Rotary Club of Wilmette Awards 2016 High School Scholarships

WILMETTE, Ill., June 2, 2016 – The Rotary Club of Wilmette awarded 2016 scholarships to five outstanding students from New Trier, Loyola Academy and Regina Dominican High Schools. The ceremony was attended by winning students, parents and Rotary Club members.

For 35 years, the Rotary Club of Wilmette honored local students with academic scholarships. Nominations come from their college counselors who praise students for leadership, responsibility, work ethic, creativity and making the world a better place to live. They exemplify Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self.”

From New Trier High School, Grace Murphy is full of positive energy. Academically, she’s taken rigorous honors courses. Her service activities include church trips to Kentucky and working with special needs students. Murphy will attend the University of Vermont and plans a career in speech pathology.

New Trier’s Matthias Zajdela was born in France, adjusted rapidly to English, takes advanced classes in every subject and finds time for track and cross-country. He also volunteers with the Boys & Girls Club, his church and the Misericordia Heart of Mercy Ball. Zajdela will study civil engineering at the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana, hoping to develop safe water systems in Africa or Latin America. His scholarship is named after Jack Lehman, a past president of this club.

From Regina Dominican, Kelsey Norton–Nunez likes science and neuroscience and hopes to pursue a psychology degree at DePauw University. She volunteers with her church at soup kitchens and mission trips, one to Washington. D.C. helping residents clean their communities. Kelsey loves theater and volunteers at Northlight.

At Loyola Academy, James “Jimmy” Stanton’s counselor calls him determined, hard working, and intensely studious. He accepted every academic challenge including all AP courses permitted while leading the student council for two years. His service activities include Appalachian Folk Life trips, tutoring young refugees, enrichment for young children and working with seniors. He took a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, to help sick travelers seeking relief from pain or cures for major illnesses or disabilities. Stanton plans to study accounting at the University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana.

Also from Loyola, Thalin DiPaolo treasures family and greatly grieved his dad’s death three years ago. He honors his father by making proud decisions. In service, he coaches grade-school football, participates in Loyola’s service and leadership club, tutors underprivileged children and volunteers at Misericordia Home. Thalin will attend DePaw University in Indiana.

The Rotary Club of Wilmette was founded in 1924 and conducts international, community, vocational, youth and club service projects. Members meet noon Wednesdays at McCormick & Schmick’s Restaurant in Old Orchard. For information, check www.wilmetterotary.org.

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Photo-caption: (from left) The Rotary Club of Wilmette's Jackie Granat presented 2016 high school scholarships to Kelsey Norton-Nunez, Grace Murphy, Matthias Zajdela, James "Jimmy" Stanton and Thalin DePaolo, accompanied by club president Jim Hardee. ###