National Merit Scholars

List of 5 items.

• 

  John Ehlert

  Grade school: St. Francis Xavier
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  What cocurricular activities have you been involved with at Loyola?

  Varsity Rowing, Scholastic Bowl, Campus Ministry, Orchestra, Clavius, and National Honors Society

   

  What is your favorite class at LA?

  My favorite class at Loyola was AP Literature with Mr. Van Howe.

   

  What service experiences have you participated in whether at Loyola or outside of school?

  Summer Service in Winona, Minnesota was the most fulfilling service experience I participated in at Loyola. It was an honor to work alongside my classmates on a Habitat for Humanity project, and I was struck by the kindness and generosity of the people we met.

   

  Do you have any special hobbies, interests, or talents?

  Music is my primary hobby; I play the guitar and the violin, and I enjoy singing as well.

   

  Have you thought about what you might want to study in college and where you might be applying?

  I plan on studying mathematics and philosophy in college.

   

  How has Loyola and your experience here helped you develop your talents?

  Loyola has been a place where I have grown not only as a student, but as a person. I believe I have met lifelong friends at Loyola, and I am glad to be a part of this community. I am especially grateful to have had some truly passionate teachers who inspire me. Likewise, I am grateful for the campus ministers who have helped me to develop as a person of faith.
• 

  Martin Raphael Gonzalez

  Grade school: St. Norbert
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  What cocurricular activities have you been involved with at Loyola?

  Arrupe, Clavius, Chess Club, Scholastic Bowl, Varsity Volleyball, NHS

   

  What is your favorite class at LA?

  My favorite class at Loyola was AP Bio with Mrs. Waid-Prince last year. Through her stories, analogies, and wit, Mrs. Waid-Prince made learning the confusing material not just possible, but something to look forward to. When not taking notes during lectures, I loved working through the frequent labs in which we could get up and guide our own learning. Collaborating and sharing ideas with my peers not only fostered a strong learning environment, but it brought the class closer together.

   

  What service experiences have you participated in whether at Loyola or outside of school?

  Through my service in Arrupe, I have been able to tutor underprivileged students in elementary school in Evanston. I have truly enjoyed building relationships with the kids as we've grown closer over the years. I continue to work with them this year, and I'm excited to see where they end up in the future.
  
  

  Do you have any special hobbies, interests, or talents?

  I love to travel. Getting to experience cultures, cuisines, art, etc. in other countries is incredibly rewarding. I'm very fortunate to be able to travel abroad, and I think of every trip as a blessing. Being able to apply the insights I gain from experiencing other cultures is something I'm truly grateful for. Other than traveling, I enjoy playing video games and watching movies and TV.

   

  Have you thought about what you might want to study in college and where you might be applying?

  I'm probably going to apply for engineering, though I'm not sure what kind. I'm looking to apply to UIUC, Purdue, Northwestern, Boston College, and more.
  

   

  How has Loyola and your experience here helped you develop your talents?

  I feel that my talents have been developed best by my teachers and my peers, who all push me to be my best. I truly feel welcomed by the Loyola faculty and staff, who are incredibly supportive and open people.
• 

  Gustav Koh

  Grade school: North Shore Country Day
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  What cocurricular activities have you been involved with at Loyola?

  I have swam on the varsity level since freshman year. I joined the Chinese Club this year.

   

  What is your favorite class at LA?

  My favorite class at Loyola is AP Physics C taught by Mr. Lowe. Ever since I took physics with Mr. Lowe freshman year, I knew I wanted to take Physics C with him senior year. Physics C applies math to the real world in a way that I have found in no other class at Loyola. Physics fulfills the part of my brain that wants to know exactly how the world moves and functions.

   

  What service experiences have you participated in whether at Loyola or outside of school?

  I restocked the little free pantry at my church over the summer, which provides non-perishable goods and canned food to those in need. This year, I am volunteering at Our Place through the Arrupe Service Program to form relationships with people with disabilities.
  
  

  Do you have any special hobbies, interests, or talents?

  During the warm months of the year, I enjoy paddleboarding or swimming in Lake Michigan. Perhaps as a result of my mom's love of swimming, I have always had a particular affinity for the water and the beach. I spent many a hot summer day paddling over the glassy, serene lake. 
  
