Fox Valley Leadership Team, 2018-2019
Dominik Bogacz, Crystal Lake South High School
Hometown: Crystal Lake
Class: Senior
Parents: Dominik and Ewelina Bogacz
Sponsor: Brett Collins, counselor
Community service: Crystal Lake South High School Pre-Medical Society founder and president, National Honor Society president, Advocate Sherman Hospital volunteer
Personal statement: "Now that I have a better understanding of my personal ambition - an ambition to serve humanity as a physician and neuroscientist - I realize I will need to not only accept failure, but embrace it as part of the learning process. While my work as National Honor Society president and Kiwanis Key Club officer will certainly help build my leadership skills, it is the experience of leading the Pre-Medical Society that I believe has truly built my character."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Dominik's academic strengths are complemented by his big heart, independence, focus and drive. Dominik is a bright, mature, balanced, and respectful young man with a great head on his shoulders. I am completely confident Dominik will continue to be an asset to both the next school he attends and community in which he lives."
Mariana Byker, Hampshire High School
Hometown: Hampshire
Class: Senior
Parents: Jeffery and Marie Byker
Sponsor: Anthony Lis, counselor
Community service: Relay For Life Event Leader, National Honor Society, Student Council president
Personal statement: "I have had many opportunities to see life in different ways through meeting interesting people during community service projects. These times have allowed me to identify broader social issues and how to handle them. From my work, I have learned communication skills, confidence in public events, and experiences in planning large-scale, organization activities. All of these attributes have made me a better leader."
Sponsor's endorsement: "She has been voted president of the National Honor Society and student council, varsity tennis team captain, editor-in-chief of our literary magazine, and Relay For Life event leader for the past four years. Mariana earned these honors through the finest example of accountability, dedication, and leadership. Aside from Mariana's academic achievements and personal talents, humility and modesty are amongst her best qualities."
Kayla Dalisay, Batavia High School
Hometown: Batavia
Class: Senior
Parents: Brian and Cheryl Dalisay
Sponsor: Gia Russo, counselor
Community service: National Honor Society, OrthoSwim Volunteer, Key Club
Personal statement: "From ages 10 to 11, I wanted to be a corporate lawyer. From ages 12 to 14 I wanted to be the shortest, yet toughest, girl on the S.W.A.T team. When I turned 15 I considered being a Catholic nun. At 16 years old, in the fitness room at my indoor soccer facility, during stretching at the end of our workout, I decided I wanted to be a physical therapist. When I took on No Shave November I never imagined it would have anything to do with my career but instead it showed me every reason why I want to enter the world of physical therapy."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Kayla is a multifaceted person who possesses many positive traits, however if I had to pick one, I would say it is her resiliency. Her desire to succeed in the face of adversity underscores the depth of her character. Kayla does not give up easily, if at all, and always takes away the positive from any setback."
Hannah Rose Doherty, Jacobs High School
Hometown: Carpentersville
Class: Senior
Parents: Lisa Doherty
Sponsor: Brittany Ganon, math teacher
Community service: Henry's Hustle, Elgin's Food for Friends, student council president
Personal statement: "My dream is to be a part of the medical field as a nurse practitioner to develop connections with my patients in a way that benefits their health and prosperity. I hope to be a nurse who develops patient connections because it is my passion, not because it's my job. I plan to continue volunteering for the rest of my life because I think it is important to do something for someone without any monetary award but because your heart tells you to."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Outside of school, Hannah has been busy as a dance instructor for three years and most recently she has been volunteering at hospitals as a way to introduce her to her future career in nursing. Hannah is one of the most mature students I have taught in 11 years. Her maturity and her friendly, outgoing personality are just some of the reasons she has spent so much time as a babysitter and nanny."
Emily Earl, Aurora Central Catholic High School
Hometown: DeKalb
Class: Senior
Parents: Lance and Jennifer Earl
Sponsor: Jessica Prill, counselor
Community service: Life Missions Mission Trips, tennis team captain, National Honor Society
Personal statement: "It is in giving that we receive. This is a very well-known statement, but it was not until I was doing mission work in Florida that I fully understood the reality of it. On that mission trip, I was working at Give Kids the World, a resort for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. I was working in the spa when a young boy came in and wanted Ninja Turtles and I could tell how much he loved them. Finally, when he got to see his painted face, he was overjoyed. I was so gratified that I was able to give this boy so much delight during a time that he was fighting for his life."
Sponsor's endorsement: "One of the things that sets Emily apart from her classmates is how she treats everyone she meets. She greets everyone with a smile and treats them with respect and genuine kindness. Emily has a sincere desire to help others and it shows through her everyday actions."
