Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123 Recognizes Alumni in Semi-Annual E-Newsletter

Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123 launched D123 4-WARD, an E-Newsletter highlighting success stories from alumni, in May 2024. The District published its third edition of D123 4-WARD in May 2025, and plans to continue its production on a semi-annual basis.

District 123 is proud of its graduates and the variety of paths they have taken to success. From studying meteorology to learning about different cultures while studying abroad , D123 alumni are prepared to take on tomorrow's world.

Below are the stories from the May 2025 edition of D123 4-WARD and an online archive including previously recognized alumni can be found here.

Are you a District 123 graduate? Are you proud of your achievements? Submit your success story for possible inclusion in the next edition of D123 4-WARD. We would love to hear from you!

Matthew LaBonte

D123 Class of 2016

Elementary School: Sward Elementary School
Middle School: Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School
High School: Harold L. Richards High School
College: Northern Illinois University

In high school, Matthew LaBonte led the Richards boys' bowling team on varsity all four years, going to state for his sophomore, junior, and senior years. During his freshman year of college at McKendree University, he bowled on the varsity team. That year, they finished 6th in the nation, barely missing the TV show finals. He is most proud of his academic success while currently attending Northern Illinois University. LaBonte is pursuing a meteorology degree, and his stellar grades speak for his work ethic, finishing this year with all A’s. He was selected to participate in a research campaign with NIU to study hail this spring alongside his professor, other students, and scientists. Participating in studies like this one has been a long-time dream come true for LaBonte.

While looking back at his time at Sward Elementary, he enjoyed the end-of-year Field Days. He remembered spending an entire day participating in different activities across the school with his grade. He was always excited to see friends in other classrooms, and the teachers were always really interactive. Field days were memorable for LaBonte, and he always thought of them as a reward for everyone’s hard work throughout the year.

Makayla Henry

D123 Class of 2019

Elementary School: Kolmar Elementary School
Middle School: Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School
High School: Harold L. Richards High School & Lincoln Way Central High School
College: University of Iowa

Throughout Makayla Henry’s academic career, she received several accolades to be proud of, including her induction into the Science Honors Society, receiving the Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123 Helen Whalen Scholarship, cheerleading throughout high school, and her acceptance into the Therapeutic Recreation NCTRC (National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification) program at the University of Iowa to become a certified Recreational Therapist. She will complete her undergraduate degree with a Bachelor of Science in Therapeutic Recreation and a minor in Psychology. Currently, Henry works at Stead Family Children's Hospital, where she is a patient care associate for Circle School Inpatient Services. This program provides educational and socio-emotional learning opportunities to children hospitalized for psychological and behavioral concerns within the rehabilitation therapies department. She works with four teachers, a Recreational Therapist, and a Music Therapist while assisting individuals with completing homework from their schools, as well as working towards their individual needs. She also assists during recreational, music, and DBT therapy sessions.

“I am so thankful for D123 and all of the amazing teachers I had along the way. They truly helped build the foundation for me to succeed academically and personally. Mr. Creech welcomed me back to Kolmar to shadow two amazing Occupational Therapists, Ms. Cachares and Ms. Fisher. It was such a wonderful experience and made me even more excited to apply to OT graduate programs. I am so grateful to D123 for their continued support. The administration and staff genuinely want to help students succeed.” - Makayla Henry

Henry’s favorite memory from D123 was the Women in STEM Field Trip. It was a great opportunity to explore fields involving science, technology, engineering, and math at a young age. She remembers connecting with others interested in these topics and having fun while exploring different options in the STEM field.

Peyton Enderle

D123 Class of 2020

Elementary School: Sward Elementary School
Middle School: Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School
High School: Oak Lawn Community High School
College: Illinois State University

Peyton Enderle is currently a Marketing major at the Illinois State University (ISU) School of Business. He’s proud to share that he is a student-athlete, playing for the ISU Hockey Team, where he led his team in both goals scored and total points as a freshman. Before college and business school, Enderle’s journey started in District 123. He recognizes that his early years at Sward Elementary gave him the foundation that helped shape who he is today. Enderle is a proud graduate of the Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School Class of 2020 and the Oak Lawn Community High School (OLCHS) Class of 2024. He received a partial academic scholarship to attend ISU and acknowledges that the strong academic habits he built in District 123 played a big part in earning that opportunity.

One of Enderle’s favorite memories from his time at OLHMS was being part of the National Junior Honor Society. It was his first experience with leadership and community service, and it pushed him to grow beyond the classroom. He also ran on the OLHMS Cross Country Team, which taught him determination because running long distances was not easy.

“Balancing academics and athletics at ISU hasn’t always been easy either, but I’ve always relied on the work ethic and mindset I developed back in District 123. I remember teachers like Mrs. Abbott and Mrs. Coennen who encouraged me. They helped me become someone who’s not afraid to take on new challenges, whether it’s presenting in a business class or skating in front of a packed arena.” - Peyton Enderle

Looking ahead, Enderle is excited about where a Marketing degree will take him, possibly into sports marketing, brand management, or even launching something of his own. Whatever comes next, he’ll carry with him the pride of being from District 123 and the lessons he learned in the hallways at Sward and OLHMS.

Vivian Santiago

D123 Class of 2020

Elementary School: Mariano Azuela Elementary (CPS)
Middle School: Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School
High School: Marist High School
College: St. Xavier University

In Vivian Santiago’s junior year of high school, she was invited to join the National Honor Society due to her outstanding grades. During her senior year of high school, she had the opportunity to be a part of a student exchange program and travel to Argentina and Uruguay. She also received her biliteracy seal in Spanish. Now, Santiago is finishing her first year in college as a nursing major with a minor in Spanish and music.

Santiago’s favorite memory from D123 is her 7th-grade math class with Mrs. Rose. She still remembers how Mrs. Rose had creative ways for the class to engage, whether it was working in groups or dancing in class. Santiago also remembers how Mrs. Barlos was welcoming and understanding when she was a new incoming student in 7th grade.