The Mendel Alumni Association launched the inaugural Mendel High School Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship in February 2023. For the first year, this Scholarship was only open to high school seniors at St. Rita High School, Providence High School, and Gwendolyn Brooks High School who had been accepted at any institution of higher education for the 2023/2024 school year. The Scholarship Committee wanted to “test the waters” before opening the Scholarship up to all Mendel Legacy High School Seniors in 2024.

A Mendel Legacy is a child, grandchild, or great-grandchild of a Mendel Alumnus.

The qualifications for the Scholarship included:
1) A Minimum 21 ACT or 1100 SAT score.
2) A Minimum of 2.8 GPA.
3) Proof of acceptance at any institution of higher education for the 2023/2024 school year.
4) Proof of Community/School Involvement. (Can be highlighted in Essay)
5) Submittal of an Essay titled “How I Am Becoming a Person for Others.” (Maximum 1000 Words)

The outstanding Mendel Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship winners for 2023 are:

Joseph Koch

$1,000 Joseph Koch from St Rita High School.  His grandfather is Stephen Koch from the Mendel Class of 1968.  Joseph will be majoring in Nursing, and he will be attending Illinois State University.

I am becoming a person for others in my everyday life and preparing to in the future. Currently, I am in the Big Brothers program and National Honors Society at Saint Rita. I also help my grandparents and neighbors with physical work year-round. In the future, I will be a nurse, and will care for all kinds of people in all kinds of ways.

In the Big Brothers Program, I check on my Freshman brothers and answer any questions they have. I ask them about sports, school, and even things that they may need an older person’s advice with. This program has allowed me to understand the mindsets of the younger students along with bettering myself. In the National Honors Society, I tutor the Freshman on any homework they have. I spend my time making sure that they are going to understand the concepts of any subject. I feel that being involved in these programs has helped me to be more unselfish and more understanding of others’ ways of life.

I am becoming a person for others by helping my neighbors and grandparents with the grass and snow. My next-door neighbors are elderly, so over the summer I cut their grass and shovel their snow. My grandparents are elderly, so I shovel their snow and cut their grass every week. I also move things like furniture inside the house.

I will continue to be a person of others in the future by working as a nurse. This is a job I look forward to and know that I will enjoy for the rest of my life. Helping the Freshman at school now, my neighbors and grandparents, and helping people in the future, are really important to me, and they give me new aspects and new viewpoints on life.

Quinn Kelly

$1,000 Quinn Kelly from St. Rita High School.  His grandfather is Bernard Kelly (deceased) from the Mendel Class of 1958. He will be attending Eastern Michigan University in the Fall.

Excerpts from Quinn’s Essay:

As I reflect on my journey towards becoming a person for others, I realize that it is not just a personal transformation, but a continuous process of growth and development.  At its core, becoming a person for others means cultivating a deep sense of empathy and compassion towards others, and using our skills and resources to help those around us.

One of the key lessons I have learned is the importance of listening.  I need to be actively listening to the needs, concerns, and perspectives of those around me.  This means putting my own biases and assumptions aside and making a genuine effort to understand the experiences of others.  This can be challenging, especially when I encounter people with different backgrounds or opinions, but it is an essential skill to build meaningful relationships and to create positive change.

Ultimately, becoming a person for others is not a solitary pursuit, but a collective effort to create a better world for everyone.  It requires me to connect with others, to empathize with their struggles, and to work together toward a common goal.  By doing so, we can build a more compassionate, just, and inclusive society; one where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential.

James Block

$1,000 James Block from Providence High School.  His grandfather is John Block from the Mendel Class of 1964.  James plans to attend Miami of Ohio University in the Fall.

Excerpts from James’ Essay:

I have been working and saving for college since eighth grade. My jobs include working as a golf caddy at Olympia Fields Country Club since eighth grade and as a server assistant at Coopers Hawk restaurant in New Lenox my Senior year. I learned a lot about working hard and getting ahead during this time.

Working as a caddy, I learned how to hustle and persevere at an early age. I am proud to have made my way up the rankings at Olympia fields while saving money to put toward my education. While I plan to continue to caddy each summer, I decided to get a second job at Coopers Hawk.

In high school, I was part of the golf and track teams for four years, the basketball team and student council for two years, and habitat for humanity all four years. I was on the honor roll all seven semesters and part of the national honor society in my junior and senior years. As a Senior, I am taking an honors-level Incubator course where I am learning firsthand how to design, build, and operate a business. I am applying classroom learning to a real-world setting with a small group of classmates, a mentor, and a limited operating budget. Being part of such an engaging and challenging course has piqued my interest in project-based learning and a business career.

Zachary Hesselmann

$1,000 Zachary Hesselmann from Providence High School.  His grandfather is Larry Vallow from the Mendel Class of 1966.  Zachary’s Great Grandfather is Coach Lou Guida.  Zachary has not made a final decision yet, but he most likely will attend Miami of Ohio University in the Fall. 

