WEGO students awarded in mathematics
June 4, 2022
Five-hundred and forty-three deserving students were notified via mail at the end of May that they were recipients of a blue ribbon from West Chicago Community High School’s math department.
Students were nominated for one of two recognition awards by their math teacher: Outstanding Effort in Mathematics, and Outstanding Performance in Mathematics.
“Too many students have a negative connotation that goes with math. Oftentimes, that limits the effort and perseverance of students. The math department continually tries to foster an environment where students are willing to think, take risks and try their best. This is just a small way to recognize students for doing so. Many students are very appreciative of that recognition,” said Division Head Steve Balhan.
Ribbons were mailed to students’ homes along with a congratulatory letter from Balhan.
“I think it is very important that students are recognized for their work in mathematics because that helps students to continue working hard, since they see that their effort is reflected in the recognition,” said sophomore Melody Pereda Rodriguez, who received a blue ribbon this year following her nomination from math teacher Akta Naik.
However, for many, the importance of recognition throughout the year extends beyond mathematics.
“For me, it is very important that [WCCHS] recognize every effort that I make: to be able to earn the Honor Roll, or to be given the blue ribbons for mathematics,” said Pereda Rodriguez. “Among other recognitions that they give at WEGO, that helps the student have a purpose for which to strive.”
“When a student is recognized for its achievements, a feeling of motivation and confidence arises within them, making them feel accomplished and [inspring] them to want to continue doing so in the future,” said junior Ximena Valenciano-Serna, who was recognized for her performance in math by teacher Katelyn Beamish.
Balhan echoed students’ thoughts, noting “it is always nice to recognize students for both their performance and effort, not only in math but in regards to any academic achievement.”
Photo by Leslie Fireman
Recipients of the 2021-22 Outstanding Performance in Mathematics award included:
Seniors Mariana Alfaro, Rebecca Allison, Evelin Bucio, Jaclyn Camp, Jonathan Chavez, Carina Correa, Laura Correa, Katrina Dy, Danny Eaton, Roman Fabiszak, Larsen Gallian, Javier Garcia Medina, Andrea Hernandez, Karina Lemus, Grace Leonard, Gema Morales-Arias, Nicole Mruk, Niku Myers, Jane Osielski, Kaila Palczinski, Brianna Pechman, Gaby Perez, Jose Sanchez, Stephen Senko, Lilabeth Sokolewicz, Samantha Velasquez, Santiago Villa, Kiet Vu, Nicholas White, Kevin Zarate and Meadow Zomparelli.
Juniors Fathia Abdalla, Denise Aguilar Garcia, Rodrigo Alcantar, Salette Alfaro, Diego Avalos, Kevin Avalos, Ashley Barrera, Carlos Barrera, Ismael Barrera Jr., Pablo Barrera Mendoza, Isela Borjon, Christian Carranza, Alexa Correa, Briana Correa, Jessica Cortes, Melanie Coss, Alan Cuautle, Kaliya Dorl, Briseida Espino, Vanessa Garcia, Angel Gonzalez, Carson Harding, Andre Hernandez, Andrea Hernandez, Jamileth Hernandez, Jake Holloway, Gannon Hosticka, Alexis Huerta-Ibanez, Tutu Kuku, Adamaris Mancera, Nayely Mendez, Janai Michael-Barnes, Ruben Munoz, Heidi Murillo, Leah Nika, Jhefferson Pereda Rojas, Kaitlyn Pilon, Jack Riconosciuto, Maritsa Romero, Ayden Russo, Sam Rutledge, Andrea Sarmiento, Tanya Servin, Inderjit Singh, Janet Solis, Mark Stavenger, Montse Tapia, Sofia Tamayo, TJ Tipton, Ximena Valenciano Serna, Katherine Vander Plaats, Thania Villagran, and Connor Zentner.
