Geneva High School Announces September Students of the Month

Pictured, left to right: Elianna Pagonis, Giselle Juarez, Breanna Magpantay, Allison Bryan, Abbey Howat, Armando Martinez-Gomez, Ashley Palese, Kiley Murray, Teddy Solomon Not Pictured: Preston Treece

Submitted Geneva Community Unit School District 304

Preston Treece, Grade 11

Nominated by Derek Sutor

To say that Preston Treece has started his 2014-2015 school year on the right foot would be an understatement. Unfortunately, a late schedule change took him from my class and switched him into another, but during my time with him, I was thoroughly impressed by Preston. Preston came to my class every day with a positive attitude and immediately got to work on assignments that needed to be done. His upbeat attitude and work ethic made him a model student in our class. He has worked extremely hard to remain on top of his academics so far this school year, advocating for himself whenever he needed it. I know I only had him for 3 weeks, but I know one thing is for sure ... Preston Treece has the ability to make his junior year a truly successful one!

Ashley Palese, Grade 11

Nominated by Sue Rasich & Tami Konrad

Ashley is our monitor in the Deans’ Office. She impressed us with her act of kindness to another student. We had a student who was in distress over a lost item. Ashley saw that this student was upset and offered that student hers. This thoughtfulness shows what true character Ashley possesses. Her compassion to another student’s needs touched our hearts. We are very proud to nominate Ashley as student of the month and to have her working in our office.

Giselle Juarez, Grade 10

Nominated by Lisa Meister

I am selecting Giselle Juarez as my student of the month for the Health and PE department because she is a student that shows a great deal of heart. I have only known her for a short time so far, but I am already noticing a young lady who is going above and beyond to make sure she understands the concepts and skills in the curriculum and really takes the lessons to heart to apply them to her life. Giselle asks questions and displays a high level of attention in class. She often even brings her textbook home despite not having an assignment to take the time to review whenever she can. She is putting forth a strong effort and I encourage her to keep up the great work.

Armando Martinez-Gomez, Grade 9

Nominated by Jim Judson

We have only been in school for a month, but Armando has proved himself to be a very good student who works hard and brings a positive attitude and energy to English I. Whether it’s a somewhat dull grammar exercise or an exciting story, Armando is attentive, focused on the task at hand, and volunteers to answer questions in discussion. I have always considered myself fortunate to be a teacher because I get to interact with young people, and maybe make a difference, however small, that positively impacts their lives. I am grateful for this career, and a student like Armando is the reason why. He embodies all that is good and right with young people today, and I look forward to watching his development as a student and a person for the next four years.

Kiley Murray, Grade 10

Nominated by Sara Consdorf

I am happy and proud to nominate Kiley Murray as the Applied Arts Student of the Month. Kiley comes to my Child Development & Parenting class each day full of energy and ready to learn. She actively participates and asks meaningful and interesting questions. Kiley’s peers respect her as she respects them, and she is always willing to lend a helping hand. Kiley sees everyone in the class as an equal, which I value as a teacher. I believe Kiley will have a bright future and I am pleased to give her this well-deserved award.

Teddy Solomon, Grade 9

Nominated by Fred Fortman

Joseph ‘Teddy’ Solomon is my student of the month for September. In the short time since school started, Teddy has stood out as a student who takes his work seriously. Teddy has not been afraid to ask questions and engage the class in discussion about the topics of science. Teddy has demonstrated a genuine curiosity during labs and helps lead his lab partners in their experiments. Teddy has shown a mastery of the material and is an asset to have in class each day.

Abbey Howat

Nominated by Anna Zahn

Abbey Howat is my student of the month because she always gives everything her best effort and does it with a smile. This is the third year that I have had Abbey in my class and I have seen Abbey grow tremendously in math from Algebra I, Geometry and now to Algebra II. Math presents a lot of challenging concepts and I have witnessed Abbey’s ability to tackle any problem that comes her way with a positive attitude. As a student, it is clear that Abbey sets goals and uses that as motivation to do what she needs to succeed. She demonstrates this by asking questions and knowing when to seek help to see her efforts pay off in the end. Abbey is a wonderful asset to our class and is willing to work hard, participate and take a leadership role in helping others when needed. I am delighted to have Abbey in my class again this year!

Breanna Magpantay, Grade 10

Nominated by Julie Lawrence

Breanna Magpantay is the September student of the month from the Fine Arts Department because of her outstanding attitude, leadership and work ethic in orchestra. As a violinist in the Chamber Orchestra (our top orchestral ensemble), she contributes to the success of the ensemble in many positive ways each day. She is consistently well prepared, hard-working, focused and respectful of all. She willingly takes on additional performance duties such as playing piano with the various orchestras when needed, and performs frequently for community events. This requires organizing the music to be performed, setting up additional rehearsal time with group members, and working collaboratively with her classmates to prepare well. She manages her time well, balancing her dedication to sports with her love of music, and fully understanding the kind of commitment it requires to excel at both. Breanna can be counted on to always give everything her very best effort and to play her instrument beautifully and with confidence, making her a strong leader in her section and in the orchestra as a whole. Best of all, she does it all with the most wonderful smile on her face! She is an exceptional young lady who truly deserves to be the student of the month.

Allison Bryan, Grade 12

Nominated by Martha Behlow

It is truly an honor to nominate Allison Bryan as student of the month. Allison is one of those students who is a joy to teach. She has a keen intellect, desire for knowledge and she is always eager for challenges and learning. Her attitude, work ethic, sense of humor and flexibility are such positive assets for any class that she is in. Allison is incredibly gifted, yet very kind to other students who do not share her ability level or work ethic. Allison enters the class ready to learn, with an enthusiasm and interest which are exemplary. She does not shy away from challenges, but dives in. Her first presentation of the year in French V, last week, was exemplary! Allison also shares her talents with French in French Club activities, and with the Société Honoraire de Français, where she is developing leadership skills as well. Our class all benefits from Allison’s gifts in speaking and understanding the French language.

Elianna Pagonis, Grade 9

Nominated by Brad Wendell

Elianna is Social Studies student of the month because she helps to promote an environment of learning due to her regular participation in Modern World History. I am sure that by most standards, Elianna is the ideal student. She is always on time, prepared and producing quality work. Yet this is not what makes her student of the month. Instead, I am nominating Elianna because she is always an active and willing participant. This is not easy for a freshman in a World History class. A new school, teacher and classmates combined with unfamiliar content, make it risky for students to openly explore new historical material. Elianna’s willingness to speaking up at the risk of being wrong or making a mistake in front of her peers fosters thinking, learning and participation from other classmates. Albert Einstein is credited with saying, “education is not received. It is achieved.” Elianna’s willingness to engage with class materials and class discussion exemplifies this sentiment and improves the learning environment in my class on a regular basis.