2007 DuPage County Academic Team
Wajeeh Bakhsh
School: Glenbard West High School
Hometown: Glendale Heights
Parents: Noorus Bakhsh
School sponsor: Rhiannon Sieck
Grade point average/point system: 5.82/5.0 weighted
Class rank/Class size: 1/494
Test scores: ACT: 36; SAT: 2220
Planned college major(s): Business, law and/or engineering
Awards/honors: National Merit Scholarship Finalist; Outstanding Junior Social Studies Scholar; Outstanding Student of the Science Department; National Honor Society; AP Scholar; Illinois State Scholar; Math Team; Science Olympiad; science department student of the month; varsity captain for Scholastic Bowl.
Wajeeh Bakhsh
Glenbard West High School Basketball, football, cricket, politics, math, science and working on cars and computers are just a handful of Wajeeh Bakhsh’s interests – but his ambitions run deep.
Bakhsh’s aspirations were re-charged after the death of his father last year.
“It made me realize how short time is, and you have to use every opportunity you get and make the most of it,” he said, “because you never know when your time’s going to get cut short.”
Before his father’s death, his goals consisted of material successes. Now, one of his main goals is to help others around him.
“As long as I find a path that will allow me to make life just a little bit easier for someone else, I can justify my existence,” Bakhsh said. “Another goal that I developed after this experience is to make an impact on the world. This is a desire born out of seeing the legacy that my father left behind.
“I realized that a man is not remembered for what he wore or how much money he had,” he wrote in his personal statement. “Instead, he’s remembered for what he did.”
As Bakhsh remains positive and determined, he has a personal drive to do his best. Eventually, he hopes to work as the head of a project or company.
“I’ve always been very competitive, and school’s just an outlet,” Bakhsh said. “I’ve learned there’s not a limit as to what I can do, and when I go to college and apply myself, no one can tell me where my limit is. I’ll define that on my own.”
– Hafsa Naz Mahmood
Nick Bridle
School: Wheaton North High School
Hometown: Wheaton
Parents: Pat and Sam Bridle
School sponsor: Jim Langlas, English Department chair
Grade point average/point system: 5.76/5.0 weighted
Class rank/Class size: 3/486
Test scores: ACT: 36; SAT: 2310
Planned college major: Computer science or mechanical engineering
Awards/honors: National Merit Finalist; AP Scholar with Honor; National Honor Society; Trustee Distinguished Scholarship to Rice University; MechSE Outstanding Scholarship to University of Illinois; Academic All-Conference in cross country.
Nick Bridle
Wheaton North High School
Talking to Nick Bridle reveals the Wheaton North High School senior to be as much heart as he is brain.
It’s almost as if his straight-A transcript is of no consequence as he talks about the future. Perhaps it’s the level of introspection he’s reached in his hours of studying philosophy that’s balanced him, helping him find what works in life for him.
“I don’t want to sound like I figured it out because there’s just no way,” Bridle said. “But the first thing is focusing on relationships between people. The other is not self-glorifying and keeping a low profile. As soon as you become wrapped up in yourself, it’s pretty much over.”
Bridle developed thoughts like that during the solitary moments of his training for the cross country team. Running long distances offers a lot of time to think.
“When you are just getting in shape you’re always thinking about how much longer you have to run,” Bridle said. “Now I just think about whatever. I just see it as free time to think. It’s just like sitting in a chair really, but with your legs moving.”
Bridle also likes thinking games, leading him to be the captain of the chess team for two years. Even more, picking up the game gave him more chances to spend time with his dad.
“I think I’ve only beaten him once,” Bridle said.
Like a true chess player, Bridle has plotted out his next few moves in life.
He’ll attend Rice University in Houston, the city where his dad works during the week. He’s leaning toward a career in computer science or mechanical engineering, a career path he discovered while building a next-generation community as a seventh-grader in the Future Cities National Competition.
“I used to play with LEGOs, and that’s exactly what engineering really is, just a big LEGO,” Bridle said.
