The Sentinel: Search results for Marshall Schacht

SJO senior spotlights with Josh Sexton, Isaac Walden & Jackson Wooten

Jackson Wooten

Clubs & Activities

Band (4 years), Scholastic Bowl, Rube Goldberg Team, We The People

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
One brother and one sister

Hobbies:
Hanging out with family and friends

Favorite SJO memories:
During his freshman year, he marched with the SJO band in the Memorial Day Parade in Washington D.C. This is a moment he will never forget, including many other great memories he has had being involved with the SJO band. Also, Jackson enjoyed the Homecoming assembly during his junior year. He felt as if the whole school was connected during this assembly.

Favorite classes:
Band, and all of the classes he has he has taken with Mr. Marshall Schacht.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Pirtle at St. Joseph Grade School, Mr. Dassow and Mrs. Stone at St. Joseph Middle School, and Mr. Don Beckett, Mr. Jeff Kieffer, Mr. Marshall Schacht, Mr. Kiel Duval, and Mr. Robert Glazier at SJO.

College:
Plans to start at Parkland College and transfer to the U of I to major in Mechanical Engineering.

Advice to future SJO students:
Work hard, and to keep plugging away to be successful.

Josh Sexton

Clubs & Activities

Cross Country (4 years), Track & Field (2 years), Band, Chorus, Drama Club, Spanish Club, NHS

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
One younger sister

Hobbies:
Anything relate to theater.

Favorite SJO memories:
He has really enjoyed being a part of the SJO cross country team. This past winter, Josh was a part of the All State Musical at Illinois State University, which is an event he will never forget. Also, Josh really enjoyed attending the district band competition at Olivet Nazarene University. He will also remember everything that was theater-related at SJO as well. He is also very proud of signing up the SJO theater shows for the Illinois High School Musical Theater Awards.

Favorite classes:
Band and Civics

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Dassow and Mrs. Ford at St. Joseph Middle School, and Mr. Williams, Mrs. Heather Lindenmeyer, and Mr. Marshall Schacht at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
Illinois State University majoring in Music Education

Career Goal:
Earn a master’s degree and perform on Broadway.

Advice to future SJO students:
Do not underestimate yourself.

Isaac Walden

Clubs & Activities

Baseball (2 years), Maroon Platoon
Art Club

Hometown:
Ogden

Siblings:
Two older sisters

Hobbies:
Rollerblading, mini golf, and bowling.

Favorite SJO memories:
Going to the IHSA State volleyball games during his freshman year and senior year was fun. He also remembers a hilarious moment from his freshman year when, while practicing a "how to" speech, one of his classmates threw a paper airplane he was working on, which hit Mrs. Franzen in the face during English class. This was definitely an accident, but it was a quick, hilarious, spontaneous moment that he will never forget.

Favorite classes:
All of his history classes with Mr. Jeff Kieffer, Mr. Marshall Schacht, Mr. Don Beckett, and English with Mrs. Alisyn Franzen.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Pierce, Mrs. Stewart, and Mrs. Max at PVO; and Mr. Kieffer, Mr. Shawn Skinner, and Mr. Schacht at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
University of Illinois at Springfield majoring criminology.

Advice to future SJO students:
Get all of your homework finished.

Text & photos provided by St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

Senior Spotlights on SJO's Paige DeMay, Nick Copeland & Isabelle Vliet

Paige DeMay

Clubs & Activities

Track and Field (3 years)
Soccer (1 year)
Maroon Platoon, Band, FFA

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Older brother

Hobbies:
Running, being around pets, and working at Red Lobster

Favorite SJO memories:
She really appreciates the tight knit community and the overall positive classroom setting at SJO. She has enjoyed all of the fun times with her friends.

Favorite classes:
Any class with Mrs. Kelly Steffen, Mr. Don Beckett, and Mr. Marshall Schacht.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. James at St. Joseph Grade School, Mrs. Stone at St. Joseph Middle School, and Mr. Beckett at SJO.

College:
Illinois State University, majoring in Veterinary Medicine

Advice to future SJO students:
Keep parents in the loop all four years of high school, learn time management skills, and to be involved in as many activities as possible.

