Hickory Creek Middle School Graduation Class of 2018

Hickory Creek Middle School eighth grade students participated in their graduation ceremony on May 31 at Lincoln-Way East High School. Members of the Frankfort School District 157-C Board of Education and Administrators awarded diplomas to the 289 graduates in the Class of 2018. Special awards were also presented as follows:

Viola Lankenau Award

Viola Lankenau dedicated forty-two years of service to the children in the community, serving as teacher, principal and superintendent in the Frankfort School system. The staff at Hickory Creek Middle School selects one student who best exemplifies qualities of good citizenship, fine scholarship and excellent school participation. The award is sponsored by the Family School Partnership (FSP) Organization. This year’s recipient: Sophia Barnard.

The Lyndsey Whittingham Scholarship

This annual scholarship was created to honor the memory of Lyndsey Whittingham, a former graduate of District 157-C. The scholarship is awarded to a student who best epitomizes Lyndsey’s love for life, positive attitude, caring nature and support to others. Sponsored by the Lyndsey Whittingham Foundation, the scholarship winner is nominated by his or her peers and chosen from a panel of District 157-C teachers/staff. This year's recipient: Manuel Tsoukatos.

The Patrick Mizwicki Scholarship

This annual scholarship was created to honor the memory of former student Patrick Mizwicki. To be considered for this scholarship, students must display two or more of the following pillars: Determination, Friend to Everyone, Sportsmanship, Hard Work and Do Your Best. This year’s recipients: Leyla Eames, Chloe Geijer and Kailey White.

The Dana C. Ruff Music Scholarship

This scholarship was created by the Band and Orchestra Boosters in loving memory of Dana Ruff who founded the Hickory Creek Middle School Band and served as its director for 27 years. Ms. Ruff shared her love and passion for music and band with the students of Chelsea Intermediate School and Hickory Creek Middle School. She taught the importance of perseverance, cooperation, and teamwork. This scholarship honors band students who have a passion for playing their musical instruments and sharing their musical talents in service to the school and community and who will continue their dedication to the music program through their high school career. A blind review of the students' applications and essays is completed by a committee of teachers and directors. The three students earning the highest scores were chosen as the 2018 recipients. This year’s recipients: 1st Place Charles Machamer, 2nd Place Peter Bumba, 3rd Place Gabriella Velazquez.

President’s Education Awards

Honoring student achievement and hard work is the purpose of the President's Education Awards Program. Since 1983, the program has provided individual recognition from the President and the U.S. Secretary of Education to students whose outstanding efforts have enabled them to meet challenging standards of excellence. Hickory Creek Middle School graduates earning the President’s Education Awards include: Oluwadamilola Adesina, Mariam Azeez, Griffin Bell, Benjamin Beutler,Emma Blau, Kylie Brady, Mya Bremmer, Rachel Brettin, Nicholas Buggemi, Sean Camp, Emily Caruso, Bryce Caudill, Tynan Chamberlin, Abigail Clarkin, Nicole Costa, Shane Crean, Dane DalBianco, Aidan Dauber, Jack Delage, Sean Dore, Allison Doyon, Adam Drumheller, Natalie Duncan, Leyla Eames, Declan Emery, Owen Feigenwinter, Charles Fordon, Luke Frazier, Meagan Fuqua, Lucas Garcia, Ellie Gentry, Lyndsey Golaszewski, Cora Goodwin, Samantha Groen, Grace Hagemaster, Robert Hahn, Victoria Hay, Sydney Hooten, John Ingram, Ashlee Jackson, Rheana Jankowski, Gavin Jones, Patrick Jungels, Kristin Karas, Easton Klein, Ian Koren, Alexander Las, Rachel Leonard, Connor Lindaur, Emma Lombardo, Charles Machamer, Katherine Malcom, Jack Marion, Emily McCarthy, Kelly McGinn, Jacob Mecher, Rachel Miller, Gavin Murray, Meagan O'Connor, Abigail O'Hagan, Colin Ovando, Lindsey Page, Joshua Pellegrini, Alexa Peters, Nikolas Phillips, Catherine Podlesak, Evelyn Powers, Krishan Puri, Loralei Quinn, Sarah Rattigan , Jade Reymond, Theresa Rincker, Sophia Roh, Dorothy Sargent, Nathan Scott, Ava Simoni, Christopher Speakman, Jared Stearns, Brennan Stolarek, Samuel Stoliker, Johnathan Strzelczyk, Kellie Sucha, Rylie Szablewski, Samuel Szafoni, Kaylin Thomas, Laurelei Thormeyer, Sophia Tischer, Kianna Truitt, Manuel Tsoukatos, Alan Ulcigrai, Jordan Varga, Jack Vegter, Gabriella Velazquez, Anna Voss, Edmund Walenga, Peter Weygandt, Sydney Whitemiller and Daniel Yunker.