Glenbard East High School Class of 2021
Graduates in the Class of 2021: 565
Graduation Speakers: Grace Chambers and Sofia Orozco
Class Officers: Grace Chambers (president), Fareeha Syed, Ryan Nguyen and Isabel Piscitelli.
2021 recipients of the Raymond Livingston Awards: Abby Lynch, Ben Barry, Emily Sathy, Grace Chambers, Janyla Norris, Korey Bowen, Mack Mecenas, Matthew Gollins, Simona Chalcakova, Sofia Melton.
Extracurricular achievements:
• Alice Tolken won 2nd place in the Upstate 8 Art Competition in the category of Digital Photography. Her piece is titled "Around the Corner."
• Eileny Gomez won 3rd place in the Upstate 8 Art Competition in the category of Digital Illustration. Her piece is titled "Kitsunebi."
• Glenbard East's Group Interpretation, "The Lorax," advanced to the IHSA State competition; From Group Interpretation - "The Lorax": Anthony Nichols, Samantha Rotar, Fiona Bilkey; From Drama - "The Shadow: The Silent Avenger": Ricky Stachura, Linaea Walsh, Katie Pruyn, Gia Dagenhart.
• The Glenbard East Math Team seniors led by John Flanagan, Peter Luchetta-Stendel and Ali Siddiqui, earned 1st place in the Upstate 8 Conference, 1st place in the Glenbard Invitational, and 1st place in the ICTM Regionals. The
2021 team, which also included Matt Gollins, Ammarah Hussaini, Sam Nasternack, Tony Roach, Eva Brooks, and Tianna Innis, took 8th place in the state. This senior team will go down as the most accomplished in Glenbard East history.
• Trinity Balboa won first place at the Upstate 8 Lit Fest for her descriptive sketch entitled "So He Does," and Emily Trimble also won first place for her short story, "Feelings."
• Anthony Kindness earned All Conference this year chess in the Upstate 8 Conference.
• Sam Gronwold led as chess team captain for two years in a row while leading the team into their first ever virtual IHSA chess season.
Athletic achievements:
• Badminton Upstate Eight Conference Champs and IHSA State Qualifiers • Boys Bowling undefeated season and Upstate Eight Conference Champs
• Cheer qualified for the IHSA State Finals for the fifth of last sixth years
• Girls Gymnastics Upstate Eight Conference Champs
• Gavin Wooldridge All-State Honors Boys Soccer
• Lauren Huber All-State Honors Girls Basketball
Theater productions:
• Hopes & Wishes: A Virtual Theatre Experience
• All The World's A Stage: A collection of Shakespearean Scenes
• "Almost, Maine"
• "The Lorax"
• "The Shadow: A Radio Play"
• "5, 6, 7, 8." An Original Dance Play
• "The Last Five Years"
Senior Class gift: Various flags to be hung in the cafeteria representing the school's diverse population.
What traditional events were adapted for the pandemic and how?
Our recognition events (Senior Awards, Music Awards, Theater Awards, Scholarships, Commencement) were adapted to meet the mitigation and safety protocols. As a result, smaller ceremonies were planned.
What were the most significant challenges faced by the Class of 2021 and how did they overcome them?
The most significant challenge faced by the Class of 2021 was having the pandemic disrupt their senior year and the many culminating activities many students look forward to. This class missed out on several activities/events including Homecoming, Pep assemblies, and a traditional Prom. Yet, they have persevered and been resilient through it all.
Principal's reflections on the Class of 2021:
What made this class special was their continued commitment to service. When they were needed the most they stepped up and volunteered their time. In all, the Class of 2021 participated in over 2,000 service activities and accumulated over 4,500 hours of service in the midst of a pandemic.
- Principal Antoine Anderson