001Welcome everyone to the May 12th 12 2025 board of education meeting. I know that most of us are here for the recognition this evening, but this is an official board meeting and so I'm going to begin with a couple of procedural items. Um I've already called the meeting to order and we will have roll call of the board members. Miss Kerr here. Miss K here. Miss Martin here. Miss Nolan. Miss Schwarz here. Miss Thomas here. because I know here if I could have everybody stand as they are able for the pledge of allegiance. Okay. Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [Music] Thank you. And now we will begin our first item on
002the agenda, which is accent on achievement. Our top 2% high school seniors. Dr. Johnson. Thank you, President Owens. In addition to the board of education hosted reception at 6 pm this evening in the South Elgen High School auditorium to celebrate the top 2% of high school seniors, their families certificates and congratulatory letters will be presented to students by the board of education and the principal from each high school will be in attendance to present. And so to begin I would like to welcome assistant superintendent of schools Dr. Annette Asavdo to the stage. [Applause] Buenos, can you hear me? Good. Yes. Okay. Good evening. My name is Anera Seedo and I am the assistant superintendent of schools. Dr. Anera Seed is superintendent. Before we get started this evening, I also want to share that we do
003have a Spanish interpreter. If anyone needs interpretation support for tonight's ceremony, please see Miss Gomez. She's standing way back there. Um, and she will set you up with a headset. Okay, it is my pleasure to welcome our board of education, parents, and other honorary guests and especially our esteemed top 2% members of the U46 class of 2025. The 47 students being recognized as this year's top 2% represent the best in terms of academic achievement from our five high schools. Let's give them a round of [Applause] applause. It's an honor to have the opportunity to celebrate our top 2% students and guests. I hope that all of you know how very proud we are of each of you. Please visit our class of 2025 website to learn more about our students. We look forward to sharing
004your success on our district's social media channels as well. To help us get started tonight, it is my honor to introduce our board of education president, Miss Melissa Owens. Thank you, Dr. Oavdo. And good evening, everyone. It is so wonderful to be here with all of you and to look around the room and see all of the teachers, the principles, other administrators, everyone who has played a significant role in the education journey of our students here tonight. On behalf of all of our district leaders and on behalf of the entire board, I want to express our heartfelt admiration, pride, and best wishes to all of our students for their continued success. Tonight's ceremony is our way of saying thank you to your commitment to your education. It is truly inspiring to be part of this
005community and I am excited to share in your successes and celebrate your bright futures ahead. To the parents and family members in attendance tonight, we know that your child's achievement is directly tied to the level of involment involvement and guidance that you have all provided your students. Thank you for everything that you have done and excuse me and sacrificed to help your child succeed. In the crowd tonight, we have students moving on to such prestigious Midwestern schools as the University of Illinois Urbana Champagne, Purdue University, Northwestern University, Lyola University of Chicago, Depal University, the University of Chicago, and many many other wonderful colleges and universities throughout the country. Our sincere congratulations to you, our top 2% for representing U46 so well as you continue on in your education. We know that you will soar as
006you move on through your next chapter in life. And no matter where you decide to move on to, please consider being a mentor to others as your family members and your teachers and your principles and your guidance officers, how they have all mentored you. If you decide that teaching is the right choice for you, also please keep in mind that you can always come back to U46. We would love to have you back here. Again, congratulations to our top 2% students and thank you and have a wonderful [Applause] evening. We'll be joined again by Dr. Asivo. Thank you, Board President Owens. Uh, we appreciate you and our entire board of education for your unwavering support and commitment to our students. It is now my honor to introduce our superintendent, Dr. Suzanne Johnson, who by the
007way is also a U46 graduate. Thank you, Dr. Acabedo. also a U46 graduate. If we're gonna start that tonight, we'll we'll begin. Um, good evening and like board president Owens, I am extremely excited and so very proud to be here with all of you to celebrate this evening. I do want to take a brief moment uh before we get started to acknowledge some very special people here and their commitment to US students. parents, friends, other special guests here tonight, please stand as you are able or wave. Your dedication, go ahead and stand or wave if you'd like so that we can Yes, we can recognize all of [Applause] you. Your dedication to your child's education is inspiring and we are grateful for everything that you have done to help them succeed. Without question, as you
