News

Downers Grove South High School

Posted June 09, 2020 1:00 am

Downers Grove South High School Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com

Graduates in Class of 2020: 653

Distinguished honors: Zachary Andrew Bergman, Griffin Thomas Casella, Nathan Lucas Wiechec, Mark William Haddleton, Karin Elisa Schroeder, Therese Bernadette Malinowski, Shayan Rasheed, Thomas James Woods, Daisja Brianne Honorable, Samuel Thomas Krauter, Olivia Blaire Yesker, Heather Alyssa Lea, Genevieve May Dufresne, Talia Reece Davis, Jacob Manning Casella, Marlo Viktoria Rachie, Katarina Grace Stanley, Elizabeth Grace Colip, Claudia Rose Bringle, Erin Jean Ganschow, Emily Marie Leatherwood, Marley Davies Jakubczak, Nolan Patrick Mason, Joseph Steven Hardy, Josiah Alexander Hsu, John F. Smetana, Allison Marie Eberhard, Amber Elise Kass.

Class officers: Student Council Co-Presidents Mateo Garcia and Heather Lea,

Extracurricular achievements: 2020 IHSA Speech State Champions; Blueprint student newspaper 2019 State Champions; Seniors Mateo Garcia and Sean Nolan created face shields during COVID-19 pandemic; Therese Malinowski honored for Project Dandelion; Mighty Marching Mustangs finished 3rd place Class 6A; Madrigals qualified for the All-State Music Festival in Peoria.

Theater productions: Freshman Play - "The Great Freshmen Bake Off," directed by Justin Matkovich; Children's Play - "The Trial of the Big Bad Wolf," directed by Justin Matkovich; Fall Play - "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," directed by Nathaniel Haywood; Winter Play - "Clue," directed by Tiffany Rubin; Black History Play - "Luck of the Irish," directed by Nathaniel Haywood; "An Evening of One Acts," directed by Tiffany Rubin (canceled due to COVID-19); Musical - "Curtains," directed by Christopher Blum and Joy Belt-Roselieb (canceled due to COVID-19).

Homecoming King and Queen: Kevin Tate and Talia Davis

Homecoming theme: SuperHero Homecoming

Notable visitors: Television host Jon Hansen, a DGS alumni, led our Harry Potter Homecoming Parade in 2017; Distinguished alumni inducted during the high school career of the Class of 2020 included Maudlyne Ihejirika (Class of 1981), Amy Liss ('01), Dr. Robert Roose ('97), Dr. Samir Soneji ('94), Capt. Nicholas Tilbrook ('88), Jill (Kroese) Aspegren ('83), Dr. Mark Hersam ('93), Emil Martinec ('76); and Greg Smith ('82); Authors Samira Ahmed, Nic Stone. Justina Chen, Julie Murphy, Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds.

Principal's reflections on the Class of 2020: The Class of 2020 was an outstanding group of students. Their approach to this latest challenge only goes to highlight the can-do approach they take to everything. This group is filled with leaders who accept challenges and set an example for others to follow.

- Principal Edward Schwartz

Graduation sign for Downers Grove South High School. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com

Downers Grove South lineman get ready for a play in a matchup against Willowbrook in Villa Park. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com

Downers Grove South's Jayla Hampton hits against Lake Park's Destiny Fisk in a regional semifinal girls volleyball match. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com

Downers Grove South's Jayden Lambert carries the ball during a game against Downers Grove North. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com

The Downers Grove South boys varsity basketball team chants together before entering the Metea Valley gymnasium for a game. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com

Downers Grove South fans celebrate a first down during a game against Downers Grove North. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com

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