Montini Catholic High School in Lombard will roll out the red carpet on Thursday, May 1st to honor members from their Class of 2025 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. A total of fifty seniors achieved the honor this year of being named a Montini Catholic Academic All Star which involves attaining a 3.95+ GPA and/or earning Illinois State Scholar status. Congratulations to: Ryan Andres (Bartlett, Kenyon Woods Middle School graduate) Payton Atkins (Downers Grove, St. Scholastica graduate) Liliana Aumann (Bolingbrook, St. Dominic graduate) Zachary Baka (Naperville, All Saints Catholic Academy graduate) John Barrett (Villa Park, St. Pius X graduate) Annika Bartell (Downers Grove, Forest Park Middle School graduate) Maria Bednarczyk (Lombard, Sacred Heart graduate) Joshua Brunke (Lombard, Sacred Heart graduate) Hannah Bushati (Downers Grove, St. Joseph graduate) Gaetano Carbonara (Downers Grove, St. Isaac Jogues graduate) Liliana Cruz (Elmhurst, Immaculate Conception graduate) Julian D’Anca (Wheaton, St. Michael School graduate) Annalee DeFeo (Lombard, St. Pius X graduate) Isabel Evenson (Lombard, St. Pius X graduate) Peyton Farrell (Downers Grove, St. Mary of Gostyn graduate) Jimmy Fitzpatrick (Lombard, Sacred Heart graduate) Santino Florio (Oak Brook, Butler Junior High School graduate) Julia Gergen (Lombard, St. Pius X graduate) Naomy Gonzalez (Wayne, Indian Trail Junior High graduate) Isabella Greco (Oak Brook, Butler Junior High School graduate) Tyiance Haney (Aurora, Sacred Heart graduate) Alexandra Hernandez (Westchester, Divine Providence graduate) Sean Hubeny (Westmont, St. Mary of Gostyn graduate) Isabella Jaojoco (Bolingbrook, St. Scholastica graduate) Lauren Jaskier (Lombard, Jackson Middle School graduate) Conor Kaefer (Lombard, Sacred Heart graduate) Nicolette Kerstein (Naperville, Wilmot Elementary School graduate) Audrey Kinney (Glen Ellyn, St. Petronille School graduate) Jaxon Lane (Carol Stream, Monroe Middle School) Ruikun Ray Li (Oak Brook, St. John of the Cross graduate) Jamie Loftus (Lombard, St. Pius X graduate) Margaret Nielsen (Lombard, Sacred Heart graduate) Seoyeon Park (Lombard, International Student) Gianna Parrilli (Westchester, Ascension Catholic School graduate) Adrian Polazewski (Lombard, Glenn Westlake graduate) Wyatt Prater (Naperville, Jefferson Jr. High graduate) Christopher Reyes (Bolingbrook, St. Dominic School graduate) Brielle Rowgalo (Wood Dale, St. Philip the Apostle graduate) Valentina Serna (Addison, St. Isidore School graduate) Nicholas Sheeran (Downers Grove, Herrick Middle School graduate) Daniel Sherman (Bolingbrook, St. Scholastica graduate) Matthew Silveyra (Carol Stream, St. Isidore graduate) Jackson Simek (LaGrange/LaGrange Highlands graduate) Sienna Skarda (Elmhurst, Immaculate Conception graduate) Roberto Soto (Addison Trail, Indian Trail Jr. High graduate) Lily Spanos (Glen Ellyn, St. Petronille graduate) Hayden Surrette (Downers Grove, Herrick Middle School graduate) Sierra Urban (Westchester, Westchester Middle School graduate) Collins Whitfield III (Downers Grove, St. Joseph School graduate) Christopher Zayed (Lombard, Glenn Westlake Middle School graduate) Image above: Students listed l to r in alphabetical order as listed.

