an event that allowed you to be of service to others? That personal invitation to be of service is what Laura extends to her school community on a regular basis."
Genevieve Danial, Lake Zurich High School
Hometown: Lake Zurich
Class: Senior
Parents: Cathy and Al Danial
Sponsor: Craig Lehigh, counselor
Community service: Corporal of Police Explorer Post 2, helping organize Special Olympics, LZ Cruise Nights, farmers markets, races, Alpine Fest; Lake Zurich Peer Jury member; tutors both high school and disadvantaged elementary students; PE Leadership, mentoring freshmen; writes and performs for REALITY Theatre Troupe at OMNI Youth Services.
Personal statement: "Through my volunteer experiences, I've learned firsthand how altruistic activities can change my life as well as others'. Knowing you helped someone and affected his or her life in a positive way is an incredible feeling, and what ultimately motivates me to keep coming back to the police station. I cannot thank them enough for teaching me not only the skills I will need for my career, but for teaching me what it really means to help people."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Genevieve is ... always striving to be 'the best I can be.' These efforts are very evident through her academics and through the leadership opportunities she has had."
Logan Ejupi, Lake Zurich High School
Hometown: Lake Zurich
Class: Senior
Parents: Rebecca and Jamin Ejupi
Sponsor: Craig Lehigh, counselor
Community service: Organized a marching band performance dedicated to a local girl suffering from a rare disease; tutors fellow students; helps at NHS-sponsored community events; collects donations, sews and packs sleeping bags for homeless and veterans in Chicago; as Tri-M co-president administers a website for band parents and assists at events; with jazz band helped rebuild houses in New Orleans.
Personal statement: "I hope through my conduct and actions I have helped other people become their best selves and passed on the gift given to me through the kindness of my adoptive parents in whatever small ways I can. Wherever my journey may take me, the important part is stopping along the way to help people get to their destinations, too."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Logan is one of the top students and probably the most balanced individual, excelling in academics, cross-country, music and service. He leads by example - friendly, down-to-earth, conscientious and mature beyond his years."
Daniella Feijoo, Mundelein High School
Hometown: Wauconda
Class: Senior
Parents: Mario and Chiara Feijoo
Sponsor: Randall Lerner, Math Department chairman
Community service: For 3 years, in charge of fundraising, entertainment and the survivor ceremony for GLMV Relay For Life, which raised $63,883.63; organized a March of Dimes fundraiser that raised $8,000; made blankets for a children's hospital; helped collect more than 150 dresses for Princess Project; assisted with annual MHS food drive.
Personal statement: "Through my leadership roles, I developed confidence and time management, and learned the importance of dedication, collaboration, hard work and resilience. I learned that one must respect others to earn respect back and lead by example through not only words, but actions. Effective leaders set goals and take charge to complete them, while making sure everyone feels included and significant in the process."
Sponsor's endorsement: In every activity she participates in, Daniella is a leader. She holds leadership positions, leads by example, motivates her peers, and, most importantly, will leave many programs in better shape than when she entered them."
Catherine Frantz, Vernon Hills High School
Hometown: Vernon Hills
Class: Senior
Parents: Christine and Michael Frantz
Sponsor: Judy Stone, counselor
Community service: Was part of a select humanitarian trip to Uganda to paint classrooms, distribute supplies; co-coordinator of VHHS annual service project, having students assemble shoe boxes for each child at school in Uganda; teaching assistant at summer school/camp for children taking remedial classes; senior music camp counselor in District 73; volunteer lab prep for VHHS science classes.
Personal statement: "Being part of a system like this (volunteering my time to help those that help me and those that can benefit from my help) is showing me that this is the kind of work I want to do in my life. Work that is productive, focused, useful, and important."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Katie is the rarest of students: driven and successful in her academics as well as her extracurricular activities. Katie is at once serious, energetic, compassionate, playful and driven. She is a multitalented individual, full of promise, and poised to take any number of avenues to an eventual career."
