Class of 2017

Class of 2017 - Rising College Freshmen

Elshaday Abraham
Northwestern University

Born in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, Elshaday Abraham moved to Evanston at the age of three with her Mother, Father and older brother. Her favorite class at ETHS is AP Chemistry because she enjoys the rigorous work and the atmosphere an AP science class can offer. Elshaday has run track since her freshman year and has recently joined the cross country team in an effort to physically challenge herself. Elshaday would like to attend Northwestern University and study chemistry with the hopes of pursuing a career as a pharmacist.

Bahja Adam
Lake Forest College

Bahja Adam comes from The Sudan. She is the eldest of two sisters (see sister Marwa’s biography below), and she lives in Evanston with her mom, her sister, and her grandmother. Her favorite classes at ETHS are Math and English. She used to play tennis on the ETHS team. Her goal is to attend the University of Chicago and find a career that helps people. She is particularly interested in pharmacy and hopes to eventually work for the Red Cross.

Marwa Adam
Lawrence University

Marwa Adam and her sister Bahja (see biography above) moved to the US from the Sudan two years ago. Marwa’s favorite class at ETHS is English (ESL3), because she has learned so much in the class and her English has improved a lot. She also really likes her English teacher. Marwa does not play any sports because she is spending lots of time working on her English-speaking skills. She does like to play soccer in general. Marwa would like to be a heart surgeon in the future, and hopes to attend Harvard University.

Alfredo Arce
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Alfredo Arce is the son of Mexican immigrants who came to America to give their three kids a better future. Alfredo has two younger sisters. His favorite classes at ETHS are U.S History and Anatomy, because he enjoys learning about history a lot and is also drawn to understanding how the human body functions. Alfredo is part of the ETHS soccer team and enjoys helping out around the school any way he can. He hopes to attend a reputable college that will further his education in Health Sciences and History.

Tiara Beard
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Tiara Beard is part of a close-knit family with her Mom and her brother, who is currently attending Park School. Her favorite classes at ETHS are Japanese or Adventure Ed. She finds them both challenging and Tiara likes a challenge. She also loves the close community at ETHS because she feels like she can talk to anyone in her classes because she knows them either from the camping trip in Adventure Ed. or Japanese 3-4 classes. Tiara is involved in Anime Club, Chinese Club, and Video Games Club. Her career goal is to become a veterinarian. As far as college goes, Tiara is undecided on both a major or a school.

Josiah Berry
Bradley University

Josiah Berry has seven (7!) siblings! Her oldest brother is currently a junior in college at Rockhurst University. Josiah’s favorite class at ETHS is APUSH with Mr. Winchester because it's a class that challenges her mind. Josiah is also on the track team at ETHS. She would like to go to college out of state, and major in Psychology or Criminal justice. Her career goal it to either be a psychologist or a criminal prosecutor.

Abigail Campos
University of Illinois at Springfield

Armando Campos
University of Illinois at Chicago

Armando Campos is the son of Mexican parents and has two older sisters who attended Northeastern Illinois University. He also has a younger brother who attends Chute Middle School. His favorite class at ETHS is US History Honors, because he loves learning about history. Outside of the classroom he likes to play soccer, go out with friends, and play guitar. He hopes to attend a respectable college after high school and pursue a career in a teaching field.

Naissa Charles
Wheaton College

Naissa Charles is the daughter of two Haitian immigrants who came to the United States to seek better opportunities for their children. She has two older siblings. Her favorite class at ETHS is AP English. Not only does she enjoy learning the materials, but also she feels that she is becoming a more informed citizen. She enjoys math too, because it challenges her and pushes her to do better. Naissa participates in many extracurricular activities; she is on the tennis and badminton teams. She plays violin in the Symphony Orchestra at ETHS. She also participates in French Club, Community Service Club, and Cooking Club. Naissa would like to pursue a career in computer programming and she hopes to create something that will someday benefit the world.

Jalea Davis
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Jalea Davis the daughter of Jacqueline Dennis and John Davis, and is the youngest of four children. At school one of her favorite subjects is AP History because it really challenges her to do her best and she has a great teacher. Jalea has made Honor Roll every semester at ETHS, and for extracurricular activities she bowls, participates in Best Buddies, and is a Student Ambassador. When high school is over she plans to seek a career as a home interior designer at a school out of state.

Maryluz Flores
Valparaiso University

Maryluz Flores is the daughter of Mexican parents and has one older sister who attends Northern Illinois University, and who is an Evanston Scholar as well. Her favorite class is AP Spanish 4, because she loves learning more about the different Hispanic cultures. Outside of the classroom, Maryluz is a Student Ambassador for ETHS, and Vice President of the Latino Quest Club. She hopes to attend University of Illinois Urbana Champaign to either major in a medical field, or Spanish, to pursue a career as a teacher.

Tauja Foreman
Western Michigan University

Tauja Foreman loves spending time with her family, especially on the weekends. Her favorite class at ETHS is AP Spanish 4, because the class is consistently entertaining with the variety of assignments and activities. Tauja is a part of the varsity track team and is a member of Student Ambassadors. She hopes to pursue Pharmaceutical Studies at a university that is the right fit for her.

