THERESA RAUB
PROSPECT
Track & field, cross-country, gymnastics
CLASS RANK: 1 of 495
COLLEGE: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY
ROLE MODELS: My parents, David and Judith; my brothers, Tim and Chris, and my sister, Diane.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: The last Harry Potter novel.
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
FAVORITE MUSIC: Country, hip-hop, rap, R&B and alternative
CUBS OR SOX: White Sox
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Fun.
QUOTE/CREDO: Dream big and dare to fail.
Theresa Raub is not afraid of heights.
That has come in handy in the pole vault, where the Prospect senior is one of the top performers in the state, and in the classroom, where she has soared about as high as you can get.
In four years at Prospect, Raub never has received a grade lower than A, even though she has taken nine advanced-placement courses, four of them as a senior. This mind-boggling achievement makes her a no-brainer pick for the 2005-2006 Tribune Scholar-Athlete Team, our 16th annual reminder that grades and games can be friends, after all.
The most stunning thing about Raub’s record, though, is that it’s a family tradition. Her older brothers, Tim and Chris, and older sister, Diane, also graduated from Prospect as straight-A valedictorians.
As streaks go, this is almost the stuff of Joe DiMaggio, and Theresa didn’t want to mess it up with a B in the 16th and final school year that one of David and Judith Raub’s kids would attend Prospect.
“It was big shoes to fill, but I liked the challenge,” she said.
It was nonetheless a relief to exit high school with the streak intact, not only for family pride but also for her own sake.
“One of my goals for a long time was to have straight A’s and be valedictorian,” she said.
The streak’s secret, however, is that perfection was more a byproduct than a goal.
“To us it was more important what you learn,” Judith Raub said. “The emphasis all along was not, `We want you to get an A,’ but rather do your best and be truly interested in the subject you’re taking.”
Theresa’s academic interest is strongest in science. She has taken both honors and AP courses in biology, chemistry and physics. In 8th grade, she took honors biology at Prospect so she could get all those classes in.
Raub was a budding star in the rocks and minerals part of the Science Olympiad from 6th through 9th grades but gave that up for something she loves even more: the pole vault.
She followed her sister into the event the summer before her freshman year when Diane, then a junior-to-be, attended a pole-vault camp in Arkansas. Theresa and her parents went along.
“My parents said, `You can either sit and watch with us or try it,'” said Theresa, who was leery of the event until former world record-holder and Olympic bronze medalist Earl Bell, who ran the camp, showed her the ropes. “It seemed like a scary event, going high in the air over something; but once he started helping me, it’s really not scary at all–and it’s fun.”
David and Judith used a discarded high-jump landing pad to help build a pole vault pit in their back yard. They also have been volunteer girls pole-vault coaches at Prospect the last two seasons.
Prospect girls track coach Dave Wurster admits he didn’t envision a future star when Theresa took up the pole vault. She exceeded his expectations by using the formula that has also worked so well in the classroom: hard work and determination.
“She had a goal in mind getting over a bar, and she figured out how to do it,” he said. “At first she was not real polished, but she willed herself over the bar in some cases, and I’m sure a few times in the classroom she willed herself to an A doing whatever it took to get it done.
“She figured out what she had to do to excel.”
Theresa used her knack for science to help her become a pole-vault standout. As a senior she did her research paper in an independent study course on how to increase one’s foot speed, and in advanced-placement physics she produced a demonstration about the physics of the pole vault.
“It’s really a technical event, so there’s always something you can work on,” said Raub, who has signed a letter of intent with California. “You have to be a student of the sport. Understanding the physics of it helps you to get better.”
Raub qualified for the Class AA state track meet in the pole vault the last four years.
After finishing sixth as a junior, she placed fifth May 20 at 11 feet 6 inches despite being hampered by shin splints all spring.
A week later, she cleared a personal best 12 feet during a meet at Bell’s facility in Arkansas, where she has been a regular visitor throughout high school.
Raub also has competed in gymnastics and cross-country all four years of high school. Three-sport participation has made for a grueling schedule, especially in May, when the climax of the track season coincides with advanced-placement tests.
“I’m busy all year, but it’s what I wanted to do and I manage to get the work done,” she said. “I knew all along I wanted to do three sports for four years because I like to do sports so much.”
A strong competitive spirit drives her in athletics. As in the classroom, though, the battle is mostly against her potential and high expectations.
“I just like trying to be the best I can be,” she said. “I’m really focused and have a strong positive attitude during meets because I want to do my best, and if I win, great, but it’s not all about winning.”
– – –
Head of the class
In a sports world where windmill dunks, touchdown runs and long home runs garner the most attention, it’s often easy to overlook the most important aspect of high school athletics–the ability to excel both in the classroom and on the fields of play. Each year the high school staff of the baiduhai hands out accolades for outstanding athletic efforts, but it’s the annual Scholar-Athlete team that is its highest honor.