Montini Catholic in Lombard is proud to announce the senior members of their 2025 Prom Court. The king and queen will be announced and crowned during the Lasallian college preparatory high school's Prom Night on Friday, April 25th. The evening, themed - The Roaring 2020s - will be held at Bolingbrook Country Club. Class of 2025 Prom Court Members Queen Liliana Cruz Peyton Farrell Natalie Gartlan Autumn Schumerth Sienna Skarda King Nicky Castaldo Jonathan Hayes Sean Hubeny Matthew Silveyra Collins Whitfield Image above l to r: Peyton Farrell, Collins Whitfield, Natalie Gartlan, Sean Hubeny, Liliana Cruz, Nicky Castaldo, Autumn Schumerth, Matthew Silveyra, Sienna Skarda and Jonathan Hayes

We were honored to be joined at Mass on Monday, April 7th 2025 by Father Jeff Stoneberg of Christ the King Parish and Brothers Rob Veselsky, Chuck Gregor, Joel McGraw, Richard Merkel, James Gaffney, Phil Jones, Brother Kotek, Dr. Steven Torres and Brother Br. Michael Fehrenbach (with Principal Chris Tiritilli (left) and President Kevin Beirne (far right)) to celebrate the Feast Day of our Founder St. John Baptist De LaSalle. Students commemorated the 306th Anniversary of St. John Baptist de La Salle, Patron Saint of Teachers and Founder of our Lasallian Mission. He was a man of deep prayer, unwavering faith, and boundless compassion, devoting his life to God through service and education. "St. John Baptist De Lasalle, pray for us. Live, Jesus, in our hearts, forever."

Under the direction of Fine Arts Department Chair and Music Director, Donnie Glowinski and Art Teacher Christiana Blatchley, Montini Catholic students were invited to participate in the creation of a beautiful mosaic of the Lasallian college preparatory high school's founder, St. John Baptist De Lasalle. St. John Baptiste De Lasalle was designated the Patron Saint of teachers by the Catholic Church in 1950.​ The artistic endeavor was an activity created as a part of Montini's celebration of Belongingness Week (March 24-28, 2025​). "Belongingness Week is designed to promote a sense of inclusion, connection, and community among students and throughout the school," said Principal Chris Tiritilli. "The purpose of this week is to enhance and emphasize an environment where each student feels known, accepted, valued and supported, regardless of their background, identity, or differences. During this week, we seek to provide several experiences and activities to celebrate the things that make us each unique and special, such as the backgrounds, experiences and traditions that we come from, all while also realizing that we come together and belong as one Montini community and family." Throughout the week, each department ​w​was asked to organize an activity to align with one of the three main goals of the week: Building Positive Relationships, Promoting Inclusion, Increasing Self-Esteem and Emotional Well-Being.​ The mural was a way for Montini students to come together through a fun and artistic activity. Each piece of the mosaic symbolized an individual, with its unique shape, color, and position contributing to the overall 'masterpiece.' The final piece will be unveiled during Montini's upcoming Mass to celebrate the Feast Day of St. John Baptist De Lasalle which is April 7th.

Under the direction of Alumni Relations Officer, Mary Albert, Montini Catholic High School is proud to continue their Lunch & Learn series throughout their spring semester as an opportunity for Bronco juniors and seniors to learn more about potential careers. This program, now in its 4th year, offers students a unique opportunity to connect with Montini alumni who have built successful careers in various fields. The informal sessions, each held during lunch periods, were developed to provide the opportunity for Montini students to explore career paths, ask questions, and gain valuable real-world advice as they plan for their futures. The first of four sessions was held on Wednesday, March 26 and featured alumni Sarah Sniegowski '14 (Senior Manager, Customer Story Development, Product Marketing at Salesforce Chicago), Alexandra Briggs '12 (Elementary School Teacher, Naper Elementary) and Mike Sullivan '94 (Managing Director & Wealth Advisor, The Wealth Management Group). Earlier in the year, students were asked to complete a career interest survey to help Lunch and Learn organizers to tailor the series to the most sought after careers. Among the careers most listed were those involving Sales/Marketing/Advertising, Banking/Accounting, Medical, Nursing, Public Service, Education, Engineering, IT/Computer Science, Political Science/Legal and Entrepreneurship/Business. Once preference information was received, Miss Albert invited those alumni holding careers in these specific areas to present at the Lunch & Learns. Montini Catholic juniors and seniors are able to register for the Lunch & Learn presentations online. The presentations are held from 12:15-1:15 PM on the designated days with pizza being served to the students as they 'listen and learn.' There is also an opportunity for students to ask questions and make connections for their future career goals. "Our first day of presentations was very successful," said Miss Albert. "Students were truly enthused and engaged to learn about their chosen careers. We are so appreciative to our alumni for graciously giving their time and for teaming up with us on this project." Upcoming Montini Lunch & Learn presentations/presenters are as follows: April 16, 2025 Finance Tom Wasilowski CFA, CPA, ‘05 – Financial Manager, Amazon Medical Dr. Megan Muscia, DO, ‘01 – Pediatrician April 28, 2025 Government & Law Enforcement Richard Starmann ‘89 –Former U.S. Secret Service April 30, 2025 Law Enforcement Guy Papa ‘94 – Law Enforcement Bureau Chief, DuPage County Sheriff’s Office Nursing Mariella Maduzia RN, ‘19- Registered Nurse, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Level IV NICU. Civil Engineering Dan Lowery, PE, ‘08 – Assistant Vice President & Construction Services Team Leader, Gannett Fleming TranSystems Image above: F​rom L to R: Mike​ Sullivan '94, Alexandra ​Briggs '12 and Sarah​ Sniegowski ​'14 - pictured here with President Kevin Beirne​ (far left in blue) and Alumni Coordinator Mary Albert (far right)