Someday he hopes to start an engineering firm that donates most of its proceeds to charity.
It’s actions like that that Bridle hopes shows he’s more than just a brain.
“There’s more to smart people than just being smart,” he said. “Personality counts for a lot more. It’s important to get past the grades and look at who people are.”
– James Fuller
Harrison Bralower
School: Naperville Central High School
Hometown: Naperville
Parents: Paul and Robin Bralower
School sponsor: Michelle Kirincich, gifted services counselor
Grade point average/point system: 4.68/4.0 weighted
Class rank/Class size: 3/784
Test scores: ACT: 34; SAT: 2310
Planned college major: Mechanical engineering
Awards/honors: AP Scholar with Distinction; National Merit Scholarship finalist; seven consecutive 4.0 Awards; National Merit finalist; National Honor Society co-Service Chairperson; AP Scholar; Illinois State Scholar; Packer Engineering Packer Pathways Packer Step Internship; Scholastic Bowl captain; All-DuPage Valley Conference; All-Sectional; Tech Club treasurer for drama; Theatre Central; Math Team All-DuPage Valley Conference two years; Science Bowl; Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering; JETS teams.
Harrison Bralower
Naperville Central High School
Science comes naturally to Harrison Bralower. While in high school, he has taken at least 10 science courses, never earning less than an A-minus. For fun, he participates in the Tech Club, Math Team and Science Bowl. With his remaining free time, Bralower, 18, is the behind-the-scenes guy for the theater department.
“I love the ability to tinker with the equipment like I’m in a giant mechanical sandbox,” Bralower wrote in his essay to the Daily Herald. “The work is thankless but I have a lot of fun and I love that I can anonymously help my friends do something that they enjoy.”
An inherent altruistic impulse led him to engineering, Bralower said.
“Engineering is really about helping,” he said recently. “I’ve got all these talents, why not use them for a better purpose?”
Bralower will pursue mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
– Rupa Shenoy
Jessica Burjek
School: Benet Academy
Hometown: Downers Grove
Parents: Ed and Gloria Burjek
School sponsor: Senior counselor Amy Wesley
Grade point average/point system: 98.93 percent/100 percent scale
Class rank/Class size: 1/313
Test scores: ACT: 32; SAT: 2180
Planned college major: Finance and communications
Awards/honors: Valedictorian, High Honor Roll all eight semesters; Spanish Language Honors Society; National Merit Commended Scholar; National Honor Society; AP Scholar; Illinois State Scholar; student government class officer; American Mathematics Competition; AAPT Physics Bowl; 3rd place in Science Olympiad; set two school records as swim team captain.
Jessica Burjek
Benet Academy
Not only can she school you in multivariable calculus, but Jessica Burjek also knows the value of a 6-4-3 double play.
When she’s not mastering a challenging course load or leading the swim team, the 17-year-old Benet Academy senior can be found in the bleachers cheering on her fellow classmates in other school athletics.
“Academics, athletics, friends; it’s all part of the full school experience that I want. So I make sure to balance my time,” she said. “But the school part is most important.”
Her priority is made obvious by her class-leading grade point average of 98.93 percent. But her counselor’s admiration for Burjek’s overall attitude sparked the nomination for this year’s Daily Herald Academic Team.
“Outside of the classroom, she is anxious to study abroad, demonstrate her school spirit at athletic events, and participate in intramurals and outreach projects,” wrote senior counselor Amy Wesley. “She is charismatic, athletic and enthusiastic about immersing herself in student life.”
Burjek said her academic drive is often fueled by her older brother’s accomplishments, including a perfect score on the SAT and a full scholarship to Vanderbilt University.
“My parents are always telling me to slow down and not push so hard, but I want to get his grades and be seen in the same light as him,” she said. “I’ll keep that goal in the fall as a freshman at Notre Dame as well.”
At Notre Dame, Burjek plans to study business and prepare herself for a future as an investment banker like her father. Eventually, she’d like to take over his business as well.