Each Scholar-Athlete featured either finished in the top 10 percent of his or her class or scored a 30 on the ACT or 1,350 on the SAT, was at least all-conference in a sport and was nominated by his or her school. In most cases, class rank is through seven semesters.
JOE BARCZAK
GRANT
Football, wrestling
CLASS RANK: 5 of 305
COLLEGE: MONMOUTH
It has a good football team.
CELEB YOU RESEMBLE:
“Sunshine” from “Remember the Titans” because I have long hair.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: Bill Romanowski’s “Romo: My Life on the Edge. “
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Zoolander.”
PET: Duke the collie.
CUBS OR SOX: Cubs all the way.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Eventful.
JACK BRADY
DOWNERS GROVE NORTH
Football, track & field
CLASS RANK: 24 of 518
COLLEGE: HARVARD
It’s the best academic school I could go to.
ROLE MODELS: My parents, Stephen and Margaret.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: “The Hunt for Red October. “
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.”
PET: Abbey the black Lab.
CUBS OR SOX: Cubs.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Memorable.
ALLIE CANULLI
BENET
Softball, basketball
( CLASS RANK NOT AVAILABLE )
COLLEGE: YALE
I visited last year and absolutely fell in love with it.
ROLE MODELS: My parents, Mike and Diane.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: “Five People You Meet in Heaven. “
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Pirates of the Caribbean. “
FAVORITE MUSIC: Alternative.
CUBS OR SOX: White Sox.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Great.
QUOTE/CREDO: “Always give 110 percent. “
STEPH CIHLAR
ST. CHARLES NORTH
Softball
CLASS RANK: 17 of 506
COLLEGE: LOYOLA
I really love the campus.
ROLE MODEL: My high school softball coach, April Stary. She has so much passion for the sport and just loves coaching us.
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LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: “Life of Pi. “
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Big Fish.”
FAVORITE MUSIC: Jazz.
PET: Snickers, a German shepherd mix, Yukon, a Samoyed, and Shadow the cat.
CUBS OR SOX: Cubs.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Exciting.
MATT DITTMAN
LIBERTYVILLE
Baseball
CLASS RANK: 24 of 437
COLLEGE
ILLINOIS
ROLE MODELS: Derek Jeter. I aspire to be him–he’s a leader.
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Bull Durham”
FAVORITE MUSIC: Everything. My iPod probably has every genre of music.
PET: My brother has a hamster, but we never see him.
CUBS OR SOX: Cubs.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Unexpected.
KATIE EBERLING
STAGG
Track & field, volleyball
CLASS RANK: 46 of 643
COLLEGE: W. MICHIGAN
They have a great teaching program.
ROLE MODELS: My family and Mr. Seibt, my track coach and teacher at Stagg.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: Lance Armstrong’s “It’s Not About the Bike.”
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Pretty Woman. “
FAVORITE MUSIC: I listen to everything.
PET: Murphy the cocker spaniel.
CUBS OR SOX: Cubs.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Unforgettable.
MEGAN FESL
HERSEY
Volleyball
CLASS RANK: 33 of 498
COLLEGE: NOTRE DAME
It’s a school with the right fit academically, socially and athletically.
ROLE MODEL: My mom, Joanie. She was also a volleyball player and she played collegiately and she always placed a high priority on volleyball and academics and doing the right things.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: “Driven from Within” by Michael Jordan.
FAVORITE MOVIE: “A League of Their Own.”
PET: Brandy the husky.
CUBS OR SOX: Cubs, definitely.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Fun.
KATHRYN GEVITZ
OAK PARK
Track & field, cross-country, gymnastics
CLASS RANK: 1 of 780
COLLEGE: UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
I like it for its track program and academics.
ROLE MODELS: My coaches and my mom, Melanie.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: “Choke” by Chuck Palahniuk.
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Zoolander. “
FAVORITE MUSIC: Hip-hop and rock, mostly.
PET: Two cats, Dre and Cleo and a horse named Kramer. I ride him two or three times a week.
CUBS OR SOX: Sox.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Amazing.
JEN IVARSON
DOWNERS GROVE NORTH
Swimming, track & field
CLASS RANK: 13 of 518
COLLEGE: ILLINOIS
Partially for swimming and partially for academics.
ROLE MODELS: My parents, Joanne and Bob. And my coaches.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: “Subterranean” by James Rollins. I’m a science fiction fan.
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Spaceballs. “
FAVORITE MUSIC: Rock and country.
PET: Shetland sheepdog named Rocky.
CUBS OR SOX: I like both.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Fun.
KIMBERLY JAROS
DOWNERS GROVE NORTH
Badminton
CLASS RANK: 17 of 518
COLLEGE: ILLINOIS STATE
It has the best program for special education in the state.