Nick Copeland

Clubs & Activities

Maroon Platoon

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
A younger brother and younger sister

Hobbies:
Bowling and hanging out with his friends

Favorite SJO memories:
He enjoyed being in the Maroon Platoon, especially during all of the IHSA State games and rivalry games as well as all of the Homecoming dances each year at SJO.

Favorite classes:
Ag Construction with Mr. William Billman, American History with Mr. Marshall Schacht, and Chemistry with Mr. Kevin Simondsen.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Steele and Mrs. Stierwalt at St. Joseph Grade School; Mr. Risley, Mr. Steele, and Mrs. Becky Ford at St. Joseph Middle School; and Mr. Billman, Mr. Richard Vetter, Mr. Simondsen, Mr. Schacht, Mr. Jeff Kieffer, Mr. Kiel Duval, and Ms. Susan Pensinger at SJO.

College:
Parkland College, majoring in Construction Management. After Parkland, his plan includes a transfer to a four-year Architecture program.

Advice to future SJO students:
Do all of your homework and to enjoy high school while you can because it will be over before you know it.

Isabelle Vliet

Clubs & Activities

Student Council, SADA, Maroon Platoon, Maroon Platoon Leader, Spanish-Hacky Sack Club, Food Pantry Helper

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Four sisters: one older sister and three younger sisters.

Hobbies:
Hanging out with her sisters, hanging out with her friends, working on arts and crafts, and practicing photography.

Favorite SJO memories:
She enjoyed going to prom as a freshman, and she has really enjoyed being a part of the Maroon Platoon. As a big time Spartan fan, she enjoyed being a part of the IHSA State Volleyball Championship Game during her freshman year, the IHSA State Girls’ Basketball Third Place Game her junior year, and the IHSA Volleyball Super-Sectional Game at Palos Heights when the Spartans won in three sets.

Favorite classes:
All of her Spanish classes with Senor Zak Sutton; U.S. History, Economics, and Civics with Mr. Marshall Schacht; and art with Mr. Jake Beccue.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Baker and Mrs. Camp at St. Joseph Grade School; Mrs. Becky Ford and Mrs. Jeffers at St. Joseph Middle School; and Mr. Schacht, Mr. Beccue, Senor Sutton, and Senora Nelson at SJO.

College:
Parkland College, majoring in Nursing. Inspired by her mother, she plans to attend a four-year university and eventually earn a Master’s Degree.

Advice to future SJO students:
Get involved in the Maroon Platoon and to go to Homecoming, prom, and post prom.

Text & photos provided by St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

2020 Spotlight on St. Joseph-Ogden seniors Brendan Cooperider, Logan Lindsey & Mason McLain

Mason McLain

Clubs & Activities

Baseball (4 years)
Maroon Platoon
Spanish Club

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Older sister

Hobbies:
Playing video games and hanging out with friends.

Favorite SJO memories:
His junior year baseball season. The Spartans had a great year last year, and he was excited to play baseball again this spring. He knows the SJO baseball team could have really done something this spring.

Favorite classes:
Civics with Mr. Marshall Schacht and Geography with Mr. Jeff Kieffer.

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Dunker at St. Joseph Grade School, Mr. Risley at St. Joseph Middle School, and Mr. Marshall Schacht and Mrs. Lianne Rash at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
University of Illinois, majoring in Kinesiology

Advice to future SJO students:
Dot take anything for granted and to enjoy all four years of high school.

Logan Lindsey

Clubs & Activities

Football (3 years)
Track and Field (2 years)
Wrestling (1 year)
Drama Club, Maroon Platoon

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
One older sister and one younger brother

Hobbies:
Writing and building his own computers

Favorite SJO memories:
Hanging out with his friends at lunch time and being around his friends playing sports. Logan developed a strong bond with his friends through athletics.

Favorite classes:
All of his math classes and science with Mr. Kevin Simondsen.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Baker and Mrs. Camp at St. Joseph Grade School; Mr. Risley and Mrs. Stone at St. Joseph Middle School; and Mr. Simondsen, Mrs. Morgan Downs, Mrs. Alisyn Franzen, and all of his math teachers at SJO.

