Crystal Lake Central graduate Sylvie Gonzalez Lopez, Class of 2025, was one of over 1,000 students nationwide who applied to the AVID Student Speaker Contest, a prestigious opportunity that invites students to tell their stories of growth, perseverance, and impact through the AVID program. Sylvie was chosen as the closing student keynote speaker, addressing an audience of more than 4,000 educators at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

Her speech reflected on how AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) helped her overcome anxiety, find her confidence, and believe in her voice. AVID is a program designed to support students in developing skills for academic success, college readiness, and personal growth through mentoring and collaborative learning. She shared how, as a freshman, she dropped out of her Honors English class because participation and group discussions felt impossible. That began to change when she joined AVID. The program’s tutorial process encouraged her to ask questions, speak in front of her peers, and slowly build the confidence she once lacked.

“By the end of freshman year, I found myself getting used to speaking in front of people and raising my hand in class,” she said. “I learned to speak clearly, hold my head higher, and make my voice heard.”

Through the support of her classmates and teachers, Sylvie says AVID transformed not just her academic life, but her sense of self-worth.

“After working with hundreds of AVID students, I can say Sylvie truly embodies what our program strives for—confidence, academic growth, self-worth, and the courage to find student agency and voice,” said Shannon Levitt, AVID teacher. “Seeing her shine on that stage, representing herself, her family, our CLC AVID family, our community, and all first-generation college-bound students is a memory I will always cherish.”

Now a first-year student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Sylvie is studying psychology and pre-law through the Illinois Commitment program, which covers tuition and fees for qualified Illinois students.

Her story is a testament to the confidence, perseverance, and lifelong skills that AVID builds and proof that, as Sylvie said in her speech, “AVID works.”

Community High School District 155 Human Resources Specialist, Patrice Juarez, has been recognized by the American Association of School Personnel Administrators (AASPA) with the 2025 Human Resources Specialist Award for Region Two. Region Two represents human resources leaders across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and portions of Canada, making this a significant accomplishment among a large and diverse group of Human Resources professionals.

“I do HR because I love to help people and I love making a positive impact. To know this is recognized and appreciated means everything,” said Patrice Juarez, award recipient. 

Each year, AASPA honors professionals nationwide who demonstrate excellence in human resource leadership. Patrice was nominated for the Human Resources Specialist Award by Josh Nobilio, District 155’s Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the district. The award specifically recognizes individuals who go above and beyond in supporting the critical day-to-day functions of a school district’s human resources department.

“Patrice is one of those people who comes to work every day, and she does an amazing job at what she does,” said Josh Nobilio, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. “She’s incredibly detail-oriented. She takes care of all the people around her and makes sure she is giving the best service to everybody every single day.”

Since joining District 155 in 2018, Patrice has played a key role in supporting staff across the district's five attendance centers and the district office. The AASPA recognition highlights the impact of Patrice’s work not only within District 155 but also in the broader educational human resources community.

The student services professional learning team recently came together to brainstorm ways to support students who could benefit from additional resources. One idea quickly turned into action: hygiene bags available at each school for any student who needs them, stocked with items like soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, tissues, and feminine hygiene products.

The district gathered the items, and students in our functional living skills program assisted in packing over 100 bags, turning the project into a hands-on learning opportunity that allowed them to contribute to their school community actively. The completed bags will be distributed to each building, ensuring students have access to personal care items whenever the need arises.

"We are incredibly thankful for the support we have received from across the district. What started as a small idea grew through collaboration and a shared purpose, and it’s been so rewarding to see everyone contribute to something that will benefit so many families,” said Anna Carroll, CLS Assistant Principal of Student Services. 

This project reflects the district's commitment to equity and student well-being, providing students with essential resources and highlighting how collaboration between staff and students can make a real difference in our schools.

Two District 155 seniors, Braedan Mendro, Cary-Grove High School, and Jackson Lisle, Crystal Lake Central High School, have been named semifinalists in the 2026 National Merit Semifinalists. This prestigious program recognizes the top-performing high school students in the nation based on their PSAT/NMSQT scores. Semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors and now have the opportunity to advance to finalist standing, which could lead to National Merit Scholarships totaling more than $28 million nationwide.

Braedan Mendro is active in student council, national honor society, CG elevate, invest CG, disc golf club, and baseball, and serves on the student council board. He credits teachers Tim Garis and Matthew Hawley for inspiring him to fully engage in his classes.

“They were both so passionate about their classes and preparing students for success—it made me want to put my full effort in,” said Braedan Mendro, Cary-Grove senior.

Braedan also highlights the support of his family. After high school, he plans to study mechanical engineering and hopes to pursue research in nuclear fusion or robotics.

Jackson Lisle, student council president at Crystal Lake Central, balances leadership roles with involvement in national honor society, legacy club, math team, scholastic bowl, varsity tennis, and Central Crazies. He thanks teachers like Audrey Mazzuca and Angela Welder for their support and impact on his academic growth.

“Mrs. Mazzuca’s passion for science inspired me to pursue a career that I love, and Mrs. Welder taught me grammar and test-taking skills I still use today,” said Jackson Lisle, Crystal Lake Central senior.

Outside the classroom, Jackson serves on the Crystal Lake City Youth Commission, assists in a mobile app development class, and completed an internship with Every Page Counts, a publishing company. He plans to study finance and computer science to explore his interests in technology and business.

The achievements of Braedan and Jackson reflect District 155’s dedication to academic excellence and its focus on preparing students for success beyond high school.