Kylie Harrier, St. Charles East High School
Hometown: St. Charles
Class: Senior
Parents: Chuck and Kristy Harrier
Sponsor: Katie Perkins, counselor
Community service: Peer Leadership assistant, Hope Club president, OrthoKids volunteer
Personal statement: "As a family law and special education attorney, I hope that I can one day change lives and make life better for those who endure more difficulties than we often recognize, and I feel I am better prepared for this career path because of the amazing volunteer opportunities I've experienced in my life."
Sponsor's endorsement: "She is the acting president of our HOPE Club (Helping Others Protect Each Other). HOPE is the largest club in our building and plays an integral role in our positive relationships and suicide prevention programming. (Her) personality is larger than life as she exudes a positive spirit in all of her endeavors. A common theme I heard through her moderators is that she has the ability to be highly involved but make each person she encounters to feel special. She is trusted by her peers and adults as she leads with positive spirit, kindness, and an encouraging attitude."
Victoria Layman, West Aurora High School
Hometown: Aurora
Class: Senior
Parents: Mark and Stephanie Layman
Sponsor: Katey Peterson, career and technical education lead teacher
Community service: FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) service projects, Girl Scout Troop 709 leader, National Honor Society
Personal statement: "I would like to teach career and tactical education, because I know I will be able to show my students that may not have done well in a typical setting that there are many career pathways that they will succeed in. I (try) to inspire and spark something within in each student, and I believe that it has been through my capacity as a leader that I have discover(ed) how truly amazing this can be."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Victoria exceeds expectations in all challenges that she takes on - from being recognized on a major news station for her work with the 'Tobacco Free Kids Campaign' to receiving a gold medal three years in a row at FCCLA Nationals - Victoria is exceptional. Victoria uses her experiences to positively motivate and engage her peers to set high goals for themselves and work toward achieving them."
Akshaya P. Raghavan, Illinois Math and Science Academy
Hometown: Naperville
Class: Senior
Parents: Santha and Sreenivasan Raghavan
Sponsor: David McGovern
Community service: Learning and Developmental Disabilities Matter Founder, Gigi's Playhouse volunteer, Student Board president
Personal statement: "Working with children with Down syndrome and other learning disabilities allowed me to act on my passion for helping others. My work made me understand the value of friendship and love, as the children I worked with were eager to come to learn every week and were excited when I had a new activity prepared."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Her younger brother has Down syndrome and Akshaya not only works with him but also volunteers her time with Gigi's Playhouse. She conceived of an application that will help her students learn better and faster. She taught herself iOS programming to develop the app, which she plans to provide to the DS community free of charge."
Megan Ronzone, Rosary High School
Hometown: Batavia
Class: Senior
Parents: Matthew and Elizabeth Ronzone
Sponsor: Erin Risler, counselor
Community service: Interact Club president, Camp Out From Cancer volunteer, Senior Retreat Team leader
Personal statement: "Acting as Interact club president the past two years, I have been fortunate enough to strengthen my leadership skills while also attending to the needs of others. Last year, the club worked with an organization, Camp Out From Cancer, to make care packages for children with cancer. Following a camp theme, Interact Club collected glow sticks, books, tents, and monetary donations."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Megan has demonstrated leadership in our faith community through her participation in Senior Retreat Team. In this staff-nominated role, Megan is responsible for organizing and leading spiritual retreats for younger students. The campus minister, who is the SRT moderator, describes Megan as a 'model leader' and reported that she is always first to volunteer to take on additional tasks."
Amit Somalwar, Illinois Math and Science Academy
Hometown: Aurora
Class: Senior
Parents: Ravi Somalwar and Shrilekha Komulwad
Sponsor: Julia Husen, counselor
Community service: BetterMindsPrep founder, head peer tutor, Central DuPage Hospital volunteer
Personal statement: "As an aspiring physician, I want to present both the healing power of medicine and compassion through humanity. By educating others and providing hope and comfort to patients, I envision seeing their smiles filled with gratitude, joy, and the beauty of being alive. Just as I had made a significant impact on the students I tutored and sponsored, I seek to embody the same impactful difference in the lives of people I assist and embody the humanity present within a physician that aims to serve the common good."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Amit's experience as a tutor at Kumon and at a local hospital inspired him to found his own summer tutoring program, BetterMindsPrep, which offers tutoring in music, public speaking, and math for grades three through six. Most impressive of all, Amit has donated 100 percent of his earnings to education outreach."