Carmel Catholic High School

Graduates in Class of 2020: 297

Valedictorian: Benjamin Geoffroy

Salutatorian: Roy Mitchell Brown

Graduation speakers: Faculty speaker selected by the Class of 2020 is Michael Fitzgibbons; student speakers are Valedictorian Benjamin Geoffroy and Salutatorian Roy Mitchell Brown.

2019-2020 Executive Board: President Erin Tutaj, First Vice President Grace Cappelle, Second Vice President Amy Caffarelli, Secretary Terri Brinkman, Treasurer Meghan Novak. Executive board members: Natalie Biegel, Mitchell Brown, Emily Coyne, Robert Fitzpatrick, Dani Mensah, Will Nonnenmacher, Parker Thompson.

Class of 2020 Senior Class Board: President Aidan Braat, First Vice President Matthew Barker, Second Vice Presidents Mary Clare Lacke and Ethan Haqq, Secretary Jessica Goldring, Treasurer Molly Finucane.

National Merit Scholarship Corporation Scholarship recipient: Benjamin Geoffroy

National Merit Scholarship Corporation Program semifinalists: Roy Brown, Ainsley Dean, Benjamin Geoffroy, Allen Mons.

National Merit Scholarship Corporation Commended Scholars: Mary Brinkman, Kaitlyn Donton, Madeline Kosobucki, Meghan Novak, Sabrina Panlaqui, Olivia Pullin, Luke Schaefer, Alexander Thiel, Sofia Zitella.

Academic achievements:

• Perfect ACT score of 36: Roy Mitchell Brown, Ainsley Dean, Benjamin Geoffroy, Jason Hironimus, Madeline Kosobucki and one other student who wishes to remain anonymous.

• Luzolo Matundu was awarded a four-year scholarship and admission to highly-selective colleges through QuestBridge, matched with the University of Notre Dame.

• Marion (Ezzie) Posner has received an appointment from the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Athletic achievements:

• During the 2019-2020 school year, Carmel Catholic captured two regional titles; one sectional title; one team state finals appearance; one team state place winner; 15 individual state appearances; four individual state place winners; two individual state champions.

• Boys golf team finished fourth at the IHSA 2A State Tournament.

• Girls varsity tennis team finished second at sectionals. As part of the first doubles pair, Emma Thomas took fourth place and qualified for state.

• Boys and girls cross country teams had three seniors advancing to the IHSA state meet, Ezzie Posner, Abigail Kuderna and Alexander Speer.

• Girls' gymnastics team had an impressive second-place finish at the IHSA State Championship. Senior Isabella Kropiwiec earned third place on floor and tied for fifth on vault. The varsity gymnastics team captured its 18th regional championship and 11th sectional championship.

• Carmel Hockey senior players recognized by the state high school hockey coaches on the following awards: All-State Team: Zach Stafiej; All-Scholastic Hockey League Team: Zach Stafiej; Chicago Catholic Hockey League Most Valuable Player Award: Zach Stafiej; Chicago Catholic Hockey League All-Stars: Zach Stafiej; America's Showcase Team Invitations: Casey Roman and Zach Stafiej.

• Senior Vincent Swindell qualified for the IHSA state wrestling meet in the 145-pound weight class.

Extracurricular achievements:

• Senior Isabella Poma, selected as a member of the Illinois Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association All-State Show Choir.

• Senior Michael Wattelet made the Illinois Music Educators Association All-District Classical and Jazz band this year and represented Carmel at ILMEA All-State on jazz trumpet.

• Members of the Advanced, Treble, Cadence and Parkway competed in a "Caroling for Cash" contest offered by 102.3 WXLC and Consumers Credit Union and was among three choirs in Lake County selected to sing and have won $500 for the choir program. At the Chicagoland Showcase Show Choir competition, Isabella Poma was selected as Outstanding Performer in Cadence and Alexandra Carrera was selected as the Outstanding Female Soloist of the day. Alexandra won a scholarship to Show Choir Camps of America.

• Math team placed third overall in the 2019 Grant HS Invitational. Senior team captains Mitchell Brown and Ainsley Dean captured 1st place in the Jr/Sr two-person contest.

• Jeremy Kamman placed first in a Catholic Schools Week essay contest hosted by The Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, relating to the Catholic Schools Week theme, "Learn, Serve, Lead, Succeed."

• Carmel's Academic Challenge team earned second-place. Individual medals were won by Ainsley Dean for third place in English and second place in Mathematics, Sabrina Panlaqui placed second in Engineering Graphics.

• Raymond Mathez and Luc Bieri presented their authentic STEM research at the Lake County Astronomical Society's Monthly meeting in February. At the Mundelein Mayor's Cup STEM Challenge, Carmel seniors Roy Mitchell Brown placed first, Benjamin Geoffroy placed second, Peter Harrigan placed fourth, and Madeline Kosobucki placed fifth in the individual Math Contest while their group placed first in the team math contest. The team, including Matthew Powers and Alexander Thiel, placed third in the Engineering Design Challenge.

• Math team placed third overall in the Tao division at the NSML conference meet where Roy Mitchell Brown was the winner of the John Benson Mathematics Award.

Theater productions: "Anne of Green Gables," "Las Vegas: Mission Impossible," and the spring musical, "Peter Pan," which was canceled due to stay-at-home order.

Senior class gift: Donation of transportation for March for Life 2020 to Washington, D.C.

Homecoming King and Queen: Allen Mons and Quinn Lester

Homecoming Theme: "21st Night of September," 70s theme

What was new for the Class of 2020: Updated auditorium in 2019-20; addition of Mary Prayer Garden near main entrance; new principal, Jason Huther, in 2018; Business Incubator Room in 2016; Engineering and Robotics rooms renovated in 2019-20; new/updated Mission Statement in 2018; new/updated School Crest in 2018.

Notable visitors: Cardinal Blaise Cupich, Kevin Hines, Carl Wilkens.

Principal's reflections on the Class of 2020: The Carmel Catholic graduating class of 2020 is a talented group of young men and women ready for leadership and service. Our seniors are passionate, funny, intelligent, mature and empathetic. We could not have asked for a better group of seniors and are heartbroken that they are unable to enjoy the celebrations and festivities that accompany their last semester as students at Carmel Catholic. But we also know this pandemic, and all that we have done in response, will make our graduating seniors tougher, more resilient and adaptable. To the Carmel Catholic graduating class of 2020 - we are proud of you!

- Principal Jason Huther