Sophomores Ricardo Alcantar Vargas, Manuel Arias, Kelly Avila-Gomez, Melanie Ballines, Sasha Baumgartner, Sydney Bennema, Ryan Blackburn, Sophia Brown, Esayn Caballero, Frankie Calabrese, Ivan Castillo-Ramirez, Jairo Chavez-Espinal, Gabrielle Christman, Ruben Coss, Davis Dore, Melanie Duran, Matthew Eaton, Joey Engstrom, Lila Espino, Joseph Flores, Sophia Garcia, Tanya Garcia, Cora Garling, Arlo Gomez, Itzel Gomez, Ray Gonzalez, Briana Guerrero, Christina Guo, Clara Hasselgren, Isaac Hernandez, Johnny Hernandez, Jose Hernandez, Rafael Herrera Mota, Anthony Hinojosa, Elizabeth Horan, Anaitzel Huerta, Angie Jacobo, Arely Jacobo, Michael Jany, Graham Johnson, Nirali Kadakia, Enaya Kazmi, Kayliana Koeune, Makenzie Leszczewicz, Tyler Levine, Jasmin Leyva, Cynthia Lopez, Ava Lowell, David Marin, Suany Mendoza, Xochylt Montoya, Zaida Morales Guerrero, Anthony Munoz, Neela Myers, Jayem Nato, Christian Perez, Gene Petersen, Ivan Romero, Vanessa Romero Reyes, Ryley Salazar, Justin Seul, Christopher Vargas, Ethan Villano, Gloria Villanueva, Mia Valliquette, Reyli Vivaldo Soledad, Jonathan Walsh, Andrew Zeman and Emily Ziajor
And freshmen Marckus-King Abdullah, Stephanie Alfaro, Ruby Alvarez, Jaime Alvarez Garduno, Kevin Antonio, Evelyn Avila Rodriguez, Tessa Banasiak, JT Barrett, Miranda Bucio, Ivan Calderon, Yazmin Castro, Puneet Chohan, Isabella Colburn, Ariella Correa, Lesly Correa Munoz, Pamela Cruz, Aidan Daguro, Violetta Diego, Elliot Fehrenbach, Kimberley Ferrer, Mariela Flores, Pierson Foos, Miguel Garcia Correa, Edwin Fuentes, Andrea Garcia, Valerie Garcia-Gomez, Giselle Gonzalez, Emily Hanania, Eilynne Hernandez, Gilan Hosticka, Brian Ibarra Soria, Helena Jankowska, Addison Jeffery, Xochil Lopez, Yazmin Lopez Pedroza, Jocelyn Macedo, Jessica Martinez Garcia, Jennifer Martinez-Lopez, Carolina Mendez Salinas, Dominik Mohai, Miranda Morales Vazquez, Makenna Mullen, Sebastian Nehoda, Sophia Newell, Peter O’Brien, Edgar Oropeza, David Pachon Dimate, Ansh Parikh, Tyler Petrie, Fatima Ramirez, Logan Reed, Alan Robles-Bolanos, Amy Sandoval, Aislinn Serrano, Aaron Servin, Jake Silanskis, Summer Silks, Nicholas Temes, Jessica Thunberg, Christopher Tinajero-Ferreira, Jasmyn Trigueros, Jarelyn Vazquez, Dulce Villafuerte, Kennedy Weems, William Wenberg, Zachariah Williamson, Abigail Wing and Candy Zaruma.
Recipients of the 2021-22 Outstanding Effort in Mathematics award included:
Seniors Paloma Aguado, Jaden Aldaco, Alisa Alvarado, Luis Alvarez, Jose Arrellano, Favion Arroyo, Daniel Avila, Gerardo Avila, Alonso Ballines, Charlie Baumgartner, James Bloss, Corey Brothers, Johnny Burton, Alex Calderon, Jocelyn Campos, Danny Canda, Alexis Carmona, Jenny Carvajal-Romero, Julie Castillo, Melissa Castillo, Kyara Cervantes, Anthony Cielo, Brandon Contreras, Leslie Correa, Shantal Correa, Aldo Flores, Jessica Guerrero, Alex Hernandez, Leinier Hernandez, Sophia Johnson, Vinny Lamantia, Eileen Lavariega, Millie Loa, Jennifer Medina, Dayanna Mendoza, Zuleika Mendoza, Jozy Morales, Sheila Mejia, Tyler Nelson, Brian Nieves, Mariely Nunez, Jack O’Donoghue, Issa Oumar, Ryan Pencek, Sol Perezchica, Sydney Radke, Jonatan Rivera, Brianna Roskilly, Christopher Sanchez, Jennifer Sanchez, Jason Sartore, Sofia Schumann, Kevin Soreque Zavala, Brendan Sulit, Hannah Thompson, Kyle Upham, Mylo Vargas, and Natalie Wilderman.
Juniors Victor Abarca, Carlos Acosta, Elan Agha, Dago Alfaro, Maria AlHammo, Arianna Alquisira, Yvette Arias, Jannet Arshad, Allison Balmer, Jilianne Baptista, AnnaBelle Beaird, Karen Benigno Marquez, Lamya Blackmon, Reagan Boorsma, Jonathan Brown, Roman Bucio, Yasmin Calderon, Joshua Calvillo-Morales, Kimberly Carmona, Brenda Catana-Mejia, Brian Chavez, Daniel Chavez, Anthony Cortez, Stephanie Cuautle, Gianna DeConcilis, Denise DeJesus, Natalie DeVille, Kyle Dieter, Alyssa Elizondo, Dayana Espino, Brandon Garcia, Evelyn Gomez, Hector Garcia, Noah Herbst, Jetzelli Hernandez, Kary Hernandez, Marimar Huerta, Carlos Jurado, Berenice Ledesma-Razo, Alejandro Lopez, Allison Manspeaker, Diego Martinez, Kathy Martinez, Richard Mayuga, Katie McGlynn, Wendy Medina, Joanna Morales, Adrian Munoz, Betzaida Munoz, Bryan Munoz, Leslie Munoz, Vanessa Munoz Chavez, Keenan O’Keefe, Emily Nosky, Gabriel Ocampo, Akciri Ortiz, Fernando Ortiz Beltran, Sergio Ovalle, Leonardo Padilla, Alexa Palacios-Reyes, Phoenix Passini, Melissa Perez, Cameron Petrie, Isa Poulterer, Gardenia Ramirez, James Rauworth, Fernan Reyes, Melyssa Salinas, Cesar Sanchez, Sebastian Sanchez, Edwin Sanchez Cruz, Nathan Schmidt, Soham Shah, Alysa Solomon, Michelle Stachowicz, Veronica Tecuatl, Ema Tomasevic. Jose Trinidad, Maria Vargas Ramos, and Chanel VerVynck.