008look back and remember these many years, these late nights or long days, weekends filled with activities and projects, you know that you too survived all of those momentous events. You survived elementary school and those math tests and math projects. You survived middle school and science. You've survived all of the rigorous courses in high school, many of which aren't quite finished just yet. So students, please also share your appreciation if you have not done so already with another round of applause for your support team here tonight. However, without question, students, tonight it is about you and your accomplishments and what you have achieved throughout your high school career. Your hard work, your perseverance, dedication have all brought you to this point. and we again are honored and excited to celebrate everything you have achieved. Many of
009you have made countless sacrifices along the way. You've missed special events whether they are parties, sleepovers, field trips, competitions, practices, uh performances to spend many hours studying or preparing. when you haven't missed all those things. In addition to being incredible students, you are also incredibly involved, leaving most of us wondering how it is you sleep or eat most of the time. You're involved in sports and arts and any number of other clubs that happen to be available to you. Yet, you have remained focused and committed to your goals, and you have shown what it means to be a leader. We are confident that you will continue to make a positive impact on the world around you. As board president Owen said, remember that you always have a home here in U46. Tonight, each of you
010will notice that on the back of your certificate is a letter. The letter guarantees you an interview with U46 if you ever feel called to be among one of our many outstanding alums who have come back and give back to our school district as an employee. We'd be honored to talk with you in a few years. So, thank you so very much. And I will now welcome executive director of high schools, Mr. Bill Johnson, to the stage to introduce our high school [Applause] [Music] [Applause] administrators. Thank you, Dr. Johnson. We'll now introduce our graduates by school in alphabetical order. When your name is called, please step onto the stage to receive your certificate from one of our board of education members and to have your photo taken with a board member and Dr. Johnson. Please
011remain on stage for a group photo of all top 2% students from your school. The first to recognize her students, and they also have a band concert tonight, is Miss Bush Anne Larkin. [Applause] Good evening. Our first student is Lucy Aggman. Lucy says her post high school plans are to go to a university which as of writing this was undecided in their equivalent to their premed medical track. After completing her bachelor's she says I want to go further to medical school and I want to eventually become a doctor. My plans after school are to become a doctor but I don't know fully what type of doctor yet. But right now, I'm leaning toward being a pediatric doctor. The most important thing I've learned in high school is that resilience is paramount. The ability to preserve
012um excuse me, persevere through challenges, to dust yourself off after setbacks, and to keep striving even when things get incredibly difficult. Her proudest moment achievement was a as a dual accomplished being named Illinois State Scholar Award and achieving the seal of bi literacy in English and Spanish. These achievements represent to me the years of dedication, hard work, and a commitment to academic perseverance. I'd like to introduce Lucy [Applause] Aman, Laura [Applause] Amaro. Laura will be attending Northwest University, Northwestern, excuse me, Northwestern University, and majoring in applied math. The most important thing that she's learned is learning how to move on from failure and not letting fear of failure stop you from doing something. One of her favorite memories is going on a field trip this January to UIC with her friends for the Illinois High
013School Theater Fest. And her proudest achievement is getting into Northwestern. She would like to thank her parents and a special thank you to her siblings Laura Amaro Araini Fami Remy she will be attending UIC or UWMadison in the fall and will be majoring in chemistry. One of the most important things she's learned in high school was not to compare herself to others because everyone is unique and has different talents. And she re I realized that I don't have to be good at everything and it's okay not to be great at something. I've just learn started learning. Her favorite memory was finding out how she got into the dual credit program. And her proudest achievement is maintaining good grades in her dual credit classes. Army Bami, Addison Cutnau. Addison will be attending North Central College for
014occupational therapy, also majoring in health science and a minor in dance. Her the most important thing she's learned is the the more you challenge yourself and the harder you work, the more it pays off. Her favorite memory is the bus rides to and from football games for marching band and dance team competitions. There was always camaraderie and a sense of belonging. It was always so uplifting and always uh had high spirits. It's always felt really good to belong to a group of people and feel comfortable around them. Her proudest achievement was becoming student council president and being in the top of 2% of her class. Addison would like to thank her mom because her mom, she's her number one supporter and always encouraged her to do her best. Addison [Music] Katnar, Jenna Mack, Jenna is
