Tuesday night, Arcola High School honored seniors from the Class of 2026 with awards and scholarships based on service, academic and athletic achievements, and community-based scholarships.
One of the biggest scholarships of the night was the Nucor Foundation Scholarship, presented by C.H.I. Nucor Vice President and General Manager Alan Johnson. According to Johnson, "Every child of each Nucor teammate that pursues an education beyond high school is eligible for a Nucor Scholarship of $5,000 per year for 4 years, totaling $20,000."
AHS senior Nicanor Alanis was awarded this generous scholarship.
Richard England, Dean of the Honors College at Eastern Illinois University, awarded an EIU Merit Scholarship to AHS senior Kiera Leal. The EIU Merit Scholarships are "based on hard work, reflected by [a student's] high school GPA", and are a 4-year commitment of over $16,000.
Another highlight of the evening was the announcement of Valedictorian and Salutatorian of the Class of 2026.
The AHS Valedictorian for the Class of 2026 is Carolina Torres.
The Salutatorian of the Class of 2026 is Noah Nelson.
While there were dozens of awards, some of the most memorable were the recipients of the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy - which "celebrates bilingualism, boosts resumes, and serves as a credential for employment and college admissions". To earn this distinction on their diploma, students must take tests in reading, writing, speaking and listening in two languages to prove their bilingual skills. Illinois public universities accept the Seal for two years of foreign language credit, and it can also be used at some private or out-of-state institutions.
Students were unaware of their test scores and if they had passed until they heard their names read aloud, which were sometimes followed by cheers from the students themselves.
"I was very happy, " says Norma Cuevas Tovar. "Mrs. Coombe said we had to wait until Honors Night to find out if we had passed [the exam]. I was very, very shocked."
The Class of 2026 recipients of the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy are: Gerardo Alanis, Nicanor Alanis, Norma Cuevas, Daniela Garcia-Tovar, Delia Leal, Carolina Torres and Ximena Vazquez.
Below, Spanish teacher Daniela Coombe presents the award to senior Norma Yasmin Cuevas Tovar.
Congratulations to all of the Class of 2026 award recipients at last night's Senior Honors Night.
Service Award – Carolina Torres
Karen Hohlbauch Business Award - Brevyn Whisman
English Award – Addison Mulligan
Science Award – Laney Nelson
Vocational Awards – Miaya Brian and Bailey Hendrix
Foreign Language Award – Carolina Torres
Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica - Gerardo Alanis, Daniela Garcia-Tovar, Delia Leal, Marco Antonio Rodriguez Mendoza, Miguel Angel Rodriguez Mendoza, Carolina Torres
Carroll Dunn Math Award – Hayden Hunter
National Art Honor Society Awards – Nicanor Alanis, Delia Leal, Mykah Gomez, Addison Mulligan, Laney Nelson, Noah Nelson, Ema Simpson, Ximena Vazquez
Senior Art Award – Mykah Gomez, Nolyn McLane
Worth and Sue Gruelle Creative Arts Scholarship - Noah Nelson
Richard Smith Creative Arts Award – Mykah Gomez
Fine Arts Award – Gerardo Alanis and Delia Leal
Illinois Music Honor Society Awards - Gerardo Alanis, Lillian Hensley
Fred Waring (National School Chorus) Award - Gerardo Alanis
Director’s Award For Band - Gerardo Alanis
John Phillip Sousa Outstanding Band Award - Lillian Hensley
Arcola Band Boosters Drum Major Scholarship - Gerardo Alanis
Arcola Band Boosters Color Guard Captain Scholarship - Carolina Torres
National Honor Society – Pedro Alanis, Miaya Brian, Mykah Gomez, Jackson Griffith, Bailey Hendrix, Delia Leal, Brandon Lyons, Addison Mulligan, Laney Nelson, Noah Nelson, Madeline Pilkington, Ema Simpson, Carolina Torres, Ximena Vazquez, Canton Wesch
Highest Honors – Brandon Lyons, Madeline Pilkington, Ema Simpson, Pedro Alanis, Addison Mulligan, Kiera Leal, Mykah Gomez, Laney Nelson, Noah Nelson, Carolina Torres
Amy Bergfield Reinhard Scholastic Bowl Award – Aiden Myers
Senior Drama Award – Laney Nelson, Carolina Torres
Student Council Membership Pins - Nicanor Alanis, Mykah Gomez, Delia Leal, Addison Mulligan, Laney Nelson, Madeline Pilkington, Ema Simpson, Carolina Torres, Miguel Trevino
Student Council Leadership Scholarship – Carolina Torres
