LHS Senior Cited As Honorable Mention For All-State Academic Team

LEMONT, IL — Lemont High School senior Natalie Palarz has been cited as an honorable mention selection to the 2018-19 IHSA All-State Academic Team, sponsored by Caterpillar. The school said hundreds of student-athletes from across the state were nominated for consideration by their schools. Palarz is just the fifth Lemont student athlete to be named to either the all-state team or as an honorable mention selection.

The IHSA’s 2018-19 All-State Academic Team includes 26 student athletes - 13 male and 13 female - who embody what it means to take advantage of the entire high school experience, according to the school. In addition to those 26 honored students, 50 more are cited as honorable mention picks. The All-State Academic Team will be honored at a banquet in Bloomington on April 15.

Every IHSA member school is invited to nominate one female student and one male student for consideration for the All-State Academic Team. The school said nominees must possess a minimum 3.50 cumulative grade point average; have participated in at least two IHSA sponsored sports or activities as juniors and seniors; and have demonstrated outstanding citizenship.

LHS said Palarz masterfully has balanced academics, athletics and extra-curricular activities during her prep career. She has accumulated a grade point average of better than 4.50 while consistently enrolled in the most challenging courses the school offers; half of her eight classes this semester are Advanced Placement courses. She earned AP Scholar accolades, thanks to her performance on AP exams through her junior year, and was cited as an Illinois State Scholar.

Palarz is also a three-year member of head coach Tim Plotke’s cross country and track and field programs, the school said. She has been involved in Junior Achievement four years, serving as an officer as a junior and senior. She is a three-year member of the Mathletes team, and recently helped the squad to its second straight team state finals berth. Palarz has earned induction to the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta. Additionally, she has served on the Student Council and the school’s Link Crew, and is a member of the Technology Student Association.