Geneva DECA Students Knock It Out of the Park in State; 3 Qualify for International Competition

Geneva DECA students show their skills in business and marketing, not only to Illinois, but to the world.

Among the many, often-under-recognized achievements in Geneva are the awards, accolades and competitive drive of students in the high school's DECA program. DECA stands for, or at least used to stand for, Distributive Education Clubs of America, a high school club focused on business and marketing. Geneva High School DECA students on Monday (April 10, 2013) received the Tradition of Excellence Award from the Geneva School Board in recognition of some very impressive achievements. Three students have qualified for international competition coming up in a couple weeks in California. DECA State Competition — International Qualifiers Andrew Thomas — Illinois State Officer, Senior Management Institute; 1st Place Business Finance; 3rd Place …

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GHS Students Honored WIth Tradition of Excellence Awards

The Tradition of Excellence Awards are the highest honor of achievement recognition by the Geneva School Board.

Geneva High School Principal Tom Rogers presented students to the Board of Education in recognition oftheir accomplishments. Students receiving the Tradition of Excellence Award included: Girls’ Cross Country – State Qualifiers: Kathryn Adelman, McKenzie Altmayer, Jordan Andersen, Kassidy Donohue, Sydney Gelis, McKenna Happold, Marin Leone, Laura Marschitz, Emma McSpadden, Kylie Monahan, Brooke Nusser and Mackenzie Williams. The team was the Upstate 8 Conference champion, won the regional crown, and placed third in sectionals. At the IHSA Class 3A State meet, all of the girls achieved a personal best time and the team placed sixth in state. Boys’ Cross Country – State Qualifier: Michael Bianchina. Bianchina placed third at sectionals …

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Q&A: Geneva's Garrett Lance Talks About Being a White House Intern

How have Garrett Lance's experiences in Geneva helped him become a White House intern? Read on.

If you've ever considered your 6 degrees of separation from President Barack Obama, well, we've got good news. You probably can shave that down to 2 degrees, thanks to Geneva's Garrett Lance. It's not that Garrett's rubbing elbows with the president every day, but he is serving as a White House intern through December. We caught up with him via the proper channels, and he was kind enough to return the following Q&A.   How did you land the internship? I applied to the White House Internship Program last spring. I was very excited when I received my acceptance.      What experiences will you take from Geneva that you can apply in D.C.? I think that, overall, Geneva is an engaged community. That local perspective is important when interning …

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Geneva's Allessandra West's Music-Learning Project Is Finalist in National Science Fair

St. Peter School student and now Geneva High School freshman Allessandra West is a Broadcom Foundation and the Society for Science finalist and will compete in Washington, D.C.

Allessandra West, 13, of Geneva has the distinction of being a semifinalist in the Broadcom MASTERS National Science Fair Competition. Broadcom Foundation and the Society for Science announced the 300 students from the United States and Puerto Rico selected to compete for a trip to Washington, D.C., and a $25,000 scholarship. Only eight students from Illinois made the semifinals. West competed in the science fair at St. Peter School in Geneva, when she was in eighth grade. She received 100 percent on her project and hers was one of eight projects that moved on to the regional competition. The Illinois Junior Academy of Science Region V Science and Engineering Fair took place March 17, 2012, at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. There…

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St. Peter Students attend Leadership Day at Holocaust Museum

Eighth-graders learn from survivors.

Three eighth-graders from St. Peter School in Geneva attended a Student Leadership Day at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, IL, in March. With their teacher Jeanne VanLandeghem, Brenna Barrett, Natalie Blank, and Sam Hendrian gathered with other eighth-graders from 22 Chicago-area schools. The students met in groups to discuss issues shared by all schools. They toured the museum and were given the opportunity to have lunch with Holocaust survivors.  After lunch, the Holocaust survivors shared their stories. A keynote speaker followed who was a survivor of the war in her country of Bosnia. Students were challenged to come up with an action plan to take back to their respective schools. The St. Peter students were…

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3 Sophomores Earn Honors as GHS March 2012 Students of the Month

If this month's list is any measure, Geneva High School has a lot to look forward to in the coming years!

