There are plenty of opportunities to cheer for high school athletes…a football game under the lights in the fall, a basketball game in a warm gymnasium on a cold winter night. Seldom do we have an opportunity to cheer for those who achieve in academics.
Fifteen years ago Wethersfield High School found a way for people to cheer for both and began a tradition that was repeated again this year.
During Wethersfield’s home basketball game with Orion on Saturday, Feb. 3, five seniors who have been named 2025 Illinois State Scholars had the opportunity to walk out to center court as they were introduced and applauded by a gymnasium full of high school basketball fans.
Emersyn Nelson, Sophia Li, Calen Eldridge, Trapper Forrest and Marshall Hauser were designated to receive the distinction among 16,500 seniors from 684 high schools by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, the state’s college access and financial aid agency. They have been ranked in approximately the top 10 percent of graduates statewide.
Students are chosen based on their standardized test scores combined with their cumulative GPA after the sixth semester of high school. Wethersfield’s senior class enrollment currently stands at 28.
In making the announcement, Junior/Senior High School Principal Tyler Nichols said “Tonight we would like to congratulate five of our most outstanding students…All five of you have made us very proud and we can’t wait to see what you do in the future.”
This year Wethersfield High School also had the most seniors – five – to be named Illinois State Scholars since 2019. That year the five honorees were Lauren Bryan, Rachel Gomez, Kylie Mathis, Brookelynn Smith and Lainee Winter from a class of 38 seniors.
The tradition of recognizing Illinois State Scholars on a game night was started in 2010 by then-Superintendent Shane Kazubowski and Junior/Senior High School Principal Jeremiah Johnston, as a way for top academic students to share a rare spotlight and be cheered by the same crowd as the players on the basketball court.
Wethersfield’s first Illinois State Scholars to be introduced at a basketball game in January of 2010 were Sarah Woodcutt, Matt Elbus and Megan McIntyre.
Illinois State Scholars are announced each year in November but Wethersfield school officials thought it was worth waiting for an opportunity to recognize the academic designees in a special way.
According to its website, ISAC provides free assistance year-round to students and families, assisting them with the college-going and financial aid process. Its mission is to provide Illinois students with information and assistance to help make education beyond high school accessible and affordable.
All five of this year’s Wethersfield Illinois State Scholars say they plan to continue their education after high school on the college level.
Their names will be posted on a 30-by-48-inch green and white sign and added to the signs bearing the names and years of previous honorees already displayed on the chain link fence facing the four lane (Tenney Street).
