State Scholars Scholarships Going Up
December 14, 2009

Illinois State Scholars represent the top ten percent of their high school class. They are high academic achievers, and they are usually the students whose hard work and dedication to their high school education pays big dividends well into their college and professional careers. This week Saint Patrick High School celebrates twenty-one members of the class of 2010 who have been named as Illinois State Scholars. “The scholars should be very proud of the example they have set for the upcoming juniors, sophomores and freshmen,” said Principal Dr. Joe Schmidt. “Their accomplishments are a testament to their superb efforts in the classroom.” To date the seniors’ efforts have earned them nearly one million dollars in scholarships. Director of Student Services and College Counselor Emmett McGovern expects that number will continue its steady climb through graduation in May. “We’ve got some very, very hard workers in this class,” said McGovern. “From what I’ve witnessed so far, these scholars, together with their classmates, could very well match or exceed the $7.8 million mark set by last year’s graduates.”

The average ACT score of St. Pat’s 2009-2010 Illinois State Scholars is 28. The students have been accepted by 11 different schools nationwide, including one individual’s acceptance into the United States Air Force Academy. They represent fourteen grammar schools and eleven parishes. The students are as follows: Oliver Aispuro (Bridge), John Bailey (Immaculate Conception), Brandon Broszczak (Union Ridge), Rachata Chantarasombat (Patumwan), Matthew Forrest (Saint Eugene), Robin Fritz (Saint Viator), Christopher Hain (Saint Juliana), Timothy Houston (Our Lady of Victory), Michael Kratochvil (Immaculate Conception), Donald Lappe (Saint Juliana), Kevin Lodwich (Immaculate Conception), Michael McGovern (Our Lady of Victory), Michael O’Hara (Farnsworth), Timothy Ortman (Our Lady of Victory), Byron Ovalle (Our Lady of Tepeyac), Henry Riera (Pulaski Fine Arts Academy), Edward Stypka (Saint Viator), Ryan Tadych (Immaculate Conception), Christopher Troxell (Chippewa Middle School), Cory Turek (Gray) and Alexander Zalewski (Saint Giles).