015planning on attending a small liberal arts college, still deciding, but majoring in anthropology. The most important thing she's learned is that you are unsure of at the start of often the ones that cause you to grow the most. For example, I was apprehensive when I first became the flute section leader in the marching band sophomore year. But that experience is what caused some of the largest personal growth for me. By pushing me out of my comfort zone, I gained confidence and found fulfillment from helping others. This decision, among others, to try something new, taught me the importance of not letting fear and anxiety hold you back from valuable experiences. Her proudest achievement is in my senior instrumental recital. She spent a lot of time over the months leading up to the recital practicing solos and
016duets and I played in the recital. It was it was the most I played in a recital and I was happy about all the performances that went that evening. Jenna would like to thank her parents. Jenna Mac Lydia [Applause] Sto Lydia Sto will be attending University of Illinois Sha Urbana Champagne and majoring in aerospace engineering. And the important thing that she's learned is to manage workload effectively and to always keep her head high when things aren't going well. Her favorite memory is was my statewide AVID field trip when we went to multiple universities and messed around. Then they went to a water park and played chicken, spent lots of money, and got at least three different bougie pens. Her proudest moment was becoming the president of the National Honor Society and becoming a successful math
017tutor. Lydia would like to thank her mom for just being there. Lydia Sto, Caitlyn Sweeney. Caitlyn is planning on attending Bradley University, majoring in chinesiology and health science with a minor in Spanish. The important thing that she learned was, "I can do much more than I think I can if I try." Her favorite memory was the band trip going to Disney her sophomore year and her proudest achievement was being elected as vice president for National Honor Society. Caitlyn would like to thank her parent aunt Dawn and Mr. Marisac who was one of the first persons who believed in her potential. Caitlyn [Music] Sweeney, Samantha Winer. Samantha Winer will be attending University of Illinois Urbana Champagne, majoring in environmental engineering with a minor in music. The most important thing she's learned, it's okay to fall down
018as long as you pick yourself back up. You're never going to do anything perfectly, so use your experiences as learning opportunities for future success. Her proudest achievement was having been receiving multiple kudos and safety catch of the month during her time working at Sherman Hospital. Doing her best to ensure safety of the patients and putting a smile on their faces every day has been recognized by nurses and co-workers, and it gave me the opportunity to continue to go above and beyond. Her favorite memory has been being a part of the instrumental academy as well as being the drum major and section leader. She would like to thank Mr. Lambert, her counselor, Miss Abd, Miss Zelman, her biggest motivation, but last not least, her number one supporters, her parents, Samantha [Music] Winer. Thank you. Come back.
019Come on. Thank you. [Music] All right. Next up to the stage, I'd like to invite up Mr. Timothy Broaddor, principal of Bartlett High School. Good evening. We have a number of students joining us tonight. We also have a few that couldn't. So, I'll still announce their bios and some information about them so we can share them in our celebrations. The first student tonight is Ryan Chen. He is a senior at Bartlet High School and he could not join us this evening. Next up, Jack Connor. Come on up, Jack. After high school, Jack plans attends the Washington University in St. Louis to study finance. When asked about this, the most important thing I learned in high school, he said, "The most important thing I learned in high school is that being smart isn't the ability to
020know an answer off the top of my head. Being smart is the ability to find the answer when I do not know it off the top of my head." His favorite high school memory would be winning the regional finals with the soccer team his senior year. His proudest achievement is discovering his passion for personal growth. This mindset has been the driving force behind many accomplishments and he's confident it will pay important role in his future moving forward. While in high school, he participated in the dual enrollment program for junior and senior year. He's actually graduating high school with an associates degree, participated in two internships through the alignment over the summer between junior and senior year. He's worked at Raising Canes for two years. Participated in BHS soccer program for all four years. Participated in
021club soccer with soccer's FC Chicago for four years. Members of five CAMA at Elgen Community College. And he placed second in the IDA architectural board state competition. Congratulations, Jack. Up next, who's also not able to join us, is Whanid. He is planning to attend the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, studying business administration. The most valuable thing he learned in high school is making connections with others. His favorite memory is spending time with friends. His proudest achievement is being the school record holder in the indoor mile. While in high school, he participated in cross country, track, basketball, NHS, and Best Buddies. Congratulations. Up next and in person, Beno. Ben, come on up. Ben is studying, planning to study industrial engineering at Purdue University. The most important thing he learned in high school, how to effectively manage