2026 Impact Award Scholarship - Carolina Torres
2026 Impact Award Certificate - Mykah Gomez
News Gazette High School Confidential – Addison Mulligan
Attendance Award - Oscar Calderon Aragon, Kenai Cano Garcia, Christopher Castaneda
Lincoln Prairie Conference Principal’s Awards – Haris Mayhall, Ema Simpson
Senior Athletic Awards – Gerardo Alanis, Ava Alexander, Anahi Cooper, Brody Drake, Mykah Gomez, Jackson Griffith, Lillian Hensley, Delia Leal, Kiera Leal, Haris Mayhall, Dawson McMillan, Addison Mulligan, Noah Nelson, Madeline Pilkington, Ema Simpson, Carolina Torres, Miguel Trevino, Ximena Vazquez, Canton Wesch, Brevyn Whisman
I.H.S.A. Scholastic Achievement Awards – Gerardo Alanis, Ava Alexander, Marina Amado Neutzling, Brody Drake, Mykah Gomez, Jackson Griffith, Bailey Hendrix, Hayden Hunter, Delia Leal, Brandon Lyons, Haris Mayhall, Dawson McMillan, Addison Mulligan, Aiden Myers, Laney Nelson, Noah Nelson, Madeline Pilkington, Ema Simpson, Carolina Torres, Alyssa Urwyler, Canton Wesch, Brevyn Whisman
Pete Magelli Outstanding Boy Athlete Award – Canton Wesch
Nancy Stiff Outstanding Girl Athlete Award – Ema Simpson
Stephen A. Douglas Chapter, DAR – Delia Leal
Piankeshaw Chapter, SAR - Carolina Torres
Boys and Girls State Participant - Gerardo Alanis, Ema Simpson, Ximena Vazquez
Marty Thomas Scholarships – Haris Mayhall, Madeline Pilkington
Arcola Veterans Scholarships - Ximena Vazquez
American Legion Awards – Haris Mayhall, Carolina Torres
Arcola Lions Club Scholarship – Nicanor Alanis
Arcola Masonic Lodge Scholarships – Madeline Pilkington, Ema Simpson
Arcola Rotary “Student of the Year” Awards - Bailey Hendrix, Carolina Torres
Arcola Firefighters Association Scholarships – Carolina Torres, Ximena Vazquez
Arcola Township Scholarship – Brandon Lyons
Arcola Chamber of Commerce Scholarship – Bailey Hendrix
Libman Company Scholarships – Delia Leal, Kiera Leal
Dr. Diana Smith, Ramon M. Climaco II, Dolly Herschberger, and Maria VanGundy Scholarship – Brandon Lyons
Emilee Mathias Memorial Scholarship - Carolina Torres
Marcia McQueen Scholarship – Mykah Gomez
Miss Arcola Scholarship - Addison Mulligan
Mike Kerner Memorial Scholarship - Jackson Griffith, Brandon Lyons, Madeline Pilkington
Larry Bushu Memorial Scholarship - Bailey Hendrix, Haris Mayhall, Carolina Torres
Charles & Maggie B. McDonald Scholarships – Aiden Myers, Noah Nelson
Malcolm and Sharon Fox Scholarship – Addison Mulligan
Sopha E. Hiel Scholarship - Carolina Torres
Carroll V. Moore Scholarship - Bailey Hendrix
Fern Covalt/Knaus Scholarships – Bailey Hendrix, Laney Nelson, Noah Nelson
Fern Covalt/Knaus Scholarship Loan Fund – Ema Simpson
Mike Harvey Scholarship – Bailey Hendrix
Sigrist Strong Scholarship - Bailey Hendrix, Nolyn McLane, Madeline Pilkington
FFA Officer Awards - Bailey Hendrix
DEKALB® Agricultural Accomplishment Award - Bailey Hendrix
Eastern Illinois University Distinguished Merit Scholarship - Kiera Leal
Outside Awards and Scholarships:
Nicanor Alanis: Nucor Corporation Educational Scholarship
Brody Drake: National Wild Turkey Federation, Douglas County Gobblers Scholarship
Addison Mulligan: Belmont University Future Leaders Scholarship and Merit Scholarship, Miss Arcola Pageant Scholarship
Carolina Torres: Golden Apple, ISU Merit Scholarship
Health Occupations Certified Nurse Assistant Certification - Nicanor Alanis, Gerardo Alanis, Brandon Lyons, Madeline Pilkington
Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy - Gerardo Alanis, Nicanor Alanis, Norma Cuevas, Daniela Garcia-Tovar, Delia Leal, Carolina Torres, Ximena Vazquez
Bob King Scholars – Kiera Leal, Mykah Gomez, Laney Nelson, Noah Nelson, Carolina Torres
Presidential Academic Awards:
Gold - Mykah Gomez, Hayden Hunter, Dawson McMillan, Addison Mulligan, Aiden Myers, Laney Nelson, Noah Nelson, Carolina Torres
Silver - Gerardo Alanis, Michael Cassella, Brody Drake, Jackson Griffith, Brandon Lyons, Kiera Leal, Madeline Pilkington, Ema Simpson, Canton Wesch, Brevyn Whisman
Illinois State Scholars/Arcola Foundation Scholarships – Mykah Gomez, Laney Nelson, Noah Nelson, Aiden Myers, Carolina Torres
Ricardo A. Climaco, M.D. & Rosalilia U. Climaco Salutatorian Scholarship – Noah Nelson
The Collins Family Valedictorian Scholarships – Carolina Torres
Arcola High School Valedictorian and Salutatorian Awards – Carolina Torres, Noah Nelson