“Ultimately, I’d like to finish what he started and make him proud of me,” she said.
– Justin Kmitch
Bob Chen
School: Naperville Central High School
Hometown: Naperville
Parents: Libin Chen and Ping Zhang
School sponsor: Pam McNeeley
Grade point average/point system: 4.686/5.0 weighted
Class rank/Class size: 2/784
Test scores: ACT: 35 SAT: 2340
Planned college major: Chemical engineering
Awards/honors: MSTA/Toshiba Explora Vision second place at nationals, Junior Engineering Technical Society (teams competition) first place nationals, Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (team) first place state (individual) second place, National Merit Commended Scholar; National Merit finalist; National Honor Society; Illinois State Scholar; USA Biology Olympiad semifinalist; Freshmen Mentor Program executive board; National Honor Society executive board; 3rd in ICTM State Relay; All-Conference DuPage Valley Conference; swimming; DuPage Valley Conference academic team swimming; 2nd in state for Science Olympiad.
Bob Chen
Naperville Central High School
For a student planning to spend at least the next four years studying chemical engineering, the lone A-plus on his transcript so far this year in Advanced Placement World History is kind of eye- catching.
“Science classes are cool and all, but that’s what I do all the time,” said Naperville Central High School senior Bob Chen. “It might surprise some people that my favorite classes are history classes. I don’t know what it is about discovering what we did in the past, but I think that’s what’s really cool.”
Chen will be doing his undergraduate work at MIT in the fall, choosing the East Coast school over Cal Tech in Pasadena, Calif.
“I like the culture better there actually,” he said. “The East Coast vibe and the people there were really quirky at first, but then I realized I really enjoyed the company of the people there.”
Pam McNeeley, who is Central’s gifted services counselor, called Chen a natural leader.
“Even from a young age, if it was a group project, he’d step up and take the lead,” she said. “That’s what sets him apart from some of the other top kids in his class. And he’s not just in it for the accomplishment of it all; he really does put a lot of pride and value in what he’s learning.”
Chen said competing on his school’s swim team helped round out his academic career.
“It was a good escape,” he said. “It was a different kind of competition.”
– Jake Griffin
Lisa Holub
School: Hinsdale Central High School
Hometown: Hinsdale
Parents: Louis and Katherine Holub
School sponsor: Kevin Koehler, guidance counselor
Grade point average/point system: 5.98/5.0 weighted
Class rank/Class size: 3/638
Test scores: ACT: 34; SAT: 2270
Planned college major: French and English
Awards/honors: National Merit finalist; Honor Roll; National Honor Society; AP Scholar; Illinois State Scholar; French Student of the Month; placed first in the region and nation in the National French Contest, levels 2 and 3; third place at Grande Dictee at Northwestern University; JETS; spring musical; Chamber and Symphony Orchestras first violin third chair; newspaper; badminton.
Lisa Holub
Hinsdale Central High School
An ability to keep her eye on the long-term payoff has served Lisa Holub handsomely so far.
The 18-year-old says she works hard in school not only to succeed now and make her parents proud, but because “I know it will help me later in getting a job.”
Thanks to her work ethic, Holub earned straight A’s throughout her high school career. She also will serve as salutatorian at Hinsdale Central’s commencement this year, since there is a tie for the first-ranking senior.
And this summer, Holub is headed to France, after earning a scholarship to study at the University of Paris for a month. After all that, she will head to Massachusetts in the fall to study at Williams College.
When she’s not focusing on her schoolwork, Holub edits the school newspaper and literary magazine and plays violin for Hinsdale Central’s chamber and symphony orchestras.
“I honestly do those just because I like it,” she said.
Kevin Koehler, Holub’s guidance counselor, said school administrators decide collectively who should be nominated for this Daily Herald honor by evaluating the top students in the senior class.
