Teen of the Month 2020-2021

Oglesby Elks Announces September Teens of the Month

The Oglesby Elks announce their September Teens of the Month, Amanda Burkart and Nicholas Hancock.

Amanda, a senior at LaSalle-Peru Township High School, is the daughter of Mary Beth and Brad Burkart. She is currently 2^nd in her class. She has been on the High Honor Roll since her freshman year.

As a sophomore and junior, Grace was National High Scholarship Legion. Grace has been on the ACES (Academic Challenge for Engineering and Science) and Math team since her sophomore year. She was Regional 1^st place ACES team her junior year.

Amanda played Soccer her freshman and sophomore years.

She has been in Student Council, Renaissance and on the Yearbook Staff all 4 years. She was in Key Club as a freshman. Grace was on the Freshman Board. Since her sophomore year, she has been in the Future Business Leaders of America. She has been in Link Crew since her junior year. As a junior, she was an HOBY school representative. Harbor Homeroom Leader and selected to attend RYLA.

Grace helped pack food at the Illinois Valley Food Pantry for distribution her freshman and sophomore years. She helped residents by coping menus, folding laundry and escorting them to/from activities her sophomore year. As a sophomore, she was a summer math tutor for a student. She helped at the Girl Scout Camp her sophomore year. Grace was a greeter in the IVCH OB waiting room her sophomore and junior years. She kept it clean, gave directions to visitors. She participated in the reading buddy program at the Peru Public Library as a junior. As a senior, she helped distribute supplies, assisted children with crafts and sanitizing supplies at Arts and Crafts at Peru Washington Park.

Grace took piano lessons for 7 years and still enjoys playing in her free time. She loves hiking at Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Park with friends and family. She also enjoys taking pictures on her hikes as well. She also like taking a variety of sports photos for the High School Yearbook. She loves the Friday night football games because she can be on the field immersed in all of the action while taking photos. Grace has a very energetic 2 year old niece that she loves spending time with. She is also passionate about educating herself about mental health issues and advocating to others to bring awareness.

Nicholas Hancock, a senior at LaSalle-Peru Township High School, is the son of Tom and Traci Hancock. He is ranked 7^th in his class. He has been on the honor roll all 4 years.

He was Jostens Renaissance Student of the Month as a freshman. Since his freshman year, he has been High Scholarship Legion.

He has been in the School Musicals all 4 years. These performances include Shrek the Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Wizard of Oz, King Harold/Pied Piper, George Gershwin and Hickory/Tinman.

Nicholas was in Jostens Renaissance all 4 years. He was on the Student Board his freshman, junior and senior years. Nicholas was a Link Crew Leader his senior year.

Nicholas has been volunteering at Stage 212 all 4 years. He has been volunteering by acting, dancing, singing, set building, painting and operating lights in 9 productions. This resulted in sold out crowds across all shows.

He loves singing, acting, dancing, coaching, and directing in Musical Theater. He enjoys reading, photography, listening to podcasts, volunteering and recreational sports: tennis and volleyball. He has a job at Stage 212 as Director/Assistant Choreographer of Lion King Jr. He is currently directing and developing the musical from the ground up for 35 grade schoolers and middle schoolers.

Oglesby Elks Announces October Teens of the Month

The Oglesby Elks announce their October Teens of the Month, Gianna Pozzi and Jacob Schirz.

Gianna, a senior at Hall High School, is the daughter of JoAnn Pozzi and the late Robert Pozzi Jr. She is currently 1^st in her class. She has been on the High Honor Roll since her freshman year. She is also in the National Honor Society. She has also taken multiple honors and dual credit classes.

She was the Vice-President of her class her freshman and sophomore years becoming the President her senior years. Gianna was the Student Council Treasurer her junior year.

Gianna was in basketball her freshman and sophomore years. She was in volleyball and softball all 4 years. Gianna was also a co-captain of the Volleyball team her senior year.

She was in Spanish Club all 4 years and the Science Club her junior and senior years.

Gianna was the Illinois Junior Paint Horse Club President for 2 years, Vice President for 2 years and Treasurer for 1 year. She was the Wisconsin Junior Paint Horse Club President for 3 years and Vice President for 2 years. She has been the American Junior Paint Horse Association National Director for 6 years. Gianna was a 3 time World Champion 3 time Reserve Champion at the American Paint Horse Association World Show in Fort Worth, Texas. She was #2 in the National Top 20 American Paint Horse Association 2 times. She was APHA Honor Roll #1 in National titles multiple times. Gianna is also a Baylor University Equestrian Commit for the fall of 2021.

Within Student Council and National Honors Society, she has worked food drives, toy drives, Santa’s on the Run 5k run/walks, made letters for patients and healthcare workers at the hospital during the hard times of the Pandemic. Gianna has helped gather money for families in need within the “Paint Horse family” and gather food for food pantries and items for various animal shelters through her Paint Horse Clubs and Associations.

Gianna loves spending her weekends traveling the country to show her horse, Wishbone. She also enjoys spending time with her friends and family, playing various sports, studying to remain at the top of her class and training to become a better in her sports and horse showing, Gianna enjoys pushing herself to be the best that she can be and is always trying to reach for the stars.

Jacob Schirz, a senior at St. Bede Academy, is the son of Nick and Stacey Schirz. He is ranked 2nd in his class. He has been on the honor roll all 4 years.

He received the Math award his freshman and sophomore years. His junior year he received the History and English awards. He competed on the WYSE team where his team placed 4^th at state. Individually Jacob placed 1^st in Chemistry and 3^rd in Computer Science at regionals. At Sectionals, he finished 1^st in Chemistry again and improved his Computer Science by finishing in 1^st. Then at the state level, Jacob finished 3^rd in Computer Science and 6^th in Chemistry.

Jacob was in the Last Supper club all 4 years and even helped plan several of their meeting locations. His junior and senior year, he has been a part of SBA’s Ambassadors where he helped interview those hoping to become an Ambassador in the future. He was on the Scholastic Team since his sophomore year. He was in the Tech club his freshman year. He was a Eucharistic Minister his senior year. Jacob was also an Alter Server since his sophomore year. He has also helped at SBA’s Annual Auction fundraiser his freshman and sophomore years.

He played tennis all 4 years. He was in bowling his junior and senior years. As a senior he became a co-captain of both of these teams as well.

Jacob has had art pieces of his appear in local art shows, as a result of the art classes he took while in high school.

Though not through the school, Jacob has learned how to play the piano and the guitar. He has played in front of audiences at Holy Family Church for Masses as well as for family and friends.

Jacob has volunteered to help with CCD as a sophomore and junior. He has been volunteering as an Alter Server at Holy family since his freshman year and at St, Bede since his sophomore year. Jacob has also been volunteering through the SBA Ambassador program since his junior year.

Jacob enjoys playing the piano and guitar personally and for others as well. He plays mostly for family and friends and at his Church but hopes to find other opportunities in the future. He also enjoys spending time with family and friends. He likes playing different sports around town with friends and sometimes even with kids he doesn’t know that happen to walk by. He started working at a Rootbeer Stand in the summer of 2019 and enjoys it as well.