DuPage County Academic Team, 2018-2019
Akshay Dugar, Neuqua Valley High School
Hometown: Naperville
Parents: Amit and Meera Dugar
Sponsor: James Fox, math instructor
GPA: 4.40 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 36; SAT: 1550
Planned major: Mechanical engineering, statistics
Awards, honors: National Merit finalist, honor roll, AP Scholar, Illinois State Scholar, student government/class officer, Indian Prairie Scholar, Mu Alpha Theta inductee, 2017 Summer Illinois Mathematics Program - Problem Solving Award
Personal statement: "My goals for my future career include securing a position as a financial executive while spending extra time using my knowledge to assist my local community. One of my clearest career goals is to start a business that specializes in creating mathematical models for markets that are untapped in the financial world. I know that I would utilize my experience in college to learn everything I need in order to make this dream become a reality."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Akshay has been a leader and role model in the classroom and on the math team. Students look to him for help and Akshay always goes above expectations."
Karen Ge, Naperville North High School
Hometown: Lisle
Parents: Yi Ge
Sponsor: Vanessa Ramos, teacher
GPA: 4.771 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 36
Planned major: Mathematics or computer science
Awards, honors: National Merit finalist, honor roll, National Honor Society, AP Scholar, Presidential Scholar candidate, Illinois State Scholar, 2018 Research Science Institute participant, 2017 Mathematical Olympiad Program
Personal statement: "On a very high level, I want to make the world a better place, just like many other people. While America has grown into a country of thriving businesses and prestigious universities, it is also a country of politically misinformed citizens and rampant inequality. I believe there is still hope, but it rests on our education system, on igniting the passion to learn and discover and create in each person."
Sponsor's endorsement: "I am most certain that Karen will have a significant impact on society. Her diverse interests, her desire to help others, her uncanny ability to interpret others' meaning, and her knowledge strongly suggest that she will create something that will better this world."
Soomin Kim, Waubonsie Valley High School
Hometown: Aurora
Parents: Sungrae Kim, Hyemee Lee
Sponsor: Karen Kuhlman, counselor
GPA: 4.65 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 36; SAT: 1570
Planned major: Aerospace engineering
Awards, honors: Honorable Mention at Model United Nations at University of Chicago, National Merit finalist, AP Scholar with Honors, honor roll, Illinois State Scholar, student government
Personal statement: "As Thomas Edison said, 'Failure is the mother of success.' There will be times that I fail to achieve a particular goal in mind, but I will never let them deter me from achieving success. I hope to always come back to what I have learned throughout my years in school and look back at the lessons that I value in order to strive to be a more successful individual."
Sponsor's endorsement: "He is a kind, respectful and organized young man. Soomin has goals for his future endeavors and has reached out to me when needing support or asking questions. He is a dedicated individual who strives to do his best and complete the task at hand."
Gino Kozel, Benet Academy
Hometown: Orland Park
Parents: Edward and Elizabeth Kozel
Sponsor: Laura Lundstrom, counselor
GPA: 4.527 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 36
Planned major: Pre-med, chemistry
Awards, honors: National Merit commended scholar, honor roll, National Honor Society, AP Scholar, Presidential Scholar candidate, Illinois State Scholar
Personal statement: "I underwent three corrective eye surgeries in order to have my vision restored ... They (doctors) saved me in every possible sense of the word, and that is what I would like to do for another child like me. My entire life has been oriented around this goal, this desire to one day stand as my doctors did in front of a hurt patient, a person in need of care and comfort, and say to them, 'I can help you.' As a result, my entire academic career has been designed to secure this goal."
Sponsor's endorsement: "At 2 and a half, Gino was already losing his sight. Three surgeries later, Gino sees perfectly with glasses, but takes special steps not to strain his eyes. The silver lining in this is that every time he falls, it makes him want that much more to rise back up and do better."
Sarah Kulkarni, Wheaton Warrenville South
Hometown: Wheaton
Parents: Robert and Cynthia Kulkarni
Sponsor: Jillian Nowicki, counselor
GPA: 4.77083 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 36
Planned major: Biomedical engineering
Awards, honors: National AP Scholar, Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Award, National Merit commended scholar, honor roll, National Honor Society, Illinois State Scholar
Personal statement: "I want to contribute to what I believe will be the most innovative, beneficial, and controversial technologies of this century - genetic engineering tools like CRISPR-Cas9 - through research and clinical trials. I cannot wait to explore the complexity of the cellular and genetic worlds in more depth, which I believe can best be accomplished by combining clinical and laboratory work."
Sponsor's endorsement: "I look forward to Sarah's next journey of college. I have seen Sarah grow so much over the past several years, and know she will continue to excel academically as well as giving back to the campus and community. Sarah sets goals high for herself and works hard to make sure she attains those goals."
