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PRESS 2010-2011
Friday, June 03, 2011 - Daily Herald Names Grace Hitzeman to the DuPage County Academic Team
Thursday, June 02, 2011 - At-Hope Scholarship awarded to Johanne Jeudy
4-15-11 - St. Francis High School Hires New Director of Athletics
1-20-11 - St. Francis Commemorative Bookplate Design Competition9-23-10 - St. Francis High School Students Earn AP Scholar Awards
8-13-10 St. Francis to play all home football games at the College of DuPage
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Friday, June 03, 2011 - Daily Herald Names Grace Hitzeman to the DuPage County Academic Team
Grace Hitzeman, St. Francis High SchoolHometown: Winfield
Parents: Daniel and Bonnie Hitzeman
Sponsor: Trudy Rigney, director of guidance
Class rank: 2 out of 195
GPA: 5.19 on a 4.0 (weighted) scale
Test scores: ACT: 35
College: Amherst College, Kenyon College or Wesleyan
Planned major: English or pre-law
Awards, honors: National Merit Commended Scholar, AP Scholar, NASSP Principal's Leadership Award nominee
Personal statement: “I love learning, and I love sharing my passion of learning with others. I especially love reading and the power that literature has over people's views. I also appreciate the role that books have in molding children's minds.”
Sponsor's endorsement: “This young lady is every teacher's dream student. She is a student in every sense of the word. All the superlatives apply to her. She is very bright, mature, curious, analytical and enthusiastic. In a highly competitive senior class this year, this student has shown that she can compete with the very best. Her teachers have nothing but praise for her excellent mind and incredible work ethic.”
Read more: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110603/news/706039967/#ixzz1OEY6bLu9
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Thursday, June 02, 2011 - At-Hope Scholarship awarded to Johanne Jeudy
Johanne Jeudy, a member of the St. Francis High School Class of 2011, was awarded the “At-Hope Scholarship” by the Naperville Rotary Club on June 2, 2011. The At-Hope Scholarship provides a $1,000 scholarship to a high school senior who has demonstrated exceptional character in facing adversity or challenges.
Pictured with Johanne is Nina M. Menis, Chair of the Rotary Scholarship Committee.
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Friday, May 27, 2011 - Kit McDonnell to participate in the DNA Research Summer Residency program at the Field Museum
Kit McDonnell was selected as one of four total students from the Chicagoland area to participate in the DNA Research Summer Residency program at the Field Museum. This is a great opportunity for Kit and she will receive a $1500 stipend for her work. The DNA Research Summer Residency provides high school students a paid opportunity to conduct genetic research alongside accomplished Field Museum scientists. Two teams consisting of two high school students, an educator, and one Field Museum scientist will conduct DNA research during a six-week internship program. All participants will be trained in molecular biology laboratory methods and state-of-the-art equipment used in The Field Museum’s Pritzker Lab/Rice DNA Discovery Center, gather data relevant to current research programs, and learn about all aspects of the scientific method—from sample gathering through data analysis and interpretation. The teams will split up to focus on two projects currently in progress at the museum. This summer, they will either be studying the genomes of sharks or those of birds and their microorganisms.
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April 15, 2011 - St. Francis High School Hires New Director of Athletics
St. Francis High School has hired Dan Hardwick as Director of Athletics. Dan has 17 years of sports administration experience and 21 years of coaching experience including 2 at the college level. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Medicine and Master’s Degree in Sport Psychology both from San Diego State University. He has spent the last 8 years as an athletic director in the Greater Metro Conference in Wisconsin, and the last 6 at Marquette University High School where the athletes and coaches have won 14 state championships, 4 WIAA sportsmanship awards and 34 conference championships under his leadership.
Dan Hardwick will begin on July 1st.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Michelle Quinn, Class of 2011, helped St. Francis maintain a six-year “winning streak” by being named a prestigious recipient of the Daily Herald Leadership Team. Michelle was recognized for her significant contributions to the community through her unselfish non-profit work with several organizations including Week of Hope mission trips, tutoring and visiting underprivileged children, Hope for Haiti fundraising, religious education teaching assistant, and Student Ministry Team.
Her sponsor for this award, St. Francis director of guidance Trudy Rigney, states about Michelle “She leads by example both inside and outside the classroom. No job is too small for her — she will pitch in without seeking recognition for herself.”
Michelle says she has been guided by the wisdom of Mother Teresa “‘We can do no great things, only small things with great love.' This quote by Mother Teresa sums up my life goals. She says that her accomplishments are nothing great compared to the love she feels for others. Her famous quote has become my mantra, words I live by. I look at my accomplishments not as great acts that change the world, but as great acts of love that change someone's world. My experience in community service and leadership have taught me many things, they have shaped my life goal into a very simple concept, love the people in front of you and never miss the opportunity to help someone in need.”
The Daily Herald reviews submissions from every high school, public and private, in the greater Chicagoland area, so to be chosen is a remarkable accomplishment.
Congratulations to Michelle on this wonderful recognition!
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St. Francis Commemorative Bookplate Design Competition
The Commemorative Bookplate Design Competition invites all seniors to design an original bookplate which incorporates the current year's theme into a design that typifies and identifies the unique qualities and characteristics of the Senior Class and the spirit of St. Francis. The theme for this year's competition was St. Francis High School: Awaken to Your World.
The first place winner for this year's competition is senior, Sarah Dubiel. Sarah was awarded a $100 savings bond and will have her original design framed and hung in the library. A copy of Sarah's design will also be placed in each book donated during the 2010-2011 school year as part of our Annual Book Donation Program, which will begin in late January.
