Stanford welcomes 3 Waukegan seniors

More than any Illinois high school

While at a basketball game in December, three Waukegan High School seniors found out that they were accepted to Stanford University.

Cynthia Perez, a 17-year-old senior, received a call from her mom, who read the acceptance e-mail aloud to her daughter.

Perez will be the first in her family to attend college.

"I'm the first to even graduate high school. My mom is a housekeeper. She is very, very proud that I got in. She is still in shock," Perez said.

Although Perez always imagined she would go to college, she was not sure how she would afford it.

"Whenever I would talk to my mom, she just figured it was a dream because we knew we would not afford to go," Perez said.

The Schuler Scholarship program helped prepare her for college through guidance, enrichment activities, a $20,000 scholarship and sending her on a tour of Stanford and other top universities.

"It's a dream come true," said Perez who plans to pursue a career as a pediatrician at the prestigious school in Palo Alto, Calif.

Joe Schlicht, an 18-year-old senior from Waukegan, will also be the first in his family to attend a four-year university when he goes to Stanford next fall.

As a Schuler Scholar he toured Stanford in October and fell in love with the campus.

"It was love at first sight," he said.

He plans to study biomedical engineering and design electronics for hospitals and patients.

He plays percussion in the marching band and pep band and also participates in the school's Scholastic Bowl team. In October, he completed his Eagle Scout project by building new shelves in the band room and ordering the band library.

Torie Bates is the third Waukegan senior and Schuler Scholar who was accepted to Stanford. She plans to study science and is involved in volleyball, basketball and softball at the high school.

"Once I saw 'congratulations,' we started jumping up and down," Bates said. "I was really ecstatic."

Waukegan High currently has more students accepted to attend Stanford next year than any other Illinois high school, according to the Schuler program.

The Schuler Family Foundation has committed more than $5 million in scholarships to students from Waukegan, Round Lake and Warren Township high schools.