Distinguished Alumni Awards
Distinguished Alumni Award
NOMINATIONS OPENED FEBRUARY 1, 2024 A project of the Community High School District 94 Educational Foundation.
ELIGIBILITY
The nominee must:
- Be a graduate of Community High School District 94 at least 10 years prior to nomination,
- Be distinguished by exceptional accomplishments in academics, the arts, athletics, business, community service, the environment, human rights, justice, law, medicine, research, science, or technology.
- Demonstrate a strength of character and service to humanity that goes beyond the boundary of career.
- Be available by phone, email, or in person for interview by the selection committee,
- Attend the Distinguished Alumni Award Ceremony and interact with WCCHS students in a class, forum, seminar, or assembly,
- Submit a current photo.
GUIDELINES FOR NOMINATING STATEMENT
A completed nomination includes a one-page statement that describes how your candidate fulfills the award criteria.
Please address the following points and provide specific examples in your statement of support for the candidate:
- How has the candidate contributed to his or her vocational field in an extraordinary way?
- Describe the breadth and depth of the candidate’s involvement in volunteer service.
- How has the candidate acted as a pioneer or leader?
- How has the candidate engaged or empowered others?
**Please provide contact information for 3 Character References.
ALL NOMINATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY MAY 1st.
Incomplete nominations will not be considered.
If no candidate meets the stated criteria, the award will not be given for that cycle.
QUESTIONS?? PLEASE CALL Sherry Bowne: 630-890-9716 or email: sherrybowne@gmail.com
Previous Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award winners:
2008 | Kirk Johnson | Class of 1998 | Human Rights | Founded non-profit The List Project to relocate Iraqi War translators and their families. |
2009 | Pam Kuhl Davis | Class of 1967 | Justice | Initiated FBI investigation into Gov. Rod Blagojevich corruption scandal, CEO Edward Hospital. |
2010 | Michael Lach | Class of 1986 | Education | Founding member of Teach for America and official in U.S. Dept. of Education Race to the Top initiative. |
2010 | Tom Marziani | Class of 1943 | Entrepreneurship | Lifetime devotion to economic and community development of West Chicago. |
2011 | Butch Hansen | Class of 1955 | Education | Lifetime personal and professional commitment to CHS students and staff. |
2011 | Scott Dierking | Class of 1973 | Athletics | Brought national acclaim to CHS as a running back for Purdue University and the New York Jets. |
2014 | Beth Barrett | Class of 1986 | Visual Arts | Building bridges of cultural tolerance and understanding through international film. |
2015 | Ray Stejskal | Class of 1982 | Community Service | Uses his celebrity status as Ramblin' Ray Stevens on country radio US 99.5 to serve on not-for-profit boards of trustees and raise money for charities. |
2016 | Chris Voelz | Class of 1966 | Athletics | Co-authored the NCAA Guidelines for Gender Equity in Intercollegiate Athletics in 1992, rose to leadership positions at the university level, and was named one of the most influential people in sports in the nation by Sports Fitness Magazine. |
2018 | Bruce Guevara | Class of 2006 | Entrepreneurship | Started his own business at age 26, training children, teens, adults, and police officers in the safe restraint and escape techniques of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. |
2018 | Don Stockton | Class of 1979 | Academic Leadership | With his personal commitment to see all students succeed and vital support staff advance to faculty positions, Superintendent Stockton initiated programs that catapulted Conroe Independent School District to the 13th largest in Texas and the 65th largest in the nation. |
2019 | Abe Mashal | Class of 1998 | Justice | Abe Mashal is a successful entrepreneur who was put on the FBI's No-Fly List in 2010 presumably due to his Muslim religion. Refusing to serve as an informant to get off the list, Abe instead enlisted the ACLU to assist other victims, winning their case in 2014. |
2019 | Rachel Moguel | Class of 2003 | Immigration Law | As a 5 year old immigrant child arriving in the U.S. in 1991, Rachel saw first hand the fears of children during ICE raids and family separations. Focusing on schoolwork to forget her fears, Rachel's dedication earned her entrance to the University of Wisconsin. Rachel became an immigration law attorney in 2010 and opened her own law firm in 2011, advocating for lawful status for her clients and family unification. |
2022 | Karina Villa | Class of 1996 | Public Policy | When Karina Villa reflects on the results of the 2016 General Election, the word “heartbreak” crosses her lips. Instead of asking, “Who is going to do something?”, she made up her mind to run for State Representative for Illinois District 49. There was one problem. No Democrat, let alone a Latina, had ever been elected to represent Illinois District 49. |
2022 | Matthew Potts | Class of 1997 | Humanitarian Aid |
It is said that the arc of the moral universe doesn’t bend itself. One must get involved. Matthew Potts, owner of the language school he founded in Chrzanow, Poland, did just that after Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, and Vladimir Putin’s cluster bombs fell from the skies. He went to work to help the women, men and children in villages just across the border and those who fled to Chrzanow. |
2023 | Sarah Toney | Class of 1996 | Restorative Justice | During high school at West Chicago Community District 94, Sarah Toney gained valuable experience in Future Business Leaders of America, the French Foreign Exchange Program, and the Track & Field Team. She was a member of National Honor Society, the Honor Roll and was elected Class Treasurer. She credits the Government Simulation Program, where she was elected Minority Floor Leader by her peers, with opening her eyes to the real possibility of changing things for the better. |