“If I could have nominated her, I would have by myself,” Koehler said. “She’s a great kid. We really look for that kid who seems to epitomize someone who is an all-star. Not just in academics, but kids who have talents across the board.”
– Elisabeth Mistretta
Shelley Han Liu
School: Glenbard South High School
Hometown: Wheaton
Parents: Yanming Jiang and Yuming Liu
School sponsor: Joseph Jordan, school counselor
Grade point average/point system: 5.70/5.0 weighted
Class rank/Class size: 3/357
Test scores: ACT: 34; SAT: 2250
Planned college major: Biology and chemistry
Awards/honors: National Merit Finalist; AP Scholar; Illinois State Scholar; Honor Roll all four years; National Honor Society senior year; third place in individual geometry at Math Team Regionals; first place in chemistry lab at Science Olympiad Regionals; third place at Granquist Piano Competition; first place in varsity tennis at Suburban Prairie Conference; first place in varsity badminton at Raider Invite; Quill and Scroll International Society; 3rd place individual geometry event; Algebra II team first place at state.
Shelley Han Liu
Glenbard South High School
One of Shelley Han Liu’s life goals is to build a new school equipped with a library and computers in the small village of Hunan in China where her father grew up.
It’s where Shelley’s grandfather, who has only an elementary school education, and her grandmother, who is illiterate, live. She still finds it hard to believe the village has a one-story school equipped with only a blackboard and chalk.
When the Glenbard South senior reaches college, she plans to organize an effort to build a new school in the village.
Ultimately, the Wheaton girl wants to contribute to society through scientific research and seek a cure for rheumatoid arthritis, a condition that affects her mother.
During her high school tenure, she’s been quite the scientist – along with volunteering for a variety of organizations and tutoring.
“Volunteerism is a cycle,” she said. “The more you help someone, the more they can help others. It creates a chain effect. It makes the world a better place.”
Her school counselor, Joseph Jordan, describes her as a detail- orientated, focused, mature and poised young woman who is an exceptionally hard worker with a strong work ethic.
“She is another perfect example of the kind of student every teacher desires,” Jordan wrote to the Daily Herald.
– Kat Zeman
Elizabeth Pula
School: St. Francis High School
Hometown: Naperville
Parents: Michael and Linda Pula
School sponsor: Trudy Rigney, director of guidance
Grade point average/point system: 5.23/4.0 weighted
Class rank/Class size: 2/186
Test scores: ACT: 34; SAT: 2260
Planned college major: Aerospace engineering
Awards/honors: First place in pre-calculus, 2007 ICTM Regional Math competition; second place Algebra II, 2006 ICTM State Math competition; sixth place individual, 2006 MTA Math contest; third place in conference, 2007 Scholastic Bowl; National Merit Commended Scholar; National Merit finalist; Member of National Honor Society; AP Scholar; Ilinois State Scholar; Student of the Month in performing arts; Student government executive board president; Wind Ensemble drum major; Smith Walbridge Marching Band Clinic first class; JV letter.
Elizabeth Pula
St. Francis High School
Elizabeth Pula’s fascination with the stars came innocently enough through elementary school projects that had her create three- dimensional models of the solar system.
The St. Francis High School senior and member of the Daily Herald Academic Team pursued those curiosities through her school’s math and scholastic teams, consistently racking up accolades in local and state contests.
Pula plans to continue her academic studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this fall as an aerospace engineering student.
She hopes that work could launch her career to the stars.
“One of my big dreams is to work at NASA,” Pula said. “That could be closer to coming true by going to MIT. It would be cool to work on something like a ship or shuttle that would explore new regions in space.”
Pula credits her parents for her focus on studies.
“Even when they’re not looking over my shoulder,” Pula said, “just having them there makes a huge impact in how I work.”
Pula, who also was selected as part of the Daily Herald’s 2007 Leadership Team, said she also plans to find time to do charity work during her college years and beyond.
“I had all these opportunities given to me, so it’s important to me to give back as much as I can,” she said. “It may not be a huge organization. Maybe I’ll volunteer at a homeless shelter or work with Habitat for Humanity.”