022his time. His favorite high school memory was traveling to Nashville during spring break for baseball. His proud achievement is earning straight A's throughout high school. He's been involved with National Honor Society, Math Club, Bartlett Hawks Baseball, Peer Leaders, Best Buddies, and Spanish Honor Society. Congratulations, Ben. Next up is Caitlyn Jensen. Caitlyn is a dual credit ECC student as well. She's also one of our valadictorians. Post high school plans. Get an internship this summer. She's going to attend the University of Illinois at Champagne Orbana. And she wants to major in mechanical engineering. The most important thing she learned in high school is time management. Her favorite high school memory is going out with friends. Her proudest moment is her valuatoran status being class ranked of number one. While in high school, she was part of future
023problem solvers, tennis, women in STEM, South Asian Student Association, FI Delta Kappa Honor Society. Congratulations, Caitlyn. Up next, we have senior Audrey Martin. [Applause] Audrey plans in studying graphic design with a business minor at St. Norbert's College. The most important thing she learned in high school is to put herself out there, even if it made her uncomfortable. Her favorite high school memory is going to junior year prom with her friends. Her proudest achieving is being in the top 2%. While in high school, she was part of peer leaders Spanish society, the girls swim and diving team. She will also participate in art shows such as the Upstate 8, the 2024 Creative Futures Art Show Art Exposition, the U46 Vision Show, and the annual BHS art show. Congratulations, [Music] Audrey. Up next is Chris Patel. Chris
024is our sludatoran. He plans on studying University of Illinois, Urbana Champagne, studying molecular and side cell biology on the premed track. The most important thing he learned in high school is embracing failure as a stepping stone to success. His favorite high school memories attending the host of field trip in Springfield with his classmates. His proudest achievement is qualifying for nationals at TSA State. He participated in several extracurriculars, including volunteering at a hospital, tutoring for STEM classes, and working as a pharmacy technician. Additionally, he was involved in various school clubs such as HOSHA, SNHS, Math Club, and TSA. Congratulations. Up next is student Jen Juan. Jyn is not unfortunately here tonight. He plans in studying at the University of Illinois Champagne Orbana studying computer engineering. Having discipline in doing what you do most, even if you
025don't want to do it, that's what he's learned in high school. His favorite high school memory is going to Disney with the marching band. His proudest achievement is overcoming insecurity that a big effect on how I viewed myself. He's been involved in speech, drama, color guard, fex robotics, AAPISU, Spartan Pantry, Volunteering, ECC Honor Society. Congratulations. Up next, we have Zara Sabu. Excuse me, Zara. She is also a dual credit ECC student. She is going to be planning on attending UIC in the University of Illinois Chicago studying mechanical engineering. The most important thing she learned in high school is that you need to get enough sleep. Her favorite high school memory is spending time with friends. Her proudest achievement in high school is a strong work ethic I've developed. She's been involved in women in STEM
026and future problem solvers. Congratulations class from Barlet. [Music] [Applause] All right. Next to the stage, I'd like to invite up Miss A Gonzalez, principal of Elgen High School. Good evening, Buenas Noes. We will begin with Jason Allen. Jason will be attending NIU, completing a bachelor's in accountancy, and potentially a minor in finance. Jason's favorite memory or one of the things that he learned at EHS is that it pushed him to become focused on reaching towards challenges. My experience in AP classes made me into a more sophisticated thinker and reader, which I feel has prepared me greatly for college. My favorite memory of high school was the last day of school and sophomore year after my AP tests were all over. I got relaxed and hung up hung out with my friends before the school year
027was officially over. In my eighth period class, we had a party and one of my classmates brought cosmic brownies for class. His proudest achievement as a current dual credit student. One of my greatest achievements is being on the ECC president's list for three semesters. I had to dedicate a significant amount of time and effort into succeeding in my courses. so far and I'm proud that my work has paid off by way of recognition and scholarships. And finally, activities that Jason participated in throughout high school, member of Elgen Youth Symphony Orchestra in freshman year, played soccer for EHS, and was also on the bowling team from sophomore senior years. Congratulations, Jason Allen. Next up, we have Liisa [Applause] Aigul. Lisa will be attending the University of Chicago, majoring in mathematics. What is the most important thing
028that Lisa has learned? Trust the process. Everything is for a reason and you're exactly where you're meant to be. Her favorite high school memory, Mr. Tar's AP stack class. He never failed to make me laugh. Model UN at the University of Chicago these past three years has been very fun, too. Proudest achievement, raising $10,000 to support those impacted by the Turkeykey's Syria earthquake. activities. Varsity batmitten model UN Best Buddies National Honors Society and Science National Honor Society. Lisa [Applause] Aigul. Next up, Evangelene Cummings. Evangelene will be attending Southern Illinois University with a major in geology. One thing that Evangelene has learned is time management. English class with Mrs. Gabera was her favorite. Maintaining all A's proudest achievement. And finally, her extracurriculars include Girls Who Code. Congratulations, Evangelene Hummings. Next up, Brody [Applause] Rosenbach. Brody is
