L-W East seniors Celebrate End of an Era With Picnic

Seniors at spent their last Friday together playing lawn games during their lunch hours and munching on hot dogs cooked by school administrators.

“It's cool that they do this,” said senior Scott Weber as he visited with friends at the pavilion behind Lincoln-Way East on May 18.

“It's a nice break from our regular lunch and advisory,” agreed classmate Brandon Craven.

Principal Scott Tingley kept the cooler full of bottled water as Associate Principal Louis Lee, Associate Principal Aimee Feehery and PPS Director Michele Newswander grilled up hot dogs and served them to the Class of 2012.

“It's the last time they may hang out as a group,” said Tingley, who wanted to reward the students for their efforts and commitment to learning.

“These kids have worked really hard for four years and done everything we've asked them to do,” he said.

Seniors Calvin Muenchow, Taylor Jakowski, Sydney Gervase, Natalie Zannelli, Andrea Rogers, Julia Spencer and Cara Radkay soaked up the sun and reminisced about their four years at Lincoln-Way while their classmates played a game of bean bag toss nearby.

Several indicated the senior picnic would be their favorite memory of Lincoln-Way East.

“This is fantastic,” said Joshua Miller. “Awesome food and games.”

The students will graduate June 5, ending their four years at Lincoln-Way East.

“It's bittersweet,” said senior Joey Allegretti, who is anxious to start the next chapter of his life but realizes that means saying goodbye to the teachers who have helped shape his life up to this point.

“I had some of them twice,” he said of the Lincoln-Way East teachers. “So, I got to know them.”

Students from all four classes came together Friday (May 18) for one last pep assembly. They gathered in the school gymnasium to honor the academic achievements and athletic accomplishments of their classmates, including those who represented Lincoln-Way East at the Special Games in the spring.

They also took the time to honor three educators who are retiring at the end of the 2011-12 school year: Athletic Director David Brost, Assistant Athletic Director John Piazza and art teacher Dale Sandoval.

“We thank you for establishing the expectation of excellence in our athletic programs and your years of dedication and service to the students of Lincoln-Way East,” Tingley told Brost.

“Thank you for the development of all the young men who had the opportunity to play for you,” he told Piazza. “Your perspective and leadership will be missed.”

“(Your) passion and love for art has been contagious,” he told Sandoval.  “We will miss you as an art teacher and a friend.”

To the Class of 2012, Tingley delivered a special message:

“Thank you for the decisions that you have made,” he said.  “The good decisions are sometimes the hardest. The decision to study a little longer. The decision to throw a couple more passes. The decision to practice that song one more time. The decision to take a couple extra ground balls. The decision to maintain focused on who you are as a person.

“It has been a pleasure to watch you perform as students, individuals and as a group this year,” he added. “I thank you for all you have done to make East a better place.”