News Detail
Making a Difference One Weekend at a Time
Senior Michael Pivoney spends his weekends in a special way!
Montini Catholic senior Michael Pivoney has found a meaningful and rewarding way to live out his faith - by spending his weekends serving others. While most students his age are winding down on Sunday, enjoying their break from school, Michael's weekends look a bit different. For the past two years, he has worked at Beacon Hill Assisted Living in Lombard. Residents look forward to finding Michael every Sunday in the community's dining hall.
With Beacon Hill's dining hall designed to imitate a restaurant dining experience, Michael says his job there is to take orders and serve the food. "I decided to apply at Beacon Hill because I have always been fond of elderly people. I love the stories that they have to tell and their hilarious sense of sarcasm." His favorite service as a junior high student at St. Pius X Parish School was always the monthly luncheons with active parishioners. The meals were arranged by St. Pius' CCW (Council of Catholic Women) so parishioners and students could spend time together for food and conversation. "These were mostly elderly people and this time together never felt like a chore to me."
Michael first discovered the joy of serving others as a young student at St. Pius X. He was strongly influenced by his father and chef, Michael Sr. "My dad used his culinary talents to help run the concession stand at St. Pius, often splurging his own money on ingredients for his 5-star dishes (with all the money earned going to the athletic program). This sort of selflessness inspires me to keep going with my acts of service. My dad reinforces the idea that I need to give back to the community that has given so much to me." (Mr. Pivoney is also a very active donor at Montini Catholic when auction season arrives, with his "chef experience" donations always receiving high bids - all to benefit Lasallian education at Montini.)
"Michael has always been humble, caring and considerate of others so serving seniors seemed like a good fit," says dad, Michael Pivoney, Executive Chef at The Mid-America Club. "He was always interested in the next dish I was preparing and participated in the process. He loves cooking so serving was an extension of that passion. Michael has an instinctive knack for hospitality, so I knew he would be a perfect fit for Beacon Hill as a server making connections naturally with the seniors there. Ironically some his grade school friends' grandparents live there and they get a kick out seeing Michael there."
"During the summer I have a much lengthier 30-hour week, however now that school has started I can only manage one shift a week every Sunday," says Michael. With school and extracurriculars keeping him busy, it is amazing that he still finds the time to give during his time off from school. He currently serves as president of Montini's Student Government and is also a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta (Math) Honor Society and Montini's Math Team. Last school year he was a member of the ICTM (Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics) State Champion Calculator Team, which earned 1st place at State. Most recently, Michael earned AP Scholar honors, an academic award given by the College Board to high school students who achieve strong results on multiple Advanced Placement (AP) exams. And, as if that is not enough to keep one high schooler busy, Michael also jumps in as an energetic participant in all of Montini's intramural activities throughout the year.
“Michael’s ability to excel academically while dedicating his weekends to serving others is truly impressive,” said Principal Chris Tiritilli. “He has demonstrated that success isn’t simply about what you accomplish for yourself, but also about how you choose to use your time and talents to make a difference in the lives of others. His commitment to service is a wonderful reflection of the character we hope to develop in every Montini student. We are so proud of Michael."
Beacon Hill’s tagline, “Embracing the unknown can lead to remarkable rewards,” is a reminder that life’s most meaningful experiences often come when we are willing to step into the unknown. Michael embodies this truth and challenges all to give more of themselves. "I encourage all of my peers to go out and give back to their own community, because whether they realize it or not, their community has done so much for them."
Montini Catholic is a Lasallian college preparatory high school located in Lombard, Illinois (DuPage County).
Montini Catholic is a Lasallian college preparatory high school located in Lombard, Illinois (DuPage County).
