Amina Grace Memorial Fund Scholarship
We will be awarding 5 Amina Grace Memorial Fund scholarships through the Maine South Parents’ Scholarship Club for $1,000 each to Maine South High School students in 2025 who demonstrate their commitment and activities around acceptance and inclusion.
Including everyone and promoting acceptance adds value to the community and society. Inclusion is about having positive interactions with your peers. It builds on diversity and respects the contribution of each student.
Scholarship Criteria:
- Junior or Senior at Maine South
- Attendance at a minimum of three diversity, equity, and inclusion events per year.
- Demonstrates commitment towards building acceptance and awareness for people with differing abilities at Maine South and in the community.
- GPA is a minimum of 2.5 for this award.
- The scholarship will be used towards college.
The application period is now open and applications and Letters of Recommendation can be accessed at https://msparentsscholarshipclub.org/application-forms. Completed applications with an essay must be turned into the CCRC at Maine South High School by Friday April 4, 2025 at 3:30pm. The scholarships will be awarded to 5 deserving students during Maine South Senior Honors Night on May 7th. These are our future leaders, and we know how important it is to acknowledge all the amazing work on inclusion being done by these students!
These are the winners of the Amina Grace Memorial Fund Scholarship for the 2024 school year!
Lily Heneghan
Lily Heneghan is a Junior at Maine South High School. Lily believes that being truly inclusive and loving what makes you different is something invaluable for all students. Inclusion isn’t just an activity for Lily, it’s a core value!
- Officer for Hawk Pals and has helped organize many events including holiday parties, Unified sports events and club fundraisers.
- Planned, executed and facilitated Respect Week the last 3 years.
- Planned and emceed the Unified Champion Banner School Assembly as a Hawks Pals Officer
- Initiated planned and executed Unified Drumline which had performances at the homecoming assembly, homecoming football gave and the Unified Champion Banner School assembly.
- Volunteered at the Special Olympics summer games as part of the Special Olympics Youth Leadership Experience.
- Participated in the Youth Activation Summit Full Day Event.
“Unified Drumline has been my favorite inclusive activity so far because we brought together students who would not have otherwise been in the same classroom and gave them the opportunity to learn from each other and celebrate their differences. People often see differences as so vast that they cannot imagine building a friendship, but shared experiences like Unified Drumline bring us all together and help form new communities.”
Ava Jurek
Ava Jurek is a Junior at Maine South High School. Ava found her community at Maine South in Hawk Pals. She’s made it her mission throughout her time at Maine South to ensure those younger than her will find theirs.
- Currently Co-President for Hawk Pals and over the last 3 years has helped organize many events including Respect Week, National Inclusive Schools Week, Polar Plunge and National Banner Assembly.
- 1 of 5 Youth Leaders across the state to be selected as part of the Special Olympics Youth Leadership Summit. Ran social media accounts for Special Olympics Illinois.
- 1 of 3 students from Park Ridge selected to be part of the Youth Leadership Training at the Special Olympics Illinois headquarters where she learned how to promote an inclusive environment in a high school setting.
- Part of the Special Olympics Illinois Youth Activation Committee.
- Intern at the Amina Grace Memorial Fund where she was involved with efforts to support the Down syndrome and differing abilities communities.
“I chose to get involved in the inclusion revolution after seeing the impact it makes on others. A small act of kindness can have a huge impact on individuals and the community as a whole.”
Kara Chaplin
Kara Chaplin is a Junior at Maine South High School. Kara’s own struggle with hearing loss, something that makes her unique and different from her peers, has helped her understand the importance of inclusion.
- Currently an officer for Hawk Pals and over the last 3 years has helped organize many events including Respect Week.
- Active on the Youth Activation Committee for the past two years.
- Volunteered at Avenues to Independence through Key Club.
- Volunteered at the Special Olympics summer games as part of the Special Olympics Youth Leadership Experience.
- Played soccer with a partner with a differing ability as part of the TOPSoccer program.
“My favorite inclusive activity that I attended was the Youth Activation Committee Bootcamp! I met so many new people and created amazing connections with them while being a part of the Unified Generation!!”
Caitlin Vengazo
Caitlin Vengazo is a Junior at Maine South High School. In addition to advocating for inclusion for people with differing abilities, Caitlin founded a school club called “Hawks for Type 1” dedicated to raising awareness for individuals with Type One Diabetes.
- Member of Hawk Pals participating in many activities and parties over the last two years including Ice cream socials, Maine West basketball tournament, pickleball and Respect Week.
- Hawk Pals Passing Period Pal the last two years.
- Volunteered at Avenues to Independence through Key Club.
- Intern at the Amina Grace Memorial Fund where she was involved with efforts to support the Down syndrome and differing abilities communities.