College:
Parkland College, majoring in computer programming

Advice to future SJO students:
Pay attention and to get your homework done

Brendan Cooperider

Clubs & Activities

Football (4 years)
Baseball (4 years)
Student Council, Spanish Club, NHS, Maroon Platoon

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Hobbies:
Weightlifting and learning about cars

Favorite SJO memories:
His greatest memories at SJO revolve around the baseball team, which he enjoyed being a part of for all four years. One memory that stood out was the SJO Invite in May 2019, a round robin tourney hosted at SJO each year.

Favorite classes:
U.S. History and Civics

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Risley, Mr. Steele, and Mrs. Ford at St. Joseph Middle School and Mr. Kiel Duval and Mr. Marshall Schacht at SJO.

College:
University of Iowa, majoring in Mechanical Engineering

Career goal:
Become a part of the Formula SAE race team.

Advice to future SJO students:
Learn time management skills early on

Text & photos provided by St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

Senior Spotlights with Lucas Grindley, Alivia Norem & Erica Guelfi

Erica Guelfi

Clubs & Activities

Scholastic Bowl (4 years), Drama Club, Spanish Club, NHS, Band, Rube Goldberg Team, We The People, Student Council-Class Officer & Executive Officer

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
A younger brother

Hobbies:
Baking, reading, and playing trumpet.

Favorite SJO memories:
They all revolve around all of the extra-curricular activities. She has really enjoyed band all four years and she will always remember the musical All Shook Up during her junior year.

Favorite classes:
Biology, World History, and Physics

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Parrish at St. Joseph Grade School; Mrs. Ford at St. Joseph Middle School; and Mr. Jeff Kieffer, Mr. Ryan Searby, and Mr. Marshall Schacht at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
Vanderbilt University majoring Biomedical Engineering

Advice to future SJO students:
Follow your interests and passions and to be involved in what you feel passionate about.

Lucas Grindley

Clubs & Activities

Band (4 years)
NHS, We The People, Scholastic Bowl, Drama Club

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Two older brothers

Hobbies:
Playing trombone and working at IGA

Favorite SJO memories:
SJO musical last year during his junior year. He also enjoyed being a part of the boys’ dance team and the man squad this year.

Favorite classes:
U.S. History, Civics, Economics, Spanish, and Band

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Camp at St. Joseph Grade School, Mr. Risley at St. Joseph Middle School. At SJO, Senor Zak Sutton and Mr. Marshall Schacht

College:
Eastern Illinois University majoring in Journalism with a biology minor.

Advice to future SJO students:
Focus on your work because everything will all work out.

Alivia Norem

Clubs & Activities

Maroon Platoon

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
An older brother

Hobbies:
Playing volleyball, traveling, spending time with friends and driving.

Favorite SJO memories:
Classes she had with her best friend, Anna. She also enjoyed her Advanced Biology class during her junior year. She met so many people in the class and she will never forget the overall environment of the class.

Favorite classes:
Her favorite classes at SJO were Advanced Biology, all of her Science classes, and all of her English classes, especially English 101/102.

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Marshall Schacht, Mrs. Stacey Kietzman, and Mr. Ryan Searby

College:
Parkland College majoring in Business Finance.

Career Goal: To become a financial advisor.

Advice to future SJO students:
Choose empathy and to try to understand everyone before you speak.

Text & photos provided by St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

Senior Spotlight with Emily Hardimon, Lucas Downing & Faith Dahman

Faith Dahman

Clubs & Activities

Cheer (4 years), Track & Field (2 years), NHS President, SADA President, AMP, Future Spartans Mentoring Program, Spanish Club Leader, Bible Club Leader, Maroon Platoon, SJO Handbook Committee, Drama Club, We The People

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Younger brother

Hobbies:
working at Sholem Pool, walking, and spending time with family and friends.

Favorite SJO memories:
She enjoyed mentoring in the Advisory Mentoring Program and being a part of the Future Spartans Mentoring Program. She also enjoyed her time as an SJO cheerleader, especially during the Homecoming games and at all of the Homecoming assemblies.

Favorite classes:
Advanced Civics with Mr. Marshall Schacht, Trigonometry with Mr. Kiel Duval, and U.S. History with Mr. Don Beckett.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Lubinski and Mrs. Ford at St. Joseph Middle School and Senor Zak Sutton and Mr. Schacht at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
University of Illinois, double major in Pre-Law and Political Science.

