Spirituality

William Wright ’28
Awarded for Community: He who serves others with love, kindness, and generosity, and promotes the common good.
Will has an invigorating, upbeat spirit about him and connects and works well with anyone. He’s taken it upon himself to get involved and seek out leadership roles and has positively contributed to our school community. There is no doubt Will has great potential to be an impactful student leader at Marmion throughout the next several years!

Brendan Kavanaugh ’27
Awarded for Stability: He who cultivates lasting relationships and realizes that understanding is important in pursuing wisdom. Commitment to the daily life of the Marmion community, its heritage and tradition.
Brendan clearly demonstrates the hallmark of stability in his interaction with peers, faculty, and staff. He is the poster child for the old concept of “the All American Boy” with his naturally friendly and outgoing personality, his dedication to sports, studies, and Marmion, and his optimistic outlook on life. Brendan treats others, no matter their age, with respect and kindness. I do believe he really tries to live out his Christian faith on a daily basis, treating others as Christ.

Sam Rowe ’26
Awarded for Community: He who serves others with love, kindness, and generosity, and promotes the common good.
Sam is such a great leader. He will step up and get things organized while others just sit there. His academics are extremely important to him, but he will assist anyone with help. He cares so much about MA and his track team. He pushes himself to be his best in his events, and no one prepares better than Sam. Sam is very successful in all that he does, but more importantly he serves others with love, kindness, and generosity and he promotes the common good for all and to all at Marmion.

Ben Graft ’25
Awarded for Humility: He who seeks to understand others and himself. He discerns what is most significant to achieve the best possible results.
Ben is a young man who displays humility in all he does. He doesn’t allow his natural gifts to inflate his ego; instead, he seems to be a young man who is always willing to help and assist others. Through all he does and all he has accomplished, Ben embodies the hallmark of humility in many, many ways.

Colton Piacenza ’28
Awarded for Love: He who demonstrates love of Christ and neighbor and engages with others (regardless of background) as he serves, leads and searches for the truth.
Colton recently took time, all on his own, to volunteer with the Chicagoland Hornets, a sled hockey organization for individuals with physical disabilities. Colton took the ice to help the players practice, played in a game with them, and ultimately gave them the opportunity to experience the thrill and camaraderie playing sports offers.

Jameson Brave ’27
Awarded for Stewardship: He who seeks an awareness that he is part of a larger environment created by God. He makes an effort to be environmentally responsible.
As many know, Jameson was responsible for the recent inaugural Marmion Polar Plunge. What many don’t know, however, is the amount of effort, time, and selflessness he put forth in order to make it the success it was. Jameson was responsible for almost every detail leading up to and on the day of the event; and his diligence and commitment throughout the past several months was remarkable. What is most impressive and meaningful is that Jameson did all this out of love for, and as a way to honor, his grandfather and brother. Thanks to Jameson’s efforts, it is hoped that the Polar Plunge will continue to grow and create a broader impact.

Sean Culver ’26
Awarded for Love: He who demonstrates love of Christ and neighbor and engages with others (regardless of background) as he serves, leads and searches for the truth.
Sean is a true example of the Benedictine hallmark of Love. He treats everyone with respect and kindness and looks out for others. He goes out of his way to help others and make them feel supported.

Charlie Schweiner ’25
Awarded for Love: He who demonstrates love of Christ and neighbor and engages with others (regardless of background) as he serves, leads and searches for the truth.
Charlie is a true example of a man of Marmion. Charlie is a Eucharistic Minister and Lector at our school Masses. He is also part of the Student Advisory Board for Outreach Ministry, and has led many retreats throughout the year. He is Vice President of Broadcasting Club and has given up many weekends to help bring sporting and other events to those who are unable to attend. Charlie is a leader on the baseball diamond, inspiring others to perform better. He is very generous with his free time and enjoys helping others find a closer relationship with our Lord, especially by being a Kairos leader and living out the Gospel message.

Matthew Hall ’28
Awarded for Conversatio: He who is willing to challenge himself to experience intellectual and personal breakthroughs.
Marmion offers students the opportunity to be one’s best self, to make better choices, to improve your grades, to mature and set goals. Not every student takes advantage of this, but Matthew absolutely has. He has made a conscious choice to work on being a better student, to improve his grades, and to make better choices in and out of the classroom. In addition to doing this for himself, he is also working to help a classmate do the same. Matthew is beyond impressive; he has stuck to his standards and has not given up on himself or his friend.

