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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Photos and text 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.

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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.

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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.

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

Senior spotlights with Braydon Rupert, Ginny Bytnar & Ross Booker

Ross Booker

Clubs & Activities

Football (1 year)
Maroon Platoon, FFA

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Older brother

Hobbies:
@orking on the farm, landscaping, working outside, and working on motors.

Favorite SJO memories:
During his freshman year, he started FFA and it was fun for Ross to get to know everyone. Two years later sometime during his junior year, he started to consider playing football at SJO. He followed through his senior year thoroughly enjoying every minute of it. He also really enjoyed all of the FFA events he participated in during high school.

Favorite classes:
Into to Ag, Consumers Ed, Ag Mechanics, BSAA, and all of his FFA and Agriculture classes.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Olson, Mrs. Mathis, Mrs. Max, and Mrs. Schoudel at PVO and Mr. Shawn Skinner, Ms. Pensinger, Mrs. Katie Duitsman, Mr. Marshall Schacht, Mr. Robert Glazier, Mrs. Jennifer Brooks, and Mr. Don Beckett at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
Parkland College, majoring auto mechanics with an emphasis in diesel mechanics.

Advice to future SJO students:
Do not take senior year for granted and to cherish every moment of high school because it is a fun and fast four years.

Ginny Bytnar

Clubs & Activities

Marching Band (4 years)
Spanish Club, Spanish Club Leader, We The People, Drama Club

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Hobbies:
Singing, reading, and hanging out with friends and family.

Favorite SJO memories:
Her favorite memory from high school is the Disney Showcase that she was a part of during her junior year. During her senior year, she really enjoyed the circle of memories band meeting for seniors this past fall.

Favorite classes:
Spanish, Physics, Economics, and all of her history classes.

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Dunn at St. Joseph Grade School, Mr. Risley at St. Joseph Middle School, and Senor Zak Sutton and Mr. Kevin Simondsen at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
University of Illinois majoring in Electrical Engineering

Advice to future SJO students:
Use your time well and to ask for help because the staff and teachers are nice.

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Braydon Rupert

Clubs & Activities

Basketball (4 years)
Maroon Platoon

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Three older sisters

Hobbies:
Watching movies, listening to music, and hanging out with friends and family.

Favorite SJO memories:
Playing basketball all four years. He enjoyed being a part of the basketball team, as it was a great family of players.

Favorite classes:
Intro to Ag with Mrs. Katie Duitsman and Algebra II with Mr. Kiel Duval.

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Duval, Mr. Kevin Simondsen, and Mrs. Stacey Kietzman

College:
Parkland College majoring in Construction Management

Advice to future SJO students:
Be prepared and to work hard.

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

SJO senior spotlights with Nolan Peacock, Zoey Witruk & Nick Bensyl

Nolan Peacock Clubs & Activities Track and Field (3 years), Drama Club (2 years), Spanish Club, We The People Hometown: St. Joseph Siblings: Two older brothers, two older sisters Hobbies: Spending time with friends and family, playing guitar, and working. Favorite SJO memory: He is going to miss the home football games, post prom, and all of the fan bus trips to IHSA State over the years. He really enjoys when the whole school is involved. Favorite classes: Every Spanish class with Senor Sutton, U.S. History with Mr. Schacht, and Horticulture with Mrs. Nekolny Favorite teachers: Senora Nelson, Senor Sutton, Mr. Schacht, and Mr. Simondsen. College: University of Illinois to study media and cinema studies. Advice to future SJO students: Cherish every moment of high school because it goes by so fast. Special thanks: Nolan wants to thank the faculty and everyone at SJO for making high school such a great, positive experience for him.

Zoey Witruk Clubs & Activities Softball (4 years), Student Council, Spanish Club, Maroon Platoon, SADA, NHS, We The People Hometown: St. Joseph Siblings: One older sister, Tori. Hobbies: Reading, spending time with friends and family, and being a part of her travel softball team, the Peoria Sluggers. Favorite SJO memory: Some of the moments she really enjoy included going to volleyball and basketball games. As a fan, Zoey remembers the varsity volleyball match at STM in 2018, when the Spartans were down late but then rallied to win. She had a blast at the IHSA State Softball Tournament her freshman year. She also enjoys Favorite classes: Civics, English, and Chemistry Favorite teachers: Her favorite all-time teachers throughout all her schooling are Mrs. Stone and Mrs. Ford at St. Joseph Middle School and Mr. Simondsen and Mr. Schacht at SJO. College: University of Illinois, majoring in animal science. She plans to become a veterinarian. Advice to future SJO students: Do not take any moment for granted because high school goes by so fast.