Advice to future SJO students:
Get involved in as many sports, activities, and clubs as you can.

Lucas Downing

Clubs & Activities

Soccer (2 years)
FFA, Maroon Platoon, Drama Club

Hometown:
Royal

Siblings:
Older sister and two younger brothers

Hobbies:
Playing baseball, riding four-wheelers, and hanging out with friends.

Favorite SJO memories:
He thoroughly enjoyed FFA in high school, and he highly suggests joining FFA to all SJO students.

Favorite classes:
BSAA with Mrs. Duitsman and Mr. Pfundstein and Geometry with Mr. Kiel Duval.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Howard and Mrs. Anderson at PVO and Mr. Duval and Mr. Don Beckett at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
Northwest Lineman College in Florida

Advice to future SJO students:
Be excellent, stay on top of your homework, and do not fall behind.

Graduating from college with an undergraduate or advance degree? Let us know. Read more ...

Faith Hardimon

Clubs & Activities

Spanish Club, SADA, Maroon Platoon, We The People

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Younger sister

Hobbies:
Playing tennis, playing sand volleyball, and painting.

Favorite SJO memories:
Over the years, she has enjoyed post prom and playing hacky sack before school. She has also been a big part of the Maroon Platoon. During her senior year, she was one of the many road warriors from the Maroon Platoon that traveled to Unity High School to cheer on the SJO varsity volleyball team to victory. It is a moment she will never forget.

Favorite classes:
Spanish with Senor Zak Sutton, and all of the classes she had with Mr. Marshall Schacht as a teacher.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. McDonald at St. Joseph Grade School, Mrs. Thompson at St. Joseph Middle School, and Mr. Schacht, Senor Sutton, and Mrs. Heather Lindenmeyer at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
Illinois State University, majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Spanish.

Advice to future SJO students:
Enjoy their senior year and to go to as many sporting events as possible.

Text & photos provided by St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

SJO Senior Spotlights with Dade Allinger, Karsyn Wetzel and Mallory Ames

Dade Allinger

Clubs & Activities

Boys’ Basketball (4 years)
Youth Wrestling
Spanish Club
Chess Club

Dade Allinger moved to St. Joseph at the beginning of the school year with his family. He has four siblings, three brothers and one sister.

While he has only been a student at St. Joseph-Ogden High School for just one year, Allinger said he has made many great memories.

Trading his orange and blue Bulldog gear for Spartan maroon and Columbia blue, he wore #21 as a member of the boys' varsity basketball team this past winter.

He really enjoyed the electric environment of the Class 2A IHSA regional championship game hosted at St. Joseph-Ogden back in late February.

At the beginning of the season, he came off the bench to contribute five points in the Spartans' 74-39 win over Schlarman at the Toyota of Danville Classic in early December.

Allinger is thankful for the new friendships he cemented during the past nine months at SJO. Moving to the district from Mahomet, he appreciates how welcoming the community has been with him and meeting new people.

After graduation this spring, Allinger will start his college education at attend Parkland College in pursuit of degree in physical therapy. After finish up at Parkland, he plans to transfer to the University of Illinois to continue his studies.

His favorite classes in high school are Economics with Mr. Marshall Schacht and Business Management with Mr. Shawn Skinner.

And, when it comes to favorite teachers, he named Mr. Schacht and Mr. Eric Andracke, who was his woods teacher at Mahomet-Seymour High School, as his favorite instructors during his high school career.

His advice for future SJO students is to stay ahead on homework and to not be afraid to ask questions.

Allinger said his hobbies include spending time with friends and family.

Karsyn Wetzel

Clubs & Activities

Student Council (4 years)
Drama Club (4 years)
Chorus

After high school, Karsyn Wetzel plans to attend Eastern Illinois University and will major in middle school education with an English emphasis.

One of her greatest memories at St. Joseph-Ogden High School was being a part of last year’s musical production, which she says is her absolute favorite experience.

Wetzel said she has also enjoyed her role as a member of the executive board for the Student Council and will always remember Senior Night for the last home football game of the season.

Her advice for future SJO students is to get involved, and to cherish time with friends because high school goes by way too fast.

