Buffalo Grove High School

Graduates in Class of 2020: 460

Graduation Speakers: Student, Marcin Czaplinski; staff, Jeff Grybash

Class Officers: Brooke Wilkinson (President), Noah Smith (Vice President), Rachel Sowa (Treasurer), Kendra Lee (Secretary)

National Merit Finalist: Nicholas Castaneda

National Merit Commended Scholars: Alexander Archie, Catherine Cabrera, Kelly Duong, Allison Feder, Nathan Finkelshteyn, Laurel Hart, Sydney Jackson, Nathaniel Leichsenring, David Lender, Jasmine Luethy, Cameron MacMahon, Sriman Narayanan, Tyler Oddo, Stephanie Panzica, Alannah Rodrigues, Sanskar Siddharth, Rachel Sowa, Isaac Wahout, Martin Waz, Anna Wymoczyl, David Yoon, Laurynas Zavistanavicius.

National Hispanic Scholars: Catherine Cabrera, Nicholas Castaneda, Annabelle McCombs.

36 ACT and/or 800 SAT scores: Nicholas Castaneda, Kelly Duong, Sunghyun Hwang, Madison Morelli, Alannah Rodrigues, Sanskar Siddharth, Dagmara Sobolak, Isaac Wahout, David Yoon, Allison Zyck.

Athletic achievements:

• Boys Cross Country: Grant Wasielewski, sectional qualifier

• Boys Soccer: IHSA Regional Champions; MSL All-Conference: Alex Berk, Marcin Czaplinski, Ryan Kim, Adam Sempoch

• Girls Golf: Alisa Patel, sectional qualifier

• Football: Mark Antonetti and Max Oberman, MSL All-Conference

• Girls Swimming/Diving: Vivian Wilson, state qualifier diving (third straight year and school diving record holder)

• Coed Cheerleading: MSL Coed Champions, sectional champions, qualified for state and finished in the Top 10 for the 10th straight year (fourth this year)

• Girls Bowling: MSL Conference Champions, regional champions, sectional champions, state qualifiers, 11th in state; Rebecca Howard, MSL Conference Champion, 13th in state

• Girls Basketball: MSL East Co-Champions; Kendra Lee, MSL All-Conference and MSL East Player of the Year; Macy Floro, MSL All-Conference

• Boys Basketball: MSL East Champions; record for threes with 236; highest free-throw percentage in a season with 75.2%; Nate Cole, Matt Brunelli, Tyler Kipley, MSL All-Conference.

• Girls Gymnastics: Dagmara Sobolak, IHSA State qualifier on uneven bars, 14th in state

• Wrestling: Alejandro Mejia, MSL Champion, regional champion, 4th at sectional, state qualifier; Gio Jackson, MSL Champion, regional champion, sectional champion, state qualifier and 5th in state

Extracurricular achievements:

• ILMEA, Illinois Music Educators Association State Qualifiers: Olivia Clark, All State Choir

• DECA, 40 state qualifiers to the Illinois DECA state competition: Frank Adams, Zori Angelova, Alex Dahl, Sydney Jackson, Tyler Kipley, Nick Krolikowski, Ryanne Lee, David Lender, Madison Morelli, Maddie Morrison, Alannah Rodrigues, Jake Salzman, Mia Shiakallis, Sanskar Siddharth, Noah Smith, Dagmara Sobolak, Alex Solberg, Rachel Sowa, Isaac Wahout

• Chess: IHSA state qualifying team, Ramyar Taha and Justin Wytmar

• Academic Challenge Team (formerly WYSE): Third at regionals

• Scholastic Bowl: MSL East Champions. third at Illinois State Masonic Sectional, Justin Wytmar named to All-Sectional and All-State Scholastic Bowl team.

• Speech IHSA Regional individuals: Allie Zyck, regional champion Informative and Impromptu Speaking; Nolan Son, regional champion Radio Speaking; Kelly Duong, second in Original Oratory

• Math Team: Second in division at conference, entire team qualified for state. Senior members were Nick Castaneda, Sunny Hwang, Connor MacMahon, Alannah Rodrigues, Sanskar Siddharth, Isaac Wahout

• Orchesis: Dance "I'm Sorry" choreographed by senior Michelle Oku qualified for the Illinois State Dance Showcase in May. Senior participants were Brooke Wilkinson and Lily Noonan.

• Blue Crew School Spirit group selected to the Final Four of the IHSA Student Section Showdown for the second time in three years.

• Art: Angella Lee, third place in prose in Daily Herald Art and Writing Competition.

• BGHS Music Department won Support Music Merit Award from the NAMM foundation (National Association of Music Merchants) for the Best Community for Music Education

Theater productions: Fall Play: "The Amish Project" by Jessica Dickey (also selected to perform at the State Illinois High School Theatre Festival at Illinois State University); Winter Play: "The Heidi Chronicles" by Wendy Wasserstein

Homecoming King and Queen: Amar Bumanzul and Kendra Lee

Homecoming theme: Homecoming 2019, "A Production by Bernie"

What was new for the Class of 2020: New music wing constructed (opened January 2019) includes Orchestra and Band rooms along with several practice rooms; new field house floor (opened November 2018); new stadium entrance and restroom facility (opened August 2018); renovation of library and addition of breakout rooms (opened August 2018).

Notable visitors: Mike Smith, Josten's Harbor and X-Games

Principal's reflections on the Class of 2020: The Class of 2020 had the vision to lead our school to unity among the student body over the course of the past four years. They brought us to a place where our entire community believes we are Stronger Together. We have seen the impact of this vision within our school community even during this time, as students and staff are creating PPE for local first responders and health care providers, fashion students are sewing masks for Senior Citizen centers, and families in need are receiving food and gift cards to carry them through these difficult times. I am so proud of the legacy of this senior class, and incredibly grateful for leaving us a better community than when they began as freshmen.

- Principal Jeff Wardle