ICEF Scholarship Winners

2020 AWARD RECIPIENTS

ICEF would like to announce the Class of 2020 scholarship winners. 

Connor Uphues, High School Scholarship winner from Nazareth Academy. Connor graduates 13^th out of 187 with a GPA of 4.60. Connor wants to study Chemical Engineering in college to make a difference in people’s lives. Connor’s teachers expressed that Connor is a true role model for his peers and community. He is a natural leader and is willing to step out of his comfort zone with courage and confidence to lead his peers to achieve a goal, whether it is leading his cross country team to its best season ever or participating in leadership organizations and community outreach volunteer.

John Devine, High School Scholarship winner from York Community High School. John graduates with a 5.0 GPA and wants to study Environmental Engineering. John’s teachers state that he is a leader and eager to participate in whatever challenge comes his way. John lead a group of students to come up with a composting system for York Community High School and took the idea to a school board meeting to get the program approved. John volunteers at Brookfield Zoo in the education department. He talks with zoo guests about animals and conservation efforts. John has been on the York HS honor roll for 7 semesters and participates in the Math Team, which he is the captain, and in the Robotics Team.

Carson Beyers, High School Scholarship winner from Shelbyville High School. Carson graduated 2^nd out of 61 students with a 4.429 GPA. Carson would like to study chemical/environmental engineering. Carson’s teachers refer to her as an outstanding student who wants to go beyond just achieving a grade but to truly understand the course material for her own personal satisfaction and betterment. Carson has a strong work ethic and seeks to understand, and problem solve. Carson has a very busy extracurricular schedule. She participates in volleyball, basketball, track and field and is in the drama club.

Emily Down, High School Scholarship winner from Princeville High School. Emily graduated with a 4.0 GPA and is ranked 1^st of 52 students. Emily is looking to study Chemistry/Forensic Chemistry in college. She is an athlete and has participated in softball, volleyball, and golf. Emily is also on choir and school musicals, a member of the FFA, Spanish club, the math team and she is an Illinois State Scholar. Emily’s teachers commented that she is a student who can work in a team as easily as working individually. She is hard-working, never procrastinates, is organized, and easily tackles any assignment given. One teacher said that she is a true learner and cares about learning the subject, not just to receive a good grade.

Heather Chang, recipient of the Marie Curie Scholarship Award is from Naperville North High School. Heather will graduate 4.654 GPA wants to be a Chemical Engineer. Heather’s chemistry teacher told the ICEF committee that “Heather designed a lab to calculate the rate law of a reaction” in her lab. “She used the reaction between crystal violet and sodium hydroxide. She worked with a lab partner to troubleshoot the problems, and even though the experiment was tedious, she realized how important it was to have a detailed lab procedure during the research process.” Heather also has been a research assistant at Loyola University Chicago for Dr. Ken Olsen. She received publishing credit in the Molecular Pharmaceutics Journal, May 2020.

Jenna Louch, recipient of BMWC Constructors Scholarship Award is from Lockport Township High School. Jenna graduates with a 4.105 GPA, is in the top 10% of her class and wants to be a high school chemistry teacher. Jenna belongs to the Sign Language Club, the National Honor Society, and the Spanish Honor Society. Jenna volunteered as an unofficial teaching assistant by helping prepare labs and test out new activities for her chemistry teacher. Jenna’s chemistry teacher says that “Jenna has experienced many different educational environments and that has helped her formulate significant opinions on the best way to reach students in the most effective manner.” Another teacher said that “Jenna is very productive and a group leader.”

Leslie Garcia, recipient of the Lupita Turriff Hispanic Student Scholarship Award is from Prospect High School. Leslie is graduating with a 3.99 GPA and wants to be a high school chemistry teacher and work specifically with English as a second language (ESL) students. Leslie’s chemistry teacher said that she is “responsible and has a high-achieving nature” that led her to succeed in her physics class. The physics teacher went on to say the “Leslie doesn’t settle for the ordinary but will do the extra work to make everything she does extraordinary.” Leslie’s parents do not speak fluent English, so Leslie attends the parent-teacher conference, so her parents know what kind of education she is getting. Leslie is the first person in her family to attend college.

John Malcolm Forsyth, recipient of the Ecolab Scholarship Award is from Urbana High School. Malcolm is graduating 4^th out of 263 students with a 5.796 GPA and wants to be an Environmental Engineer. Malcolm is an all-around stellar student. He completed the highest math class (Calculus BC) that Urbana HS had to offer by his sophomore year, so he continued his mathematics at University of Illinois to complete up to differential equations. Besides pursuing higher math, Malcom also independently studied AP Physics and other AP subject areas. He literally takes more course work that what fits into the school day. Malcolm has placed first in the chemistry lab competition of the Science Olympiad and is a semi-professional Magic player and is globally ranked.

Seth Croslow, recipient of the Seeler Industries Scholarship Award is from Monmouth College and is majoring in Chemistry. Seth is in his junior year at Monmouth and has been on the Dean’s List since his first semester in college. Seth submitted two letters of recommendations from his chemistry professors, which gave him glowing reviews. Seth is a teachers’ assistant to both of his chemistry professors and participated on his first research project between his freshman and sophomore years. He is a natural leader and with tremendous work ethic. Seth’s professor says, “he truly understands the chemistry concept and does not memorize the material.” Another professor says, “Seth is so intellectually curious that he spends a huge amount of time in the research labs and is open to any and all research projects.”