Highland Park Patch Honors Graduating Seniors In Class Of 2020

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Patch is sharing the achievements of local high school graduates by putting them in the spotlight this month. Due to the coronavirus, in-person classroom teaching and extracurricular gatherings have been canceled for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year in Illinois.

We know these wonderful seniors are missing out on some of the last moments of the school year and we hope to give the community a way to share their pride in our class of 2020 high school graduates.

Here is the first group of graduating high school seniors we're featuring from the historic class of 2020:

Izzy Levy, Highland Park High School

Levy, a competitive dancer, plans to attend University of South Florida and major in criminology, according to her family.

Message from family: "Izzy you continue to make Us proud every day! Everything is possible for you. Keep smiling, keep dancing and always know we love you-Mom, Dad, Zak and Chris"

Noah Herzog, Highland Park High School

Herzog intends to attend the University of Illinois in the fall, according to his family.

Message from family: "We are so incredibly proud of you Noah!! We love you - Mom, Dad, Jacob, Ari, & Emma"

Isabelle Pastroff, Highland Park High School

Pastroff, who plans to study at the University of Pittsburgh later this year, is a member of the National Honor Society for Academics & Service and graduating with Seal of Biliteracy, according to her family.

Message from family: "We are so proud of you. Congratulations and we love you!"

Samantha Rabin, Highland Park High School

Rabin plans to attend the University of Michigan, according to her family.

Message from family: "Congratulations Samantha and the HPHS class of 2020!!!"

Alix Eisenberg, Highland Park High School

Eisenberg, who was co-president of the Rotery-Interact Club, plans to attend Miami University of Ohio in the fall, according to her family.

Message from family: "Congrats Alix- we are so proud and we love you!"

Scott Loarie, Highland Park High School

Loarie plans to attend Indiana University in the fall, according to his family.

Message from family: "We are very proud of Scott’s hard work and dedication over the past four years at HP high school."

Lucas Craig Absler, Highland Park High School

Absler was a member of the HPHS varsity diving and gymnastics teams and a member of Link Crew. He plans to major in human physiology and pre-med at the University of Iowa, according to his family.

Message from family: "We couldn’t be more proud of you! We love you so much! Can’t wait to watch you fly! Mama and Dados"

Maddie Szackamer, Highland Park High School

Szackamer plans to study pre-med and neuroscience at Tulane University in New Orleans, according to her family. She was a member of the HPHS poms, gymnastic, dance and diving teams.

Message from family: "Congratulations Maddie! We are so proud of you and love you so much! Roll Wave!"

Dex Strongin, Highland Park High School

Strongin, who plans to attend Michigan State University in the fall, is interested in engineering, sports and fitness, according to his family.

Message from family: "We are so proud of you Dex! We love you and look forward to all of your continued success!"

Laney Smith, Highland Park High School

Smith, who intends to studying at Indiana University in the fall, participated in poms and dance at HPHS, according to her family.

Message from family: "Our heartiest congratulations to our graduate. We are so proud of you and look forward to your days ahead at Indiana."

Reid Pearlman, Highland Park High School

Pearlman plans on attending the University of Iowa in the fall, according to his family.

Message from family: "We love you always and forever!! So proud of you! Congrats!! Xoxo your Family"

Sophie Wolle, Rochelle Zell Jewish High School

Wolle, who plans on attending Emory University in Atlanta, was the co-editor of the yearbook and the co-editor and a founding member of "The Stripe" student newspaper, according to her family. She also studied ballet at the North Shore School of Dance.

Message from family: "Congratulations Sophie and the Class of 2020! We wish this was the way you and your friends hoped it would be but we know things will shine bright in your future. We love you and are so proud!"

Gabrielle "Gabby" Matthews, Highland Park High School

Matthews plans to attend the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point and study animal biology and environmental science, according to her family. At HPHS, she was on the honor roll for scholarship and leadership, a member of the softball team, the sailing club and the ski and snowboard club.

Message from family: "Congratulations Gabby! We are excited for your bright future! Lots of love, Mom, Dad, Hannah, Sarah & Blue"

E.J. Bradford, Deerfield High School

Bradford plans to attend the school of education at DePaul University in the fall. She took part in theater, child development and volunteering while attending DHS, according to her family.

Message from family: "We are all SO proud of all that you have accomplished! And especially the grace with which you dealt with the disappointments of missing all the important events of your senior year! You inspire us to be better people!"

Casey Hughes, Highland Park High School

Hughes intends to study at the University of Texas of Austin in the fall, according to her family.

Message from family: "Congratulations Casey. We're extremely proud of everything you accomplished at HPHS and can't wait to see what you do at UT! HOOK 'EM 2024!"

Highland Park Patch Honors Graduating Seniors In Class Of 2020:
Part One
Part Two
Part Three

Patch congratulates the entire class of 2020. Submissions are presented in the order they were received. To add another local graduate to the list, fill out the form here.