The Maine Town
ship High School District 207 Board of Education honored three students in the area of academic achievement naming them “207’s Best” at a recent meeting. The students honored were Taisiia Mazur (left) from Maine East, Victoria Naranjo (center) from Maine West and Lucas Runtz (right) from Maine South.
The following information was written about each honoree as a part of the nomination by their school principal: Dr. Antwan Babakhani at Maine South, Daniel Hill at Maine West and Dr. Melissa A. Pikul at Maine East.
TAISIIA MAZUR, MAINE EAST
It is my pleasure to recognize Taisiia Mazur as Maine East’s recipient of the 207’s Best Award for Academic Achievement. Taisiia’s remarkable academic record is impressive on its own, but it is even more meaningful when considered alongside the significant transition she made after moving to the United States from Ukraine.
Taisiia completed ninth grade in Ukraine before arriving at Maine East during the second semester of her sophomore year. While she had spoken both Ukrainian and English throughout her life, adjusting to a new country and a very different educational system still required tremendous adaptability. In Ukraine, students typically follow a prescribed schedule of courses, while at Maine East Taisiia has experienced greater choice, a wider variety of classes, and significantly more extracurricular opportunities.
Rather than simply adjusting to these differences, Taisiia has embraced them. She especially values the relationships she has developed with her teachers, noting that at Maine East she feels comfortable sharing feedback and details about her life and appreciates knowing that her teachers genuinely care about her success. She has also enjoyed meeting students across many different classes and exploring opportunities in areas such as music and the arts. Taisiia immersed herself at Maine East beyond the classroom. She has been an active participant in choir, jazz band, our V-Show, Pride in the Community Club and music honors society.
Throughout this transition, Taisiia has maintained the exceptionally high academic standards she has set for herself since childhood. She describes herself as motivated and driven, someone who always wants to give her best effort. The results speak for themselves: Taisiia has earned straight A’s in every course she has taken at Maine East. She also achieved an outstanding ACT composite score, including a perfect 36 in mathematics.
Taisiia continues to be especially passionate about English and physics, two subjects she also loved in Ukraine. As she considers her future, she is interested in pursuing a physics or engineering-related field that might also allow her to incorporate her creativity and love of drawing.
Taisiia’s story reflects extraordinary academic talent, determination, curiosity, and resilience. We are incredibly proud that she is a member of the Maine East community and honored to recognize her as one of 207’s Best.
VICTORIA NARANJO, MAINE WEST
It is my privilege to recognize Maine West High School senior Victoria Naranjo as our September 207’s Best honoree for Academic Achievement.
Victoria’s academic record is exceptional. She currently ranks 5th among 391 students in the Maine West Class of 2027 and has earned a 4.4681 weighted cumulative GPA while maintaining a perfect 4.0 unweighted GPA. Yet what makes Victoria particularly deserving of this recognition is not simply the strength of her academic record—it is her consistent willingness to challenge herself.
Throughout her high school career, Victoria has pursued a demanding combination of Advanced Placement and accelerated coursework while continuing to perform at an extraordinary level. As a sophomore, her National History Day project in AP U.S. History advanced to the national competition in Washington, D.C. She has also earned the highest possible score of 5 on the AP U.S. History, AP Psychology, and AP U.S. Government and Politics examinations.
Victoria’s commitment to learning extends well beyond her coursework. She is a member of National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Science Honor Society, English Honor Society, Math Honor Society, and Pi Sigma Pi, the Illinois Academic Honor Society in History. She is also an accomplished cellist in Maine West’s Philharmonic Orchestra and a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society.
As impressive as Victoria’s accomplishments are, I was equally impressed by the humility with which she discusses them. During our conversation, Victoria spoke about enjoying the challenge of difficult coursework, learning from her peers, and helping others succeed. She credits her parents and several Maine West teachers with encouraging her along the way.
Following graduation, Victoria plans to attend college and is interested in pursuing medical research, potentially in neuroscience or the development of medicine.
As Victoria’s principal, I am proud to offer my strongest endorsement of her selection as one of 207’s Best. Victoria represents the very best of Maine West—not only through what she has accomplished, but through the curiosity, perseverance, humility, and commitment to others that have shaped those accomplishments. It is my privilege to recognize her for this well-deserved honor.
LUCAS RUNTZ, MAINE SOUTH
It is my privilege to introduce Maine South senior Lucas Runtz for September’s D207’s Best recognition for Academic Achievement. When our counselors considered students for this recognition, they certainly looked at academic measures such as GPA and ACT performance. But when Lucas’s name came forward, the conversation quickly moved beyond numbers. They talked about his integrity, his work ethic, and the authenticity with which he has approached his high school experience. After spending time with Lucas, I understand exactly why.
I had a chance to interview Lucas with his school counselor, Mr. Milano. While we dined over Jimmy Johns (I know, we’re fancy), Lucas described himself as an earnest person, and as we talked, that word continued to resonate. He reflected openly on how much he has grown since arriving at Maine South. As a freshman, Lucas was more timid and reserved and sometimes hesitant to put himself out there. Over the past several years, he has learned to advocate for himself, ask for help when he needs it, and lean on the teachers, friends, and family who have supported him. What struck me was how comfortably Lucas acknowledged that he did not arrive at these realizations overnight. His growth has come through experience, reflection, and a willingness to change. There is a self-awareness in Lucas that allows him to recognize where he has been while continuing to think intentionally about the person he wants to become. What impressed me most, however, was how Lucas talked about his relationships with others. He recognizes how easy it can be in a competitive high school environment to compare yourself to others or feel the need to one-up those around you. Lucas has intentionally moved in another direction. He tries to make others feel good about themselves while also learning to extend that same kindness and grace to himself. That kind of perspective and maturity says as much about Lucas as any academic accomplishment.
Academically, Lucas has continued to challenge himself. His experiences in mathematics and computer science have strengthened his interest in logic and problem solving and have inspired him to pursue computer engineering after high school. He specifically credits Ms. McAleer, Ms. Muja, Ms. Knight, Mr. Guccione, Ms. Gianosa, and his counselor, Mr. Milano, as people who have helped shape his Maine South experience. Lucas also wanted me to share a message with his mom, Lori, his dad, Tom, and his younger brother: “Thank you for helping me become the person I am today.” While we recognize Lucas for Academic Achievement, what distinguishes him extends well beyond his transcript. Earnest, driven, kind, and grounded, Lucas Runtz represents the kind of achievement and character we are proud to celebrate as D207’s Best.