Excerpts from Zachary’s Essay:

My family has always taught me the importance of serving others. However, over the past four years, Providence Catholic has made it abundantly clear why being a person for others is crucial. I have been truly fortunate to be a part of a Catholic school community that instills values of service every day.

Through these expectations, I have grown as a person. I have volunteered my time at the Chicago Special Needs Olympics, the Zac Plantz Foundation, my local parish, my township, and many more. Secondly, being a National Honors Society officer has taught me what it means to be a servant leader. I have had the privilege to be a part of numerous service activities in my community. Through these projects, I have learned that the gift of giving is better than anything I could ever receive. Lastly, Providence has been a second home for me. This means classmates have become my family over the past four years. I have learned how to be there for my friends when they need it and ask for help when I need it.

As I embark on new journeys, I will also rely heavily on the values my grandfather, Larry Vallow, has taught me. My grandpa literally gave the shirt off his back, when he saw a kid shivering at a Cubs’ game we attended. He puts others’ needs above his own. I always strive to live by the example he set. I guess Catholic high school has taught both of us how to be a person for others.

Allen Olivares

$500 Allen Olivares from Gwendolyn Brooks High School.  Allen will be attending the University of Illinois Chicago in the Fall. 

Excerpts from Allen’s Essay:

Through engagement and participation in community and school activities, I have been able to develop my sense of empathy, compassion, and a drive to help those in need. In school, I have taken on leadership roles that have allowed me to positively influence and to be of help to my peers and community. I have been a part of the Spanish National Honors Society, where I have been able to collaborate with my fellow SNHS students to make positive changes in the school community. We hosted many events such as a fundraiser to raise money to provide food for the homeless. Through these experiences, I have learned the value of teamwork and have developed a sense of responsibility to serve as a role model for others, especially for the underclassmen and my peers.

Furthermore, I have been involved in extracurricular activities such as soccer for all four years of my high school. Soccer has allowed me to develop my skills and talents while also building relationships with others. I have learned to appreciate the diversity of talents and perspectives that my peers bring to this sport both off and on the field, and I have found it to be a wonderful way to connect with others. Soccer has essentially taught me that it is impossible to be successful on your own and that sharing tips and providing helpful feedback to your teammates is essential for your own team’s success.

My involvement in the community and school has taught me that being a person for others means being empathetic, compassionate, and committed to serving those in need. I am constantly striving to improve myself in these areas, and I am looking forward to even more growth in becoming a person for others.

Joaquin Michael Cassell

$500 Joaquin Michael Cassell from Gwendolyn Brooks High School.  Joaquin will be attending Winston Salem State University in the Fall to study Computer Science.

Excerpts from Joaquin’s Essay:

My journey to become a person for others mainly stemmed from basketball and began when I started to compete in junior high.  I joined the Brooks basketball team my Freshman year and became captain of the boys’ varsity team during my Senior year. As captain, I was often looked to help my teammates iron out their weaknesses and serve as a voice of leadership. By doing this, I led my team to a successful season, where everybody was able to produce at their highest ability. My basketball experience has helped me to not only make friendships, but also to develop leadership skills that helped to support the growth and development of my teammates.

I am also grateful to have had the opportunity to support the community by volunteering with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated (Mu Xi Chapter).  My community service includes nearly a decade of work engaging in activities such as supporting veterans at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, and I have also assisted with the Fraternity’s annual Barbeque which aims to give back to the less fortunate in the community. During the summers, I have also participated with Project Syncere.  This program has helped me to focus on STEM coursework.  It also allowed me to work on projects with other like-minded students who I developed a comradery with. This comradery came through different social projects dealing with stem and different ways of giving back to the community, such as our annual back to school supply drive. My experience with Project Syncere led me to choose to major in Computer Science this fall at Winston Salem State University. 

I am becoming a person for others because so many people have poured into me.  My teachers, counselor, coaches, and community-based organizations have helped me to develop into who I am today.  Upon completion of my degree, I plan to obtain a job in my field, and return to mentor others in my community like those who influenced me.  My hope is that the cycle of giving back will continue for generations to come.

Congratulations to all of the 2023 Mendel Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship winners.

Starting in 2024, the Mendel Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship will be open to Seniors in any High School who have Mendel Legacy (Father, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather.)

A portion of the profits at every Mendel Alumni Association fundraising activity in 2023 and 2024 will be dedicated to the Mendel Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship Program.

The number of Scholarships and the value of the Scholarships in 2024 will depend on these funds and contributions made by generous donors in the upcoming months.

Donations for the Mendel Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship can be made here

An announcement with the scholarship details will be made on the Mendelchs.org website in February 2024.