Jon Kopcio ’27
Awarded for Love: He who demonstrates love of Christ and neighbor and engages with others (regardless of background) as he serves, leads and searches for the truth.
Jon is a fine example of a young, caring, Christian man. He is polite, cheerful, friendly and caring. Jon truly lives out love of neighbor by always looking out for and supporting his peers, especially in the midst of the most challenging moments. He is very worthy of the Blessed Columba Marmion award.

Brendan Fergus ’26
Awarded for Community: He who serves others with love, kindness, and generosity, and promotes the common good.
Throughout this year, Brendan has been a stellar representation of the principle of Community to the rest of the student body. Beyond his assistance and work as a Mentor and welcoming students at events such as the Make It Marmion Day, he has a natural ability to make others feel welcome and has demonstrated a desire for academic, spiritual, and personal growth throughout the school year. He consistently demonstrates support of his classmates and a solid work ethic that sets an amazing example for others.

Eric Stoffels ’25
Awarded for Conversatio: He who is willing to challenge himself to experience intellectual and personal breakthroughs.
Eric has grown so much in his four years here at Marmion, and it has been great to see him develop into a young man who has as much drive and passion as he does about his future and being a firefighter. Most people don’t know this, but Eric is a North Aurora firefighter, and there are a lot of times he comes to school after working a night shift. The maturity and compassion he shows when he talks about his shifts and the patients he’s helped has been very inspiring and I am so proud of how far he has come. Eric is a great example of how success and growth are often demonstrated outside of the classroom by the way someone lives their life.

Averitt Dhodapkar ’28
Awarded for Discipline: He who realizes that true learning only takes place with discipline and hard work and then this leads to self-discipline.
Averitt is a dedicated freshman student. He demonstrates unwavering commitment to academic excellence by consistently prioritizing his classwork, approaches assignments with diligence, and seeks improvement through feedback. Averitt’s proactive attitude, strong work ethic, and enthusiasm for learning set a positive example for his peers, reflecting his drive to achieve success. He volunteers to answer. He helps others when they are confused. He seeks to excel. He does all of this with much humility and grace.

Jack Galindo ’27
Awarded for Discipline: He who realizes that true learning only takes place with discipline and hard work and then this leads to self-discipline.
Jack is very disciplined with his schoolwork and athletic pursuits. He cares about his grades, and he is very disciplined in the classroom. He has really improved in his athletic work ethic, as his discipline has assisted him in never missing a day in the weight room. With his discipline he will continue to succeed academically and athletically.

Diego Castillo-Sanchez ’26
Awarded for Stewardship: He who seeks an awareness that he is part of a larger environment created by God. He makes an effort to be environmentally responsible.
Diego has aspirations for music in his future. He wants not to be a leader, but to put himself in a position to make others feel better about themselves, to feel valued, and to help them grow into good, quality, Christian, and hard-working citizens. He has been working as a music director for students at the park district. His work made them feel more confident in their abilities and their sound. He lifted up the performers to make them feel more confident about who they are and what they can do. He made opportunities for them.

His influence extends to Marmion where he looks out of his peers in the same way. He brings concerns and thoughts to the forefront, but most of all, he supports his fellow singers by executing a leadership style that makes them feel like their contribution matters. He even takes extra time to vocal coach others in his section. He goes above and beyond to make his section, his peers, and the choir sound and perform better. Diego cares for the choir experience and his friends in it deeply. He puts a lot of thought, time, and effort into making the experience quality for others as graduated upper class-men had done for him. His confidence and boldness in the face of adversity makes him a shining example for his brothers in song.

Nicholas De Leon ’25
Awarded for Hospitality: He who is open and respectful to all he meets. He cultivates and extends hospitality to others while recognizing others’ talents and gifts.
Nick lives out many of the Benedictine Hallmarks; it is difficult to nominate him for just one. His embodiment of the hallmark of hospitality, though, is especially evident. Even a brief conversation is enough to witness Nick’s sincerity and engagement with those around him. Nick prioritizes intentional relationships and conversations, even with people he just met, approaching all of his interactions openly and with genuine kindness. He recognizes that everyone around him brings something to the table and he takes the time and effort to see their gifts and strengths.

Eric Learakos ’28
Awarded for Hospitality: He who is open and respectful to all he meets. He cultivates and extends hospitality to others while recognizing others’ talents and gifts.
Eric is so upbeat and positive around school. Every time I see him, he is smiling and happy. He goes out of his way to say hello, and I see him acting with energy and fun with his classmates. Eric is just a happy person who is an excellent example of being kind and friendly to everyone.

