Page 145 - 2018 B2SI Recap Binder
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Media Contact:
Jeff Salzgeber | 773.961.8097 jeff@radiantmediagroup.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ELEVEN OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CHOSEN TO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS FROM NON-PROFIT BACK 2 SCHOOL ILLINOIS
CHICAGO, May 2018 — Back 2 School Illinois (www.b2si.org) is pleased to announce eleven deserving high school students as recipients of its 2018 College Scholarship program. The non-profit organization, which creates and supports educational opportunities that enrich the lives of Illinois children, awarded $2,500 cash grants to the college-bound seniors, based on each student’s demonstrated leadership skills in both their school and community life as well as their
academic achievement. This year’s scholarships were provided through the generous funding of the Community Currency Exchange Association of Illinois, the Tufano Family, Payline Data, Kits for Kidz and the Hugo Sonnenschein III Charitable Fund.
Back 2 School Illinois’ 2018 scholarship recipients, selected by B2SI Education Director, Dr. Christopher Palmi, are: Omar Roma (Elk Grove), Sihguat Torres, Jr. (East Aurora), Isabel Gleason (Grant Park), Patrick Baartz (Waukegan), Kristy Liu (Chicago), Tifani Panek (Chicago), Janessa Knapp (Fairbury), Makiya Caldwell (Richton Park), Charlotte Phillipp (Chicago), Olivia Butts (Chicago) and Hannah Glass (Chicago).
“Education is the key to America’s future, and these scholarships will help unlock brighter futures for deserving and dedicated students here in Illinois,” says Matthew Kurtzman, B2SI CEO. “Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, Back 2 School Illinois has been able to provide over 30 scholarships in the past few years.”
The scholarship awardees were honored at Back 2 School Illinois’ annual fundraising dinner, held earlier this month at Galleria Marchetti.
Here is more information on each of the 2018 Back 2 School Illinois award recipients:
Omar Roma is a recent graduate from Elk Grove High School, where he graduated with a 4.41GPA (4.0 scale).
Some of Omar’s academic achievements include Student of the Quarter, Best Debate Novice Award, Honor Roll all four years, Best Junior Varsity Debate Award, Best Presiding Officer in a Debate Tournament in the Illinois Congressional Debate Association, AP Scholar Award by the College Board (Summer ’17) and Reflecting Excellence Scholarship Awardee by Reflejos Publications 2017. Omar’s Math team also took First Place in the North Suburban Math League.
Outside of the classroom, Omar played on the varsity tennis team, was a member of the Spanish Honor Society, and served as a Mastery Lab Tutor. Omar was employed as a tennis instructor and basketball


































































































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