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Maine East High School Class of 2022

Graduates in Class of 2022: 460

Graduation ceremony: Sunday, May 22, at the Rosemont Theatre

Maine Scholars (top 1% of senior class): Viraj Alkesh Bodiwala, Rebecca Faye Kroopkin Hurwitz, Olivia Jovanka Medina, James Spencer Righi, Fariha Siyadath.

Graduation Speaker: Viraj Bodiwala

Academic achievements:

• Three National Merit Scholar Finalists

• Six National Merit Scholar Commended Students

• 50 Illinois State Scholars

• 17 students earned Seal of Biliteracy, including one student in three languages, a first at Maine East

Extracurricular achievements:

• Adobe National Championships - One student took 2nd place nationally and qualified as a finalist in the Cook County Flag Design Competition 2021

• One student earned Illinois Science Association Regional and State - Gold Award

• Business Olympics Competition: 1st Place in Forensic Accounting and Digital Marketing

• SkillsUSA State Competition: State Competition in Robotics - Urban Search & Rescue, Related Technical Math, Computer Programming

• HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) State competition: 2nd Place for- Healthy Lifestyle- Qualified for Nationals; 5th Place in State- Health Education Team Event; Top 10 in state- Research Persuasive Writing and Speech Event

• FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) State Competition: Gold Award & Most Outstanding in State- Personal Child Care Provider, in addition to multiple Gold Awards for Personal Child Care Provider and Children's Literature

• Debate: Two students qualified for Nationals

• Scholastic Bowl: Regional Champion; tied for 1st in Sectional Championship; qualified for National Scholastic Bowl Tournament in Atlanta; Overall record of 35-16, best performance in over two decades

• Math Team - Calculator Team - took 3rd place in State.

• A student team was recognized and nominated by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for their outstanding news segment featuring our musical "Mamma Mia!!"

• Five students earned placement in the ILMEA district and state level ensembles

• Two students chosen for IHSTF All-State Musical "Cabaret" Cast

• 10 students selected for Local and Conference Art Exhibitions

• Members of the Class of 2022 received recognition in the 5th Annual National Community Service Awards having performed over 3,200 hours of community service.

Athletic achievements:

• Three members of the class qualified for State Level Athletic Competition, with two of them placing in the first-ever IHSA Girls Wrestling State Meet

• 11 students are "Next Level" Athletes, having signed to play a sport at the collegiate level next year

• Girls Basketball: Two athletes scored 1,000 points in their Maine East careers.

• The Dance Team Finished 4th in state for IDTA in the Jazz AAA category

Theater productions:

• Fall Play: "Puffs" (parody of Harry Potter)

• V-Show: Disney!

• Musical: "Mamma Mia!!"

• Spring Play: "Failure"

What was new in 2021-22: When we returned to in-person instruction this past fall, we came back to a building that had been significantly "re-imagined" as part of the facilities improvement referendum approved by local voters in November 2018 as part of a $240 million dollar renovation project for all three D207 Schools. Work completed to date includes a beautiful new Library, Student Commons Area, new Book Store, Chrome Depot, new Career and College Resource Center, New Student and Family Services facilities, new Visual Arts Suite of Classrooms/Studios, new secured main entrance, fire sprinklers throughout the school, new LED lighting, an enlarged and updated Cafeteria Commons and Servery, new locker rooms, a new Strength/Conditioning facilities and Dance/Yoga studio. Still to come will be re-imagined CTE classrooms and work areas. The building looks beautiful!

Principal's reflections on the Class of 2022: The Class of 2022 (similar - yet different - to last year's) has had an experience totally unlike any class before - through it all, they've been tough, resilient, creative, and innovative in dealing with the challenges and opportunities that came out of necessity last year - and they returned to in-person learning this year with a drive to make the most of every experience in their senior year. I marvel at how well they have taken these circumstances in stride and in the way that they have continued to look out for and support each other. Many of them have achieved at the very highest levels in academics, activities, and athletics in our school's 120-year history. I am so proud of them - and our entire staff - for the outstanding work they've done under incredibly challenging circumstances. They are amazing and I wish them all the very best!

- Principal Mike Pressler

  Maine East High School in Park Ridge. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
Maine East High School students relax on the "gathering stairs" in the school's new Center Court area, completed this summer as part of improvement projects in the district. Courtesy of Maine Township High School District 207
  Natalie Dababneh sings the national anthem during the Maine East High School graduation ceremony May 22, at the Rosemont Theatre in Rosemont. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Graduates take in the pomp and circumstance during the Maine East High School commencement ceremony at the Rosemont Theatre in Rosemont. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
Maine East High School students rehearse for the "From Page! To Stage!" performance in which the high schoolers performed plays written by grade school students. Back row, from left: Alonzo Larios, Talia Lasky, Kathy Dawood and Ruquaiyyah Mohammed; Front row: Will Sadler and Natalie Dababneh. Courtesy of Maine Township High School District 207
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