David Ferris ’27
Awarded for Community: He who serves others with love, kindness, and generosity, and promotes the common good.
David is the essence of a Marmion man and lives out a spirit of community each day in the way he is always willing to help fellow students. This is evident especially in engineering class where it is common for him to help his fellow students. He will never deny anyone help when asked, and shows compassion and consideration in the way he interacts with his fellow students. David is a sincere person who shows a constancy in his awareness of others. He also went above and beyond in welcoming families at our Open House. He helped families feel at home and part of the Marmion community.

Sam Ramirez ’26
Awarded for Love: He who demonstrates love of Christ and neighbor and engages with others (regardless of background) as he serves, leads and searches for the truth.
Sam has really stepped up as a leader this year. In a short amount of time, Sam has already helped lead multiple Outreach Ministry retreats. Sam is willing to put himself out there and is not afraid to speak to younger students about his faith life. He has done a fantastic job.

Will Schwartz ’25
Awarded for Love: He who demonstrates love of Christ and neighbor and engages with others (regardless of background) as he serves, leads and searches for the truth.
Energy, smiling, happy, moving fast and furious, and embracing each day are words associated with Will Schwartz. I enjoy saying hello to Will and it usually is followed up with a kind word. He moves throughout Marmion with fun and I never see him down or negative. His upbeat attitude is obvious and he impacts the classroom and hallways with his positive outlook on everything. He loves to talk, and I admire his love for life.

Aidan Miller ’28
Awarded for Hospitality: He who is open and respectful to all he meets. He cultivates and extends hospitality to others while recognizing others’ talents and gifts.
Aidan is very outgoing and fun to be with. I see him in conversations with his friends and he always seems to be having a good time. He helps others with a positive attitude and thus the nomination of Hospitality. He goes out of his way to say “hello” and he makes others feel good and seen with his warm, kind, and outgoing spirit.

Tyler Dietz ’27
Awarded for Love: He who demonstrates love of Christ and neighbor and engages with others (regardless of background) as he serves, leads and searches for the truth.
You will rarely meet a student with a more positive disposition than Tyler. Despite the challenges he faces, the positive attitude he brings to school each day is an inspiration to his fellow students and the faculty. Tyler helps to spread God’s love and brighten the day of everyone he comes in contact with.

Owen Cousins ’26
Awarded for Love: He who demonstrates love of Christ and neighbor and engages with others (regardless of background) as he serves, leads and searches for the truth.
It is hard to nominate Owen for only one category. He is prayerful, he leads among the community, he takes his faith seriously, he is disciplined in his schoolwork and ambitions, and he is obedient to the request and will of authority. Owen promotes excellence, growth, and positive attitude within the community. However, he is nominated for the hallmark of Love specifically because of his recent potentially life-saving actions of helping one of his classmates in need. Owen is a very deep Christian and takes his Catholic faith seriously. This recent situation, amongst much else, highlights his faith, his kindness, and the fact that he daily walks the talk.

Evan Conti ’25
Awarded for Conversatio: He who is willing to challenge himself to experience intellectual and personal breakthroughs.
Evan is so fun to talk to. He is extremely polite and mannerly. He really challenges himself academically and in his swimming endeavors. Evan shows genuine concern for everyone and anyone. He cares about who he is, and he represents himself as a dedicated, humble, and upstanding young man and athlete.

David Tomaszewski ’27
Awarded for Hospitality: He who is open and respectful to all he meets. He cultivates and extends hospitality to others while recognizing others’ talents and gifts.
David has been a remarkable person and made it a point to be present at many events. He greets his friends with a smile and kind words. His presence makes everyone feel welcome and at ease. He is always at the front of class and on task. He works hard and works to encourage those around him to grow and make progress on the tasks at hand. He makes our community and group efforts feel cool and fun. We are all better for him being a part of the community and for encouraging and supporting others to be a part of it.

Ali Tharwani ’26
Awarded for Community: He who serves others with love, kindness, and generosity, and promotes the common good.
Ali has been a great addition to the Marmion community. He is respectful and kind to all he meets. He is a hard worker and always steps up to help when needed. He takes on challenges with a positive attitude, and both the faculty and his peers have noticed that.

Aidan MacKenzie ’25
Awarded for Love: He who demonstrates love of Christ and neighbor and engages with others (regardless of background) as he serves, leads and searches for the truth.
Aidan is one of those individuals that sometimes “flies under the radar” despite always being a positive presence. He is someone you can rely upon for anything you need or to help make anyone feel welcomed, respected, and accepted. He has an easy way about him that allows him to get along with all his classmates and he regularly works to try to make the best for his school community. Aidan is a great representation of what it means to love through his positive energy and empathy for others.

