Honorable mentions: Fox Valley Leadership Team, 2017-2018
Adam Auchstetter
Marmion Academy
Hometown: Batavia
Class: Senior
Parents: Steve and Kim Auchstetter
Sponsor: Anthony Tinerella, Head of School and principal
Community service: Marmion Campus Ministry Outreach, leading several faith-based retreats for local low-income schools and parishes; Special Olympics Illinois volunteer working with hundreds of athletes; Crayons for Kids school supply drive volunteer; Polish Pals, visiting a local retirement home and polishing dozens of pairs of shoes; Student MENtor Program, mentoring a group of 12 new students in their transition into high school; student council executive board president; Cadet Crazies pep club co-president; Spanish Club; Eucharistic minister; Alpha Company JROTC executive officer; Kairos senior retreat leader; Student Ambassador; National Honor Society
Mitchell Barrett
Harry D. Jacobs High School
Hometown: Algonquin
Class: Junior
Parents: Nancy Barrett and Tim Barrett
Sponsor: Jennifer Wiczer, music teacher
Community service: Camp Wow counselor for Catholic summer camp for middle-schoolers; refurbish and repaint a Memphis house for Catholic Heart Work Camp; lead performer for "24-Hour Musical," a charitable show benefiting Turning Point; PMT (Peer Minister in Training) leadership, organizing parish youth groups and recruiting new teens; co-chairman of "Mr. HDJ" school pageant; student body board member; National Honor Society; winter musical; drama club; fall and spring play
Gabrielle Castro
Marian Central Catholic High School
Hometown: Huntley
Class: Senior
Parents: Michael and Pearl Castro
Sponsor: Rebecca Reed, guidance director
Community service: National Honor Society vice president, including directing the annual Rise Up Leadership Conference, helping plan the "Shelter from the Storm" food drive for the Woodstock food pantry, and mentoring; helping organize the student council's annual Christmas Drive providing gifts to families in need; Camp Wow counselor for Catholic summer camp for middle-schoolers; altar server for St. Margaret Mary Parish; student council president; writing lab tutor; Model United Nations; Gavel debate club vice president; mentor program council leader; and Spanish Honor Society
Milka Cassandra Deinla
St. Edward Central Catholic High School
Hometown: Schaumburg
Class: Sophomore
Parents: Mary Grace Deinla and Reno Deinla
Sponsor: AnnMarie Dufelmeier, English teacher
Community service: Organizing Art Club's "Color the Holidays" service project; volunteering at Feed My Starving Children; organizing a mental health/suicidal awareness club; volunteering with St. Hubert Youth Ministry; Student Ambassador Club, training and helping future Green Wave students; French Club; German Club; Spanish Club; SADD Club; Scholastic Bowl; WYSE; Book Club; and Rotary Interact Club
Samuel De La Paz
Huntley High School
Hometown: Huntley
Class: Senior
Parents: Arturo and Karin De La Paz
Sponsor: Melanie Lyons, teacher and NHS sponsor
Community service: Community service projects, including organizing students to pick up litter, volunteering with Henry's Thanksgiving Day Hustle 5K and other community projects; National Honor Society, partnering with park district and leading four projects: re-staining a historic wagon, designing, building and installing a hitching rail for a historic farm, a kiosk/sign with historical information, and six birdhouses; helping coordinate a T-shirt fundraiser with Crystal Lake South High School for a joint Pink Out football game; Eagle Scout project, designing and leading construction of 14 outdoor Stations of the Cross for his church; Youth Ministry at soup kitchen and Feed My Starving Children; Student Spirit Section leader; robotics; Link Crew; and Science Olympiad
Katie Frantik
Jacobs High School
Hometown: Algonquin
Class: Senior
Parents: Gary and Dionne Frantik
Sponsor: Vincent Rotondi, high school counselor
Community service: Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor; National Honor Society; District 300 internship in a second-grade classroom at Lincoln Prairie Elementary school; St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church volunteer and religious education teacher; participating and assisting organizing "24-Hour Musical" to benefit Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; intern at Christian Youth Theater summer camps.
Bianca Gomez
West Aurora High School
Hometown: Aurora
Class: Junior
Parents: Fermin and Yolanda Gomez
Sponsor: Robert Payne, social studies teacher
Community service: Public relations officer for Above the Influence, encouraging students to be above the influence of drinking and drugs; Student Ambassador helping out in the community; HOSA-Future Health Professionals; dance marathon and other events to raise funds for Lurie Children's Hospital; National Honor Society; Link Leader; Rowdies; student council; Spanish Honor Society; Class of 2019 Council; and West Buddies
Sharene Gould Dulabaum
Elgin Academy
Hometown: Elgin
Class: Senior
Parents: Harry Gould and Nina Dulabaum
Sponsor: Doug Sept, Director of Upper School
Community service: Environmental Club president, creating schoolwide composting, sustainability education and charity water walk to raise funds and awareness; student council vice president, planning and organizing orientations and events, and editing/coordinating underground student newspaper; volunteering at soup kitchen; National Honor Society, tutoring middle school students and organizing a winter coat drive; supervising youth at First Presbyterian Church's Summer Music Camp Church; mock trial team; Model UN delegate; Worldwide Youth in Science & Engineering competition; International Thespian Society membership chair; Big Brother/Big Sister mentor; Students Allied for Equality; co-editor of The Cupola student newspaper; Improv Club; Dough Gooders charity baking club; Encore Show Choir; theater
Hailey A. Hochel
Cary-Grove High School
Hometown: Cary
Class: Senior
Parents: Jane and Dan Hochel
Sponsor: Hank Harvey, student services coordinator
Community service: Big Brothers Big Sisters of McHenry County mentor; student council vice president, organizing bingo for senior citizens and teacher appreciation week; Link Crew commissioner, helping freshmen transition into high school, running freshman seminar course, and participating in eighth-grade night and study events for freshmen; choir; Cary-Grove Buddies; National Honor Society; Girls Learn International; and Yearbook Club.
