Robotics Gears Up for State and Sets Their Sites on VEX Worlds!
Barb Dawson • February 21, 2025
Go, Broncos!
Montini Catholic's Robotics Team is looking forward to the end of the month when they will once again compete in the VEX Robotics State Competition (February 28-March 1, 2025). The Broncos qualified for State after their successful finish at the 3rd Great Lakes Tournament on February 15th. "This team dedicated an incredible amount of time and effort to building their robot, and it was amazing to see their hard work pay off with such a strong performance at Great Lakes," said new Head Coach Don Krystof,
who succeeds Coach Pete Farina '87
this year. Krystof and his team can't wait to see Montini Robotics compete at State for the 6th year in a row.
“With all the challenges we’ve faced this season we have still managed to overcome and improve," raved captain senior Wyatt Prater, who has transformed into a seasoned Robotics mavin during his four years at Montini. (As a sophomore, Wyatt joined brother, William Prater '23, in 2023 for the Broncos first trip to VEX Worlds.) "This year we have been to three competitions, Great Lakes 2 & 3 as well as the Great Lakes 3 skills only tournament. Our hope for State is to be top five in the skills category and get an award that will qualify us for Worlds. At Worlds, of course, we want to have fun, but we also wish to get far enough into the competition and make the playoffs for the first time in team history."
Fellow senior teammate, and another highly skilled roboticist, Matthew Silveyra, shares Wyatt's enthusiasm for State and beyond. Coincidentally, he too, shared the Worlds' spotlight in 2023 with his brother Alex Silveyra '23. "I think this season has really lived up to our team motto of 'Solve one problem - make two more.' However, despite the challenges we face, we continue to put the time and effort in to do the best we can possibly do."
"Our season has been a difficult challenge due to fewer members," added Wyatt. Typically, Montini's State teams have been comprised of ten+ members. This year's team of seven (five of whom are seniors) have worked even harder to make up the numbers. "We also have some new members in the team we are trying to teach so they continue the successful history of the program. Mr. Krystof has been great and has helped us every way he possibly could have. Right now we are all hoping we do well enough to qualify for worlds!"
VEX Robotics competitions help students develop STEM skills, like questioning, experimenting and learning in a fun environment. The competitions also help students develop communication, collaboration and time-management skills.
IMAGE ABOVE:
Montini's 2024-25 Robotics Team Members - l to r: Coach Don Krystof, Andrew Pivoney '28, Josh Brunke '25, Geethan Siram '25, Wyatt Prater '25, Matthew Silveyra '25, Isabel Jaojoco '25 and Franklin Barnes '27
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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."
