Lipinski Names 2020 All-American Boy And Girl Winners

LOCKPORT, IL — Several students from the Homer Glen and Lockport area were among a group of local students recently recognized by Congressman Dan Lipinski. As part of Lipinski's “All-American Boy and Girl Program," an award ceremony was held at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills.

According to a release, the 100 finalists recognized at the event were selected from a group of over 1,000 applicants. The finalists underwent formal interviews with a panel of judges, who then selected first, second and third place winners in each category. Criteria for the award included academic achievement, community involvement and extracurricular activities.

“I’m proud of the tradition we’ve set with the All-American Boy & Girl program, which was started by my father in the late 1960s to recognize the young men and women in our district who are doing the right thing, helping those who need it most, working hard to earn good grades, and getting involved in extracurricular activities at their schools and in their communities,” Lipinski said in a release. “This extraordinary group of young people gives me hope for the future. One of my favorite experiences as a Congressman is having people who were All American Boys & Girls come up to me years later to tell me what they’ve done with their lives and the successes they’ve had along the way. I am honored to celebrate the 2020 finalists and winners with their parents, teachers, family, and friends.”

The winners from Lockport included:

• Third place, seventh grade girls: Cecilia Leonard, St. Joseph school
• Second place, eighth grade girls: Julie Perretta, Homer Junior High
• First place, eighth grade boys: Sean Dusak, St. Joseph school

Each finalist was awarded a certificate for their hard work and superior applications. The 16 winners were given a framed certificate and a gift card, according to a release.