Montini Catholic is proud to announce the addition of DeAndre McCamey to their award winning coaching staff. The former Assistant Basketball Coach at Montini Catholic has been selected as the new Head Coach of the Boys Varsity Basketball Team. Coach McCamey played an integral role this past season in coaching the team to their 20-win plateau and their 4th consecutive regional championship. (The announcement followed that of former Head Coach Adam DeMong stating that he was going to be stepping away from High School basketball to pursue greater opportunities in his professional career.) "We set out to find the best individual who can build upon our recent success and continue to grow and move our program forward," said Athletic Director, Brian Casey. "We knew we wanted to find a high character individual who can not only teach the game of basketball, but can positively impact the lives of our young people. After a number of conversations with area 'basketball people', college coaches, opposing basketball coaches, school administration, faculty and staff and many of our current Montini players & families, it was very clear that our next coach was already in our building." Coach McCamey's promotion comes after serving as an Assistant Coach at Montini for the last four seasons. Prior to Montini, Coach McCamey served as an Assistant Coach at St. Joseph High School in Westchester, under the tutelage of legendary basketball coach, Gene Pingatore. Coach McCamey has also coached at Glenbard East High School, as well as on the AAU Circuit with the Illinois Wolves. "DeAndre will bring a passionate, enthusiastic energy and a vision to enhance and grow the program for even more success in future seasons," added Casey. "Being a full-time member of our Math Department, Coach McCamey will have full access to the student-athletes in our program, year round, to ensure their day-to-day development in the classroom, on the court, and in their lives. I am excited to watch Coach turn his vision into a reality!" Coach McCamey has made it evident in the way he coaches and teaches that he is passionate about building a program at Montini Catholic that instills character, teamwork and resilience. "I am genuinely thrilled about this opportunity and the chance to work with our kids. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Montini students, faculty and staff for their congratulations and support as I step into the role of Head Varsity Boys Basketball Coach. Building a basketball program has always been a dream of mine. As I step into this role, I am filled with excitement and passion for the journey ahead. My goal is to not only build and develop the skills of our young athletes on the court but also to instill values that will serve them well in life beyond basketball. I believe that through hard work, dedication, and teamwork, we can build not just great players, but great young men. I firmly believe that a strong program is defined by the continued involvement and support of its community, including former players and their families." Image above: Coach DeAndre McCamey and Montini Athletic Director Brian Casey