“Over the past two years, I have most enjoyed walking with my friend Jane to her gym class every other day. She always brightens my morning, and I am going to miss chatting with her on our way to class when she graduates! On a broader level, my involvement with Hawk Pals and the Amina Grace Memorial Fund has instilled in me a lifelong appreciation for inclusivity, respect, and kindness, and I am excited to continue my commitment to these values in new ways in the future.”
Andrew Zimmerman is a Senior at Maine South High School. Andrew has participated in many different activities throughout his high school career, including starting a Marketing Club.
- Volunteered in Special Olympics and on activity days as part of Hawk Pals.
- Serves as a Teacher Aide as part of the St. Paul of the Cross Catechesis All Abilities Class where he leads and teaches students with special needs through games, crafts, music and reading exercises.
- Active member of SOAR (Students Organized Against Racism) – advocating for change through cross-racial understanding.
“My favorite inclusive activity was volunteering in St.Paul’s Catechesis All Abilities Class. I spent a lot of time with students ranging in age from 5-14 years old and formed special bonds while completing activities and crafts with them. It was very fulfilling for me because I was a part of their religious journey in completing their sacraments of First Communion or Confirmation.”
These are the winners of the Amina Grace Memorial Fund Scholarship for the 2023 school year!
Morgan Gioia
Morgan Gioia has participated in many different activities throughout her high school career with the goal of helping make Maine South a school where people of all abilities can feel comfortable, supported and respected.
- Currently an officer for Hawk Pals and over the last 3 years has organized lunch pals, organized events, run social media and unified sports, just to name a few.
- Co-Chair of the Special Olympics Youth Activation Committee for the last two years.
- Planned, executed and facilitated Respect Week the last 3 years.
- Volunteered at the Special Olympics summer games as part of the Special Olympics Youth Leadership Experience.
“My favorite activity over the past few years was presenting for the Special Olympics Youth Activation Summit because I was able to work with so many people and had the opportunity to spread the word of equity and includsion to a large group. I definitely felt like I was making a larger change and reaching way outside of my immediate community.”
Katrina Hassman
Katrina Hassman has participated in many different activities throughout her high school career including working with other officers of Hawk Pals to help increase peer regarding proper language to utilize when speaking about individuals with differing abilities.
- Hawk Pals member for all four years and an officer the last two. Actively participates and encourages others to be part of Lunch Pals.
- Participated in Respect week all four years and helped plan and facilitate the last two year.
- Special Olympics Illinois virtual volunteer who collected data for the Unified Sports program, created content and managed social media to spread information about disabilities and Special Olympics events.
- Special Olympics Illinois Youth Activation Committee Member for two years with senior year as the co-chair.
- Team Illinois youth Leader at the Special Olympics USA games as part of the National Unified Youth Leadership Experience. Wrote 3 articles for Special Olympics Illinois detailing Unified teams at the USA Games.
- MNASR Part Time Staff member providing support to 1-3 children with differing abilities at summer camps and after-school care. Coached softball and bocce teams for adults with disabilities.
“Being an inclusive leader at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games was my favorite inclusive memory from the past 4 years. This opportunity allowed me to meet inclusive people from across the country and to learn from them. I brought so many new ideas about inclusion back from the USA Games to my school and community.”
Alexander Wille
Alexander Wille is a natural organizer who encourages others and wants success for all.
- Hawk Pals member the last two years attending plays, sporting events and other activities with the group.
- Special Olympics Polar Plunge participant the last two years where he helped raise money and spread awareness for the Special Olympics by jumping into very cold water.
- Respect Week organizer for the last two years. He was an active participant in promoting the themes, handing out prizes and candy and helping to run games and events.
“The activity that I’ve enjoyed most over four years has been the Youth Activation Summit unified PE. Taking part in this year’s summit really opened my eyes to what it means to be inclusive. It showed me that while some of my peers possess a disability that should be acknowledged, it does not define them. Playing unified soccer and basketball allowed me to connect with their wonderful personalities and form great friendships, and to better understand the importance of unified classes and sports!”
Natalia Kuppers
Natalia Kuppers has built deep connections with many peers through participation in Hawk Pals and Adapted PE.
- Hawk Pals Officer for 3 of the 4 years she has been part of Hawk Pals.
- Participated in the planning of Respect Week for 4 years.
- Unified Dance partner of her best friend Katelyn (pictured). They made it to state and competed at the IHSA event in Bloomington!
- Participated in Capital Hill Day where she lobbied for additional Special Olympics funding for Maine South as well as Special Education in general.
- Participated in the Special Olympics Illinois Youth Activation Summit for 4 years.
“My favorite inclusive activity has to be the one I spent most of my time with, Unified Dance. I was asked to be a unified partner (out-of-the-blue as I do not dance!) with my best friend Katelyn. I’m very grateful for this outlet for us to connect without needing words, and with that we bonded more than we ever could’ve outside of school. Everyone should become a unified partner at some point in their life, it’s life altering.”
Amina Grace Memorial Fund
333 Busse Hwy., #817
Park Ridge, IL 60068-3251