Publications & Sites 
More than 360 seniors poised to graduate from Carmel Catholic High School
Mundelein Friday, 5/25/12 Carmel High School seniors, Marissa Ritter, of Lake Moor, and Kelley Dodge, of Lindenhurst are graduating from the Mundelein school next week. | Brian O'Mahoney~for Sun-Times Media
CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATION
DATE: Thursday, May 31
TIME: 7 p.m.
LOCATION: Carmel High School, Mundelein (in the football stadium weather permitting); In the event of rain will be held inside in the Salvi Arena
BIG NUMBER: More than $40 million in scholarships awarded to Class of 2012 -- an average of more than $100,000 per student
Article Extras
Updated: July 3, 2012 8:52AM
After four years at Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, many graduating seniors feel like they’re leaving more than just a high school.
“I think the thing I’m going to miss the most is the support system and the feeling of family and community,” said Seamus Quilty, 18, who won the Outstanding Senior award. “Carmel is a great place that instills the values of family, community and being there for one another, and that’s one of things I will take away with me.”
Carmel will host its graduation ceremonies for seniors May 31. Three-hundred-and-sixty seniors are graduating in the Carmel Class of 2012.
“I think a graduation is a mark of accomplishment but is also a celebration of a new beginning as they make their way into the real world,” said Carmel Principal Lynne Strutzel.
Strutzel said she’s proud of this year’s senior graduating class, noting that the average ACT store among students was 25.7 and 100 percent of the students are slated to go on to college.
“There were over $40 million in scholarships awarded to this class,” she said -- an average of more than $100,000 per student. “That’s huge. They accomplished a lot academically. They also volunteered for over 50,000 hours of community service outside of Carmel.”
Senior Honors student Marissa Ritter, 18, said she will definitely miss the sense of community she felt at Carmel.
“I was home schooled before I came to Carmel, so it was a big change for me but Carmel is a very welcoming community,” she said.
Ritter plans to attend Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., majoring in elementary education. She hopes to eventually teach in another country, possibly Africa.
‘Big part’
“I’m sad to be leaving because it’s been such a big part of my life the last four years but I’m looking forward to moving on to something just as exciting,” she said.
Kelley Dodge, 18, of Lindenhurst, is a member of the National Honor Society and received a four-year perfect attendance record at Carmel. She will attend Elon University in North Carolina in the fall with the help of a Presidential Scholarship.
“I’m definitely sad to be leaving Carmel,” she said. “I’ve definitely made a lot of great friends with my peers and teachers at the school. I’m also excited for next year and going on to college.”
Quilty has maintained a 4.3 grade point average throughout his high school career and received a perfect 36 score on the ACT entrance exam. He was also a member of the varsity football team and played on the baseball team. He plans to attend the University of Notre Dame in the fall with a degree in mechanical engineering.
“I’ll definitely miss all the activities I was involved in high school. I’m definitely going to miss the close friends I’ve made in baseball and football,” Quilty said. “It’s kind of sad four years of high school went so fast, but I’m also looking forward to going to Notre Dame. That’s kind of been my dream school to go to ever since I was a little kid.”