029planning on attending at the University of Illinois, Urbana Champagne, majoring in aerospace engineering. Most important thing that Brody has learned is learning how to communicate with teachers as well as other students better. Favorite memory includes playing in and winning the Streamwood soccer tournament with the boys varsity team. Proudest achievement includes being proud of getting all A's in my high school academic career. Extracurriculars include soccer with the EHS boys soccer team for all four years and was part of the EHS math team, was part of the volleyball team at EHS freshman year, and participated in the French club for a year. Brody [Applause] Rosenbach. Up next, we have Joshua Nato. [Music] Joshua plans to pursue a career in the pharmacy field, attending my daughter's university, Benedicting University, in fall of 2025. Intended major is biology with
030no decided minor at the moment. Most important thing that Joshua has learned, learning to not be afraid to try something new. New things can feel uncomfortable, but they can help you obtain valuable experiences. Favorite high school memory includes running through Chicago to get dinner in the rain with his friends at Munich 2024. Proudest achievement, playing on the Elgen boys varsity tennis team. I've participated in various sports including boys tennis, boys cross country, boys track and field. I've also participated in a number of extracurriculars and clubs as well including national honors society, science national honor society, model UN science olympiad, ACE and hosa. Congratulations, Joshua [Applause] Nato. Up next, we have Eric [Applause] Nasario. Eric plans to pursue a degree in finance at either the University of Wisconsin Madison or the University of Illinois Urbana Champagne,
031majoring in finance. most important thing that Eddie has learned, the most important thing I've learned from high school experience was that you are your own limitation. You'll only get as far as you're willing to push yourself. Favorite high school memory? My favorite high school memory is being part of the cross country team. While running for miles on end wasn't particularly easy, the friendships and memories I'd made through the struggle made it all worth it. Proudest achievement includes making his parents proud. And finally, extracurriculars and activities include National Honor Society, soat honoraria, espanica, bowling, cross country, and track. Felicidades, Eric [Applause] Nasario. Up next, Jay Battel. Jay will be attending University of Kansas, majoring in chemistry. Important thing that Jay has learned while in high school. Being at peace with yourself matters so much more than
032what anyone else thinks because your life is yours to live. Favorite memory? Going to Europe with friends through the academy. Proudest achievement receiving the National Merit Scholarship through the SAT. participated in track, band, science olympiad, model UN, national honors society, and science national honors society. Congratulations Jay [Applause] Patel Aditia Sangavi planning on attending Purdue University to pursue a BS in computer engineering. Also, the most important thing, the most important thing I learned was to be self-sufficient and independent. These are skills you need to be successful in your studies and in life general. My favorite high school memory was going to model UN at Chicago with my friends and playing cards late at night. Proudest achievement includes managing straight A's, a varsity sport, and a job simultaneously. activities and curriculum. I've participated in Red Cross and
033class council previously, but currently I am the vice president of NHS and I participate in model UN. I played varsity golf freshman year and I've played varsity tennis all four years of high school. Additionally, I've worked since sophomore year as a tutor. Aditia Sangari [Applause] Rishi Sha. Rishi will be attending. We have quite a crew here. The University of Illinois in Urbana Champagne will be studying chemistry on the premed track. The most important thing I learned in high school is how to manage my time effectively and prioritize tasks, especially while balancing classes, extracurriculars, and other responsibilities. My favorite high school memory is going to the summer academy bike trip along the Fox River with my friends. My proudest achievement is becoming a certified nursing assistant as it has allowed me to make a meaningful impact
034by helping others and gain experience in healthcare. Extracurriculars include HOSA, Future Health Professionals, the National Honor Society, and Track and Field. Congratulations, Rishi Shaw. Sebastian Shivitz, you all should have a conversation out in the lobby. Whoever is going to go to University of Illinois or Urbana Champagne, I feel like there's been more than 10. You will be attending University of Illinois Orbana Champagne completing a concentration on chemical engineering. Most important thing that Sebastian has learned is time management. Favorite high school memory going to state for science olympiad. Proudest achievement studying abroad for a year. And Sebastian has participated in science olympiad talent fest disc golf. And he was the winner for a fourth year I believe or third year third year in our talent show. Congratulations Sebastian. And these are our marvelous maroons. [Applause] Okay.