Wetzel's four favorite classes are U.S. History, Sociology, Advanced Civics, and English 101/102.

Her favorite teachers throughout the years have been Mrs. Jeffers in 6th grade at St. Joseph Middle School and Mr. Marshall Schacht, Mr. Jeff Kieffer, and Mrs. Heather Lindenmeyer in high school.

Wetzel lives in St. Joseph with her mom and dad and two younger brothers. Her hobbies include hanging out with family and friends and working.

Mallory Ames

Mallory Ames' advice to future St. Joseph-Ogden students is don't sweat the small stuff and to live every day like it is your last.

In addition to her interest in photography and cleaning, she likes hanging out with family and friends. How she finds the time for all three is mystery for a student who was actively involved in two sports and five clubs, including Spanish Club, We The People and FFA, during her high school career.

As a member of the SJO FFA chapter, Ames placed 9th in a major career development event at State. At a land use career development event this past September, she earned a fourth-place individual ribbon and helped SJO to a second place team finish.

She and other students competing in the land use competition evaluate soil characteristics including texture, slope and drainage. They then make recommendations for land treatments based on the use, whether it be agricultural, residential or urban.

Clubs & Activities

FFA (4 years), NHS, Bible Club
Spanish Club, We The People
AMP Program, Volleyball (2 years)
Girls’ Basketball (1 year)

She is also the Section 17 reporter, which covers 14 east central Illinois chapters including Arcola, ALAH, Fisher, GCMS, Heritage, Mahomet-Seymour, Monticello, PBL, Rantoul, Joesph-Ogden, Tuscola, Villa Grove, Urbana, and Unity in addition to St. Joseph-Ogden.

She will also never forget the FFA Convention during her junior year in Indianapolis. The experience with friends was a lot of fun she said.

Fellow students will remember Ames for her routine practice of screaming hello to social science teacher Don Beckett on a daily basis.

After graduation, Mallory will move nine miles to the west to continue her education in Agri-Business and Ag Communications at the University of Illinois. She also plans to minor in Spanish.

As her senior year comes to a close, Ames' favorite classes have been AP English IV with Mr. Ryan Searby and American History with Mr. Beckett.

Ames' favorite teachers over the years have been Mr. Steele and Mrs. Cler at St. Joseph Middle School and Mrs. Duitsman at SJO.

She lives in St. Joseph with her mom, dad, and a younger brother.

Photos and text provided by St. Joseph-Ogden High School

Featuring the Class of 2020's Adamaris Fuentes, Ethan Hinrichs & Eliza Lewis

Adamaris Fuentes

Clubs & Activities

Spanish Club, Spanish Club Leader, Cheer (1 year), Drama Club, Maroon Platoon, Maroon Platoon Leader

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Hobbies:
Dancing, baking, and giving her time through volunteer work.

Favorite SJO memories:
Meeting new people, and she was thankful for all of the new opportunities each year at SJO.

Favorite classes:
Spanish with Senor Zak Sutton, PE with Mr. William Billman, and English with Ms. Susan Pensinger

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Risley and Mrs. Kinney at St. Joseph Middle School and Senor Sutton, Mr. Kevin Simondsen, and Mrs. Lianne Rash at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, Majoring in Pre-PA Biology.

Advice to future SJO students:
Do not take anything for granted.

Graduating from college with an undergraduate or advance degree? Let us know. Read more ...

Ethan Hinrichs

Clubs & Activities

Marching Band (4 years)
Track and Field (1 year)
Soccer (2 years)
Scholastic Bowl, Rube Goldberg Team, We The People

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
He has seven siblings: one older sister, two younger brothers, and four younger sisters.

Hobbies:
Reading and working

Favorite SJO memories:
Marching Band trip to Washington D.C. when he was a freshman and going to Chicago as a part of the We The People team. Ethan has also enjoyed spending time with his teachers throughout the years at SJO.

Favorite classes:
Physics, AP Chemistry, and all of his classes with Mr. Marshall Schacht and Mr. Jeff Kieffer.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. McDonald at St. Joseph Grade School; Mrs. Mabry and Mr. Steele at St. Joseph Middle School; and Mr. Schacht, Mr. Jeff Kieffer, Mr. Robert Glazier, and Mr. Kevin Simondsen at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
He will attend the Parkland Pathways program and will transfer to the University of Illinois to major in aerospace engineering.