Jazmin Garcia
Washington University in St. Louis

Jazmin Garcia is the daughter of Daniel and Claudia Garcia and has two younger sisters. Her favorite class is US History because it involves active discussions about not only past historic events but also connects them to more current events. It allows her to explore deeper into history with a different and comprehensive perspective. Jazmin is a member of the Photography Club, a leader of Team ASAP, and also participates in Best Buddies, Latino Quest and Community Service Club. Jazmin hopes to attend Northwestern University to study psychology and sociology in order to pursue a career in clinical psychology or neurology.

Gabrielle Gordon
Bradley University

Gabrielle Gordon is a multi-racial girl who is a middle child. Her favorite class at ETHS is History because she finds it interesting and it gets her to think and allows her to experience multiple perspectives on varying topics. Last year she was in Book Club and this year she joined SOAR. She hopes to attend a college in the Midwest and to major/ get a masters degree in physical therapy, and minor in Psychology.

Devenere Johnson
Columbia College Chicago

Devenere Johnson is the son of multicultural parents and has an older sister who attends Illinois State University. His favorite class at ETHS is Music Technology, because of his intense passion for creating and mixing different types of music. Outside of the classroom, Devenere attends the Hip Hop/EDM Dance Club that he started at ETHS, and often volunteers at The Y. He hopes to attend Columbia College Chicago and study Music Technology and Production in order to pursue a career as a professional music producer.

Kimani Hewitt
Bradley University

Kimani Hewitt is the son of Jamaican parents and the first son of his mother. He was born in Mandeville, Jamaica. He moved to Evanston in August 2015 along with his mother and two brothers. At ETHS he enjoys his French and English classes. He hopes to join the track team next spring. He is very passionate about music, therefore he spends a lot of time listening to music, and he is also an aircraft enthusiast. He is considering a career in Aviation, Business or Biology. He believes Evanston Scholars is a pathway to helping him to become successful young in life.

Summer Kelly
Tennessee State University

Summer Kelly considers herself an active, fun, and hard-working person. She is on the E-Squad Step Team, and played softball her freshman year and also used to cheer. She cheered for five years and just recently decided to give it up. Summer has been on the ETHS honor roll for every semester. She’s so happy to be a part of Evanston Scholars and hopes that in the next years she will become closer and closer and create a nice bond with her ES classmates.

Fernando Licea
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Fernando is the second son of Mexican parents who also have one daughter. His favorite class in ETHS is Trigonometry. He’s liked math since he was young -- it sees like a puzzle to him that he likes to solve. Fernando is a part of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and he one day hopes to become an engineer. He is also a member of Peer Conference. Fernando has an interest in going to a college with a strong engineering program so he can excel as an engineer. He’d prefer to stay close to home, so he is especially interested in Illinois Champaign-Urbana.

Amanda Martinez
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Amanda Martinez is the daughter of Mexican parents, and the older sister of Natalia, and younger sister of Brenda. Her favorite classes at ETHS are anatomy and AP Spanish 4, because she finds the topics covered in anatomy interesting and challenging, and enjoys her Spanish class because it strengthens her Spanish skills. Outside of the classroom, Amanda runs cross-country and is a member of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). She is also a member of ETHS Student Ambassadors because she enjoys helping others. She hopes to pursue something in the medical field as a career, or animal related, such as a veterinarian, and is excited to see what the future holds for her.

Caroline Martinez
Bradley University

Being the oldest of four children, Caroline is often looked up to which is why her parents have high expectations for her. She is the daughter of Mexican parents who have worked really hard to give her and her siblings what they need. She has one sister at ETHS and one at Haven Middle School, and her little brother is in kindergarten at Willard Elementary School. Caroline's favorite class at ETHS is Trigonometry because she loves working with numbers and challenging herself to do the next step. When she is not in school, she often babysits her younger siblings or other family members. She hopes to pursue a career in the medical field—as a nurse or a dentist. With the help of Evanston Scholars, she hopes to one day achieve her goals.

Victor Mendoza Garcia
Carleton College

Victor Mendoza is the son of Mexican parents who are a part of the first American generation of his family. Victor has a sister that is fourteen years younger than him. His favorite classes include AP Physics and AP Language & Composition because he enjoys challenging himself and extending his understanding of his own environment. Outside of the classroom, Victor is a member of SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers), MSAN (Minority Student Achievement Network), Robotics Club, and enjoys cycling and playing sports such as soccer. Victor Mendoza hopes to attend Northwestern University. He likes the idea of being close to his family. Victor plans to study computer science to pursue a career in the growing field.

Summer Mitchell
University of Wisconsin at Madison

Summer is ambitious, charismatic, and humorous. She is privileged to come from a Belizean and American background because it allows her to identify with people of different cultures and understand the importance of success. Being the older of two children, she also accepts the responsibility of showing her younger brother the value of an education. Her favorite subject in school is AP Biology and her dream is to become a Biochemist or garner a successful career in playwriting.