035Thank you guys. [Applause] All right. And next up, please help me in welcoming Miss Paige Moran, principal of Streamwood High School. [Applause] Good evening. My name is Paige Moran and I am extremely excited to recognize all of our great savers here tonight that have achieved the top 2% of our class. I want to first recognize one who is not here which is uh Danielle Aiasto. Congratulations to her. She was not able to make it tonight. But first up we have Salman Amir. Sman plans to attend the Illinois Institute of Technology and study computer science. He's learned that friends can make even the worst days enjoyable. His favorite memory is the physics field trip to iFly with his friends. His proudest achievement is helping classmates with school and guiding them through classwork. He was involved in
036freshman connection during his time at Streetwood. Solomon is accompanied tonight by his mom, dad, and sister. Congratulations. Next up, we have Ree Basawi. Ree will be attending Elden Community College and studying biology. The most important thing she learned is that nobody is looking at you. You can be your own person without worrying what others think. Her favorite memory is from junior year when she was part of the incubator class and she had to give a presentation for their product that their team developed. It made her very nervous to present and she struggled at the end but recovered with a funny story and her team ended up winning first place. She was involved in many clubs and ran track while at Streamwood. Her proudest achievement is being the president of the National Honors Society and vice
037president of HOSA. She worked very hard in both positions and is very proud of herself. She also worked very hard hard to maintain high honors. Rem is accompanied tonight by her mom, dad, and sister. Congratulations. Next, we have Sophia Lorty. [Applause] Sophia plans to attend Lyola University in Chicago and study neuroscience. The most important thing she learned in her time at Streamwood is to do as much as you can. It's better to say you tried something and didn't like it than to not put yourself out there. Her favorite high school memory was the academy trip to Japan last summer. She is so thankful for that trip and it led her to make new friends in Japan and learned so much about the culture. Her proudest achievement is holding her number one rank in the class
038for all four years. In her toughest time, she continued to push through. Sophia was in many clubs and competitive and sideline dance. Congratulations, [Applause] [Music] Sophia. Next, we have Claire Dresser. Claire will be attending Lyona University in Chicago and study marketing in the Quinnland Business Honors Program. The most important thing she learned is to surround herself with great people, which has helped her grow as an individual more than she ever thought possible. Her favorite memories are cheering in the stands with her best friends at football games. Her proudest achievement is winning two accelerator competitions with her team Bowie. Claire was in many clubs, band, and pit orchestra. Claire is accompanied tonight by her mom and dad. Congratulations, Claire. Next, we have Lenor Navarz. Lenor is still undecided on her college choice. It will either be
039Lyola University, Elmherst University, or Elgen Community College. and she plans to go into nursing. The most important thing she learned in high school is the strength that comes from believing in herself while juggling everything. Her favorite high school memory is building strong relationships while giving back to the community. She found a sense of purpose and connection that made high school meaningful. Her proudest moment was being selected for the Illinois State Board of Education Student Advisory Council where she had the opportunity to represent student voices at the state level. She was involved in many clubs and on the varsity, tennis, and track teams. Lenor is accompanied tonight by her mom and dad. Congratulations. And our final top two%, uh, Sophia Saflarski. Sophie plans to attend Marquette University and double major in elementary education and political science.
040Throughout the last four years, she has learned that anyone can do anything as long as they remain positive and resilient. Everyone has the power within them. They just have to learn it for themselves. Her best experience at SHS has been meeting her friends. She has always been inspired by a quote from the Wizard of Oz. It's not where you go, it's the friends you meet along the way. My proudest achievement was having the honor of being class president and she is grateful that the class entrusted her with that honor. I am she is very happy for the things that allowed her to lead the class of 2025 and she is accompanied tonight by her mom and her aunt. Congratulations, Sophie. [Applause] All right. Please help me in welcoming Mr. John Michelon, principal of South Elgen
041High School to the stage. All right. Thank you very much. I'm honored to be able to be here tonight to present to our top 2%. Um, thank you to our students who have worked so hard to get here and everybody who supported them along the way. Our first recipient is Carter Bucler. Carter Bucler. Carter is attending the University of Illinois, uh, Urbana Champagne. I'm noticing a, uh, trend. Uh, he'll be studying aerospa, aerospace engineering. Uh, the most important thing that he learned is, uh, the most important thing I learned in high school was to live in the moment. Constantly thinking about the future will cause the present to pass you by. uh when asked what his favorite high school memory was. My favorite memory was Six Flags trip with my junior year. Um his proudest
042achievement, acceptance to the Granger, Granger College of Engineering, and what activities and extracurriculars, clubs, etc. did you participate in? Football, echo, and chess club. Congratulations, Carter. Our next recipient is Anthony Cavalo. Anthony Cavalo. Anthony will be attending the University of Illinois Urbana Champagne. Uh he'll be studying mechanical engineering. Uh what is the most important thing you learned? The most important thing I learned I'm going to say this in his voice. The most important thing I learned in high school was this was time management. Throughout my four years, I maintained a challenging course load, taking as many difficult classes as possible. Subsequently, I had to learn very quickly how to manage my time spent outside of school. I began to prioritize my time spent on leisure time versus school work. If I had to impart any