Montini Catholic in Lombard congratulated the newest inductees into their Spanish​, Chinese and French Honor Societies. This year's ceremony was held on ​W​ednesday, March 2​6th in the ​l​Lasallian college preparatory high school's auditorium. Members and families were welcomed by Montini's Foreign Language Department Chair, ​M​rs. Jennifer Block along with French teacher, ​M​rs. Beth DiMarco, Chinese teacher Mrs. Sumin Xu and Spanish teacher, ​M​rs. Makenzie Long. ​The ceremony began with select language students reciting the 'Hail Mary' prayer in Chinese, French, and Spanish. ​"Tonight, we recognize an extraordinary group of students​ - young scholars who have demonstrated not only academic excellence but also perseverance, curiosity, and a deep commitment to language learning​,​" said Mrs. Block. "Over the past three or four years, they have risen to the challenges of mastering a new language all while navigating its complexities with determination and enthusiasm. More than just excelling in their studies, they have embraced the beauty of communication across cultures: fostering connections that extend far beyond the classroom. Their dedication to linguistic and cultural understanding is both inspiring and commendable, and we are so proud to celebrate their achievements tonight. We as their teachers get to see them taking risks every day in class, and putting in the hard work to excel- we are so glad that they are being celebrated this evening.​" French Honor Society: The French Honor Society is a nationally recognized organization that honors students who have excelled not only in their French courses but in all of their courses at Montini. Additionally, these students must take French 4 or 4H next year to finish out their four years of French, or be a graduating senior who elected to take level 3 their senior year. They must be members of our French club and have an average GPA of 3.5 or higher in their French courses over the course of three years. ​Chinese Honor Society: The National Chinese Honor Society (NCHS) was established in 1993 to recognize those accomplished high school students who study Chinese as a world language.​ To be eligible for induction, students must maintain an average of 93 or higher and commit to pursuing language study throughout their four years at Montini.​ Eligibility requires that students have a cumulative 3.5 GPA, including a 4.0 GPA in their specific language, as well as a commitment to taking the foreign language all four years at Montini. This year ​1​8 students ​w​ere inducted into their respective language honor society. Spanish Honor Society: T​h​e Spanish Honor Society was founded by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese in 1953, for the students of North American secondary schools;​ The name of ​M​ontini Catholic's chapter is San Juan Butista de la Salle​ with the motto​, “Todos a una”, “All together.” ​Students must maintain a 95 or higher in three prior semesters for Spanish​ to be eligible for Honor Society status. Congratulations to: Chinese Honor​ Society Inductees Michael May​ '26 Thomas Healy​ '26​ French Honor​ Society Inductees Julia Ciaccio​ '26​ Harry (Harold) Hall​ '26 Aubrey Podojil​ '26 Sophia Torres​ '26​ Spanish Honor​ Society Inductees Sofia Flores​ '26 Savannah Gutierrez​ '26 Blake Heyer​ '26 Karissa Jones​ '26 Jonathan Kosinski​ '26 Ashlynn Lindt​ '26 Nicole Navarro​ '26 Yeon (Seoyeon) Park​ '26 Gabby (Mary Gabrielle) Paulino​ '26 Valentina Serna​ '25 Jackson Simek​ '25 Mia (Maria) Torres​ '26 ​Image above: Spanish Honor Society Inductees l to r: Sofia Flores, Savannah Gutierrez, Blake Heyer, Karissa Jones, Jonathan Kosinski, Ashlynn Lindt, Nicole Navarro, Gabby Paulino, Valentina Serna and Mia Torres;

Montini Catholic High School drama students are basking in the glow of their rave reviews after the success of the Spring Musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Andrew Lloyd Webber's sung-through musical, directed by Ms. Jackie Martin, absolutely captivated audiences with a total of five performances from March 13 through the 17th (Opening Night - Friday, March 14th). "The production process for this show involved over sixty students all coming together to create a very special experience for our audience," said Ms. Martin who is enjoying her 6th play as director and her 3rd year directing Montini Catholic theatre. "Their dedication and enthusiasm shined as brightly as Joseph's coat! " The students were thrilled to be able to participate in a special Faculty/Staff performance on March 13th as well as a performance for grade school students from St. Pius X Parish School and St. Mary of Gostyn School (Friday, November 14th) followed by a 'talkback' - answering questions and describing what it takes to bring a musical production to life. ​ "The kids really rose to the challenge," added Music Director Donnie Glowinski. "You could tell from the table read, they were invested and prepared to make this one of the best productions in Montini Theater history. I was so happy with their performances. They worked very hard to convey the story through music and pulled it off! Every year, they seem to take the goals and expectations that we have and completely blow them out of the water!" In addition to her talented cast and crew, Ms. Martin was grateful to be able to lean on the expertise of Montini's Music Director and Fine Arts Chair, Mr. Donnie Glowinski and costume designer (and teacher) Mrs. Beth DiMarco. She also thanked set designers, Mr. Charlie Brewick and Mr. Jeff Nowicki. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's retelling of the biblical story of Joseph reminds us that dreams can shape our destiny, and kindness and forgiveness triumph over hardship.