  Here are the sophomores from the list of GHS March 2012 Students of the Month. Additional stories on Geneva Patch honor the seniors, junior and freshmen who made this month's list.   George Keenan, Grade 10 Nominated by Jen Jackson George Keenan is my student of the month, because he is a truly exceptional student. He has a positive attitude and an amazing work ethic. He is attentive and an active participant in class. Regardless of how challenging something might be, George commits to it and works hard until he succeeds. I look forward to seeing George each day. He is a role model for his classmates. He sets an example that both his teachers and peers can learn from daily.   Kevin Riordan, Grade 10 Nominated by Lynn Fors I am honored to…

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March 2012 GHS Students of the Month—Junior Tom Feltenberger

Just one junior in the March GHS students of the month. It's Tom Feltenberger!

  Congratulations to Tom Feltenberger, the lone junior on the list of March GHS Students of the Month!   Tom Feltenberger, Grade 11 Nominated by Sue Nagle It has been my pleasure to have Tom Feltenberger in both my U.S History and Government classes this year. Tom is a diligent and conscientious student, with a great interest in politics, current affairs and life around him in general. He is a very well-informed young man, willing to stand up for what he believes. He always contributes to class with his outside knowledge and insight, and he asks intelligent questions. He is concerned about his fellow students and is often seen helping those who need it. Tom has a great sense of justice and fairness, and strives to make the world a better …

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March 2012 GHS Students of the Month—Seniors

These are the students who earn notice for attitude, hard work, participation and academic excellence. They truly are students of the month, every month.

  Here are the seniors on the list of Geneva High School March Students of the Month. See the junior, sophomores and freshmen in additional stories later this week!   Elijah Wesley, Grade 12 Nominated by Libby Grubaugh, Leslie Conklin and Cathy Wade It is our pleasure to nominate Elijah Wesley for Student of the Month. As part of a classroom volunteer position, Elijah accompanies students from Ms. Amy Singer’s Functional Reading class to the GHS library to check out library books. It is obvious from the moment we see them crossing the Viking Commons that the students are thrilled to be with Elijah, as their faces literally are glowing with excitement. Elijah has an easy manner, making students feel like “buddies going to the library …

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Whiz Kids

Whiz Kid Update: Alex Simko, Allergy Advocate (Part 2!)

The rising GHS junior and her mother attended a bill signing ceremony for the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act.

Most mothers of high school students are lucky to get a nice note and a Starbucks gift card on their birthdays.   But on Mary Lenahan’s birthday—Aug. 15—she watched Gov. Pat Quinn sign into law a bill that she and her daughter, Alex Simko, 16, have been advocating for since its inception. “I couldn’t believe the signing actually happened on my birthday. It was a wonderful way to spend it,” Lenahan said. The bill was the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, which would allow school nurses to keep undesignated Epi-Pens in a First Aid kit in case a student has an allergic reaction.  It was inspired by 13-year-old Katelyn Carlson, who died in December, when she went into anaphylactic shock after eating Chinese food cooked with peanut …

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Geneva Whiz Kids

Whiz Kids: 250 Geneva Whiz Kids Grow in Leadership While Planting Trees

More than 250 fifth-graders and high school students work together to beautify the high school.

There's no age requirement to be a whiz kid. Whether you're an artistic third-grader or a brilliant high-school senior, Geneva is full of outstanding students. And this spring, more than 250 whiz kids of all ages banded together to beautify Geneva Community High School, planting a mixture of trees and shrubs—60 of them in 60 minutes.   "The kids dug with their hands in the dirt," said Gwen Gelfuso, who organized the project. "Mr. Rogers said, 'You're not going to leave me with a mess, are you?' I said, 'No, sir!' And we didn't." Gelfuso is the coordinator for High Elements, a districtwide mentorship program that pairs fifth-grade students with high schoolers who share their interests. This is the program's fourth year running, and the …

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