Colin Tazelaar-Kruger ’24
Awarded for Discipline: He who realizes that true learning only takes place with discipline and hard work and then this leads to self-discipline.
Colin is a Cadet who takes initiative. He is confident, disciplined, kind, creative and a natural leader. He has continued to demonstrate these characteristics throughout the year. He also understands the importance of informing the community about the benefits of a Marmion education and experience. He is proud to be a Cadet and exhibits this behavior in everything he does. He is a true man of Marmion who will continue to share his gifts with the world after graduation.

David Brol ’27
Awarded for Community: He who serves others with love, kindness, and generosity, and promotes the common good.
David sees when help is needed and volunteers. He consistently does his best and sets a good example for his peers.

Andres Alvarez ’26
Awarded for Discipline: He who realizes that true learning only takes place with discipline and hard work and then this leads to self-discipline.
Andres shows a positive attitude in all he does. He treats others with kindness, has a great work ethic and and sense of personal responsibility, and has shown a great deal of leadership potential. Never once have I heard someone say something negative about him. Andres has the ability to become a great leader in our school over the next two years.

Kevin Schultz ’25
Awarded for Community: He who serves others with love, kindness, and generosity, and promotes the common good.
For years, Kevin has been one of the strongest leaders of his class in trying to promote community and create a positive Marmion experience for others. Beyond serving as Class President, he is a regular leader on service activities and other Marmion events. He treats all with respect and shows a consistent willingness to give of himself for the greater good. Kevin is willing to push his comfort zone and is someone that others respect and respond to.

Jackson Sherman ’24
Awarded for Community: He who serves others with love, kindness, and generosity, and promotes the common good.
Throughout the course of his four years, Jackson has been one of the most reliable presences in building community at Marmion. He is one of the most well-liked and easy to engage with students in his class. He treats everyone he talks to with a welcoming and jovial nature and always makes everyone else’s day better. In the weight room, he is one of the core members of the baseball team in holding others accountable and helping develop team culture. When it comes to welcoming people to Marmion, he has been one of the most reliable individuals at admissions events. He does so without hesitation and immediately helps make the middle school students feel like this is their home.

Joseph Kramer ’27
Awarded for Humility: He who seeks to understand others and himself. He discerns what is most significant to achieve the best possible results.
Throughout his short time here at Marmion, Joe has been a model of consistency, hard work, and especially humility amongst his classmates. Despite the successes that he has earned both in the classroom and on the athletic fields, he maintains a demeanor that allows him to continue to grow and seek the best version of himself.

Lochlan Finnegan ’26
Awarded for Love: He who demonstrates love of Christ and neighbor and engages with others (regardless of background) as he serves, leads and searches for the truth.
Lochlan is a kind hearted, loving soul, who seeks to share his faith and the love of Christ with those around him. He greets everyone he meets with a warm smile and a kind word. Lochlan is a laid-back student, who is never in the spotlight, but he is the light of Christ in our midst. He certainly is a good example of the hallmark of love.

Sam Lin ’25
Awarded for Hospitality: He who is open and respectful to all he meets. He cultivates and extends hospitality to others while recognizing others’ talents and gifts.
While walking outside in downtown Peoria for a Marmion event, Sam noticed a homeless woman trying to cross the street in a wheelchair. She was clearly struggling. Sam instinctually stepped away to ask if he could help her. She ultimately did not want his help, but Sam made a connection with her and told her that he was happy to and in doing so made her feel noticed and loved.

Evan Stumm ’24
Awarded for Community: He who serves others with love, kindness, and generosity, and promotes the common good.
Evan has really taken his leadership to the next level his senior year. He is respected by his peers and the entire Marmion community. He is always willing to help anybody in need. Not only is he always willing to help, he also contributes new ideas to help make Marmion a better place. He has become an outstanding leader and shows an incredible amount of pride in being a Cadet. He recognizes the importance of service and he knows that his contributions, no matter how big or small, can make a huge difference in the lives of others. We are very lucky to have Evan as a part of the Marmion community.

Christopher Quail ’27
Awarded for Community: He who serves others with love, kindness, and generosity, and promotes the common good.
Although Christopher has only been at Marmion for several months, he has already begun to set an example of what it means to be a Marmion Cadet. He treats others with respect, is kind to all, takes his faith seriously, and humbly shares his talents through his involvement in many aspects of the school community.

