immaculate conception - IC Catholic Prep

1 Iconnections keeping in touch withalumni & friends fall 2010 magazine contents 2010 issue Dear ICHS Alumni, Parents and Friends, When we opened the doors of ICHS. to begin this new school year, we were energized by all the smiles on our students' faces. It's a new year full of excitement and possibilities, and each and ever y one of our faculty and staff are thrilled to be taking this journey alongside them. As we welcome back many familiar faces, we also want to acknowledge our new Pastor of the immaculate conception Parish, Fr. Tom Paul. We will continue to grow and flourish as a high school community, and ICHS in conjunction with our new leadership will remain steadfast in our commitment to fulfill our mission. This year the Diocese of Joliet is celebrating the Year of the Eucharist. As a Catholic school , we recognize that our true spiritual inspiration can be found in our Lord's gif t to us the Eucharist. Our students will be encouraged to make the Eucharist the center of their lives, and seek his guidance during their journey at ICHS and beyond.

2 May Our Lady of the immaculate conception continue to guide and protect you. 3 f o u r Y E A R s OF G RO W T H. Sincerely, 4 success by design Pamela M. Levar 6 someone you should know Principal 8 sports recap 10 a n n u a l r e p o r t 11 d o n o r s h o n o r r o l l 17 a l u m n i n e w s 2 2010 fall magazine u p d at e o n t o d ay four years of GROWTH. Four YEARs OF GROWTH. preparing for college, and for life At immaculate conception high school , we open students'. eyes to creative ideas, new possibilities, and a world of opportunities for their future. With a rich, seventy-four year history, ICHS has a strong academic curriculum rooted in the spirit of the Catholic faith. Over four years at ICHS, we provide our students with the freedom to explore many interests in class and beyond. In a smaller environment like ours, ICHS students experience incredible growth. Our student-centric approach means our teachers provide individualized attention. The ICHS faculty and staff challenge our students each and every day encouraging them to take risks and advance, both intellectually and spiritually.

3 At a time when private education is facing many difficult challenges, immaculate conception high school continues to thrive. Enrollment has grown for the fifth straight year giving our campus a sense of energy and excitement that's impossible to ignore. With 430 years of collective teaching experience, our staff brings the right mix of seasoned and innovative teaching styles. At ICHS, academics come first. The statistics of the 2010. graduating class are outstanding: the top 54% of the class collectively earned over $3 million in college scholarships, and the top 5% average ACT score was 31. Furthermore, 33%. of the Class of 2010 were members of the National Honor Society, 16% were Illinois State Scholars, one was a National Merit Finalist, and 100% are continuing their education. ICHS also provides a variety of athletic opportunities for our students to build competitive spirit and excel on their field of play. They develop character, show superior sportsmanship, and treat their coaches, teammates, and opponents with respect.

4 Our athletic programs achieved new heights in 2010 the ICHS Varsity Baseball team topped Regional, Sectional, and Super Sectionals and went on to the Class 2A State Final Four. Our Girls Basketball Team also won at Regionals, continuing on to become Sectional Finalists and play in the Sweet Sixteen. As you can see, our students are empowered to achieve in academics and athletics, but, more importantly, in college and in life. They go on to prestigious schools and meaningful careers. Since these young men and women will help shape the future of our world, at ICHS every student counts. w w w. i c h s k n i g h t s . o r g 3. g r a d uat e s success by design an IC HS tradi ti on The class of 2010 left an indelible mark on ICHS that can be characterized by leadership, growth and accomplishment. Like their classmates before them, members of the Class of 2010 were rewarded for their hard work in high school by being accepted into some of the most prestigious universities in the success by nation.

5 As you read the highlights from some of our most recent graduates, you will see that not only did they excel in the classroom, but made the most of their high school years by getting involved in a wide variety of activities. Most notably, all of the students you will read about below earned honor roll during every semester and Academic All-Conference honors in all four years. Class of 2010 Special Will Cronin (Co-Salutatorian) is an design Award Recipients Illinois State Scholar, a Wendy's Heisman State Winner and was named Honorable Sean Doherty (Co-Valedictorian) is Mention to the Daily Herald Leadership a National Merit Commended Finalist Team in addition to the many awards and an Illinois State Scholar who stayed and honors he earned while at ICHS. He busy participating in many of the clubs applied his leadership skills as the Vice- and activities that ICHS has to offer. Sean President of the National Honor Society and exercised his leadership abilities as the as his student class president for all four Student Council Executive Board Vice- years.