043wisdom on future students, it would undoubtedly be to learn time management early, and you will set yourself up for future success. What was his favorite memory in high school? My favorite memory in high school is attending the Windy City Bowls game with the robotics club. We were not only exper we not only experienced the game, but were able to demonstrate our robot to the middle school students. The robot was supposed to toss a ball and make a basket. While it did not necessarily go as planned, hearing the students cheer us on for something I had a part in creating was a memory I will never forget. What is your proudest achievement? I have a lot of things to be proud of over my high school years. However, the achievement I have the most pride in
044would ha would be having perfect attendance. Ironically enough, my body seemed to agree with not missing school as every time I got sick, I was either on a break or on a weekend. Throughout all my time in high school, I have not missed a single class. In addition, I did not miss one day of middle school, making for six consecutive years of perfect attendance. I have always liked Yeah, darn right. Clap that on. I have always liked to be ahead and missing class would impair that. This was especially difficult as there were many times when I was tempted to stay home from school. In the end, my perseverance and determination held true. What activities and extracurricular club did you participate in? Robotics Club, Model UN, Essentials Exchange, National Honor Society, Math Honor Society, and Spanish
045Honor Society. Congratulations, Anthony. a good resume. All right. Three. Uh, Miss Anna Kristofferson. Anna Kristopherson. Anna will be attending Miami University of Ohio. Uh, intended major is biopysics on the premed track. What is the most important thing you learn to have? You you have to enjoy the journey and not just the destination. What is your favorite high school memory? Dancing on the sidelines at FNL and going to state with the team. What is your proud proudest achievement? Placing consistently at HOSA state for three years in a row. What activities, extracurriculars, etc. did you participate in? She participated in healthcare occupation students of America or HOSA uh emergency medical skills team which is EMS. uh ambassadors, class council, South Elgen varsity dance team, elite academy of dance, we got your back charity, and Spanish math and
046science and national honors societies. Congratulations, [Applause] Anna Donald Don. Donald Don attending Illinois State University with a major in chemistry. Uh, the most important thing he learned was time management. His favorite memory from high school is performing in the culture show his freshman year. His proudest achievement is getting a five on the APU US SC US sorry AP US history exam. That's a that's a feat. Um, and what activities, extracurriculars, clubs, etc. did you participate in? Uh, Arrow, Red Cross, Echo, Yace, and NHS. Congratulations to Donald Ava French. Ava is attending Arizona State University with an intended major of marketing. Uh proudest achievement was the most important lesson I learned is that true progress is made when you push your limits and strive for excellence even when it's difficult. Her favorite memory in high school.
047My favorite me high school memory is dancing at football games and being a part of the dance program. What is your proudest achievement? My proudest achievement in high school is maintaining strong academic performance and consistently earning high grades. Favorite activities are dance team. Go dance. Congratulations. Next we have Emtt Hansen. EMTT Hansen. EMTT will be you attending the University of Illinois Urbana Champagne. Intended major mathematics. What is the most important thing you learned? You don't always have to be right. Sometimes it's tough to accept it. Accept, but being wrong is how you learn more about yourself and what you're capable of. What your What was your favorite memory of high school? Playing tag on the cheer mats with my friends during college jump start. What is your proudest achievement? Shooting my best round of golf
048ever at conference match leading to a win. What extracurricular activities? We have concert, marching band, wind ensemble, section leader, varsity golf, echo volunteering club, math honor society, national honor society of which he was president of both tri honor society, Spanish honor society, model UN, and class council. Congratulations on it. Next we have McKenzie Clinger. McKenzie will be attending Depal University studying film and television. Most important thing learned? The connections you make with people matter the most. The kindness you give the world come back around to you eventually. What was the favorite memory in high school? My experience during an of Green Gables this fall was definitely been one of my fondest fondest memories of high school. Seeing the next generation of students slowly find themselves through the people around them the same way I did
049was truly something I will never forget. It was an amazing amazing experience to work with so many dedicated people all at once and it's something I could never forget. What is your proudest achievement? Honestly, just making it through high school is my proudest achievement. So much personal growth and development is happening alongside extracurricular activities and academics and it's really hard to navigate that when you have to juggle all of it at once. I'd like to think that each decision I've made has led me to where I am. So knowing that I've survived high school and made my parents proud along the way is one of the highest honors I could ever have. What activities or extracurriculars and clubs? Theater Tech Club, SES Ambassadors, SES Essentials Exchange, formerly known as our resource closet, National Honor Society,