Sophomores Mariana Acosta, Samuel Alanis, Muaz Ali, Sebastian Alvarez Soto, Noemi Amaro, Diana Araque Moreno, Payton Arredondo, Fernando Arroyo Garcia, Daisy Barrera, Madelyn Barrera, Yadira Barrera Arenas, Leonardo Barrientos, Madison Bormann, Clarenz Bugay, Johnathan Calvillo Morales, Itzel Carrasco, Dayana Castro, Elias Correa, Giselle Cortez, Yahdira Cortez, Jose Cruz-Antonio, Simran Dave, Shawn Detter, Ariana Diaz, Najllah Djouma, Kylie Doyle, Julissa Duran, Alessandra Duran-Corona, Sabina Dzioch, Rosie Escalante, An-abel Espino, Natalie Fernandez, Joselyn Figueroa, Scout Gallagher, Alissa Garcia, Brian Garcia, Christopher Garcia, Jocelyn Garcia, Marvin Garcia, Samantha Garcia Ariza, Zitlaly Garcia-Medina, Leslie Garnica-Alanis, Gabriella Gloss, Samantha Gomez, Cynthia Guerrero, Brandon Heath, Ariana Hernandez, Eric Hernandez, Evelyn Herrera, Moncerrath Herrera, Humira Hotaky, Karen Huerta Garnica, Jayden Huesca Rodriguez, Camille Lopez, Jennifer Lopez, Kevin Lopez, Rusbel Lopez, Rosa Marquez, KC McDonald, Vanessa Miguel-Garcia, Avery Moffatt, Karidja Monjolo, Yohana Mora, Kim Mora Olivares, Julian Nicoski Rios, Trent Noland, Charlin Oliva Castillo, Sahil Patel, Chase Pechman, Christopher Pena, Melody Pereda Rodriguez, Krystian Roldan, Jasmin Romero Salinas, Cecilia Sanchez, Wilma Sanchez Garcia, Jonathan Quiroz, Evelyn Rubio, Kevin Rubio, Johana Ruiz, Alyssa Schliephake, Brooke Schliephake, Ingrid Solis, Lam Truong, Kali Waller, Charlotte Weirich, Maggie White, Mason Williams, Aaliyah Williams-Perez, Justin Zaruma, and Scotty Zentner
And freshmen Brooklyn Abundez, Jayleen Albor, Brayden Alderton, Andrea Arevalo, Allan Ayala, Abdullah Bakhshi, Jessica Balmer, Emily Barrera, Emyreth Barrera, Brianna Carrasco, Daniel Ceron, Osiel Chavez, Jennifer Correa, Stephanie Correa, Susana Correa, Joana Cortez Bucio, Edwin Camacho Coss, Jocelinne Contreras, Wilbur Cooper, Cindy Diaz, Clyde Diaz Alcantar, Alondra Esquivel-Diaz, Leslie Flores Avalos, Finn Gallagher, Dixie Garcia, Estefani Garcia, Lesley Garcia, Arlin Garcia Robles, Alexia Guerrero Chairez, Daniel Guzman, Yuritzy Guzman Ramirez, Denise Herrera, Ulices Huerta, Dianna Jimenez, Rodolfo Jurado, Dylan Kraft, Ashley Lockman, Fernando Lopez, Ashleen Marban, Mia Marin, Dayana Mata, Ramiah McElroy, Asher McNiel, Alexa Medina, Angelo Melin, Victoria Mendez, Michaela Miller, Eryk Munoz, Melinda Nguyen, Christopher Nunez, Fenil Patel, Shaike Paz Ortiz, Gael Perez, Romina Pietanza, Xammantha Ramos, Josselyne Ramirez-Sanchez, Karina Reyes, Luis Reyes, Jacqueline Romero, Joel Romero Reyes, Guadalupe Salinas, Guadalupe Salmeron Crisostomo, Giselle Sanchez, Jonathan Sanchez, Litzy Santiago, Jaden Schoenborn, Cung Cin Thawng, Anari Thomas, Joseph Trigueros, Casey Turek, Neeraj Vangara, Erika Vargas, Adamery Vega, Iris Venegas, Omar Villafuerte, Andrew Voight, Jacob Voight, Ella Warsaw, Dominic Wasserstrom, Keaisja Williams, and Kayla Zamora.