Nick Bensyl Clubs & Activities Scholastic Bowl Hometown: Ogden Siblings: A younger sister Hobbies: Playing video games and playing different kinds of trivia games. Favorite SJO memory: His greatest memories at SJO involve Ms. Pensinger. Nick feels lucky to have had Ms. Pensinger as his substitute teacher for the semester during both his sophomore year and his senior year. Nick has also enjoyed taking college courses at SJO, especially computer networking. Favorite classes: World History with Mr. Kieffer and Consumer Education with Mr. Skinner Favorite teachers: Throughout the years, his favorite teachers have been Mrs. Max during 5th and 6th grade at PVO, and Mr. Kieffer, Mr. Skinner, and Mr. Beckett at St. Joseph-Ogden High School. College: Parkland College, majoring in computer science information technology Advice to future SJO students: Do all homework

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Photos and text 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

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

Shining stars of SJO, senior spotlights with Samantha Gonzales, Jenna Schaefer & Erin Bridgewater

Samantha Gonzales

Clubs & Activities

Marching Band (4 years)

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Older sister

Hobbies:
Flute and being around animals

Favorite SJO memories:
A memory that she will never forget is when the SJO Marching Band finishing in 3rd place at the University of Illinois Marching Band Competition. In fact, her best high school memories all revolve around band.

Favorite classes:
Band and Chemistry

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Dassow and Mrs. Mabry at St. Joseph Middle School and Mr. Kevin Simondsen and Mrs. Heather Lindenmeyer at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
Eastern Illinois University, double major in Music Performance and Criminology

Advice to future SJO students:
Participate in extracurricular events and to get your schoolwork done.

Jenna Schaefer

Clubs & Activities

Band (4 years)
Drama Club, Scholastic Bowl, Rube Goldberg Team, NHS, Spanish Club, We The People

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Younger sister

Hobbies:
Hiking, traveling, watching TV, and hanging out with family and friends.

Favorite SJO memories:
She has enjoyed everything about the SJO Marching Band. During her junior year, she enjoyed being a part of the musical and post-prom as well.

Favorite classes:
Spanish, Economics, Intro to Social Studies, PE, Algebra II, and Geography

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Kirk at St. Joseph Grade School; Mrs. Jeffers at St. Joseph Middle School; and Mr. Marshall Schacht, Mr. Jeff Kieffer, Senor Zak Sutton, Senora Nelson, and Mr. Kevin Simondsen at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
University of Illinois, majoring in Environmental Economics and Policy.

Advice to future SJO students:
Get involved, be a part of all of the offered activities, and be nice to all of your teachers.

Erin Bridgewater

Clubs & Activities

Band (4 years)
We The People, Drama Club, Art Club

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Hobbies:
Video games and learning Japanese

Favorite SJO memories:
Most center around her experience in the SJO Marching Band. During her senior year, the SJO Marching Band earned a 3rd place finish or higher in each of their six marching band competitions. This was a great achievement that she was a huge part of.

Favorite classes:
Band all four years of high school, Horticulture with Mrs. Duitsman, and all of her science classes.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Fitzsimmons at St. Joseph Grade School, Mrs. Jeffers at St. Joseph Middle School, and she has enjoyed classes with all of her teachers at SJO.

College:
Eastern Illinois University, majoring in Computer Information Technology.

Advice to future SJO students:
Take your classes seriously and to do all of your homework.

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

2020 Senior Spotlight on Kenly Taylor

Kenly Taylor

On the right, Kenly celebrates senior night with her parents before the start of the Spartans' last home game of the season back on October 22, 2019. Above, Taylor celebrates a point for SJO during the team's state semifinal match against Breese Mater Dei at Redbird Arena. Below, the SJO senior poses for a photo with team's third-place trophy and her state volleyball medal. (Photos: PhotoNews/Clark Brooks)

Clubs & Activities Volleyball (4 years) Student Council, NHS, Spanish Club, Maroon Platoon, SADA, FCA Hometown: Ogden Siblings: An older sister; two brothers, one older and one younger Hobbies: Playing card games with friends, hanging out with family, and watching Netflix. Favorite SJO memories: Her greatest memories are playing hacky sack every Friday for Spanish Club during her senior year and the whole IHSA state volleyball tournament experience this past fall when the Spartans earned a 3rd place IHSA State trophy. Favorite classes: Physics with Mr. Robert Glazier and Spanish with Senor Zak Sutton. Favorite teachers: Mrs. Anderson at PVO as well as Mrs. Heather Lindenmeyer and Mr. Marshall Schacht at SJO. College: Parkland College, majoring in nursing Academic goal: Study abroad in Spain. Advice to future SJO students: Enjoy every moment and to not take anything for granted.

