23 St. Laurence Students Recognized As Illinois State Scholars

BURBANK, IL – A record number of 23 students at St. Laurence High School in Burbank have been recognized as Illinois State Scholars. Representing 17.2 percent of the senior class, school officials said this is the highest percentage of seniors to earn this recognition in over 20 years.

Illinois State Scholars represent approximately the top ten percent of high school seniors from 765 high schools across the state. Students given this recognition possess strong academic potential and are chosen based on a combination of exemplary ACT or SAT test scores and sixth semester class rank.

The students represent towns throughout the south suburbs, including Oak Lawn, Burbank, Bridgeview, Hickory Hills, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Lemont, as well as South Side neighborhoods and parishes. Recognized for their efforts in the classroom are:

Mikayla Carey (Liberty Junior High, Burbank), Ryan Cummings (St. Alexander, Palos Heights), Elliot Dobias (Oak Lawn Hometown Middle School, Oak Lawn), Dillon Dodson (Wilkins Junior High, Justice), Matthew Dornbos (St. Patricia, Hickory Hills), Jessica Escobedo (St. Albert the Great, Burbank), Kip Friend (LJ Hauser Junior High, Riverside), Ernesto Fuentes (St. Bede the Venerable, Chicago), and Nancy Godinez (St. Bede the Venerable, Chicago).

Genelle Grabowski (St. John Fisher, Chicago), Juan Guzman (Our Lady of the Snows, Chicago), Olivia Koch (St. Symphorosa, Chicago), Elias Kokkinis (Bridgeview Elementary, Bridgeview), Connor Kosowski (St. Daniel the Prophet, Chicago), Leo Matera (Kinzie Elementary, Chicago), Aidan McCarthy (St. Michael, Orland Park), Corinna Olsen (Wilkins Junior High, Justice), Hannah Potter (Mount Greenwood Elementary, Chicago), David Ruiz (St. Daniel the Prophet, Chicago), Michael Seweryn (St. Daniel the Prophet, Chicago), Jake Stone (Everest Academy, Lemont), Josh Zavala (Pope John Paul II, Chicago) and Nina Zheng (St. Albert the Great, Burbank).

These students represent tremendous academic growth at St. Laurence since the school shifted to a STEM-based curriculum, which continues to produce impressive statistics, school officials said. In addition to the increase in Illinois State Scholars, the school’s average ACT score has increased to a 24, a four point increase from just six years ago. The average ACT score for AP and Honors program students at St. Laurence is 28.

The higher test scores also have had an extraordinary impact on making college more affordable for St. Laurence students. The school boasts that members of the Class of 2018 earned over $20 million in college scholarships, more than double the previous record.

“We are thrilled with our continued increase of Illinois State Scholars,” said St. Laurence Principal Jim Muting in a news release. “Not only is this a testament to the hard work of our students, it is a massive compliment to our faculty, staff, administration and partners who work to provide our students an educational experience unlike any other. Our commitment to providing a unique STEM curriculum in a project-based environment continues to pay dividends for St. Laurence students.”