Class of 2015: Jacobs High School marks graduation with exuberant attitude

HOFFMAN ESTATES – Bright-eyed and ready to embrace their futures, members of Harry D. Jacobs High School’s Class of 2015 officially left high school behind this weekend.

“Don’t be sad because it is over, smile because it happened,” said Karen Wu, the class valedictorian, who quoted author Dr. Seuss in her speech.

“May your hats fly as high as your dreams,” the 18-year-old Algonquin resident said.

[ PHOTOS: 2015 Jacobs High School graduation ]

Wu, like the rest of her 550-member graduating class, was effervescent on Saturday morning during commencement at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates.

The gold-garbed grads were so excited, in fact, that they could not wait until the names of all of their classmates had been read during the ceremony, before they broke out beach balls and began batting them back and forth in the center of the auditorium.

And, at the end of commencement, several young men from the Class of 2015 led the graduates in a long, loud, call-and-answer-style cheer before everyone tossed up their mortarboards.

The exuberant attitude was par for the course for the group.

“We did more than lead the student section, we solidified a new tradition of school spirit at Jacobs High School,” said Class President Kassandra Kaspar during her speech, which reflected on the Class of 2015’s four years of school spirit.

Kaspar, 18, of Algonquin, had the honor of presenting the Class of 2015’s class gift – a spirit rock.

She said she hoped the rock would symbolize the strength of the student body and the way that school spirit, friendship and shared experiences had bonded her class together – just as physical and chemical forces bind together minerals in a stone, she said.

In her farewell to graduates, Jacobs High School Principal Ami Engel encouraged the group to continue to foster those bonds as they move forward with their lives.

“None of you are alone. ... We are here for each other, intertwined and forever connected,” Engel said.

Building on that theme, “Lean on Me,” by Bill Withers, was performed by the senior and varsity choir during the ceremony. In addition to honoring graduating seniors like Wu and salutatorian Lauren Van Vlierbergen, faculty, graduates and their families took time Saturday to thank the parents of graduates whose next step is with the armed forces.

“There is nothing more precious to a parent than a child. You are giving the greatest resource you have as a parent to our nation. We thank you,” Engel said.

Among those honored were Colby Reiss, who has enlisted with the United States Marine Corps; Dakota Vonthurrauch and Singh Sanpreet, who will serve with the U.S. Navy; and Martin Beczkiewicz, who will serve with the U.S. Army.

Private First Class Lucas Cepiel was also among the graduating class. He enlisted with the Illinois Army National Guard as a junior. He participated in the split training option and has already completed basic combat training, according to school officials.