Academic All Stars Honored at Annual Banquet
52 Seniors Celebrated! • May 12, 2023

52 Seniors Celebrated!

Montini Catholic High School in Lombard rolled out the red carpet on Thursday, May 11th to honor members from their Class of 2023 as Academic All Stars. Each year the Lasallian college preparatory school invites seniors who have excelled academically throughout their high school years to a celebratory banquet in their honor. This year's event was held at Bobak's Signature Events in Woodridge.

A total of 52 seniors achieved the honor of being named a Montini Catholic Academic All Star which involves attaining a 3.95+ GPA and/or being named an Illinois State Scholar.

Congratulations to:


Jhett Acuna (Glendale Heights) St. Matthew School graduate
Maya Alikpala (Lombard) St. Mary of Gostyn School graduate
Angela Banov (Lombard) Glenn Westlake School graduate
Brighid Barratt (Lombard) Sacred Heart School graduate
Alexa Bauman (Lombard) Glenn Westlake School graduate
Shannon Blacher (Burr Ridge) Hinsdale Middle School graduate
Megan Blim (Bolingbrook) Brooks Middle School graduate
Nathan Camba (Burr Ridge) Pleasantdale Middle School graduate
Emma Canty (Hinsdale) St. Joseph School graduate
Carissa Collier (Lombard) St. Dominic School graduate
Sofia Corona Orozco (Aurora) St. James the Apostle School graduate
Michael Crowley Jr. (Downers Grove) O'Neill Middle School graduate
Luke Cushing (Downers Grove) O'Neill Middle School graduate
Thomas Cyze (Willowbrook) Holy Trinity School graduate
Annabella D'Anca (Wheaton) St. Michael School graduate
Nadyarelis Delgado (Melrose Park) Roosevelt Middle School graduate
John DiSimone (Bensenville) Blackhawk Middle School graduate
Matthew DiSimone (Bensenville) Blackhawk Middle School graduate
Adam Garza (Forest Park) Forest Park Middle School graduate
Mary Catherine Gaughan (Downers Grove) St. Mary of Gostyn graduate
Katherine Gertsen (Plainfield) Bethany Lutheran School graduate
Ava Rose Giannini (Wood Dale) Immaculate Conception graduate
Willa Gramann (Burr Ridge) St. Isaac Jogues graduate
Eleanor Helm (Arlington Heights) F.E. Peacock Middle School graduate
Luke Hemmersmeier (Elmhurst) Visitation graduate
Maren Hoovel (Glen Ellyn) Hadley Junior High graduate
Gabrielle Husmillo (Roselle) St. Walter School graduate
Hailey Larcker (Naperville) Scullen Middle School graduate
Isaiah Lusk (Westchester) Westchester Middle School graduate
Mario May (Western Springs) St. John of the Cross School graduate
Randi Moraga (Wood Dale) St. Pius X Parish School graduate
Andrew Miller (Lisle) St. Joseph School graduate
Thira Minauskas (Lombard) Sacred Heart School graduate
Amanda Mrazek (Lombard) Glenn Westlake School graduate
Carla Osorio Palomino (Carol Stream) St. Pius X Parish School graduate
Luke Pacelli (Downers Grove) St. Joseph School graduate
William Prater (Naperville) Jefferson Junior High graduate
Samuel Ruddy (Downers Grove) St. Mary of Gostyn graduate
Natalia Sandoval (Westchester) Westchester Middle School graduate
Sara Severin (Downers Grove) St. Joseph School graduate
Alexander Silveyra (Carol Stream) St. Isidore School graduate
John Sipchen (Downers Grove) St. Joseph School graduate
Kenneth Sledzinski (Westmont) Holy Trinity School graduate
Kevin Snyder (Downers Grove) O'Neill Middle School graduate
Joseph Spaccapaniccia (Bolingbrook) Jane Addams Middle School graduate
Francesca Spizzirri (Oak Brook) Immaculate Conception graduate
Grace Tierney (Downers Grove) St. Mary of Gostyn graduate
Lillian Townsend (Lombard) Sacred Heart graduate
Dominick Trippiedi (Naperville) St. Raphael School graduate
Jacob Velazquez (Downers Grove) O'Neill Middle School graduate
Peter Vreeland (Lombard) Sandburg Middle School graduate

Michael Wind (Downers Grove) St. Joseph School graduate


So far, Montini Catholic's Class of 2023 has earned over $16,000,000 in academic scholarship offers.  "You have worked hard, sacrificed other pursuits and avoided the many distractions that surround you to put your studies first," said Principal Kevin Beirne. "You have set and exceeded goals and earned this night and all that it means for your future, I am heartened by the doors you have opened for yourselves."


The dinner was attended by recipients and their families.

Image Above: . Front Row (sitting)l to r:  Katheine Gertsen, Maren Hoovel, Kiki Gaughan, Megan Blim, Amanda Mrazek, Sofia Corona Orozco, Carissa Collier, Sara Severin, Nadyarelis Delgado, Gabrielle Husmillo, Maya Alikpala and Lillian Townsend; . Second Row l to r: Thira Minauskas, Jhett Acuna, Jacob Velazquez, Michael Wind, Luke Cushing, Andrew Miller, Kevin Snyder, Dominick Trippiedi, Mario May, Peter Vreeland, Eleanor Helm and Nathan Camba; Third Row l to r:  Natalia Sandoval, GraceTierney, Emma Canty, Shannon Blacher, Joseph Spaccapaniccia, John DiSimone, Sam Ruddy, John Sipchen, Hailey Larcker, Anna D'Anca and Brighid Barratt; . Back Row: Angela Banov, Isaiah Lusk, Michael Crowley, Matthew DiSimone, Will Prater, Francesca Spizzirri, Thomas Cyze, Kenneth Sledzinski and Alexander Silveyra;


Academic All Stars not pictured: Luke Hemmersmeier, Ava Rose Giannini, Randi Moraga, Alexa Bauman, Adam Garza, Willa Gramann, Luke Pacelli, Carla Osorio Palomini,


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