SJO Senior Spotlights with Dade Allinger, Karsyn Wetzel and Mallory Ames
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Dade Allinger
Clubs & Activities
Boys’ Basketball (4 years)
Youth Wrestling Spanish Club Chess Club |
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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.
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.
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Mallory Ames
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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
