Happy Homecoming 2017 Mustang Nation!
This week has been full of fun, outreach, and reminiscing. Between the dress up days, events like Powder Puff Football, and athletic competitions against our Waukegan HS, our Homecoming rival, there has been many exciting moments. Personally, I appreciated working with the MASC student group on their Homecoming float...great time! It is awesome to see students enjoying being together and enjoying being involved at MHS.
On Saturday at 10am, MHS is hosting Alumni Tours of the building for members of the Class of 1967, 1974, and 1997. Student tour guides will escort alumni around the building and ask them about stories of when they were here. As we practiced the tour and walked the tour route, it was funny to hear our students reactions when I mentioned to them what members of these classes would know or not know in the building. A lot has changed since these alumni were here at MHS. As always, everyone is welcome to attend.
Finally, for the first time I can remember in a long time, MHS will have a 10 minute fireworks show during the halftime of the Varsity game! Thank you to Student Government and MHS Athletics for their financial contributions to this new Homecoming tradition!
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| 10 minute firework display during Varsity Football Halftime! |
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| Homecoming Court Candidates |
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| Mr. Crespo & Dr. Kroll on Pajama Day! |
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| Pajama Day! |
Friday Focus!
Recognition
MHS senior selected as National Hispanic Scholar
Mundelein High School senior, Ricky Rodriguez, has been selected as a National Hispanic Scholar, sponsored by the College Board. The selection is similar in level to the National Merit Scholar program and is recognized by universities who will provide scholarships much like they do for National Merit finalists.
Rodriguez is the student body president at MHS along with being a drum major for the marching band. He is also a member of the Future Business Leaders of America [FBLA], National Honor Society [NHS], Model UN and Link Crew.
National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) was initiated in 1983, by the College Board to identify outstanding Hispanic high school students and to share information about these academically well-prepared students with subscribing colleges and universities.
In order to be eligible, students must be at least one-quarter Hispanic. Each year the NHRP identifies approximately 5,000 of the highest scoring students from a nationwide total of 250,000 high school juniors who took the PSAT/MNSQT and designated themselves as Hispanic as well as approximately 200 of the top scoring PAA students from Puerto Rico. The nationwide selection also includes students from Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and U.S. citizens attending international and APO schools.
Activities
The Marching MustangsThe Marching Mustangs participated in their first of two marching band festivals this past Saturday at the Wheaton North Falcon Festival. The band gave a great performance and placed 3rd in class AAA. The Marching Mustangs students will continue refining the festival show and will perform this Friday at the Homecoming football game.
MHS band honors past Marching Mustangs
It's Homecoming week and the MHS band is proud to honor past Marching Mustangs by hanging college pennants in the band room. Each pennant represents a college or university that currently has or has had a recent MHS graduate playing their instrument in that college ensemble. Recent grads, please stop by MHS and sign your school pennant!
Mustang Nation Spirit Store
If you are looking to get your #mundypride on, make sure to check out the MHS Spirit Store’s new merchandise. We have stocked many new items that are perfect for staying warm at sports games and showing off your school spirit. Visit the online store at mymustangnation.com to customize your spirit wear or visit the in-school store before and after school and during lunch periods. Go Mustangs!
STAND-UP Task Force
In August of 2007, after tragic accidents in Lake County that claimed the lives of teens due to underage drinking and other drug use, several local leaders in Mundelein including the Mundelein Police Department, Nicasa Behavioral Health Services, and the Lake County After School Coalition (LCASC), formed the Mundelein STAND-UP Task Force to prevent such incidents from occurring in Mundelein. During the course of the next 10 years, STAND-UP secured state and federal grant funding, including The Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Drug-Free Communities Grant, to address underage drinking and youth marijuana use and has made great successes in the community.