Summer is a musician and has been playing the viola for seven years. She is a member of the Tri-M Music Honors Society and last spring traveled to Montreal, Canada where she performed at the Notre Dame Basilica. In an era of rap and hip-hop, her viola has taught her to appreciate classical, the precursor of all music. In addition to being a musician, Summer is a competitive athlete at ETHS were she played basketball, soccer, and ran for the girls’ varsity track team.

At Trinity Lutheran Church Summer is also an active member of her youth group. In the summer of 2015 she participated at the ELCA gathering in Detroit Michigan along with 30,000 other Lutherans. In Detroit, she helped clean up the city and bring a hopeful spirit to its people. Summer is learning the importance of giving without expectations. In the future she hopes to give back to her community and travel around the world.

Armando Miranda
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Armando Miranda is the son of native Mexican parents and has four siblings, two of whom attend college. His favorite class is AP US History because he likes learning about the past-- and that means more than just memorizing dates. For extracurricular activities, Armando is involved in SOAR, where students speak of their experiences with racism and the steps that are needed to end it. Armando wants to attend the University of Chicago to study psychology and pursue a career as a child psychologist.

Leslie Morales
University of Illinois at Chicago

Leslie Morales is a daughter of Mexican parents and is the youngest of four. Her parents come from a large family and did not get the opportunity to go to school due to low income. They know Leslie has more opportunities than they ever did and they hope she gets a chance to continue her path towards her dream. Her favorite class at ETHS is American Studies History because she likes to learn about the past and how it all has changed over the years. Leslie likes to help others and is involved in ETHS Student Ambassadors, Community Service Club, Best Buddies, and she also enjoys being a babysitter during her free time. Leslie helps students at Centro Romero every Thursday. She hopes to attend UIC and study Special Education.

Linda Osei
University of Illinois at Chicago

Linda Osei is a first generation American; her entire family is from Ghana, Africa. Her favorite class at ETHS is Anatomy/Physiology because it's setting her up on the right path for the courses she hopes to take in college. She is involved with ETHS Varsity Pomkits and Student Ambassadors. Linda is also an Honor Roll student. For the future, she plans to attend a four-year university and major in nursing so she can become a critical care nurse (nurse practitioner).

Joice Odufuwa
Northern Illinois University

Joice Odufuwa has two sisters, one older and one younger. Her older sister Love, attends Western Illinois University and her younger sister Yolanda is a sophomore at ETHS. Joice’s favorite class at ETHS is AVID, because she is able to build a bond with everyone in her class. She also enjoys her Competitive Sports class because she likes playing sports, being athletic, and she especially likes the challenge of playing against all the boys in her class. Joice hopes to attend Illinois State University and pursue a career in nursing.

Amanda Pena
Dominican University

Amanda Peña is the daughter of Guatemalan parents and has two brothers. Her favorite class is History Honors because she is able to speak her mind in debates or group discussions. Outside of class, Amanda is involved in the ETHS women's soccer program and is a former member of the ETHS Mock Trial team. She hopes to attend a college outside of Illinois to study Legal Studies/Professions in order to pursue a career in law.

Nolan Robinson Jr.
Northwestern University

Nolan Robinson Jr. is the son of two east coast born parents and has three siblings, one of whom is his twin (one minute older—see Nora’s biography below). His favorite class at ETHS is Trigonometry Honors because he loves to solve math equations that he once was unable to solve; it's like finding a key and opening a treasure chest full of riches. Outside of the classroom, Nolan is involved with a copious amount of clubs and activities, including multiple singing groups, theatre productions, and giving the morning announcements every day. He hopes to attend either Carnegie Mellon University or Northwestern University to further pursue his passions of writing, performing, and learning.

Nora Robinson
Lawrence University

Nora Robinson has a twin brother (see Nolan, above) and two other older siblings. Her favorite class is sign language because she believes it is a unique and beautiful language. Like her twin brother, she is very involved at ETHS. She is in an acapella group, involved in theatre, is a Student Ambassador, and a member of SOAR Nora also runs track. She won the Student of the Month award for her math class. She is excited to go to college hopes to become a drama teacher in the future.

Wesley Shavers
Valparaiso University

Wesley Shavers is the son of African American parents and has two older siblings who are adults. His favorite class is physics because he loves applying math to real life situations and challenging himself. Outside of the classroom, Wesley is on the Science Olympiad team and enjoys various music extracurricular activities like pep band and marching band. He hopes to go to a good school so that he can pursue engineering and/or music.

Chyna Wright
Washington University in St. Louis

Chyna Wright is the second daughter of three and enjoys being the middle child. Her favorite class at ETHS is Anatomy and Physiology, because she loves learning about the human body. Besides focusing on her studies, Chyna is a co-captain for the ETHS Girls Bowling team and an Ambassador. She hopes to attend an HBCU, Howard Medical School, and study medicine to become a pathologist or pediatric geneticist.