Margaret Keating
Batavia High School
Hometown: Batavia
Class: Senior
Parents: Kim and Kevin Keating
Sponsor: Erin Hack, school counselor
Community service: Key Club president, including organizing and co-hosting the "Mr. BHS" fundraiser for the Spastic Paralysis Research Foundation, and organizing local charity events for UNICEF; chair for Key Club blood drives; student council, mentoring third-grader; volunteering at Kiwanis Club family events, fundraisers and leadership conferences; student council publicist; Career Club; National Honor Society; Science National Honor Society; Spanish National Honor Society; and National English Honor Society
Sofia A. Liszka
Crystal Lake South School
Hometown: Crystal Lake
Class: Senior
Parents: Ronald and Tanya Liszka
Sponsor: Kyle P. McCaughn, school counselor
Community service: National Honor Society president, organizing a joint Pink Out with a conference school, food drive for the local pantry, a "Gold Out" for pediatric cancer, and working on a hurricane relief fundraiser; AVID tutorial leader; athletic referee for Crystal Lake Soccer Federation; GEMS (Girls Excelling in Math and Science), helping to organize, collaborate, communicate and ultimately run the GEMS program for local middle schools; Key Club; class officer
Tyler McLaren
West Aurora High School
Hometown: Sugar Grove
Class: Senior
Parents: Kim McLaren and Dr. Eric McLaren
Sponsor: Christopher Ranallo, physical education teacher
Community service: Link Leader mentoring high school freshmen; Student Ambassador leading high school reunion tours, ushering at concerts and plays, or helping parents at school functions; Blackhawk Leadership Team mentoring and team building program; National Honor Society community service; volunteering at Kendall County Food Pantry or Hesed House; and Spanish Honor Society
Shyam Sai
Illinois Math and Science Academy
Hometown: Rolling Meadows
Class: Senior
Parents: Aswini Das and Rama Gundaiah
Sponsor: Kara Molenhouse, school counselor
Community service: Writing up math problems and teaching kids of all ages every Sunday as founder, CEO and COO of Midwest Math Circle, a nonprofit designed to teach suburban youth the joy of math; IMSA residential student liaison, helping dorm students adjust and bond; IMSA head peer tutor, including managing other peer tutors and setting up study sessions; leadership intern for Camp Invention, organizing activities and overseeing campers in developing their engineering, inventive and teamwork skills; Northwest Special Recreation Association, helping kids and teens with special needs enjoy activities such as bowling; cancer biology research at IMSA; Technology Society Mathematica president; Math Team; Mending Minds Through Mindfulness Club; Science Olympiad; and Student Inquiry and Research project
Johannah Violet Siers
Westminster Christian School
Hometown: Elgin
Class: Senior
Parents: Dave and Jeanette Siers
Sponsor: Fred Versluys, secondary school principal
Community service: Community outreach, including serving breakfast to the homeless and volunteering at Park Ridge Elementary School's summer fun fair; volunteering at Village Church of Bartlett's vacation Bible school and annual Easter egg hunt; volunteering at elementary school events at Westminster; volunteer photographer for Westminster events; National Honor Society; student council president and vice president; Community Outreach; and Science Olympiad.
Emma Stotz
Harvest Christian Academy
Hometown: Elgin
Class: Senior
Parents: Robert and Jennifer Stotz
Sponsor: Jacklyn Enger, teacher
Community service: Kids Hope USA mentoring; Harvest Bible Chapel Junior High Ministry Small Group Leader, leading weekly discussion and accountability time for middle school girls; Harvest Bible Chapel High Five summer camp, leading activities and instructional time for kindergarten to sixth-grade day camp attendees; student council class representative and athletic director, planning and organizing all-class events, determining athletic event themes, publicizing game nights, organizing and leading pep rallies; National Honor Society vice president; Mathletes; and International Missions
Nathanael Strissel
Harvest Christian Academy
Hometown: Elgin
Class: Senior
Parents: Derek and Michelle Strissel
Sponsor: Jacklyn Enger, teacher/student council adviser
Community service: National Honor Society leader, restructuring the chapter structure and emphasizing service in both the church and community; student council president and vice president; 4-H Robotics Club, mentoring and teaching the middle school team; helping manage the High Five camp's "Taste & See" elective, leading 50-plus elementary school kids in making full three- to five-course meals twice a day for a week; Kids Hope USA mentoring; theater
Haarisudhan Sureshkumar
Crystal Lake South High School
Hometown: Lake in the Hills
Class: Senior
Parents: Miruthubhashini and Rajagopal Sureshkumar
Sponsor: Tammy Freund, school counselor
Community service: National Honor Society officer, organizing fundraisers for those affected by Hurricane Harvey, and pediatric cancer and breast cancer research; volunteering at Advocate Sherman Hospital; and volunteering at JourneyCare, helping CNAs do various jobs such as moving patients or talking with patients; Envirothon; Robotics; Math Team; Science Olympiad; WYSE.
Cailla Swanson
St. Charles North High School
Hometown: South Elgin
Class: Senior
Parents: Jeff and Lisa Swanson
Sponsor: Tanis Simoncelli, LRC Director
Community service: Team Polaris student volunteer coordinator for "Project Dance" for special-needs individuals; committee member for Feed My Starving Children Make A Difference St. Charles Mobile event, resulting in 124,000 meals and raising $27,500; D303 United assistant student coach for middle schoolers with special needs in basketball, track and field, and bowling; volunteer manager for boys JV and varsity volleyball teams; and Peer Leadership for freshman buddy