Summer Plans:
After high school, Ethan plans to work two jobs over the summer.

Advice to future SJO students:
Be social and to get out more.

Eliza Lewis

Clubs & Activities

Cheer (4 years)
We The People, Spanish Club, Spanish Club Leader, Bible Club Leader, SADA, NHS, Drama Club

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
One older sister and one younger brother.

Hobbies:
Working, Bible journaling, drawing, watching YouTube, and hanging out with friends.

Favorite SJO memories:
Eliza’s greatest memories at SJO centered around the wonderful memories she made with friends at lunch time.

Favorite classes:
Geometry with Mr. Kiel Duval, Sociology with Mr. Jeff Kieffer, AP English III with Mr. Ryan Searby, Horticulture with Mrs. Darcy Nekolny, and Economics with Mr. Marshall Schacht.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Mabry at St. Joseph Grade School; Mr. Risley and Mrs. Lubinski at St. Joseph Middle School; and Mr. Kieffer, Mr. Duval, Senor Zak Sutton, Ms. Kelly Steffen, and Mr. Don Beckett at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
Judson University, majoring in Architecture and minor in Spanish and Christian Ministries. She will also be on the cheer team and the dance team.

Advice to future SJO students:
Enjoy your time in high school because high school is such a special time in your life.

Text & photos provided by St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

Senior spotlights with Aubrey Kern, Cody Johnston & Kristen Costa

Aubrey Kern

Clubs & Activities

Volleyball (1 year)
Student Council, Maroon Platoon

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Older brother

Hobbies:
Hanging out with family and friends

Favorite SJO memories:
Going to all of the home games and Homecoming and Prom week.

Favorite classes:
All of her English classes and Biology

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Risley and Mrs. Kinney at St. Joseph Middle School and Mr. Kiel Duval and Mrs. Heather Lindenmeyer at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
Parkland College, Undecided major

Advice to future SJO students:
Have as much fun as you can and to not take anything for granted.

Cody Johnston

Clubs & Activities

Bass Fishing, Scholastic Bowl, We The People, Rube Goldberg Team, Marching Band, SADA

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Hobbies:
Fishing, riding motorcycles, and playing video games

Favorite SJO memories:
He earned first place in his We The People unit, and he also earned first place in percussion at one of his marching band competitions. Cody also enjoyed participating on the Rube Goldberg team.

Favorite classes:
Biology, Physics, U.S. History, Civics, and Calculus

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Risley at St. Joseph Middle School and Mrs. Jeanna Kerner, Mr. Robert Glazier, Mr. Marshall Schacht, and Mrs. Lianne Rash at SJO

College:
Parkland College, majoring in Engineering

Technical training:
Electrical Union Apprenticeship

Advice to future SJO students:
Pursue extracurricular activities and to do your homework.

Kristen Costa

Clubs & Activities

Student Council-Class President, Student Council-Student Body President, AMP, Spanish Club, Maroon Platoon, NHS, Drama Club, We The People

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
One younger brother, one older brother, and one older sister

Hobbies:
Singing, donating her time for volunteer work, and hanging out with friends and family

Favorite SJO memories:
Her greatest memories involvement in Student Council. She was elected into the IASC (Illinois Association of Student Council), and she was the first ever SJO student elected to serve as Vice President of this organization. Kristen also really enjoyed planning out the Kickapoo District Convention for Student Council.

Favorite classes:
All of her Spanish classes and Biology

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Dassow and Mrs. Ford at St. Joseph Middle School and Senor Zak Sutton and Mr. Marshall Schacht at SJO.

College:
Illinois College, majoring Spanish education (K-12).

Advice to future SJO students:
Enjoy what you have when you have it, and do not take anything for granted.

