Friday Focus
Recognition
Class of 2022 Honors Graduates
Congratulations to the Class of 2022 seniors graduating with honors.
Petty Officer 1st Class Mike Gielczyk, a native of Mundelein, Illinois, serves the U.S. Navy at Assault Craft Unit Five (ACU-5) operating out of San Diego, California.
Gielczyk joined the Navy eight years ago. Today, Gielczyk serves as an electronics technician.
“I joined the Navy as part of family tradition,” said Giełczyk. “I’m the twelfth person in my family to join the Navy. We consider it a family business.”
Growing up in Mundelein, Gielczyk attended Mundelein High School and graduated in 2008. Today, Gielczyk uses the same skills and values learned in Mundelein to succeed in the military.
“Coming from a military family, I was conditioned to commit to hard work,” said Gielczyk. “It’s a requirement in order to be successful in anything you do in life.”
Located on a Marine Corps base, ACU-5 is a self-sustained command established in 1983 and encompasses 34 buildings across shore and sea-components including a control tower, eight hangars, a 100,000-gallon fuel storage-and-supply facility, a HAZMAT storage and collection center and a 50-acre flight apron. ACU-5 is composed of over 600 Sailors and 30 Civilians that train, maintain, repair and operate the 32 Navy hovercraft, Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC).
The Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) is a high-speed, over-the-beach fully amphibious landing craft, capable of carrying up to a 75-ton payload. It is used to transport the weapons systems, equipment, cargo and personnel from ship to shore and across the beach. LCAC can carry heavy payloads, such as an M-1 tank, at high speeds. The air cushion technology allows this vehicle to reach more than 70 percent of the world’s coastline, while only about 15 percent of that coastline is accessible by conventional landing craft.
With more than 90 percent of all trade traveling by sea, and 95 percent of the world’s international phone and internet traffic carried through fiber optic cables lying on the ocean floor, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity and security of the United States is directly linked to a strong and ready Navy.
Gielczyk and the sailors he serves with have many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during their military service.
“My wife and daughter are my greatest accomplishments,” said Gielczyk. “They are the reason and motivation for everything I do.”
As Gielczyk and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the United States Navy.
“Serving in the Navy wasn’t ever a question for me,” added Gielczyk. “I always knew I’d serve my country in some capacity.”
Activities
Graduation speech submission
SUBMIT SPEECHES HERE: Grad speech submission
My Inspirational Teacher Essay Contest
To celebrate educators around the 26th Senate District, I am writing to request your encouragement of Mundelein High School students to participate in the 2022 My Inspirational Teacher Essay Contest. Students in grades 6-12 are invited to write an essay of 250-500 words on their most appreciated teachers. This year’s contest celebrates how teachers positively impact their students’ lives with the theme: How My Teacher Inspires Me.
Winners: High School essay competition winners will be selected for each grade of 9-12. Junior High School/Middle School essay competition winners will be selected for each grade of 6-8. Each winning essay will be posted on senatormcconchie.com and excerpts from the winning essays will be on display at a future date in the Illinois State Capitol.
All participating teachers and students will be invited to Senator McConchie’s district office in Lake Zurich on Tuesday, May 3, during Teacher Appreciation Week (May 2-6) for an awards ceremony and reception from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Grand Prize winners: A high school and a junior high school/middle school grand prize winner will be selected from the winning essays. Each high school and junior high school/middle school grand prize winner will be awarded a $500 Amazon gift card to be used for educational supplies.
For additional details on my 2022 Teacher Appreciation Week Essay Contest, please visit senatormcconchie.com.
Thank you for your hard work to educate and motivate students. You serve as a role model that might not otherwise be available in each student’s daily routine. Educators such as yourself are guiding our young people to grow into the future. I look forward to reading about all the ways Illinois teachers inspire their students!
Sincerely,
Dan McConchie
Illinois State Senator
College & Career
Athletics
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| Softball game night |
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| Softball game night |
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| Softball game night....for the championship |
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| Softball game night |
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| Softball game night |
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| Softball game night |
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| Boys Volleyball box jumping |
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| Boys Volleyball |
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| Boys Volleyball vs Palatine |
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| Boys Water Polo |
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| Girls Frosh Soccer getting ready for game |
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| Frosh soccer vs Grayslake Central |
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| Frosh soccer vs Grayslake Central |
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| Frosh soccer takes time to practice El Baile dance |
Photos from the Week
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| Celebrating a victory: Sreya Kannappan '25 and Shruthi Menon '25 pose together after receiving their 4th place medals for a competition against other members in Science Olympiad.- Brianna Richards ‘22 |
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| During an intense boys lacrosse game on Tuesday, March 29 in the home stadium, Tyler Mann '22 sprints across the field towards the goal to help score a point for the Mustangs.- Alexandra Brimmer ‘22 |
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| During the second period on Wednesday, March 30, Caitlyn Ekstrom '23 & Elizabeth Fritz '22 listen to Ms. Klemstein's presentation in the auditorium about being an author.- Ashley Wolverton ‘23 |
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| While trying to defend the Mustangs on Tuesday, March 29, Logan Hansen '23 guards the ball from the opposing team. - Georgia Bousis ‘22 |
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| On home field advantage, Joshua Licter ´25 faces off against Barrington to kick off the start of third quarter of the game on Tuesday, March 29.- Keely Murphy ‘22 |