Deputy Police Chief Don Hansen and Mundelein STAND-UP Task Force Chairperson said he is proud of the tremendous effort put forth by STAND-UP members all of these years to prevent and reduce underage drinking and other drug use. “Mundelein is truly a community that comes together to keep teens healthy and safe by reducing access teens have to alcohol and other drugs and by educating the community about the health risks and other harms drug use can play in a child’s life. These initiatives have greatly contributed to our success as a community in achieving a decreased teen drinking rate over the past few years,” Hansen said.
According to the Illinois Youth Survey, since 2008, the percentage of high school students who reported drinking alcohol during the past 30 days decreased by 29%– down from 38% in 2008 to 27% in 2016. In addition, binge drinking (4-5 drinks in one session) also decreased significantly from 28% of high school seniors reporting binge drinking during the past 2 weeks in 2008 to 18% in 2016. 10th grade rates of binge drinking also decreased from 14% in 2008 to 5% in 2016. Similarly, fewer students reported using marijuana. In 2008, 14% of 10th grade students reporting using marijuana compared to 9% in 2016. The largest decrease for 12th grade marijuana use was from 2010 to 2016. In 2010, 25% of 12th graders reported using marijuana compared to 18% in 2016.
As STAND-UP gears up for the Homecoming season, Deputy Chief Hansen urges Mundelein parents to provide alcohol and drug-free places for teens to hang out so there are no incidents of underage drinking or other drug use and everyone arrives home safely after the weekend’s activities. According to Deputy Chief Hansen, “parents have the opportunity to keep their kids safe by making sure alcohol and other drugs are not accessible in their home over the Homecoming weekend, and throughout the year.”
Mundelein STAND-UP Invites All to Make a Difference by Joining the Movement
Although fewer Mundelein teens drink alcohol or use other drugs like marijuana, there is still work to be done. Underage drinking remains the number one drug of choice for Mundelein youth and poses a range of risks and negative consequences including damage to the still developing teen brain, increased risk for addiction and alcohol related problems, poor performance at school, risk of injury and death, and increased violence and sexual assaults. Marijuana use during the teen years can also permanently change the functions and structure of the still developing brain causing changes such as increased risk of mental health disorders, learning impairments and decreased academic performance, decreased problem solving capabilities, and difficulty with memory.
You can be a part of STAND-UP and help us achieve a healthy, safe, and drug-free Mundelein. Join us at an upcoming meeting to learn more, visit us at www.mundeleinstandup.org or contact Deputy Chief Don Hansen at (847) 968-3779. The Task Force meets the second Thursday of every month at the Mundelein Police Department from 8:30 am – 10:00 am. Meetings are free and open to the public.
*2016 Illinois Youth Survey results of 10th and 12th grade students in Mundelein (Mundelein High School and Carmel Catholic High School). N=1,104.
College and Career Resource Center
Visit the CCRC website for resources regarding college planning and financial aid including scheduled college representative visits and scholarship information: http://www.d120.org/academics/ccrc/default.aspxCheck the College Counseling Blog for articles about college planning: https://mhscollegecounselor.wordpress.com/
Follow our College Counselor on Twitter: @mundycollege
Service Academy Nomination Application
For students interested in attending a U.S. Service Academy (West Point, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, or U.S. Merchant Marine Academy), please remember you must apply for a nomination from Congressman Brad Schneider by October 15, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. More information about the application process is available on Congressman Schneider’s website at https://schneider.house.gov/services/military-academy-nominations.
Earlier this fall, a Service Academy Information Session was held at Mundelein High School, which was open to students throughout the 10th District. For those who were not able to attend the session, all the materials are available online.
If you have any questions about the nomination process, please contact me at (847) 383-4868 or Greg.Claus@mail.house.gov.
MHS to host Financial Aid Night Next Tuesday, Sept. 26
Mundelein High School’s Guidance Department will host its annual Financial Aid Night Tuesday, Sept. 26 for students and parents of college-bound students. The presentation will begin in Spanish at 6 p.m. and in English at 7:30 p.m. Both presentations will take place in the MHS Auditorium.