Text & photos provided by St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

2020 Senior Spotlight on Eric Poe

Eric Poe runs to the finish line during the 2019 SJO 5K. Heading into his senior year at SJO back in July, he finished the race in 18 minutes and 11.5 seconds to finish third in the 14-18 year-old age division. Below, Poe runs to the finish line four months later at the IHSA Cross Country State Finals in Peoria. He finished the course at 100th overall with a time of 16:27.75 to help the Spartans to a 18th place team finish. (Photos: PhotoNews/Clark Brooks)

"I don't regret the decision," Poe said about making the switch from football to cross country two years ago. Days later back in November, he and the boys' cross country team ran at the IHSA state meet in Peoria. "I'm very thankful for the coach I have and my teammates who have been helping me along. It is not an easy sport."

Career Running Marks

400 Meter Dash 56.25
800 Meter Run 2:07.32
1600 Meter Run 4:51.87
3200 Meter Run 11:10.78
2 Mile 11:36.0
3 Mile 16:21.0
5k 18:11.0

Eric Poe

Clubs & Activities

Track and Field (4 years)
Cross Country (2 years), Football (2 years)
Spanish Club, Spanish Club Leader, NHS, We The People, Advisory Mentoring Program

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
One older brother

Hobbies:
Hanging out with friends and family, running, and anything related to his extracurricular schedule.

Favorite SJO memories:
His greatest memories at SJO include all of his track and field and cross country athletic events throughout the years and when he qualified for IHSA State in cross country this past fall.

Favorite classes:
All of his history classes and specifically Economics, Civics, along with U.S. History with Mr. Schacht.

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Risley at St. Joseph Middle School and Senor Zak Sutton and Mr. Marshall Schacht at St. Joseph-Ogden High School

College:
United States Naval Academy

Advice to future SJO students:
Work hard because high school is really not that bad.

Meet the Class of 2020 - Four fantastic SJO seniors

Ashley Abbott

Clubs & Activities

FFA
Art Club
Landscape Design

Ashley Abbott lives in St. Joseph with her dad and stepmother. She has three brothers and one sister.

Her hobbies include playing video games, attending Art Club, and gardening.

Abbott currently misses her daily high school schedule, but she is making the most of her time at home.

After high school, she plans to attend Parkland College. She plans to transfer to a four-year university to major in landscape design after finishing her program at Parkland.

Her favorite classes at St. Joseph-Ogden High School include Horticulture, Biology, and Art. This school year, Abbott really enjoyed all aspects of FFA and enjoys learning about all aspects of agriculture.

Her favorite teachers at SJO are Mrs. Jennifer Brooks, Mrs. Darcy Nekolny, Mrs. Jeanna Kerner, Mrs. Ashley Krisman, and Mr. Don Beckett.

Kendall Ayers

Clubs & Activities

Scholastic Bowl
Drama Club
Chorus

Kendall Ayers lives in Royal with his mom and has two older brothers.

His hobbies include playing video games, singing, and working on computers, and he has a passion for geology.

His greatest memories at SJO are simply the great day-to-day interactions he has had over the years in high school. Ayers said he will always remember going to All State Chorus at Olivet Nazarene University, which was a huge accomplishment for him that he certainly should be proud of.

After high school, he plans to take a vacation out west and will attend Parkland College as a member the Parkland Pathways program. His goal is to eventually transfer to the University of Illinois where he will major in computer engineering.

His advice for future SJO students is "to get their foot in the door and to make an impression."

Ayers said his two favorite classes at St. Joseph-Ogden High School are Physical Education and Chorus.

His favorite all-time teachers are Mrs. Max, who was his 5th/6th grade teacher at Prairieview-Ogden, as well as Mrs. Steffen, Mr. Kieffer, Mr. Don Beckett, and Mr. Hess at SJO.

Kaylee Blackburn

Kaylee Blackburn lives in St. Joseph with her family, and has six siblings: three brothers and three sisters.

Her hobbies include writing poetry and short stories and hanging out with friends and family.

Blackburn has many great memories from her time at St. Joseph-Ogden High School. Over the years, she enjoyed the overall atmosphere at all home football games with the Maroon Platoon. She is a big fan of Homecoming week and has really enjoyed participating in the Spartan Olympics.

She really enjoyed post prom and will miss the opening show night for the spring musicals.

After high school, Blackburn will attend Eastern Illinois University in Charleston to study early childhood education.

Her advice for future SJO students is to "simply enjoy everything and to appreciate all of your teachers and friends."

