Written by Communications Department Intern Kara Lindenmuth
The Maine Township 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 Elle Cho (left) from Maine South, Aidan Vega (right) from Maine West and Tahreem Sayed (center) from Maine East.
The following information was written about each honoree as a part of the nomination by their school principal: Dr. Antwan Babakhani at Maine South, Dr. Eileen McMahon at Maine West and Dr. Melissa A. Pikul at Maine East.
ELLE CHO, MAINE SOUTH
It is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to Elle Cho for District 207’s Best Academic Excellence recognition. I had the privilege of sitting down with Elle and her counselor, Ms. Moreth, in my office for lunch. Ms. Faherty was kind enough to pick up Portillo’s for us—burgers, fries, the whole spread—and it was the perfect setting to hear Elle reflect on her journey. There’s something about Portillo’s that makes even the most serious conversation feel a little lighter, and Elle’s combination of calm, humility, and insight made the hour fly by.
So, what drives academic excellence at this level? For Elle, it all comes down to discipline and time management. When I asked about her “secret,” she said she wakes up at 5:30 a.m. every single day to practice violin before school. By the time many of us are still staring at the coffee pot, Elle has already completed an hour of focused practice. Later in the day, she logs another four hours, all while balancing AP coursework, studying for exams, and—just for good measure—college applications. It’s almost as if she has figured out how to add a 25th hour to the day. But her journey hasn’t just been about routines and calendars. Elle spoke with genuine appreciation for the teachers who opened doors for her—whether it was her math teacher whose confidence inspired her to aim higher, or her AP World History teacher who met her before and after school to help her push through early struggles. Those experiences not only boosted her academic performance but also ignited a love of history and social science that continues to this day.
When I asked how she keeps going on the tough days, Elle explained that she thinks about her “future self” and what she might regret if she gave in to a slump. That ability to zoom out and see the long-term picture is impressive at any age, but especially remarkable for a high school student. She also credited her friends for helping her stay motivated, describing how a supportive group in the library can make hard work feel less like a burden and more like a shared journey. And perhaps the most human moment of our conversation came when I asked what she’d tell her freshman self. Despite all the accolades and accomplishments, Elle’s advice was simple: “Just have more fun.” It’s a reminder that true excellence isn’t just about achievement—it’s about balance, perspective, and joy.
Elle is an extraordinary student whose brilliance, perseverance, and grounded wisdom make her a shining example of District 207’s commitment to Academic Excellence. The following remarks from staff members help showcase these qualities:
Robyn Moreth, her counselor notes, “I am proud to share a few remarks about Elle Cho, a senior at Maine South, who exemplifies academic excellence. By graduation, she will have completed 14 AP courses, 3 dual credit classes, and an internship program. Alongside these achievements, she dedicates herself to a rigorous violin practice schedule, balancing it all with grace and determination. Elle’s success highlights the power of both discipline and passion.”
Gabrielle Lytle, her world language teacher, shares: Elle is the kind of student any teacher would be lucky to have – kind, talented, and studious. In two years of high-level French, I’ve seen her determination, grace, and quiet humor shine as she developed strong language skills and overcame challenges with poise. I am proud of her hard work and confident her future will be bright.”
Social science teacher Rachel Santucci adds, “Elle is always polite and kind, contributing thoughtful ideas and supporting her peers. Her quiet strength and steady presence helped create a welcoming environment for all students.”
Barbara Giannosa, a math teacher, comments, “Elle is a hardworking, conscientious, and driven student. In AP Calculus BC, she approached challenges with pride, contributed thoughtfully to class discussions, and supported her classmates with patience and clarity. Her responsibility, motivation, and leadership left a lasting impression on both peers and me.”
And lastly, Kendro O’Halloran, her chemistry teacher adds, “I taught Elle in Accelerated Chemistry as a freshman and again in AP Chemistry as a senior. She is motivated, hardworking, and holds herself to a standard of excellence that inspires her peers. This recognition is well deserved.”
Elle shines as a remarkable example of what it means to embody academic excellence at Maine South. She has challenged herself with some of the most rigorous AP courses, ranging from AP World History and AP Economics to AP Biology, AP U.S. History, and AP Government, while excelling in her first love, mathematics, and discovering a passion for the social sciences. At the same time, Elle’s dedication to the violin is nothing short of extraordinary, with daily practice routines that rival professional musicians, often totaling five hours a day. What sets Elle apart is not only her brilliance but also her perseverance; she turned early challenges in AP World and Economics into opportunities for growth, developing study skills and resilience that now define her success. Inspired by teachers who believed in her and motivated by peers who share her drive, Elle has built a foundation of discipline, balance, and vision that will carry her far beyond high school. With dreams of pursuing both music performance and pre-law, Elle is a shining light of talent, determination, and joy, and a true reflection of District 207’s Best.