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Text provided by St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

Spartan Spotlight with Carson Mills

If she had super power, Carson Mills would want it to be the ability to read minds. One of three sisters all born on the same day and graduating together this May, Mills plans to pursue a degree in graphic design after high school.

The Sentinel couldn't pass up the opportunity to ask six questions to learn more about her and what it's like being a triplet.

Sentinel: Out of all of the theater productions you were a part of in high school, which was your favorite and why? Were an actress or part of the crew? What was your main responsibility?

Mills: My favorite theater production was the Lottery my freshman year; I played a dead woman as an extra.

Sentinel: You are going to the University of Cincinnati this fall. What do you see yourself doing with a degree in Graphic Design in ten years?

Mills: With a degree in Graphic Design, in ten years I see myself designing product advertisements or logos for a large company such as Coke or Disney.

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Carson Mills

Clubs & Activities

Softball (2 years), Drama Club, Art Club, Spanish Club, SADA Maroon Platoon

Hometown:
Ogden

Siblings:
She and her two sisters, Ava and Bailey, are triplets

Hobbies:
Drawing and hanging out with friends

Favorite SJO memories:
She will remember going to all of the football games during her senior year, and she had a blast cheering on all of the seniors. She has also really enjoyed all four years of Homecoming at SJO.

Favorite classes:
All of her art classes, Spanish with Senor Zak Sutton, and science with Mrs. Jeanna Kerner.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Max and Mrs. Anderson at Prairieview-Ogden and Senor Sutton and Mr. Kiel Duval at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
University of Cincinnati, majoring in Graphic Design

Advice to future SJO students:
Get involved as early as you can in high school and to go to the games.

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Sentinel: Who are three people you would invite to dinner at fabulous restaurant and why?

Mills: Three people I would invite to a fabulous dinner are Timothee Chalamet, Tom Holland, and Dylan O'brien because they are my celebrity crushes.

Sentinel: Oh, about homecoming at SJO, what did you enjoy the most about going?

Mills: What I enjoyed most about homecoming at SJO was dressing up and taking photos with my friends before the dance.

Sentinel: I asked your sisters this, so I will ask you, too: What is the best thing about being a triplet? And of course, the worse?

Mills: The best thing about being a triplet is going through life together and although we each have our own unique experiences, it's comforting to know there are two other people growing with me! Though there are a lot of good times together, the worst part about being a triplet is when my siblings take my clothes.

Sentinel: If you were a superhero, what would be you main super power? Who from SJO would be your sidekicks and why?

Mills: My main super power would be to read minds. My best friends Anna Wentzloff and Katie Cramer would be my sidekicks because I know they will alway have my back!

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Profile information & 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.

Doctors, tigers and vampires, oh my! Spartan Spotlight with Jenna Albrecht

After graduation from St. Joseph-Ogden High School, Jenna Albrecht plans to attend Parkland College for two years and then transfer to the University of Chicago-Urbana Satellite Campus Nursing Program. If those plans don't work out, she might consider a career as a television and film critic. She could become the next Erica Abeel of the Huffington Post or The Movie Minute's Joanna Langfield.

Currently at the top of her Netflix must-see list is Tiger King.

"Hello. This is a must for everyone! Who are you if you have not binge watched Tiger King?!?" Albrecht said about the streaming show slated to be an American cult classic decades from now. "If anything can help us through a pandemic, the war between Joe Exotic and Carol Baskin can!"

More likely to tame patients in a pediatric ward than tigers, the next show on her list is Grey's Anatomy.

"I am drawn to the medical side of this 16-year series," she said before spilling the beans on her attraction to her favorite characters in the medical drama. "Or, maybe I am just secretly in love with Dr. Shepard. No... Sloan… no... Karev… no... Avery… no... Hunt... no ...Linc… who am I kidding? I love them all!"

Her final recommendation, a fangtastic personal favorite for her, stars Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley in The Vampire Diaries.

Clubs & Activities Volleyball (4 years),Track & Field (1 year) Student Council, Spanish Club, Spanish Club Leader NHS, Maroon Platoon Leader Future Spartans Mentoring Program Advisory Mentoring Program

"#TeamDamon! This show definitely keeps you on your toes," she said. "If you love vampires, and who doesn’t, and never ending drama, this is a must!"

When she isn't watching Netflix, she enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends, and listening to music in her free time.

