News

St. Francis High School

Posted June 09, 2020 1:00 am

St. Francis High School in Wheaton. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com

Graduates in Class of 2020: 164

Valedictorian: Alexander Modugno

Salutatorian: Annemarie Novack

Student Government Executive Board: Nick Atkins (president), Emily Dziengel, Will Brundage

Student Government Senior Officers: Anna Makauskas (president), Anna Moran, Rebecca Goetzke, Natasha Williams

Academic achievements: Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics Award - Rebecca Goetzke; Fermilab Science Award - Frank Marsico, Alexander Modugno; United States Air Force Academy appointment - Elena Castaneda; IHSA All-State Academic Team nominees - Alexander Kubik, Lindsay Olson; D.A.R. Good Citizen - Joseph Cibulka; S.A.R. Good Citizen - Bryce Walker; American Legion Good Citizen Award - Elena Castaneda and Bryce Walker (medal winners), Madeleine Fasana and Nicholas Atkins (honorable mention). Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship nominee - Nicholas Atkins; Pax Christi of Illinois & Diocese of Joliet Instrument of Peace Award - Madelynn Zeller; Wheaton Good Citizen Award nominee - Anna Makauskas; Prudential Spirit of Community Award nominee - Ava Carlson; National Hispanic Recognition Program - Alexander Modugno.

AP Scholars: William Brundage, Frank Marsico, Joshua Casuga, Annemarie Novack, Emily England, Catherine Rudge, Rebecca Goetzke.

AP Scholar with Honor: Ava Carlson

AP Scholar with Distinction: Weiyue Li

National Merit Commended Students: Ava Carlson, Annemarie Novack, Frank Marsico, Lindsay Olson, Alexander Modugno

Illinois State Scholars: Nicholas Atkins, Victoria Lambert, William Brundage, Anna Makauskas, Olivia Callahan, Frank Marsico, Ava Carlson, Ava Matz, Elena Castaneda, Alexander Modugno, Shannon Cooney, Annemarie Novack, Chloe Cushing, Lindsay Olson, Michael Cushing, Vincenzo Rendina, Emily Dziengel, Adrianna Rotondi, Emily England, Catherine Rudge, Gretta Gesser, Connor Schmidt, Rebecca Goetzke, Samantha Shah, Elizabeth Grivetti, Emma Sidari, Dominic Imbrogno, Adam Tollios, Natalie Ingold, Katherine Walsh, Nicholas Izban, Daniel Weizeorick, Andrew Jensen, Joshua Winslow, Marnie Kopec, Caitlin Yarusso, Megan Kruse, Darlene Zediker, Alexander Kubik.

Graduating with High Honors: Nicholas Atkins, Nicholas Izban, Olivia Callahan, Nga Le, Emily Dziengel, Connor Schmidt, Gretta Gesser, Emma Sidari.

Graduating with Honors with Distinction: Ava Carlson, Frank Marsico, Emily England, Alexander Modugno, Rebecca Goetzke, Annemarie Novack, Elizabeth Grivetti, Lindsay Olson, Dominic Imbrogno, Adrianna Rotondi, Victoria Lambert

Athletic achievements:

• Cheer: Received bid to attend NCA Nationals in Dallas; finished second at MSC Conference Invitational; Eight members were NCA All American Cheerleaders

• Boys cross country: MSC Conference Champions, IHSA Regional Champions, second in sectional championship and 14th at IHSA state meet. Dan Weizeorick earned MVP Award, MSC All-Conference, Daily Herald All Area, and All State (6th place at state finals).

• Girls cross country: Finished fourth Blue division of MSC conference, fourth in regionals and sixth in sectionals.

• Dance: Metro Suburban Conference Champions; 8th Place Small Varsity Jazz UDA Regional Chicagoland Championship; 3rd Place at Wheaton North Invitational; 2nd Place at Naperville North Invitational; 4th Place at Huntley Invitational; 4th Place at Geneva Sectionals; 13th Place at IHSA State Finals; All Conference MVP - Catie Modugno; All Conference Athletes - Cate Rudge and Amanda Mercola.

• Football: MSC Conference Champions; IHSA Quarterfinalists; Enzo Rendina earned All Conference, Academic All State, ICA Shrine All-Star Game invite, Honorable Mention All Area; Connor Schmidt earned All Conference, Academic All State, IHSA All State, All Area; Ryan French earned Honorable Mention All Conference, Honorable Mention All Area; Jake Tangorra earned All Conference, Honorable Mention All Area; Ben Radel earned All Conference, Academic All State, All Area; Luke Meyer earned All Conference, Academic All State, IHSA All State Honorable Mention, Honorable Mention All Area.

• Boys golf: MSC Conference Tournament Champions

• Girls golf: MSC Conference Champions; Elizabeth Grivetti earned MSC All Conference

• Boys soccer: Frank Marsico earned Metro Suburban All-Conference, IHSSCA All-Sectional Midfielder, DuPage County All-Area Honorable Mention Boys Soccer Team; Michael Fasana earned Metro Suburban All-Conference, IHSSCA HM All-Sectional Midfielder; Adam Thill earned Metro Suburban All-Conference; Sam Premak earned Metro Suburban All-Conference.