Congratulations, Elle!
AIDAN VEGA, MAINE WEST
If I share nothing else about Aidan Vega tonight to illustrate why he is 207’s Best, I should share what he told me three or four different times, in three or four different contexts, when we met to talk about this honor: he doesn’t like things to be easy. He knows that having to struggle sometimes is good for him so he seeks out that experience because working through difficulty is more satisfying than doing everything easily. Even more satisfying is working through difficulty with friends and teammates, so if you know those two things about Aidan, you can get a glimpse into what an accomplished, dedicated, loving young man he is, and why he is such a credit to our school.
Aidan told me that he takes the hardest classes he can without overloading, and then makes sure he is organized and disciplined enough to succeed in them. “I go in thinking I can do it,” he said. “I’m not so smart that I don’t have to try. I don’t know everything beforehand. But I do know I can do it if I put in the work.” This is why his transcript, loaded with some of the hardest classes we offer, is flawless, and his list of activities and contributions is longer than we have time for me to highlight tonight. He sets himself up to do hard things, and then he does them, and does them well. Math Team, Volleyball, Golf, DECA, Student Voice Committee, Link Crew, all the Honors societies including NHS in which he is the VP, all the AP’s, virtual volunteering at Advocate for a few hours a week, calling older patients who need someone to talk to – Aidan makes time to contribute across multiple lanes of this school, and beyond it.
It’s important to emphasize how much Aidan values his experiences more than his accolades, however. He took up golf this summer and got hooked – because he wasn’t good at it right away. “I love that it’s hard. I haven’t had to struggle in sports so it’s good for me to struggle. I love that it teaches me responsibility: if you make a mistake on the golf course, it’s yours. You have to own it.” He also told me that one of his most cherished memories of his experience on the volleyball team was the loss they took in regionals last spring, when their expectations were higher. “Losing is the most important experience in a sport. Wins are amazing but losing is more important.” He will always remember teammates crying on his shoulder. “When you cry together, you don’t forget.” He assures me that the team is locked in for this year, and he said he loves the open gyms at 4:45 am because they all show up to be on this mission together. “I don’t like coasting,” Aidan said, and I wonder how he would know because I see no evidence at all that he ever has.
Naturally these qualities endear Aidan to all of his teachers, coaches, and sponsors, who highlight his selfless and generous nature in addition to his dedication.
His freshman Health & Wellness teacher and Golf coach, Kelly Voigt, said, “Aidan is the kid who always shows up ready to go, no matter what. He has a great attitude and wants to learn more and improve constantly. He is the quiet leader who leads by example. I can’t wait for what more is to come during our golf season and his senior year.”
Ms. Garrity-Rodinos remembers Aidan making a difference for other students in Key Club. “I remember when a student was discussing how hard a class was for them, Aidan offered some great advice. “When I am struggling in a class, I ask the teacher for help. I also remind myself I am learning something new.”
Ms. Bezek remembers Aidan’s growth mindset in math. “In addition to being highly intelligent, Aidan is the epitome of an independent learner. Many students ask me for help as soon as they start to struggle with a problem. Aidan remains resilient and uses his resources to find solutions. He also demonstrates patience, empathy, and respect while working with his classmates to solve problems. Many college-bound students meet the academic and intellectual expectations, but Aidan also has the resilience, work ethic, and interpersonal skills needed to succeed. In addition to the time and effort he puts into his coursework, Aidan spent a significant amount of his own time preparing for the SAT and ACT. He came in during Office Hours a few times to discuss specific problems and the mathematical concepts from which they came. He truly represents the best of West as a student and a person.”
Ms. Michaels, who taught Aidan in Math 3 Compression last year, enthusiastically wrote to highlight how important he was to their learning community. “Aidan was a standout student in the most positive sense. His insightful contributions made our class discussions fun and enriched the experience of the entire class. His ability to explain complex concepts to his peers was remarkable, and, in fact, other students often requested to be in a group with Aidan due to his exceptional skill in clarifying the process and reasoning behind concepts. His natural curiosity and teaching ability, combined with his humility, personable nature, and enthusiasm, made Aidan an invaluable asset to our class.”
Ms. Rettig also raved about Aidan’s capacity to manage his heavy load. “Aidan is such a fantastic, thoughtful, conscientious, and super bright student! He was in my AP Psychology class last year and he was a pleasure to have in class – he asked insightful questions and was always earnest and committed about keeping up with his work despite his busy schedule with volleyball and a difficult academic load. I’m very glad he’s being recognized! He’s such a stand-out kid!”
