Celebrating the Class of 2020

Big Shoulders Fund schools are finding new ways to celebrate their graduates during these unprecedented times. For many of our scholars, graduation is more than a diploma, it is the opening of doors that for generations were closed. Their hard work and resilience show that although we are living in uncertain times, the future is bright because of the remarkable things this new generation of leaders has and will continue to accomplish. Big Shoulders Fund announced this past January a nearly $50 million ten-year philanthropic commitment to 30 of its highest need schools, enabling them to remain open and viable, and to continue enriching their local communities. I am proud to share the stories of the 2020 valedictorians of three of these Big Shoulders Fund Plus schools: Leo High School, St. Francis de Sales High School, and Our Lady of Tepeyac High School.

At Leo High School in Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood, graduation is held on Mother’s Day, in honor of the women who support these young men and help guide them. Kevin is Leo's valedictorian and his twin brother Kaleb is the salutatorian. Both are Big Shoulders Fund Canning Scholars and legacy students as their dad, Kevin Sr. is also a Leo graduate.

Kevin has been at the top of his class rankings since freshmen year, consistently strong in math and science. In addition to being an excellent student, he is an exceptional athlete, a starter for the Leo football and basketball teams until a knee injury that required surgery kept him out of both sports his senior year. Disappointed as he was to lose his senior season, Kevin never let up in the classroom. He adapted well to remote learning and secured the valedictorian honor with a strong finish. Kevin has been accepted to several schools, including the University of Illinois, and has also received scholarship offers for basketball. He is evaluating his options and is excited for the next chapter of his academic career. Kaleb will be heading to Hampton University with hopes of pursuing a career in the medical profession. Kevin and Kaleb truly embody the type of men Leo High School continues to produce over its 94 years at 79th and Sangamon. They both attended a Leo High School Service Day last week where they gathered for community clean-up, distributed more than 400 meals through our Food Distribution Program, and participated in a peaceful demonstration at Saint Sabina Church in honor of George Floyd and to advocate for justice.

St. Francis de Sales High School is celebrating its 81st year of excellence in Chicago’s East side. Rosa is the school’s class of 2020 valedictorian and also a Big Shoulders Fund Canning Scholar. Rosa plans to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and major in BioChemistry. Not only did she graduate top of her class, Rosa is also 1 of 3 Chicago students and 1 of 13 students in the state receiving a National Honor Society scholarship. These accomplishments are even more special to Rosa as she is the first in her family to attend a four-year university. With her family’s support she has been able to overcome adversities and continue to push for a brighter future not only for herself but her loved ones as well. During the school year, with support from St. Frances de Sales, Rosa took dual enrollment classes at Olive-Harvey College. An initiative created by City Colleges of Chicago, dual enrollment classes offers high-school juniors and seniors the opportunity to receive college credit before they graduate.

I think it is fair to say we can all learn from Rosa’s determination and perseverance. Read an interview Rosa recently did for her school here.

For 93 years, Our Lady of Tepeyac High School (OLT) has been an anchor in the Little Village neighborhood. Its young women continue to make a difference in their community, City, and beyond. This year’s valedictorian is a Friends of Big Shoulders Scholar and a Big Shoulders Fund Mark H. Berens Family Scholar. This fall, Eileen will attend Lawrence University, where she plans to major in psychology or engineering. Eileen struggled in elementary and middle school and was bullied by classmates. With the support of her mother, Eileen received speech therapy through elementary and middle school after being diagnosed with autism. Eileen never allowed anything or anyone to stop her. With the support of the close knit OLT community and her family, she has been able to showcase her true potential and become an advocate for others with autism. She was recently featured in this WBEZ article which highlighted her tremendous accomplishments.

Big Shoulders Fund scholars persevere through challenges and are great leaders in their school communities. I am filled with hope by our scholars, that they will create the change that we all so desperately want to see, but I also know they can’t do it on their own. We must all come together, lift each other up, and be the example our young people need.

We are so proud of all of our scholars. Congratulations Class of 2020!