Oak Lawn Community High School acknowledges extraordinary students each quarter of the school year. Students are recognized for various reasons and rewarded with a certificate and a pen. The ceremony takes place in the Performing Arts Center where nominating teachers read their words of praise in front of the students, faculty, and parents.
The Student of the Quarter for Art is Staci Sandquist. Art teach Ailish Cooper said, Staci does a great job showing dedication to the arts by participating in art shows, always working to improve her skills outside of class through extra artworks and participation art camps, and demonstrates excellent as an Oak Lawn students through her participation in art-adjacent extracurricular activities. She is looking to pursue a career in the arts.”
The Student of the Quarter for Business Education is Equis Santiago. Teacher Jeanelle Hughes said, “Equis actively participates in all class discussions, goes the extra mile to help fellow classmates with coding apps and displays respectful behavior towards his teacher and his classmates. Equis takes pride in coding and looks forward to the next assignment to show off his coding design skills.”
The Student of the Quarter for ELL is Salameh Salman. ELL teacher Kate Stanton said. “This student is one of a kind! He is so friendly to his teachers, kind to his peers and always willing to take risks in class. He never passes you in the hall without a hello and a wave and has the best manners. He has shown so much growth since the beginning of the year and makes it clear that he cares about school and wants to do well. He takes pride in his work ethic, asks great questions, consistently volunteers to help his peers and is a positive participant in class discussions. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this student!”
The Student of the Quarter for Family and Consumer Science is Victorria Deckert. Teacher Mandy Marks said, “I had this student as a freshman and now having her as a junior, I could see immediately how much she had grown into a leader. She came to class everyday with a positive attitude and a smile. She always greeted me as she entered the classroom. She would continually participate in class and had a way of encouraging others, in a very quiet class, to also participate in class discussions. She never hesitated to offer help to any of her classmates who were struggling. She consistently encouraged her peers. I knew I could always count on her if I or another student needed a helping hand. This student was such a bright spot in our Child Development class.”
The Student of the Quarter for English is Melissa Torres-Gonzalez. Transition to College English teacher Jenn Jepsen said, “A group of students, led by Melissa, produced an interesting, informational, professional podcast titled Rumba Pa Mexico about the diversity of Mexico. Each shared their individual story of their roots from different regions of Mexico. Their process was as impressive as their product. They collaborated, supported each other, shared ideas, respected each other’s ideas, built upon each other’s ideas, and power laughed throughout the process, with very little help from Mrs. Jepsen.”
The Student of the Quarter for Health is Helaena Cielos. Health teacher Scott Miller said, “This student is always prepared on time and ready to learn. Her personality has shined through in my class. She has a bubbly personality and is kind, friendly, and willing to work with and help any of her peers in class. Academically, she had the highest grade in all my classes and was very intrigued and engaged in class.”
The Student of the Quarter for Industrial Technology is Zachary Shane. Teacher Jacqueline Hartmann said, “Zach is nominated because he always comes to class with a smile and ready to learn. He works hard in the classroom, eager to learn and is always willing to be a leader. He helps out those around him without hesitation and is an all-around great kid. Keep up the great work!”
The Student of the Quarter for Math is Hubert Lukaszczyk. Math teacher Elizabeth Stalzer said, “In the midst of pressure from others to make poor choices in class, this student broke the cycle and pushed forward on his own path. He worked hard all semester to master the course material in algebra, passing the cumulative final exam with a 97%. He ended the semester with the fourth highest grade of all my algebra students. I appreciate his ability to focus even when others are trying to pull his focus away. He took responsibility for his learning, and he only missed 3.5 class periods total during his first semester (all excused). Way to go and keep up the amazing work.”
The Student of the Quarter for the Media Center is Lameis Sheikh. Media Center specialists Jennifer Sidlow and Eileen Wholley said, “Lameis is a loyal and dedicated member of the Media Center. She is on the ready and enthusiastic for any task that she is asked to complete. Additionally, she is creative and had great ideas for the Media Center events and decoration for our spaces. She used her time in the Media Center to help other students with homework. She is a pleasure to have around and we are glad to have her as part of our community.”
The Student of the Quarter for Music is Omar Tellez. Music teacher Bob Haberstat said, “Omar has really stepped up his playing and leadership skills in guitar studio, MME, and jazz band this year. He is always helping out his fellow classmates to get to the next level in their playing and he is constantly challenging bandmates to combine their ears and understanding of theory to reach their highest potential.”
The Student of the Quarter for Physical Education is Jennifer Ramirez. Teacher Doreen Piro said, “Jennifer is a new student to Oak Lawn Community High school. From the day she entered my class she surpassed expectations. Her behavior was never in question, always demonstrating respect for all stakeholders in the class. She exceeded learning and fitness targets daily. She always exhibited maturity beyond her age and was a great example to those around her.
The Student of the Quarter for Science is Oluwasemilogo Oyekunle. Science teacher Brett Habas said, “Olu greeted me every morning with a smile. He is dependable, prepared, and hard working. His work ethic was top notch. When he received a 39/40 on the semester exam, he asked if he could take it again to earn the 40/40, which he did. Olu was a pleasure to have in class.”
The Student of the Quarter for Social Studies is Dante Genis-Kennedy. Teacher Chris Kuchyt said, “In all my years of teaching, I don’t think I’ve ever had a student with such a passion for history as this student. His favorite rock band writes and sings songs about history. Almost every day, he tells me the latest history video he and his grandma or mom watched. Each day after class he shows me a YouTube he came across regarding history, such as “How Steam Engines Work.” When he returned to school after winter break, he told me he went through every Canvas module in the course and saved all the Enrichment links so that he could explore them during the second semester. His classwork was top notch and he participated on a regular basis.”
The Student of the Quarter for Tech Internship is Heidi Solis. Technology teacher Janet Meters said, “Heidi finished the semester with a 99%. Beyond her impressive academic achievements, what sets Heidi apart is her eagerness to contribute to classroom discussions, ask insightful questions, and collaborate with classmates. Heidi is known for her kindness, respect, and willingness to help others. She consistently displays a positive attitude that creates a welcoming and supportive environment at the Genius Bar.”
The Student of the Quarter for World Languages is Dareeb Abu Awwad. Arabic teacher Mawra Elmasrt said, “Daree is an exceptional student. Academically, she consistently achieves A grades in every Arabic Honors over the past four years, she strives for perfection, revising her work - sometimes more than once. Beyond academics she stands out for her kindness and respect, creating a positive learning environment for everyone in the class. Dareen’s leadership skills have grown over the past four years, from eagerly participating in clubs freshman year to self-starting a dabka group for girls this year. Her deviation and commitment to training the group resulted in a beautiful performance that not only enriched the learning of Arabic culture beyond the classroom, but also spread the beauty of this traditional Palestinian dance across the school community. Dareen is a true Spartan PRIDE role model, embodying excellence in academics, respect, dedication, and leadership.”