Manteno High School Announces 2023 Senior Award Winners

By: Madeleine Willis

Manteno High School held its Senior Awards Night on Wednesday, May 17. At the awards ceremony, many accolades were awarded to the graduating class of 2023. 

Seniors were recognized for athletic and academic achievements, involvement in the high school and in their community, all while completing half of their high school experience amidst a global pandemic. 

The following list reveals the honors, awards, and scholarships received by Manteno High School graduates. 

• Manteno Women’s Club Scholarship – Kylie Saathoff and Katherine Gaffney. 
• Samuel R. Myers Foundation for Suicide and Mental Health Awareness Scholarship – Katherine Gaffney, Marissa Goad, Natalie Meyer, Morgan Mazeika, Olivia Willis, and Catherine Penney. 
• John Locke Memorial Scholarship – Katherine Gaffney. 
• Daughters of the American Revolution “Good Citizens Award” – Luke Blanchette. 
• BLDD (“Because Life Deserves Design”) Architects Scholarship – Reese Eldridge. 
• Kankakee County 4-H Youth Foundation Scholarship – Kylie Saathoff and Jacob Stawick. 
• Manteno PTO Scholarship – Christina Nelson and Natalie Meyer. 
• Alisa Blanchette Memorial Scholarship – Maci Kramerich and Shannon Meaney. 
• Coach Cory Blanchette Commitment to Character Scholarship – Grant DeRose. 
• Kankakee County Farm Bureau Scholarship – Kylie Saathoff and Olivia Willis.  
• Illinois Sheriffs Association Scholarship – Jeremiah Renchen. 
• Kiwanis Leadership Award – Ethan Godsey, Shannon Meaney, and Caden Petersen. 
• Manteno Rotary Club Scholarship – Shannon Meaney, Natalie Meyer, and Olivia Willis.
• Friends of the Manteno FFA scholarship – Haley Kazlauskas, Kylie Saathoff, and Olivia Willis.
• Masonic Lodge Scholarship – Marissa Goad, Jack Harding, Natalie Meyer, and Jacob Stawick.
• Manteno Chamber of Commerce Scholarship – Ethan Godsey, Maci Kramerich, and Natalie Meyer.
• Manteno Youth Soccer Association Scholarship – Jacob Diedrich and Alec Robinson.
• Manteno Student Council – Ethan Godsey 
• Old Mill Soccer Association Scholarship – Jacob Diedrich. 
• Manteno Education Association Scholarship – Christina Nelson (education major) and Kylie Saathoff (non-education major). 
• Manteno Athletic Boosters Scholarship – Jacob Diedrich and Katherine Gaffney. 
• Manteno High School 3×4 Athletes – Wes Dwyer, Katherine Gaffney, Drew Hossleton, and Kylie Saathoff.
• IHSA All-Academic Team Nominations – Drew Hosselton and Jason Singleton. 
• Manteno High School Scholar Athlete of the Year –  Ethan Godsey and Olivia Willis.
• Manteno High School Most Outstanding Senior Athlete – Wes Dwyer and Katherine Gaffney.
• Manteno Show Choir Scholarship – Natalie Meyer and Summer Olshefski. 
• Joseph Williams Scholarship – Machayla Corbett. 
• Ethan Allen Johnson and Caroline H. Johnson Scholarship – Luke Blanchette.
• Nexus-Indian Oaks Family Healing Cornerstone Scholarship – Marissa Goad. 
• Fred Johnson Foundation Scholarship – Alexa Willis.
• Erica Lynn Paulissen Memorial Scholarship – Natalie Meyer.
• Illinois Golden Apple Foundation Scholarship – Christina Nelson.
• Manteno Band Boosters Scholarship – Theodore Brzezicki, Caden Petersen, and Jacob Stawick. 
• Illinois Principals Association Award – Marissa Goad and Jack Harding. 
• National Merit Award – Luke Blanchette.
• KACC Technical Honors Award – Lily Bivona for medical terminology and Kelly Ritzke for computer technology.

The Marine Corps awarded five scholarships highlighting students who excelled in academics, athletics, and music. Luke Blanchette and Natalie Meyer received scholarships highlighting academic achievement,  Kylie Saathoff and Jason Singleton were awarded scholarships for athletic achievements, and Catherine Penney was recognized for excelling in music. 

Students also were recognized for receiving individual scholarships to the college of their choosing. In addition, seniors received chords for the following, Leadership Academy, National Honor Society, and Honor Roll. 

Panther Scholars received medallions to be worn at graduation. Medals also were awarded to certain individuals who went above and beyond in high school departments. 

High school department award winners include:

• English – Luke Blanchette, Lily Bivona, and Shannon Meaney.
• Art – Reese Eldridge. 
• FCS – Christina Nelson, Danielle Sannito, and Alexa Willis. 
• Business – Grant DeRose, Ethan Godsey, and Matt Regan.
• Technology – Kelly Ritzke.
• Junior Achievement Scholarships – Grant DeRose, Ethan Godsey, and Kylie Saathoff.
• Agriculture – Kylie Saathoff.
• Music – Theodore Brzezicki (Mike Snyder Show Choir Award), Chris Lohse (Louis Armstrong Jazz Award), Summer Olshefski (Outstanding Choral Award), and Jacob Stawick (John Phillip Sousa).
• Special education – Olivia Willis. 
• Physical Education – Haley Kazlauskas and Isaac Ravesloot.
• Social Science – Shannon Meaney. 
• Science – Natalie Meyer (biology) and Jason Singleton (chemistry). 
• Iota Sigma Pi Outstanding Young Women in Chemistry – Natalie Meyer. 
• Spanish – Shannon Meaney and Summer Olshefski. 
• Math – Luke Blanchette and Ivan Schneider. 

Manteno High School Math Teacher Amy Younker also recognized individuals who participated in the M3 Math Challenge – Kelly Ritzke and Ethan Godsey.

Manteno named Natalie Meyer as the class Valedictorian and Ethan Godsey as the class Salutatorian. Both students will give speeches at the commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 21, at 2 p.m.

Congratulations to the award winners and the graduating class of 2023!