Schaumburg High School Class of 2021

Graduates in the Class of 2021: 507

Richard C. Kolze Achievement Award: Prajeet Basu, Matthew Crook, Sebastian Dsouza, Chieko Dunham, Emma Duranovic, Grace Galer, Jeriko Gallezo, Riya Gunuganti, Sarah Husain, Yulia Hutsul, Parikshit Joshi, Emily Kaspari, Vaibhav Keshari, Corina Najjar, Neha Nath, Tatumn Neville, Keya Patel, Raj Patel, Rayna Patel, Alexis Prathammanon, Allison Regier, Donna-Rose Reyna, Anna Scanlan, Kevin Schoefernacker, Yashwi Shah, Madhumitha Shetty, Chalanda Sirichusinwong, Dhvani Soni, Andrea Janelle Torres, Kaitlyn Uhlman, Mia Vollkommer, Victoria Wang, Ramsha Zakaullah and Maura Zimmerman.

Graduation Speaker: Yulia Hutsul

Class Officers: Victoria Panocha, co-president; Yulia Hutsul, vice president finance; Sandeep Valmiki, vice president administration; Madhav Bhatt, co-vice president philanthropy.

National Merit Scholarship Program Finalist: Mia Vollkommer

National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Students: Anna Fradin; Grace Galer; Izhaan Hussain; and Neah Nath

Extracurricular achievements:

• Eric Arceo, Shawn Chaudhari, Sebastian DSouza and Izhaan Hussain, BPA, Network Design Team (1st Place-State)

• Izhaan Shah, Moksh Shah, BPA, website Design Team (1st Place-State)

• Emily Kaspari, All-State Musician Orchestra (Cello)

• Madhumitha Shetty, Congressional Debate - Finalist

• Alexis Prathammanon, Lincoln-Douglas Debate - Semifinalist

Athletic achievements:

• Girls Badminton - Sectional Champions

• Cheerleading - MSL Conference Champions

Theater productions:

• The 39 Steps: A Radio Play

• Fables, Fairytales, and Folklore: Children's Stories from Around the World

• The Drowsy Chaperone

• Scared Scriptless - Improv Show

• Saxons Storm the Stage - Very Virtual Variety Show

What traditional events were adapted for the pandemic and how?

This year, Schaumburg High School celebrated its 50th anniversary. In order to recognize this milestone, during Homecoming, T-shirts were provided to every student and staff member by the Parent Booster Club. Homecoming was a drive-through event, with the parking lot decorated "Through the Decades" by Student Council, music playing, staff members handing out T-shirts and yearbooks. Seniors were recognized on the football field for their Rose Arbor Homecoming tradition, recording their ceremony and shared during Homecoming week. A virtual pep-assembly aired daily, with a friendly competition embedded into the week, highlighting socially distanced minute-to-win-it competition against other schools within the district. Student Council did not stop there! "All Dressed Up and No Place to Go - A Winter Formal Experience" allowed students during the cold-winter months to come together and celebrate themselves. Taking pictures with interactive photo booths, having an opportunity to see friends and make a memory! The performing arts found creative mediums to explore that embraced remote learning - including a radio show and puppet show. Bringing their performances together through Zoom, students recorded and edited their performances, streaming their final production through YouTube for all to enjoy! The musical production creatively found a way to act in one room while musicians simultaneously recorded their performance in a separate area, with students from our Broadcasting Club bringing the performance together and streamed to viewers. Speech, Debate, HOSA, BPA, Scholastic Bowl, Math Team, Journalism, Chess Club, Band, Choir and Orchestra continued to compete, albeit virtually through Zoom platforms.

Academic Scholars, NHS Induction, and Honors Convocations ceremonies socially distanced participants by offering multiple small sessions to allow students to earn the recognition they deserve, while inviting parents in the celebration. The Senior Prom was held in-person, dividing students into six different rooms to keep students safe while adhering to state safety mitigations. While there was no dancing, entertainment traveled among the rooms and Seniors enjoyed improv comedy show, DJ music and games, interactive trivia competition and photo booths. We continue to celebrate the Class of 2021 through a socially distanced parade at Boomers' Wintrust Stadium, ending the evening with a firework display. The year culminates with graduation - with a drive-in option to allow students to walk across the stage with family witnessing their accomplishment in-person and streamed live for their families and friends to see.

What were the most significant challenges faced by the Class of 2021 and how did they overcome them?

Students missed interacting with one another. The social connection (both with classmates and staff) is an important part of school and their own personal wellness. Student extracurricular programs found innovative and creative ways to connect. We have had over 500 meetings with more than 5,400 student contacts! With over 70 clubs and activities, we all became creative and were able to offer some amazing experiences for our students. Below are some of the highlights that brought our students together and brought some "normalcy" to their school year. The importance of student connection was made abundantly clear this year.

• With over 70 clubs and activities, we all continued weekly club meetings, whether in-person (when allowed) but always through Zoom!

• New and creative interactions emerged - Frisbee Golf, Pumpkin Carving, 1st Annual Crosstown Showdown Classic, Virtual Operation Snowball, Game Night Live with Mrs. Wager!

• Homecoming Parade and All Dressed Up ... A Winter Formal experience were creatively led by Student Council and supported through our class clubs!

• Broadcasting kept us all connected thanks to "The Burg TV" and the "Saxon Sixty" - not to mention the extra support to stream "live" athletics and activity events!

• Yearbook and Newspaper pushed through, capturing images and stories, looking to celebrate 50 years of SHS in the making!

• Saxons LEAD brought thoughtfulness to "Remember in November" and found a new electronic platform for students to connect through "New Year ... Improved Self" focusing on academic and student fitness.

• Students made a difference in the community by volunteering for our "Stuff the Bus" food drive, Schaumburg Township Adopt-A-Family, supporting the SHS VIP Savers Event

• Competitive activities competed virtually and in-person and placed at State competitions - including Debate, Speech, Scholastic Bowl, Broadcasting, Math Team, Chess Team, Gaming, HOSA, BPA, Competitive Dance and Flags, Band, Choir and Orchestra

• The Variety Show, Fall and Winter Play found new mediums of entertainment, allowing us the opportunity to imagine from the comforts of our homes! The Musical streamed its performance and found themselves live, in front of their parent audience.

• Super Fans kept the tradition of supporting our athletes and student activities, keeping the halls decorated and the fans cheering!

• NHS held hope for the spring, and was able to celebrate the induction of over 70 new members, streamed live and held in-person with their parents!

• Junior Class Club is busy planning an in-person Senior Prom event - May 1 filled with creative entertainment.

• Our students continue to seek connections and ask for new programs, initiating new programs Black Leader Achievers, Latinos Unidos and AAPI Alliance!

Principal's reflections on the Class of 2021:

The Class of 2021 had to persevere like no other class before due to the pandemic. They showed grit and resilience, navigating all of the challenges the last 15 months placed in front of them. Even though their high school experiences did not conclude the way they envisioned, they should be extremely proud of how they found creative ways to make the best of this most difficult time. Congratulations Class of 2021!

- Principal Brian Harlan