Lincoln-Way North Students Honored for Academics

More than 900 students were honored Monday for their academic achievements.

“This is a special night for us as we seize the opportunity to showcase the high achieving students of Lincoln-Way North,” Principal Michael Gardner told students and their families during an Academic Awards ceremony at the school.

“We spend a lot of hours at conference tables discussing strategies and methodologies for our teachers to deliver a rigorous curriculum to our student body,” he added. “The students here tonight have taken advantage of the opportunities (we offer) to be honored. It is my pleasure to show off these students to our school board, our district administrators, our staff, our parents and our community.”

Parents, teachers and administrators gathered in the school auditorium Monday (April 2) to pay tribute to the students with the 10 highest grade point averages from each class as well as the school’s Illinois State Scholars, PSAE All-Stars, National Merit Commended Scholars, Honor Roll students and High Honor Roll students.

They also recognized a Student of the Year from each academic department. Teachers selected the students based on their talents, leadership and positive attitudes throughout their years at Lincoln-Way.

Among those honored Monday night were the Top 10 students from the Class of 2012. They are: Raymond Michuda, Nileema Patel, Christopher Harvey, Mitchell Esposito, Taylor Driscoll, Nathan Kemp, Matthew Filipiak, Dena Waldier, Gregory Ruzich and Joshua Kemp.

Also honored were the Top 10 students from the Class of 2013. They are: Christian Gorski, Caitlin Broderick, Lauren Sajewich, Jennifer Zobak, Nicholas Bielanski, Samantha Klosak, Rachel Lahr, Matthew Murray, Michael Lanigan and Joshua Kim.

The Top 10 students from the Class of 2014 are: Jack Quirk, John Scott, Calvin Duong, Savanna Steck, Nicole Suhm, Erin Creedon, Michael Balcerzak, Katherine Reynolds, Spencer Town and Richard Prokop.

The Top 10 students from the Class of 2015 are: Justine Ivanov, Payton Lang, Devin Werner, Alison DeBruyn, Laura Rovak, Nina Pelsi, Jessica Catania, Ryan Arnold, Joyce Kim and Nora Ward.

The school’s Illinois State Scholars are: Stephanie Anderson, Michelle Balcerzak, Michael Bonomo, Danielle Bradley, Madeline Brekke, Margaret Brtis, Kristi Cesario, Ashley Couch, Allyson Cubr, Kelsi Dilger, Taylor Driscoll, Mitchell Esposito, David Fanciullacci, Matthew Filipiak, Brody Gaffney, Leslie Girote, Mellissa Grana, Monique Grein, Victoria Gutkin, Emily Hamm, Christopher Harvey, Taylor Heppeler, Sam Hill, Kaitlyn Hong, Rebecca Johnson, Michaelene Kapec, Joshua Kemp and Nathan Kemp.

Illinois State Scholars also include: Adam Kircher, Cassandra Krieger, Colleen Laughlin, Jessica Marquez, Kaitlyn Martin, Raymond Michuda, Faizan Mohajir, James Novy, Brian O’Donnell, Matthew Ostrowski, Nileema Patel, Anna Pelsi, Olivia Perozzi, Dominique Petrassi, Nicholas Raft-Murphy, Hali Ramirez, Gregory Ruzich, Drake Sands, Michael Schasane, James Schoenecker, Joseph Schuit, William Shake, Kendal Sykes, Kevin Thielmann, Elizabeth Toppett, Karlie Trost, Dena Waldier, Brendan Walles, Jorge Yahuaca and Yannis Zigras.

The school’s National Merit Finalist is Raymond Michuda. The school’s National Merit Commended Scholars are Taylor Driscoll, Nathan Kemp and Brendan Walles.

The school’s PSAE All-Stars are: Michael Bonomo, Kristi Cesario, Taylor Driscoll, Mitchell Esposito, David Fanciullacci, Brody Gaffney, Sam Hill, Kaitlyn Hong, Nathan Kemp, Adam Kircher, Amanda Kovacic, Colleen Laughlin, Raymond Michuda, Faizan Mohajir, James Novy, Nicholas Raft-Murphy, Gregory Ruzich, Drake Sands, Kevin Thielmann and Jorge Yahuaca.

Student of the Year awards were presented to:

• Remi Gregory, art
• Michael Collins, agriculture
• Alexander Vargas, business
• Frank Licka, industrial technology
• Michael Schasane, English
• Samantha Lullo, family and consumer sciences
• Nileema Patel, math
• Eli Ramirez, music
• Brooke Kirschsieper, physical education/health/driver’s ed
• Stacy McKeigue, reading
• Emily Hamm, science
• Michael Schasane, social science
• Casey Cotton, special services
• Madeline Brekke, world languages

“I would like to congratulate all of the students honored here tonight,” said Gardner. “All of you should be proud of your academic accomplishments. You are achieving at a very high level at a high school district where academics are extremely important.

“I would remind you, however, that academic excellence is not an end to itself but a continuous journey that requires your continuous attention and perseverance,” he continued. “Don’t ever, ever give up or let down. Congratulations to each of you and to you, our parents, on a job well done.”