Matthew Hohol ’26
Awarded for Love: He who demonstrates love of Christ and neighbor and engages with others (regardless of background) as he serves, leads and searches for the truth.
Matthew always shows compassion and admiration toward others. He is consistently complimenting the talents and hard work of others. He returns love received with his own brand of humor, hard work, and commitment to being the best version of himself in order to be a contributing, valued, and respected member of the group. He celebrates the accomplishments of the group and always responds with a countenance that shows his pride in being associated with his friends. He spends outside time to help others and encourages others to work hard and make the best of every situation. The love he shows to others is not self serving, he genuinely loves other people and loves to make others happy.

Peyton Marquez ’25
Awarded for Hospitality: He who is open and respectful to all he meets. He cultivates and extends hospitality to others while recognizing others’ talents and gifts.
Peyton is honest and respectful. He comports himself with the class and is able to work with the diverse (studious and playful) groups that make up the class.

Luke Coffman ’24
Awarded for Love: He who demonstrates love of Christ and neighbor and engages with others (regardless of background) as he serves, leads and searches for the truth.
Luke has always strived to make Marmion and those around him better through his selfless and enthusiastic sharing of his many talents and his genuine kindness. Despite having many responsibilities due to his wide ranging involvement, Luke consistently gives of himself for the greater good. He is a friend to all, well-respected by his peers and faculty, and serves as a great example for our entire school.

Charlie Techter ’27
Awarded for Love: He who demonstrates love of Christ and neighbor and engages with others (regardless of background) as he serves, leads and searches for the truth.
Truthfully, Charlie could have been nominated for all of these hallmarks — but the greatest of these is love, so that is what he was chosen for. Charlie is an incredibly loving, caring, and kind young man. He has come to Marmion with love in his heart for God and others and has worked consistently to increase and share this love. He goes out of his way to praise and thank others, he is encouraging to all, and he attends and participates in daily Mass. He is a wonderful brother, son, grandson, and friend. Charlie’s positive attitude brings light to those who come in contact with him.

Alan Contreras ’26
Awarded for Hospitality: He who is open and respectful to all he meets. He cultivates and extends hospitality to others while recognizing others’ talents and gifts.
Alan has done a great job of always maintaining a positive attitude and willingness to help out around the building. He looks out for his fellow students, and is always friendly and welcoming to those who come to Marmion.

Vince Hlavacek ’25
Awarded for Discipline: He who realizes that true learning only takes place with discipline and hard work and then this leads to self-discipline.
Vince consistently brings his best effort to everything that he does, while also helping those around him. He cares for others ahead of himself and is a true leader. Vince sets a high standard by working hard, but without looking to be recognized.

Logan Cromwell ’24
Awarded for Community: He who serves others with love, kindness, and generosity, and promotes the common good.
Logan is very helpful to others and does more than asked. This is seen in the classroom on a regular basis, but also through his commitment to giving – especially Outreach Ministry. In Outreach, he is often the first to jump at an opportunity and leads with passion and true faith. He is a great example of reaching out to all in an effort to build a strong community where all feel welcomed.

David Malley ’27
Awarded for Hospitality: He who is open and respectful to all he meets. He cultivates and extends hospitality to others while recognizing others’ talents and gifts..
David is always open and respectful of other students. He uses his talents to make others around him better. He does this with an infectious smile that spreads to other students.

Tanner Spillane ’26
Awarded for Love: He who demonstrates love of Christ and neighbor and engages with others (regardless of background) as he serves, leads and searches for the truth.
Tanner is, and has been, an amazing example of what it means to support others through some of the most challenging moments of life. Not only does he offer his personal support, but he rallies others together to do the same. In addition, he puts his best foot forward in all he does, treats others with respect, and lives with a great sense of compassion, kindness, and integrity.

Sam Wirth ’25
Awarded for Community: He who serves others with love, kindness, and generosity, and promotes the common good.
Sam is always helping his peers, which has been witnessed routinely in this short amount of time we have been in school. For his recent group project his peers raved about his willingness to help them individually so that they could produce the best product possible for their presentations, as noted through their reflections.

John Kurtz ’24
Awarded for Love: He who demonstrates love of Christ and neighbor and engages with others (regardless of background) as he serves, leads and searches for the truth.
John is a natural leader among his peers. He is always polite and respectful and engages all who he comes in contact with. He is also willing to help out and talk about his faith in front of others, and always can be counted on.