Cassandra Isaacs, Libertyville High School
Hometown: Libertyville
Class: Senior
Parents: John and Darcie Isaacs
Sponsor: Scott Bogumil, counselor
Community service: With Best Buddies has been an officer and had a peer buddy all four years, is planning a multi-school Best Buddies carnival for February and actively recruited more peer buddies to join; a certified side-walker with Equestrian Connection for people with disabilities; class leader for Project WISH, raising money for Christmas gifts for a local family; mentor and board member for Bridge group, helping other LHS students socially; LINK crew leader, helping freshmen make transition to high school.
Personal statement: "I want to achieve great things and I believe my work with Best Buddies and my friendships with kids with special needs will help me. I want to apply the patience and leadership skills that I have obtained to help and care for children with all types of disabilities."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Cassandra's time management skills, discipline and a tenacious will to do her best are assets that define her as a student and will ensure her success in years to come."
Ashley Klauck, Warren Twp. High School
Hometown: Gurnee
Class: Senior
Parents: Tracey and Richard Klauck
Sponsor: Katherine Duffy, counselor
Community service: Volunteer cheer and poms coach to little girls; organized cleanups, fundraisers and earth-friendly innovations at WTHS as part of Mother Earth's Concerned Students club; member of Teen Court; volunteer on Council For Exceptional Children, planning activities with special-needs students; senior class board member.
Personal statement: "Volunteering has given me a feeling of purpose, lifetime friends, and ways to give back to the community in which I have grown up and become the woman I am today. Whether I'm helping troubled teens, the earth, senior citizens or my school, everything I do makes a difference - it may be small, but to me, it is life changing."
Sponsor's endorsement: "A confident, curious, cosmopolitan young woman, Ashley is filled with enthusiasm, passion, and zeal for life and learning. She gets deeply involved, takes fearless risks and gobbles voraciously all knowledge. She sometimes has so many ideas that it is hard to self-edit and write concisely with her ever present explosion of ideas."
Patrick Lyman, Carmel Catholic High School
Hometown: Mundelein
Class: Senior
Parents: Robert and Jill Lyman
Sponsor: Mike Fitzgibbons, campus minister
Community service: Manual labor every summer with Catholic Heart Work Camp; since eighth grade has been devising lessons and teaching children's liturgy at St. Mary of the Annunciation Church; does high school tutoring before school; was Rector of Carmel's Kairos Retreat, which meant lots of preparation as well as execution; helped reorganize and stock a food pantry in tornado-ravaged Washington, Illinois.
Personal statement: "Through volunteer activities ... I seek to understand and connect with as many people as possible. This is also my goal in life: I want to help change people's lives for the better by connecting with them."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Insightful, honest, intelligent and empathetic - like all great leaders, he is a natural problem solver who works with people to come to effective conclusions while not avoiding confrontations if they are helpful. He is gregarious, inclusive and displays a disarming sense of humor and life wisdom beyond his years."
Devan Peplow, Carmel Catholic High School
Hometown: Gurnee
Class: Senior
Parents: Judy Kotsiopoulos
Sponsor: Denise Sebastiano, director of theater
Community service: Planned and participated in youth group mission trips, Chicago visits to feed and share faith with homeless people and other activities for four years; won Girl Scout Bronze and Silver awards, Leadership Medal (Gold Award is under way); statistician for Carmel wrestling team; plans events and volunteers at Canine Companions for Independence; small group leader at Kairos Retreat.
Personal statement: "I like to give, I like to see the positive results, and I like being exactly who I am. That's not to say that I am better than the other candidates, but I know I have made a difference in the lives of those around me, and I plan to continue making a difference in college and later in my life."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Her personal qualities are very impressive, but her generous heart and humble demeanor are the most impressive because she spends endless hours giving back to so many in need in so many ways and yet she is a very involved, smart, student."