April 22, 2019
School District U-46 will recognize a record-high 40 seniors Wednesday evening during the eighth annual Superintendent’s Scholarship reception and awards ceremony. These Class of 2019 members, selected from a field of several hundred, are first-generation college-bound students from the District’s five comprehensive high schools, Bartlett, Elgin, Larkin, South Elgin and Streamwood.
“All 40 students are committed to their education and the promise of a better life, a promise fulfilled by post-secondary education,” said U-46 CEO Tony Sanders. “They’ve outwitted and overcome challenges and adversity in their lives such as poverty, language barriers, stereotypes, and trauma. I am extremely proud of these students and grateful to all those who donated to the Superintendent’s Scholarship program.”
Since the Superintendent's Scholarship fund was established in 2012 through the U-46 Educational Foundation, more than 220 U-46 graduates, including this year’s recipients, have each received a $1,000 scholarship. This year’s reception for the student recipients, their families, principals, and scholarship donors will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 24 at Streamwood High School.
Eligible seniors submitted applications for the scholarship this past winter. The application included their high school transcript, a copy of their Federal Student Aid application, a letter of recommendation from an adult (a principal, teacher, academic advisor, employer, religious leader, etc.) and a personal essay. A panel of judges selected the 40 scholarship recipients from more than 300 applicants. The 40 students are bound for post-secondary institutions including Aurora University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, DePaul University, the University of Kentucky, and Illinois State University.
During the scholarship reception on Wednesday evening, the students will be celebrated for their accomplishments but also urged to visit with donors and administrators. Prior to the reception, recipients participated in a networking workshop led by former Board of Education member Traci O’Neal Ellis. The students each received a customized box of business cards. Mrs. O’Neal Ellis emphasized the skills needed to make a good first impression and demonstrate self-confidence in preparation of the reception and future networking opportunities.
The 40 Class of 2019 Superintendent’s Scholarship recipients are as follows:
Bartlett High School
Ashley Diaz
Kendra Payne
Dana Siciliano
Kelsey Sniatynsky
Victoria Rzucidlo
Elgin High School
Ezequiel Bedolla
Giovanni Cisneros
Gabriela Cuautle
Lauren Dimayuga
Khalil Jennette
Italo Rojas
Inga Suceska
Larkin High School
Elisa Arce
Fernando Guzman Jr.
Jordan Kosin
Erika Lara-Tellez
Taylor Long
Melanie Lopez
Jair Nunez
Omar Ramirez
Maritza Renteria
Margarita Sanchez
Leslie Solano
Mareena Sower
Carlos Toledo Jr.
South Elgin High School
Christian Gordon
Makayla Hall-Lee
Alex Herrera
Maritza Pitones
Vraj Thakkar
Streamwood High School
Karina Adan
Diego Castillo
Edgar Gasca
Christian Gonzalez
Kiara Kerkooffs
Haydee Perez
Nicole Rataj
Jennifer Robillard
Jennifer Teran
Jocelyn Vences