– Jack Komperda
Christina Sun
School: Naperville North High School
Hometown: Lisle
Parents: Bill and Joon Sun
School sponsor: Tomi Johnson
Grade point average/point system: 4.58/4.0 weighted
Class rank/Class size: N/A
Test scores: ACT: 34; SAT: 2110
Planned college major: Pre-medicine
Awards/honors: National Merit Scholarship; Dartmouth Book Award; National Council of Teachers of English Essay Contest Winner; National Honor Society; AP Scholar; Illinois State Scholar; Illinois General Assembly recognition; speech team Presidential Leadership Award; Make a Difference Award; Math Team state champion; Bands of America; math conference regional and state championships; student government.
Christina Sun
Naperville North High School
Christina Sun’s superior grades and long list of awards have been leading up to the dream she’s had since childhood – to be a doctor.
The Naperville North senior said her goals, faith and supportive parents keep her motivated.
She’ll take another step toward her dream in the fall when she attends Wellesley College in Massachusetts with a pre-medicine major.
But already she is no stranger to working with patients or researching in the lab. Sun participated in an intensive summer program at the University of Chicago that included studying chemotherapy drugs.
Sun said she feels it is important to use her time and talents to give back to others and has gone on two mission trips to Jamaica, helping her mother provide dental care in a rural community.
“The trip exposed me to an entire world so different from Naperville and taught me that I had so much to be thankful for,” she said.
Sun is also involved in North’s speech and math teams, band and tutoring. In addition, she is the president of the student government.
Tomi Johnson, a guidance counselor at North, recommended Sun for the Daily Herald Academic Team and wrote that she “brings sincerity, honesty and enthusiasm to all that she does both in and out of the classroom.”
– Melissa Jenco
Kelly Marie Werner
School: Glenbard East High School
Hometown: Lombard
Parents: Kenneth and Eileen Werner
School sponsor: Brian Witte
Grade point average/point system: 5.6522/5.0 weighted
Class rank/Class size: 3/597
Test scores: ACT: 35; SAT: 2290
Planned college major: Biology
Awards/honors: National Merit finalist; AP Scholar; Math and German Honor Societies; Honor Roll; National Honor Society; Illinois State Scholar; Bristol-Myers Squibb National Merit Scholarship; founded Musical Ambassadors; high school orientation leader; solo and ensemble Level I Award; super-state musician; “Ragtime” pit musician; Math Team most valuable participant grades 9-11, one of eight-person team that qualified for state 11-12.
Kelly Marie Werner
Glenbard East High School
When it comes to volunteering, Kelly Werner wants to do “pretty much anything I can get my hands on.”
She treats her studies with the same passion.
“Perhaps her biology teacher summed up the respect and confidence that teachers have in (Werner) when he stated that she could teach his class in his absence,” said counselor Brian Witte, who nominated her for the academic team.
Math and science come more naturally to her, she said, so it’s no surprise she is gravitating toward a career in medicine: research, specifically.
“I like the medical aspect – just learning about the human body is interesting,” Werner said. “I wanted a career where I could help people but I didn’t necessarily want to be a surgeon.”
Part of that desire is fueled by her family’s experience with caring for her grandmother, who had Alzheimer’s. If she could do something to alleviate the suffering from the disease, she’d grow up to be a happy woman.
“I saw what it did to her and other people. It just doesn’t just affect the patient,” Kelly said. “I’ve always wanted to help people, and that would be a good way.”
She’s hardly spent all of her time hitting the books, though. In addition to her studies, she tutored other students and started a group called Musical Ambassadors that gets together to play music for nursing home residents about three times a year.
“Nothing can match the satisfaction I feel when nursing home residents enjoy my musical performances,” she said, “or when students gain new understanding from my tutoring.”
– Catherine Edman
(c) 2007 Daily Herald; Arlington Heights, Ill.. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.