6 Still finding time to play three sports, President, Newspaper Co-Editor, President Will was named captain his senior year in of the Math Club, and was elected Lt. both Football and Basketball. Will is now Governor as a Boys State participant. A fulfilling his lifelong dream of attending the four year member of the Cross Country, University of Notre Dame where he will Bowling and Track teams he was major in finance. named captain for both Cross Country and Bowling in his senior year. Sean earned Stephen Maloney (Co-Salutatorian). acceptance to many top schools and is an Illinois State Scholar, an American chose to attend the University of Notre Citizen Award winner and a Regional Dame where he is majoring in history. Science Fair Silver award winner while participating in three sports all four years MAGGIE RYAN (Monsignor Plunkett at ICHS. As the President of the National Distinguished Scholar) is an Illinois State Honor Society, Stephen was able to shine Scholar, an American Citizen Award as a student leader while also participating winner and was named Honorable in a wide variety of activities including Mention to the Daily Herald Leadership his selection as a Boys State participant.

7 Team, but seemed to find time to be Accepted to many top area schools, involved in just about everything ICHS Stephen chose to attend the University of has to offer. Maggie displayed outstanding Dayton where he will study mechanical leadership as the Student Council engineering. Executive Board President, the National Honor Society Assistant Secretary and as CELESTE GUZMAN (Monsignor Plunkett a Youth Board Member for Curefinders. Distinguished Scholar) is a Carol Rogers A four year member of the Volleyball, Scholarship winner, the Fermi Lab Science Basketball and Soccer teams she was Award winner and received the President's named captain for both Volleyball and Award for Educational Excellence. Active Basketball in her senior year. Accepted in many clubs and activities during her to a number of top tier schools, Maggie years at ICHS, which included serving as chose to attend the University of Illinois at the Public Relations Representative for the Urbana Champaign where as a student in National Honor Society - Celeste was also a the Business school she will pursue her four year member of the cheer team where studies in the area of Finance.

8 Her leadership was rewarded by being named team captain in her sophomore, junior and senior seasons. Celeste has been accepted to and will be attending the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign where she plans to study biology. 4 2010 fall magazine WELCOME , FATHER. welcome to FATHER TOM PAUL. we l c o m e t o t he IC H S fa mily the family To say that Fr. Tom keeps busy would When asked about his view of be an understatement. Along with the high school , Fr. Tom states, a broad range of experience with immaculate conception Parish and other area high schools such as schools have a long history with a Benet Academy, Marian Catholic great deal of pride and traditions. He and Montini, Fr. Tom is also most went on to share, I've only been on notably a member of the Diocesan campus for a short time, but it's easy school Board and also played a key to see the dedication and commitment role in the recent Meitler Strategic that our administration, faculty and Initiative, which extensively studied staff put forth to enrich our students the Diocesan schools.

9 In the Catholic faith. Fr. Tom is very optimistic about the future of the Another craft that Fr. Tom is high school and plans to continue passionate about is architecture and the pursuit of teaching the value of a design. In addition to his many Catholic education by staying true to responsibilities over the years, Fr. the ICHS mission, projecting a clear immaculate conception high school Tom has managed to find time to identity, and doing whatever possible is pleased to welcome Fr. Thomas help parish communities nationwide to keep tuition affordable. One of Paul as the new Pastor for the IC who are planning new church/ our challenges will be to remain Parish community. Fr. Tom comes to chapel construction or renovating accessible to all those interested in us from St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in their existing space. In this role as attending a Catholic high school , Naperville where he has served as a Liturgical Design Consultant, Fr. further explained Fr. Tom. The Pastor for the past four years.

10 Tom has helped over 100 different young men and women who come facilities and is currently working to ICHS as freshmen, graduate as Fr. Tom was born and raised in Joliet, on a Chapel located in upstate New changed individuals. They experience Illinois, where his parents chose to York. Going out with friends, being a quality college-prep education, but pursue a Catholic education for their outdoors, attending sporting events more importantly have developed four children. Fr. Tom has one brother and going to movies are just a few spiritually.. and two sisters, all of whom received of the things that Fr. Tom likes to do their elementary education at St. in his free time. A former runner, he Though much has changed since his Joseph's in Joliet. Fr. Tom went on now stays active by walking on the first visit to ICHS as a junior at Joliet to attend Joliet Catholic high school treadmill regularly. This past January, Catholic for a basketball game, Fr. after which he entered the seminary.