Aidan expressed gratitude for the support and encouragement that he has always received from his parents and from his sister, who he told me was “more help than you’d think.” We are grateful, too, for sharing Aidan with us so that he could bring such great things to our school. Congratulations, Aidan, and thank you for being Maine West & 207’s Best.
TAHREEM SAYED, MAINE EAST
It is with pride that we celebrate Tahreem Sayed, our recipient of the 207’s Best Award for September in the area of Academic Achievement. Tahreem embodies the qualities of a dedicated, well-rounded scholar who consistently strives to push herself to new heights. She describes her motivation as a desire to “push myself to my limit,” viewing her strong grades not only as proof of her success but also as evidence of her ability to exceed expectations.
A key part of Tahreem’s journey has been the unwavering support of her family and friends, especially her parents. She aspires to be a positive role model for her brothers by demonstrating the value of hard work, balance, and perseverance.
Tahreem’s academic strengths shine in her favorite subjects, math, science, and technology. She has extended these passions into meaningful extracurricular pursuits. She co-leads the Astronomy Club, participates in Rotary Interact, SkillsUSA, and National Honor Society, and has engaged with the GirlCon Conference in Chicago, serving on the planning team to encourage female leadership in technology. While Tahreem is incredibly humble in describing her academic achievements, it is important to note that she currently holds the highest GPA in the Class of 2026 and earned a near perfect ACT score.
Her interests extend beyond the classroom. Tahreem is a committed student of karate, enjoys reading and creative writing, and is passionate about baking. She dreams of pursuing engineering, possibly in the field of electrical engineering. She also has a creative vision of one day opening a cozy café, combining her love of baking with her appreciation for tea, reading and writing.
When asked what she attributes her success to, Tahreem emphasizes the importance of choosing classes that spark interest, maintaining balance, and staying motivated by personal goals. She sets aside time for academics while also making time for family and friends, a balance she believes is key to long-term success. Her advice to younger students is to “find something that motivates you whether it be friends, good grades, or a personal goal. That motivation will help you stay focused and achieve success.”
Staff at Maine East were eager to share feedback about their positive experiences with Tahreem as a student.
Physics teacher Jan Wieczorek shared, “Tahreem is a model student who always comes prepared to class. She engages enthusiastically and patiently provides support to group members who need it. Physics did not always come easy to her, but she worked hard to make sure she understood the material well. She was never hesitant to contribute to class conversation, and as a result helped elevate the experience for everyone.”
Chris Peters, AP Government teacher shared that, “Tahreem is a terrific student who engages in class discussion and activities in AP United States Government and Politics class. In addition, Tahreem goes out of her way to make sure that she has a thorough understanding of the concepts and content of the class. Tahreem asks questions and seeks out additional help for any concept she is unsure of. Finally, Tahreem contributes to a respectful classroom environment as she is always willing to work with other students and engage in respectful debate on American politics.”
Mrs. Dani Matej, Spanish teacher, also had a great experience with Tahreem. “Tahreem is a wonderful student who always came to class with a positive attitude. She was always willing to work with others and be a great conversation partner in Spanish class. Her quiet confidence and her welcoming presence helped her form great bonds with her classmates and helped her achieve immense success in Spanish 1 and 2. Her persistence and commitment to language learning helped her earn top marks on her assignments and helped her flourish into a great writer and speaker of Spanish. I was truly lucky to have her in class for two years.”
Mr. Mark Dobner, Calculus teacher, shared, “Tahreem is an absolute pleasure to have in class. She is a bright, hard-working, young lady, who has challenged herself by taking the most rigorous classes that fit in with her schedule. She is undoubtedly one of our strongest students and is an active participant in her classes, enriching the learning environment. Tahreem’s pride in her work and commitment to excellence are clearly apparent and greatly appreciated. I am also impressed with Tahreem’s kind demeanor, positive attitude, maturity and eagerness to help others. Tahreem truly deserves to be recognized as one of 207’s Best!”
Mr. Dave Schultz, physics teacher shared, “Tahreem has been an enthusiastic president of the Astronomy Club for the last two years, playing an important role in organizing a star party and field trip to a local observatory. She has helped to establish a welcoming environment in the club.”
Ms. Angie Edsey, Counselor, shared, “Tahreem is an exceptionally talented and motivated student who consistently challenges herself by enrolling in the most rigorous courses each year. She is respectful, responsible, and poised, with a positive outlook on life. Tahreem manages the stresses of adolescence with balance and maturity, and actively seeks opportunities to broaden and enrich her education. For example, with the goal of becoming a software developer, she has enrolled in the Technology Capstone class to further explore and strengthen her interest in the field.”
Tahreem’s academic record, leadership, and personal character make her an outstanding representative of what the 207’s Best Award celebrates. We are honored to recognize her accomplishments and look forward to the many contributions she will make in her future endeavors.