The program will provide information about the application process for college financial aid, where to find scholarship opportunities, important time frames and other helpful tips. The presentations will be made by Jhoanna Vega-Rocha, Illinois Student Assistance Commission representative.
MHS will also host a FAFSA Completion Workshop on Tuesday, Oct. 17, from 5 to 8 p.m., where families can attend and receive assistance completing their FAFSA applications.
Upcoming Visits and Events at MHS
PSAT Prep
Juniors -- the Math Lab and the Literacy Center are offering prep sessions for the Oct. 11 PSAT. Next sessions: Wed., Sept. 27 before school: Math Lab; after school: Literacy Center (DMR). Wed. Oct 4 before school: Math Lab. More information available in the Math Lab and Literacy Center.
Variety Show
Students -- We know you’ve got talent! Bring us the guitar pickin’-ist, lip sync and singing swinging-ist, dance and rap master slinging-ist best performers so we can applaud your talents at the November 2 Variety Show. Register online by Thursday, Sept. 21 on bit.ly/MHSVarietyShow2017 .
AP/Honors
Students in AP and honors classes can join a study group let by students who’ve completed the course. Ask your student to visit the Literacy Center for more information.
Athletics
Boys GolfMHS hosted the inaugural Lee Oler Invite and took first place.
Mundelein - 308, Niles West - 354, Wauconda - 396.
Individual Results: Mundelein - Colin Wade - 72, Josh Peterson - 78, Trevor Neumaier - 79, Huner Magee - 79
Boys Cross Country
Varsity boys win Warren Invite with 60 points. Robert St. Clair (4th), Mikey Parduhn (6th), and Carl Schoenfield (9th) led the way. F/S boys 2nd at Warren Invite! Dillon Blake individual champion!
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| 9-22-17 Boys Cross Country 1st place at Warren Invite. St. Clair 4th, Parduhn 6th and Schoenfield 9th. |
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| 9-22-17 Boys Cross Country frosh-second place at Warren Invite. Dillon Blake Individual Champion. |
Girls Cross Country
Great day at Warren invite! Had two runners in the top 10 and placed 4th out of 21 teams at F/S level! Other PRs, medals, and even an asking to HOCO!
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| 9-22-17 Great day for Girls Cross Country. 2 runners in the top 10 and the team placed 4th out of 21 teams at the frosh-soph level |
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| 5th Runner of the Week - Jeanelle Jimenez |
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| Girls Cross Country have a fun day with Apple relay races. Working on speed and good eats. |
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| Frosh Football defeats Waukegan |
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| Girls swimmers get ready vs Waukegan |
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| Girls Swimming looking to compete strong vs Waukegan |
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| Soccer defeats Warren |
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| Mundelein Teacher appreciation night with Girls Volleyball varsity team. |
Photos From The Week
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| MHS students spreading some positivity for Suicide Prevention Month and Homecoming. |
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| MHS students spreading some positivity for Suicide Prevention Month and Homecoming. |
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| Before the annual powderpuff game, Skylar Lucich '19 and Sophia Riportella '19 get ready to dominate on the field. Photo taken by Claire Kim |
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| The Junior class celebrates a touchdown at the homecoming week powderpuff game. Photo taken by Morgan Shurtz |
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| Nina Bowser 18' signs Cara Schaul's 18' scrubs at the Senior Girls Sleepover during Homecoming week. The girls socialized with each other and celebrated their Powderpuff victory and their final year of High School with yoga, pizza, snacks, and music. Photo taken by Gillian Beginski |
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| Caught in the spirit of their victory, the Senior girls celebrate their win against the Juniors in the Powderpuff game. Photo taken by Lindsay Nootbaar |
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| Braiding her hair, Margaret Franz '18 sits on the side of the MHS pool after doing a dive during warm ups of a dual meet against Waukegan High School on Sept. 19. Photo taken by Kyle Ehemann |