ROLE MODELS: My parents, Lynne and Wes. They guided me in the right direction.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. “
FAVORITE MOVIE: “A Cinderella Story. “
PET: Cleo the half-basset and half-beagle and Barney, half-beagle and half-red terrier–we think.
CUBS OR SOX: Definitely a Cubs fan in my heart, but they aren’t doing too hot.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Successful.
PAT LLOYD
FENWICK
Swimming, water polo
( CLASS RANK NOT AVAILABLE )
COLLEGE: NOTRE DAME
It has the atmosphere. It’s where I felt most at home.
ROLE MODEL: My father, Donald.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: “The Things They Carried. “
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Friday Night Lights.”
FAVORITE MUSIC: Anything except country.
CUBS OR SOX: Sox, definitely.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Indescribable.
MELISSA MARIK
NEUQUA VALLEY
Swimming
CLASS RANK: 28 of 893
COLLEGE: AUBURN
It has a really good team environment.
ROLE MODELS: My parents and my family. They are so supportive.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: The last Harry Potter book.
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Wedding Crashers” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
FAVORITE MUSIC: John Mayer.
PET: No pets. The only pet I’d be good with is a fish. I’m not a pet person.
CUBS OR SOX: Cubs.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Crazy.
TIM MARKHAM
LYONS
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Soccer
CLASS RANK: 2 of 896
COLLEGE: JOHNS HOPKINS
Being able to play soccer there factored in.
CELEB YOU RESEMBLE: I was told once I looked like a young John Cusak.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: “The Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell.
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Igby Goes Down.”
FAVORITE MUSIC: Indie.
PET: Taz the dog. Sparky the cat.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Over.
QUOTE/CREDO: Dum spiro spero. It means, “While I breathe, I hope.”
WHITNEY MARTIN
BARRINGTON
Tennis, basketball, water polo
CLASS RANK: 12 of 705
COLLEGE: EMORY
I thought I’d have more free time there than at a Division I.
ROLE MODELS: My four older sisters: Lindy, Karlyn, Ashley and Caitlin.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: “The Lovely Bones. “
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Pirates of the Caribbean. “
FAVORITE MUSIC: I listen to all music except country.
PET: Rusty and Casey–both golden retrievers.
CUBS OR SOX: White Sox, definitely.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Unforgettable.
DAVID MONTGOMERY
YORK
Track & field, cross-country
CLASS RANK: 10 of 619
COLLEGE
GRINNELL
It has a combination of a lot of different things.
ROLE MODELS: My parents, Mark and Sue, and my track coach, Mr. Newton.
CELEB YOU RESEMBLE: A couple people have told me I look like Lance Armstrong.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: I’m currently reading “Catcher In the Rye. “
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”
PET: Snickers the Shetland sheepdog.
CUBS OR SOX: Both.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Tremendous.
SARAH PUCCI
NAPERVILLE CENTRAL
Swimming, water polo
CLASS RANK: 39 of 780
COLLEGE: ILLINOIS
I think it’s the right place for me. I like the campus a lot.
ROLE MODELS: My parents, Dan and Gail. They’re very supportive to me in whatever I do–both school and athletics.
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Moulin Rouge. “
FAVORITE MUSIC: I’m not very picky. The last concert I was at was The Fray.
PET: Shadow the cocker spaniel.
CUBS OR SOX: Cubs.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Unbelievable.
JENNA SILVER
YORK
Track & field
CLASS RANK: 8 of 618
COLLEGE: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY
I really like the atmosphere.
CELEB YOU RESEMBLE: My aunt once told me I look like Scarlett Johansson, but I think she’s crazy–everyone else does too.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: I’m reading “Man’s Search for Meaning.”
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Crash.”
CUBS OR SOX: I don’t like baseball. I’ve been to games at both places.
QUOTE/CREDO: Sheryl Crow: It’s not having what you want / It’s wanting what you’ve got.
NEFETERI WILLIAMS
PROVISO WEST
Track & field, cross-country
CLASS RANK: 36 of 541
COLLEGE: S. ILLINOIS
I like the atmosphere and the people.
ROLE MODEL: My great aunt Ethel Williams.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: “Native Son.”
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Never Been Kissed.”
FAVORITE MUSIC: I like gospel and R&B.
PET: Brownie the toy poodle.
CUBS OR SOX: White Sox.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Worthwhile.
QUOTE/CREDO: People may doubt what you say but will remember what you do.
JONATHAN WROBLE
HINSDALE CENTRAL
Tennis
CLASS RANK: 2 of 612
COLLEGE: ILLINOIS
I’m going to be rooming with a friend and I’ll be close to home.
ROLE MODEL: My role model until I was 12 was Pete Sampras. I remember one match he was sick and he threw up on the court and got a point penalty. I spent four years trying to throw up on the court.
LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN: “The Right Stuff.”
FAVORITE MOVIE: “Crash.”
PET: Portuguese water dog named Rugby.
CUBS OR SOX: Whoever is doing better.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: Perfect.
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