Although one has to speculate the amount of free time in her day planner is pretty limited, since the senior has been involved in two sports and seven other groups during high school. Albrecht's advice for future SJO students is one of experience: "Get involved because time goes by so fast, and do not take anything for granted."

The more involved you are as a student in high school activities and athletics, the more memories you will make. Albrecht has made and been apart of numerous moments at SJO like going to homecoming her freshmen year and being an integral part of the Spartan varsity volleyball team's third place finish last November at the IHSA state tournament.

"My senior volleyball season was one that I will never forget! The experience of advancing through each postseason game was so exhilarating!" she said. She offered additional advice for incoming freshman and underclassmen moving up to varsity spots in the SJO volleyball program. "Never underestimate what spirit can bring to your team! Whether you win or lose, whether you play or sit the bench, whether you are on the freshman team or the varsity team, attitude and spirit are what will carry the team through the ups and downs of the next four years!"

Volleyball has taught Albrecht, an idea candidate for motivational posters when it comes to mental toughness on the court, numerous lessons that she will carry through life. One of the most important is you can still find good in loss.

After epic come from behind, three-set victory to win the supersectional title over Chicago Christian, she described how she and her fellow Spartan teammates confidence and determination soared into the stratosphere.

"We were ready to bring it all home. We were ready to win it all. However, we took a hard loss in the semi-final game," she recounted, explaining how the team was shot down and brought back down the Earth after a grueling 2-1 loss to Breese Mater Dei in the SJO's Class 2A state semifinal. "It was a very difficult evening for us, but we went back to the hotel, ate some pizza, and played Just Dance. The next day, as we warmed up to play for the third-place state title, we were back on our game."

Back in the zone, the Spartans roared to a 25-11 first set victory. After falling 25-20 in the second, the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team fought valiantly to take the third and final set 25-23 to bring home the school's first state trophy in the 2019-20 school year.

"I don’t know if it’s his fun personality, kind soul, or his teaching abilities that makes him so amazing."

"We fought as hard as we could, and in the end, came out with the win!" she said. "Although, it was not the outcome we were hoping for, we were still able to find all the joy in the world for bringing home that third place state trophy."

While still remotely possible, Albrecht could very well assist in the Spartans in adding another piece of IHSA hardware to the school trophy case. Entering her second season with the girls track team, she has some unfinished business in the sport, especially competing in the triple jump.

"State was an amazing experience and I ended up within the top twenty, I didn’t make it to finals and was not quite satisfied yet," she said. Not bad when you consider she went from zero experience in her primary event to state in one season. "I had really big goals to finish on the podium this year, like many of the other girls. I don’t even think two years of track was enough for me, let alone one."

The coronavirus pandemic has put a damper on the 2020 spring sport season and like thousands of high school athletes around the country, the St. Joseph resident shares in their melancholy.

"I am extremely disappointed that there is a possibility spring sports will be canceled. Not only for myself, but also for the rest of the team," she explained. "It is very heartbreaking knowing that my last opportunity to compete in a sport may be taken away."

If, or probably a better yet, when there is another pandemic, Albrecht will likely be on the front lines in her future role in the nursing field. From the time she was a little girl she said she loved helping and caring for others. She would line up her stuffed animals and treat them as they were her patients taking care of them one by one. She credited the stories her mother, a respiratory therapist, shared with the family as her inspiration to pursue nursing as a career.

"I think America is doing everything they can right now to keep American citizens safe. Granted, we all could withstand improving our compliance with the "stay-at-home" quarantine regulations mandated by our government," she said. "(I hope) we can be better prepared for the next pandemic and educate the world rather than instill fear and panic before education.

"Having a strategy in place for the next pandemic will not only decrease the amount of fear, but have an organized plan in place for our nation to follow rather than react to."

Jenna’s favorite classes have been with Mr. Robert Glazier and English with Mrs. Heather Lindenmeyer, both instructors along with Mrs. Alycn Franzen have been her favorite teachers at SJO. In middle school Mrs. Kinney was a favorite, too.

"THE. ABSOLUTE. BEST. I don’t know if it’s his fun personality, kind soul, or his teaching abilities that makes him so amazing," Albrecht said of Glazier praising his teaching style.

She really appreciated the fact that whenever anyone needed extra help understanding anything he would go back and walk through it again until they understood it.

"I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to be in his class. Not only does he make his class fun, he is also very understanding of what the students have to say. I honestly find it difficult to find the right words to describe him, but I am so drawn to his gentle nature, kind soul, and fun sense of humor."

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.

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