Ahalya Lettenberger, Glenbard West High School
Hometown: Glen Ellyn
Parents: Thomas & Anna Lettenberger
Sponsor: Chris Lubinecki, retired school counselor
GPA: 5.87 on a weighted 5.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 35; SAT: 1580
Planned major: Biomedical engineering
Awards, honors: National Merit finalist, AP Scholar with Distinction, Illinois State Scholar, honor roll, National Honor Society, student government
Personal statement: "Traveling the world competing on the U.S. Paralympic Swimming National Team, I have met incredible people who have overcome unimaginable obstacles to reach their goals. Engineering helps my community of people with disabilities to redefine challenges. The notion of developing medical devices that help people with disabilities become more independent and see their impairments as less restrictive makes the future extremely exciting."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Ahalya has an incomparable zest for life and abounding courage to conquer her physical hindrances on a daily basis."
Emily Mao, Lisle High School
Hometown: Lisle
Parents: Jun Mao and Fan Li
Sponsor: Mark Lascala, science teacher
GPA: 4.5 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 36; SAT: 1590
Planned major: Double major in business economics and biochemistry
Awards, honors: Presidential Scholar candidate, AP Scholar with Distinction, Scholastic Art Awards, National Merit commended scholar, honor roll, National Honor Society, Illinois State Scholar
Personal statement: "While one of my life goals is to improve myself, my other is to improve the life of others. More specifically, I hope to enhance others' life through a career in the health care industry. To achieve this goal, I have placed an emphasis on mathematics and science, especially biology and chemistry, in high school. My participation and accomplishment in math and science-related competitions has also crafted a strong foundation for my career aspirations."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Emily's academic record speaks for itself, but behind all those high marks is a woman of character and kindness who, at her core, wants to help others. I am giving her my highest recommendation."
Sulaiman Mohammad Sajed, College Preparatory School of America
Hometown: Glen Ellyn
Parents: Dr. Mohammad Sajed and Dr. Naoshiba Sajid
Sponsor: Samah Elzahdan
GPA: 4.44 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 35; SAT: 1550
Planned major: Medical science
Awards, honors: Best Student of the Year, National Merit finalist, Gold Honor Roll, National Honor Society, AP Scholar, Illinois State Scholar
Personal statement: "When I was younger, my parents, who are both doctors, would take me to the hospital to watch them work. While their jargon went over my head, I could see the passion they had for treating patients."
Sponsor's endorsement: "He is focused, reliable, humble, and a true humanitarian, and he is only a high school student. I cannot begin to imagine the greatness that will come from him as an adult. He knows what he wants in life and is working very hard to achieve his goals."
Ashwin Saxena, Metea Valley High School
Hometown: Aurora
Parents: Alind Saxena and Priya Saxena
Sponsor: John Riddle, teacher
GPA: 4.57 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 36; SAT: 1560
Planned major: Computer science
Awards, honors: National Merit commended scholar, honor roll, AP Scholar, Illinois State Scholar, USA Computing Olympiad gold division finalist (2017), USA Chemistry Olympiad national finalist (2018)
Personal statement: "The world is much larger than we realize, and many of its people are struggling to combat complex problems that require complex solutions. The service- and green-based approach to engineering that I have worked to cultivate through these experiences will compel me to think from multiple perspectives, ensuring that I approach tasks at hand not only through an engineer's lens, but also with an environmentalist's eye and a humanitarian's point of view."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Ashwin is going to be successful wherever he goes to college and will continue that success afterward. Indeed, his resume already shows that he has had success in upper-level college math classes."
Alex Trickey, Naperville Central High School
Hometown: Naperville
Parents: Aaron Trickey and Hemi Trickey
Sponsor: Michelle Kirincich, counselor
GPA: 4.714 on a weighted 4.0 scale
Test scores: ACT: 36; SAT: 1560
Planned major: Biology
Awards, honors: National AP Scholar, National Merit finalist, honor roll, National Honor Society, Illinois State Scholar
Personal statement: "As I look toward college, I know that I want to major in biology. Allergies haven't had a major impact on my life for the 18 years I've lived it, but they have impacted my grandmother's for the majority of hers. Although so far I've spent my school years doing classwork and joining clubs that are not entirely focused on microbiology, they have all given me the tools I'll need to take the next step forward in the subject."
Sponsor's endorsement: "Alex is a mature and kind young man. He carries himself with integrity and confidence. Alex appreciates challenge as opportunity. Alex has a strong sense of self and is ready to move on to the opportunities of a university so that he may pursue his visions of himself for the future."