Joliet Central announces Mr. and Miss J finalists for the 2019-2020 school year

Joliet Central High School recently announced the Mr. and Miss J finalists for the 2019-2020 school year.

Miss J finalists are Faith Breausche, Lily Bryson, Julia Kelch, Anna Kulak, Alexus Maldonado, Nayely Ortiz, Janaya Pinnick, Angelica Terrazas, Abbey Vollmer and Grace Wright.

Mr. J finalists are Benjamin Baltz, Ruddie Barefield, Jameson Goin, James Jaskowiak, Sebastian Martinez, Yanni Ovalle, Noah Riley, Jaren Smith, Emiliano Solis and Emilio Zarate.

Mr. and Miss J, the tradition of selecting two high school seniors who best represent the ideal students of Joliet Township High School (now Central Campus), began in 1958.

In a news release from the school, sponsor Dina Zmuda explained the selection process.

"The selection of Mr. and Miss J starts with seniors who have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above," Zmuda said in the release. "The next step in the selection process is the faculty selection of 10 Mr. J and 10 Miss J finalists based on school involvement, community service and demonstration of the JTHS character attributes.

"Finalists are then interviewed by a panel of community members and staff whose scores determine who receives the prestigious title of Mr. and Miss J and the first and second runners up.”