The second place winner is senior, Lisa Neary. Lisa will receive a $20 gift card to Barnes & Noble, while the third place winner is senior, Michelle Quinn who will receive a $15 gift card to Barnes & Noble.
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Wheaton, IL – September 23, 2010 - St. Francis High School Students Earn AP Scholar Awards
32 students at St. Francis High School have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on Advanced Placement exams in Spring 2010.
The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program ® (AP ®) provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams.
Congratulations to the following current and former St. Francis students.
AP Scholar: These students have received grades of at least 3 or better on three or more AP Exams—Current Seniors: Morgan Banti, Kristin Barth, Kyle Bhatia, Grace Hitzeman, Emily Karpinski, Jack Mordell, Jack Roback, and Ryan Shulski Class of 2010 Graduates: Steven Howe, Danielle Janota, William Kernan, Shannon Koester, Connor Malloy, Martha Mcdonnell, Meghan Moore, and Dean Quaranta
AP Scholar with Honor: These students have received an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on four or more exams—Current Seniors: Robert Miller and Patrick White Class of 2010 Graduates: Sara Francesconi, Carolyn Griffith, Molly Holinger, Elizabeth Jensen, Kristen Kelsay, Katherine Parisi, James Pigott, Adam Seraphin, and Daniel Sledz
AP Scholar with Distinction: These students have received an average grade of 3.5 on all AP Exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on five or more exams—Current Seniors: Kyle Gannon Class of 2010 Graduates: Andrew Caron, Calvin King, Daniel McCarthy, and James Olofson
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St. Francis High School Student Selected for Illinois High School All State Theatre Production
Wheaton, IL – September 9, 2010
The Illinois Theatre Association is pleased to announce the 2011 All-State Production, Into the Woods. Produced by arrangement with Music Theatre International, Into the Woods is a Tony Award winning musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. The legendary Stephen Sondheim celebrates his 80 th birthday and the ITA is proud to be part of the celebration. Inspired by the timeless tales of the Brothers Grimm, Sondheim’s fractured fairy tale weaves together the stories of a menagerie of characters, whose stories become entangled in unexpected ways.
The All-State production is one of the many events at the 36 th Annual Illinois High School Theatre Festival, the largest high school festival in the United States. The show will be performed January 7 th and 8 th, 2011 at the University of Illinois – Champaign/Urbana for registered participants only. The All-State brings together a company of students and staff from all areas of Illinois. The cast, crew, and orchestra of seventy-one students are comprised of the brightest stars in the State! Included in the Into the Woods Company is Julia Murphy from St. Francis High School. It is quite an honor for St. Francis’s theatre and music program. This amazing group of students and staff put together the entire production in less than 20 rehearsals! They truly are the best of the best.
Mark Begovich of Community District 94, West Chicago directs this amazing show. Dan Franke from Lemont High School serves as Executive Producer. Chris Jensen from Maine West High School is the Technical Director. Additional staff includes: Bernie Gerstmayr, Brandon Fantozzi, Jeni Donahue, Allan Kimball, Brandon Lewis, Kevin Phelan, Alex Sostarich, Aaron Davis, and Lauri McCleneghan. The 36 th Illinois High School Theatre Festival is an event produced by the Illinois Theatre Association- the representative theatre organization for the State of Illinois. Larry Williams of St. Joseph-Ogden High School serves as this year’s Festival Executive Director.
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St. Francis High School announces the addition of two new faculty members for the 2010-2011 school year.
Among the new faces at St. Francis are:
Megan Potokar will teach Spanish I, Spanish II, Honors Spanish II. Megan graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Marquette University in Wisconsin. Megan will also be coaching the girl’s junior varsity tennis team. This is her third year in education.
Max Estes will teach Introduction to Computers, Business Communications and Speech. Max graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Career and Technical Education and a Minor in Economics. Max will also be the assistant football and wrestling coach. This is his first year in education.
Caption: (left to right) New faculty and staff members
at St. Francis include Max Estes and Megan Potokar.
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St. Francis High School is pleased to announce that all of this year’s home football games will be played at the College of DuPage. This year’s home football game schedule at College of DuPage is as follows:
Friday, September 3 rd vs. Chicago DuSable (6 p.m. Sophomore, 7:45 p.m. Varsity)
Friday, September 17 th vs. Montini (7:45 p.m. Varsity)
Friday, October 8 th vs. Marian Central (Homecoming) (6 p.m. Sophomore, 7:45 Varsity)
Friday, October 15 th vs. Aurora Central Catholic (6 p.m. Sophomore, 7:45 Varsity)
Friday October 22 nd vs. Aurora Christian (6 p.m. Sophomore, 7:45 Varsity)
St. Francis’s Football field has gotten increasingly more difficult to play on and to count on in recent years due to flooding. This decision comes after many options were exhausted and pursued. St. Francis President Tom Bednar said about the move, “We are excited about the opportunity to improve the experience of our players and fans with our move to the stadium at College of DuPage. The College offers us a great solution to the problems that we have experienced with rainy weather since our campus game field is on a flood plain.”
St. Francis State Championship Football Coach, Greg Purnell said, “I am so happy for all our players, students, parents and fans. What a great option we have been given to play our home Football Games at COD. The College of DuPage stadium is a beautiful new venue to watch a game from! A sincere thank you to all the people at COD, especially Paul Zakowsky, Athletic Director. With over 150 students performing in Band, Cheerleading, Dance, and Football we will have a first class stadium to call our home for the season. Friday, September 3 rd will be the first high school football game played at College of DuPage. In the last 3 years we have lost 3 varsity games because of the location of our football field. For the first time in recent history we won’t have to worry about flooding anymore.”
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