• Girls tennis: Marnie Kopec was three-time All-Conference, three-time first team All-State in doubles, three-time IHSA state qualifier, team MVP, all-area; Jane Price was three-time all-conference, two-time all-state in doubles, three-time IHSA state qualifier, all-area.

• Girls volleyball: IHSA 3A Regional Champions (30th consecutive regional title); IHSA 3A Sectional Champions; Anna Calcagno earned MSC All-Conference, Daily Herald All Area, All-State First Team, Kane County Chronicle Female Volleyball Player of the Year; Natalie Ingold and Katlyn Snipes earned MSC All-Conference.

• Boys volleyball: Bryce Walker earned Daily Herald All Area 1st team, Illinois Prep Volleyball All state Team, All Conference first team and conference MVP, team MVP and was named to the Top 50 Volleyball Mag players in the nation. • Boys basketball: Regional Champions; Robert Nocek earned All-Conference and Daily Herald All Area.

Extracurricular achievements: Wilton Ong and Samantha Shah selected to ILMEA District IX Honor Choir; Choir earned first place at IHSA Class A Vocal & Ensemble Competition; Chamber Choir - perfect score of 40/40 for their performance of "Prayer for the Children"; Superior Rating in a Vocal Solo - Anna Carragher, Wilton Ong, Bella Illescas, Moira Lippencott, Emily Dziengel, Emily Clare, Samantha Shah, Megan Kruse, Mirabella French, Olivia Callahan, Haley Hughes, Elyse Monma; Superior Rating in a Vocal Ensemble or Choir - the 2020 Chamber Choir and the 2020 Swing Choir; Excellent Rating in a Vocal Ensemble - Emily Dziengel and Megan Kruse; IHSA Class A Solo & Ensemble Contest for instruments, Superior Rating in an Instrument Ensemble - Elizabeth Grivetti (Woodwind Ensemble); Excellent Rating in an Instrument Solo - Kaitlyn Blaha (French horn) and Sam Stone (Trumpet).

Theater productions: "Radium Girls" (fall play); "A Christmas Carol"; "Little Women" (spring musical, did not get to perform)

Homecoming King and Queen: Joe Cibulka and Elena Castaneda

Homecoming theme: A Trip Around the World

What was new for the Class of 2020: Installation of new Fitness Center and blue turf field.

Notable visitors (all alumni): Former Olympians John VandeVelde '67 (Cycling) and Kelsey Robinson, '10 (Volleyball); Eric Stout '11, professional baseball pitcher for Kansas City T-Bones; previously played with MLB Kansas City Royals; James Butler '14: 2020 Running Back for Houston Roughnecks XFL, practice squad NFL Oakland Raiders 18/19 season and 19/20 season; former Illinois Senate President John Cullerton '66.

Principal's reflections on the Class of 2020: The SFHS Class of 2020 is a well-rounded, intelligent, and supportive group who came in as individuals and are leaving as a strong family. Even though traditional in-person learning ended abruptly, we have seen our community, led by our seniors, blossom. Our seniors have shared they are prepared spiritually, academically, physically and socially for life after high school and will continue to live the "St. Francis Way." Since E-Learning began, the Class of 2020 has risen to the challenge of adapting to a new normal by maintaining high academic standards, leading Microsoft Teams co-curricular meetings, celebrating birthdays in drive-through car parades, making meals for those in need, and the list goes on. Thank you, SFHS Class of 2020 - for showing our community what it means to take care of one another, be positive examples, and for sharing your gifts. St. Francis High School is a better place because you were a part of it.

- Principal Raeann Huhn

St. Francis High School graduation sign. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com

Production of "A Christmas Carol" at St. Francis High School in Wheaton. Courtesy of St. Francis High School

The 2019 Homecoming Queen Elena Castaneda, left, and Homecoming King Joe Cibulka with television host Brittney Payton, center, at St. Francis High School in Wheaton. Courtesy of St. Francis High School

St. Francis High School marching band at Disneyworld in Florida. Courtesy of St. Francis High School

New fitness center at St. Francis High School in Wheaton. Courtesy of St. Francis High School

St. Francis High School President Betsy Ackerson waves to seniors as they stop by the school to pick up care packages, which includes their graduation cap and gown, at a makeshift drive-through. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com

St. Francis High School teacher John Schuller waves and shows a sign of support as seniors stopped by the school to pick up care packages which included their graduation caps and gowns. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com

St. Francis High School alumi director Becky Fischesser hands senior Shannon Cooney, 18, of Carol Stream a care package which includes their graduation cap and gown at a drive-thru event at the school. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com

St. Francis High School Salutatorian Annemarie Novack addressed her fellow graduates in her 2020 virtual commencement speech. Courtesy of Annemarie Novack

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