050and Beacon Live Broadcasting Crew. Congratulations, McKenzie. Ethan Messer, Ethan [Applause] Messer. All right. Ethan is attending the University of Illinois, Orurbana Champagne. uh intended major electrical engineering. Um most important thing he learned uh that you should balance both your social and school life. Favorite high school memory going to football games. What is your proudest achievement? Getting into Granger. What activities or extracurricular clubs did you participate in? Soccer and volleyball. Congratulations Ethan. Not attending this evening is Nishar Park. Um he will be attending University of Illinois or Bana Champagne uh with an intended major of finance and accounting. The most important thing he learned in high school was you are who you hang out with. What is your favorite memory of high school? All the practices that I went to for SAS at South Asian Student
051Association. What is your proudest achievement? My proudest achievement is that I got into my dream college because of everything I did in high school. What activities or extracurricular sports did you participate in? Sassa Deca Pac multiple finance and investing related internships co-founded a community-based volleyball group tutored younger children religious outreach coordinator at my temple. Congratulations [Music] Dishar Aush Patel Aush will be studying or attending uh University of Illinois or band of champagne with a focus in computer engineering. Um he is also our validictorian which is the most important thing I learned in high school is that real growth only becomes uh only comes through learn through obstacles and struggling through them. It's not the results that shape you the most but the road you take to get there. Uh favorite high school memory was my
052lunch table freshman year. What is your proudest achievement? I ruined it. Uh receiving the status as validictorian. It's class of 2025. Uh what activities are extracurriculars? Uh over my four years of high school, I was in the cross country, track and field, volleyball teams. Additionally, I was part of many clubs highlighting DECA and SASA, but also a part of clubs like NHS. Congratulations, Aush. Dia Patel is not sure where she's going yet, but wherever she goes is going to rock it. bio biomedical engineering and on a premed track. Did you decide on your way up? University of Illinois. All right. Rock on. There it is. We've got a winner. All right. Uh most important thing she learned. Everything happens for a reason. You are exactly where you are supposed to be. Time flies, so you
053have to make the most of it. Your effort will determine your outcome. Uh favorite memory in high school, being part of the girls soccer program and Hosa State. What is the proudest achievement? creating the relationships and opportunities that got me to where I am today. What activities, extracurricular clubs that you participate in, healthcare occupations, Students of America or HOSA, South Elgen Varsity Soccer, Emergency Med Medical Skills, Class Council, South Asian Student Association, Inaugural Girls Varsity Flag Football, Chicago Rush West Soccer Club, Spanish National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, which she started, and National Honor Society. Congratulations, [Applause] Dia. We have Camila. I'm gonna get it wrong. St. Gabrielle attending Depal University uh with an intended major of nursing. Most important thing she learned is no amount of regret can change the past. No amount
054of worry can shape the future. So, cherish every moment you're living in. the what favorite me sorry favorite memory from high school with the entirety of the sophomore year of her sophomore year more specifically my fifth period math class what proudest achievement being able to maintain high grades while being a part of extracurricular activities and working what activities extracurriculars and clubs hosa Spanish NHS science NHS uh NHS and uh swimming class council congratulations Kamya [Applause] and Kalia Alina attending the University of South Carolina, Colombia, major in biological sciences and a minor in psychology on the premed track. Most important thing she learned do you don't have to go your whole I'm sorry, you don't have to have your whole path figured out. You just have to have the courage to take the next step. Uh,
055favorite memory of high school, my sophomore year math class and football seasons. Proudest achievement, maintaining strong academic record of being named to the Illinois State Scholar, and ranked in the top 2% of my class. What extra activities, clubs, and extracurriculars, HOSA, NHS, Science, NHS, Echo, Volunteer Club, and soccer. Congratulations, Clea. And a big congratulations to our graduates who are going to be taking the future by storm. [Applause] I really only have like three letters. Wow, you are all so inspiring. Um, it's it really is just fills me with pride and humbles me all at once. So, congratulations to all of you again. Uh, [Applause] I want to thank everyone for joining us this evening. Muchas gracias. Uh this concludes the recognition of our class of 2025, the top 2% graduates. And now I'm going to
056turn it over to Miss Owens to continue the board of education meeting. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. We are going to take a quick uh I'm going to ask for a motion to recess and that will allow all of the students and their parents and families to exit the auditorium before we have uh the rest of our business agenda. You're welcome to stay if you'd like to listen to the the rest of the agenda, but this will give you the opportunity to leave. So, can I have a motion to recess? So, moved. Roll call, please. Miss Kirk. Yes. Miss, yes. Miss Martin, yes. Miss, yes. Miss, yes. Owen, yes. We are recessed as of 7:05 p.m. Congratulations again, everyone, and safe travels home. Are you ready? Okay. May I have a motion to reconvene the
057meeting? Move. Second. Roll call, please. Miss Kirk, yes. Miss Con? Yes. Miss Martin? Yes. Miss Ford? Yes, Miss Thomas. Yes. Yes. We are reconvened at 7:07 p.m. The next item on our agenda is public comment. Uh my understanding is that there are no public comments this evening. Correct. That being the last item on our agenda, I will take a motion to adjurnn. So move. Second. Roll call, please. Miss Kerr, yes. Miss Khan, yes. Miss, yes. Miss Thomas, yes. President Owen, yes. We are at 7:08 p.m. Thank you.