At SJO, her favorite classes over the years are American History, Advanced Civics, and Economics with Mr. Schacht; English with Mrs. Lindenmeyer; and Geometry with Mr. Duval.

Blackburn, like other seniors, has several favorite teachers at the high school. Mr. Marshall Schacht, Mr. Jeff Kieffer, and Mrs. Heather Lindenmeyer as well as Mr. Steele from St. Joseph Middle School top her list.

Clubs & Activities

Cheer (4 years)
Drama Club (4 years)
SADA, Student Council
We The People

Joe Yeager

Joe Yeager's greatest memory at St. Joseph-Ogden High School was when he missed two of his toughest classes his sophomore year because of a gas leak. The whole school had to evacuate the building and he will never forget this moment.

His favorite classes at SJO included art with Mr. Jake Beccue his sophomore year and construction with Mr. Bill Billman this year. Over the years, Yeager's favorite teachers have been Mrs. Maxwell at Prairieview-Ogden in 5th/6th grade and Mr. Don Beckett at SJO.

His dream job is owning his own shop where he can do custom automotive work or work on performance race cars. After graduation from SJO he willl start working toward that goal by attending Parkland College studying in one of their automotive programs.

One Yeager's many hobbies is tearing down and rebuilding car engines. He is a member of one of two teams that trains at Parkland College and competes in Hot Rodders for Tomorrow competitions held around the country. In February, his team qualified for the national competition at the Race and Performance Expo in Schaumburg.

Clubs & Activities

Art Club
FFA

Teams are made up of high school students who practice teamwork, critical thinking and initiative as well as team communication as they tear down and reassemble Chevy 350 engines without the use of power tools.

Hot Rodders for Tomorrow's mission is to teach high school and junior high students around the country about mechanical engineering and to encourage teamwork. The organization also offers scholarships to college students and has awarded more than $15 million since 2008 to future technicians. Not only are the competitions a great learning experience, but participants also have the opportunity rub meet with possible future employers as well as with industry experts to learn the latest technological advances.

To future SJO students, Yeager offers this advice: "Finish all homework and to get involved."

He lives in Royal with his mother, father and sister, Mariel.

Photos and text provided by St. Joseph-Ogden High School

Spartan Spotlight with senior Danie Kelso

Danie Kelso

Clubs & Activities

Track and Field (4 years)
Cross Country (1 year)
Bible Club

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
One older and one younger sister

Hobbies:
Reading and running

Favorite SJO memories:
She said her greatest memories at SJO centers around track and field. During her freshman year, her 4 X 400 M relay advanced to State, which was an unbelievable moment for her. During her junior year, her 4 X 200 M relay placed first at IHSA State Track & Field Finals, which was incredible, she added.

Favorite classes:
U.S. History and Anatomy and Physiology

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Stierwalt at St. Joseph Grade School, Mr. Risley at St. Joseph Middle School, and Mrs. Stacey Kietzman and Mr. Marshall Schacht at SJO.

College:
Millikin University majoring in nursing

Collegiate Sport:
She will join the Big Blue NCAA Div. III track & field program this fall

Advice to future SJO students:
Do not take anything for granted.

Track & Field Career Bests

60 Meter Dash	8.71
100 Meter Dash	13.82
200 Meter Dash	29.45
400 Meter Dash	1:04.9
800 Meter Run	2:41.45
2 Mile	18:17.0
3 Mile	23:44.0
5k	27:00.0
4X200 Relay	1:47.35
4X400 Relay	4:32.12

Danie Kelso and SJO sprinters rise to the top of the podium in 2019

Above: Kelso, with Spartan teammates Atleigh Hamilton, Hailey Birt and Maclayne Taylor pose for photos at the top of the Class 1A podium after winning the title race at the 2019 Illinois High School Association Track & Field State Finals on Saturday, May 18, in Charleston. The program finish the state meet in a two-way tie for third with St. Teresa.

Below: Kelso fires out of the blocks in her relay squad's 4x200 prelim at the 2019 state track meet. Along with fellow junior Hailey Birt, sophomore Atleigh Hamilton and senior Maclayne Taylor the Spartans dominated their heat with 1:45.07 finish to qualify for Saturday's finals. (Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)