  

  When I have time on the weekends unoccupied by homework, swimming, or friends, I enjoy coding spontaneous and random projects. I am intrigued by breaking down a complex problem into a series of simple tasks. I love the tinkering, testing, and learning that accompany implementing code to solve a problem.
  
  

  In addition to coding, I also spend my free time reading. Whether it's current events, opinion articles, or fiction, I am often enchanted by a good read. Reading makes me feel much more productive and engaged as opposed to sitting on my phone. I find the deep state of thought that reading often provokes joyfully fascinating.

   

  Have you thought about what you might want to study in college and where you might be applying?

  I verbally committed to swim at Duke University. I intend to major in mechanical engineering.
  

   

  How has Loyola and your experience here helped you develop your talents?

  One significant way in which Loyola​ has facilitated the development of my talents is through the swim team. The amazing team, coaches, and facility have bestowed lasting memories and friendships on me. Each hard practice we persevered through strengthening our bonds and testing our limits physically and mentally. 
  
  

  I would be remiss if I did not mention the amazing intellectual experiences that I have had at Loyola. Not only have I learned how to think in an academic sense, but I have also learned how to think in the world. I feel like I understand the broader purpose of education in a way that I could never have had I not attended Loyola.
• 

  Ethan Santiago

  Grade school: St. Francis Xavier
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  What cocurricular activities have you been involved with at Loyola?

  National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Clavius, Scholastic Bowl, Arrupe

   

  What is your favorite class at LA?

  My favorite class at LA was AP Calculus BC with Mrs. Danstrom. I have always enjoyed math, but this class was the most engaging and interesting math class I have taken. Mrs. Danstrom made learning the content fun even though the class was challenging, and I am grateful to have learned so much in preparation for future classes and opportunities.

   

  What service experiences have you participated in whether at Loyola or outside of school?

  A service experience that has been significant to me during my time at Loyola has been tutoring kids at Family Focus in Evanston. Starting my sophomore year, I have had the opportunity to tutor these students and watch them grow, and I am excited to continue working with them and helping them learn this year. This experience has meant so much to me because I have had many new experiences and have built lasting relationships throughout my time at Family Focus.
  
  

  Do you have any special hobbies, interests, or talents?

  An interest that is important to me is geography. Geography has always fascinated me because I enjoy learning about different places and how they are shaped by their environment. While geography can be as simple as memorizing a country's capital, it has meant much more to me by contextualizing why different places are the way they are and allowing me to understand why the world works the way it does.

   

  Have you thought about what you might want to study in college and where you might be applying?

  I want to study engineering in college, and I plan on applying to Purdue University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign among other schools.
  

   

  How has Loyola and your experience here helped you develop your talents?

  My experience at Loyola has helped me develop my talents because of all of the people that want me to succeed. From my peers and classmates to my teachers, the Loyola Academy community has pushed me to become a better version of myself inside and out of the classroom.
• 

  Seiichi Villacarlos

  Grade school: Nichols Middle School
  More Info
  What cocurricular activities have you been involved with at Loyola?

  Track and Field, Clavius Scholars, National Honors Society, Arrupe Service, Scholastic Bowl

   

  What is your favorite class at LA?

  My favorite class at Loyola so far has been AP Biology with Ms. Blakeslee. I enjoyed learning about how our bodies work as an elaborate system with many different parts. I also enjoyed learning about biology on a larger scale and how the plants and animals that surround us can function.

   

  What service experiences have you participated in whether at Loyola or outside of school?

  I have been doing Arrupe Service since my sophomore year. My experience at Madonna Mission, where I tutored first through third grade students, was very meaningful to me. Although I had no prior experience with tutoring, I felt like I was able to effectively help the kids learn what they needed to, while letting them have fun along the way. This experience reminded me of when I was around their age, and I enjoyed helping them succeed in their studies.
  
  

  Do you have any special hobbies, interests, or talents?

  Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with friends, watching sports, watching movies, and listening to music. 

   

  Have you thought about what you might want to study in college and where you might be applying?

  I have always enjoyed learning math and science, so I am thinking about majoring in engineering or something related to it. I am still unsure of the specific branch of engineering that I would like to study. I also am still thinking about which colleges I will apply to.
  

   

  How has Loyola and your experience here helped you develop your talents?

  My experience at Loyola has shaped me in all sorts of ways and has made me into a better person. Loyola has helped me meet many different people, including passionate, caring teachers and great new friends. Loyola has also given me many opportunities to work on myself and with others, especially through service and sports.