Maine West High School

<h3 class="leadin">Graduates in Class of 2020: 525</h3>

<h3 class="leadin">Maine Scholars (Top 1%): </h3>

Olivia Bitcon, Ashwini Modi, Laura Okrzesik, Dhriti Patel and Malaika Zaidi.

<h3 class="leadin">Graduation speakers: </h3>

Anahi Sosa, Joanna Skorupa and Malaika Zaidi.

<h3 class="leadin">Class officers: </h3>

Kimberly Fairhead, Daniel Kentgen, Laura Okrzesik, Kensey Reeves and Klara Sorensen.

<h3 class="leadin">Student council officers: </h3>

Lacey Argus, Aliyah Bilotich, Suzanna Linek (president) and Nikolina Vujcic.

National Merit Commended Scholars: Victoria Buszek, Rylan Turner and Blaze Ezlakowski.

<h3 class="leadin">National Merit Semifinalist and Finalist: </h3>

Olivia Bitcon

<h3 class="leadin">Notable athletic achievements:</h3>

• At least one CSL Conference Championship in girls basketball, boys basketball, girls water polo, boys water polo, girls volleyball, football and softball.

• Multiple baseball regional championships, as well as regional, sectional, supersectional, and state honors won by girls basketball program.

• The senior girls basketball players never lost a CSL Conference game, going 40-0 in their four years. They won an IHSA Girls Basketball Regional and Sectional Championship in each of their four years. They won a third place trophy at the IHSA State Finals and went 35-0 and won an IHSA State Championship.

• Angela Dugalic is the first athlete in Maine West history to be named to the McDonald's All-American team as well as Illinois Ms. Basketball.

• The most successful run of football success in school history. They secured three consecutive CSL football titles, qualified for the playoffs for three consecutive years, and won an IHSA state playoff game, all firsts in the history of the Maine West football program.

• The class of 2020 secured a Central Suburban League Girls and Boys Water Polo Conference Championship in each of the seasons they played.

• Three members of this class have been named All-State in their sports: Ray Ure, diving; Jaden Dolphin, football; Angela Dugalic, basketball

• Five seniors were state qualifiers over the last four years: Ray Ure, three times in diving and once in cross country; Aliyah Bilotich and Katie Hudson, badminton (doubles); Angela Dugalic, track and field; and David Roscoe, bowling.

• Three seniors performed with distinction in Special Olympics events in bowling, track and field, and snowshoe. Taylor Anama placed fourth in state in bowling.

• Seniors in this class, in all their sports, earned 134 CSL Scholar Athlete Awards for GPA's of 3.0 or higher. They earned 93 IHSA Scholar Athlete Awards for GPA's of 3.5 or higher.

<h3 class="leadin">Notable extracurricular achievements:</h3>

• Senior editors on The Westerner led one of the largest staffs ever at 37 and accumulated numerous awards, including a National First Place recognition by Quill & Scroll for in-depth reporting, and a first in state recognition for feature writing.

• Members of the broadcasting classes and WMTH won several awards from the National Academy of TV Arts and Sciences, including a Crystal Pillar award for animation and a fifth-place award for news production.

• The West Side Dance Company has been selected for the Student Choreography Showcase of the Illinois State High School Dance Festival for three years in a row.

• DECA had two seniors place at regional competition and 11 senior members of the team overall.

• The Mock Trial Team had their most successful year, hosting the largest tournament in the state and seeing five seniors recognized as Outstanding Attorneys and three seniors recognized as Outstanding Witnesses.

• Four members of SkillsUSA, an engineering team, placed at their regional competition and advanced to state.

• Culinary Arts Club donated $1,000 to the District COVID 19 relief fund and had three qualifiers at state competition.

• 38 seniors, including four commissioners, became part of the school's first Link Crew, devoting time and counsel to freshman students, guiding them through their first year as Maine West Warriors.

• Olivia Bitcon and Domenika Szal were selected to present at the 2020 Fermilab Family Open House to more than 2,000 visitors.

<h3 class="leadin">Theater productions: </h3>

"She Kills Monsters," "Shrek," "Clue" (did not run)

<h3 class="leadin">Homecoming King and Queen: </h3>

Daniel Perez and Jeidy Cruz

<h3 class="leadin">Homecoming theme: </h3>

"Out of This World"

<h3 class="leadin">What was new for the Class of 2020: </h3>

Two interim principals in 2018-19 (Dr. Marina Scott, Mrs. Maria Ward); New principal in 2019-20 (Dr. Eileen McMahon); New bell schedule (district adopted hybrid block schedule in 2018); Major construction beginning spring 2020.

<h3 class="leadin">Notable visitors: </h3>

Sen. Dick Durbin, George McCaskey (to present Band Director Bernie Gerstmayr "Hero in the Classroom" award from the Chicago Bears).

<h3 class="leadin">Principal's reflections on the Class of 2020: </h3>

The Class of 2020 is special not for its circumstances but for its character, which has been all the more apparent in this time of extraordinary challenge. The Class of 2020 distinguished itself at Maine West High School for its service, togetherness, and resilience.

They led teams that made blankets and fed the hungry; they "packed the bus" every year for the annual canned food drive; as juniors they ran the largest ever Fun Fair for children in our community; they collected school supplies and shipped them to Africa; they collected children's books for Toys for Tots. They brought joy and encouragement to another group of seniors affected by COVID-19, visiting - from appropriate social distance - residents of several nearby nursing facilities to share their strength and their optimism.

Time and again, the Class of 2020 extended itself to achieve excellence in academics, the arts, athletics, and most importantly, as classmates, citizens and friends. This crisis has revealed what we have known for four years: the Class of 2020 is filled with creators and survivors. They are agents of change, not victims of it. They are Maine West Warrior Strong and we are proud of them and excited for what they will do next.

- Principal Eileen McMahon