The Rockford Public Schools Board of Education recognized dozens of outstanding students, staff members and coaches during its June 16 meeting, celebrating accomplishments in academics, athletics and service to the community.
Athletic Achievements
The Board recognized Marshall Middle School’s Scholastic Bowl team for earning fourth place at the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) State Tournament. Competing against more than 400 teams across Illinois, the team narrowly missed a higher finish after losing on the final question to the defending state champions. Team members included Eli Alesandrini, Lilly Constantinescu-Lungu, Nihit Girish, Sai Kumaraswamy, Shlok Mamidi, Viyaan Patel, Aarav Raj and Sophia Redd. Coaches Carrie Goings and Deb Johns were also recognized.
The Board also honored student-athletes from seven middle schools that qualified for the IESA Class 3A State Track & Field Championship. Students from Barbour, Eisenhower, Flinn, Kennedy, Lincoln, Montessori and West Middle Schools were recognized alongside their coaches for reaching the state competition.
At the high school level, several student-athletes were recognized for competing at the IHSA Track & Field State Championship. Auburn High School’s Jaeda Benford was honored as the Girls High Jump State Champion, while Guilford High School’s Allison Stibal was recognized as the Girls Long Jump State Champion. Additional state qualifiers and place winners from Auburn, Guilford and Jefferson high schools were also recognized.
Auburn High School’s boys tennis state qualifiers Austin Altangerel, Jay Patel and Yashwin Padmanabhan were honored along with Coach Tracy Palmer.
The Board also recognized Guilford High School students Reid Ticknor and Henry Seminerio, along with Coach Brian Hansas, for qualifying for the 2026 IHSA Fishing State Finals at Lake Shelbyville. The duo earned sixth place at sectionals and competed among the top 60 teams in Illinois.
Academic Excellence
Students from Auburn High School, Marshall Middle School and Carlson Elementary School were recognized for their success in the Illinois Future Problem Solving Competition, which promotes critical thinking, creativity and innovative problem-solving.
Auburn High School student Nasia Morehead earned second place under the guidance of teacher Liz Krampota. Students Ana Cotton-Schmidt, Katie Lepien, Aarav Raj, Josiah Sales, Moayed Abu Kaff, Tinsley Barnett, Hutson Carlson, Robert Lightfoot and Alexis Niebur were recognized for their placements under the direction of Aubrey Barnett. First- and second-place finishers advanced to the international competition held June 10-14.
The Board also honored 10 Auburn High School seniors who were named Illinois State Scholars by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. The distinction is awarded to students who rank in the top half of their graduating class and score in the 95th percentile on the ACT or SAT. Those recognized were Austin Altangerel, Ashley Ariana-Bethancourt, Alexandra Brandis, Selin Dik, Besnik Jusufi, Xavier Lundberg, Trenton Matthews, Charles Miller, Liliana Rayon and Morgan Whitmore.
The district’s 2026 valedictorians and salutatorians were also celebrated:
Auburn High School: Austin Altangerel (Valedictorian) and Alexandra Brandis (Salutatorian)
East High School: Kylie Bomkamp (Valedictorian) and Alexis Nelson (Salutatorian)
Guilford High School: Denny Zhang (Valedictorian) and Berkeley Stenstrom (Salutatorian)
Jefferson High School: Jazmin Rodriguez-Herrera (Valedictorian) and Abril Santacruz-Villegas (Salutatorian)
Roosevelt Community Education Center: Anabel Alfaro (Valedictorian) and Jayana Stevenson (Salutatorian)
Student Service and Leadership
Jefferson High School’s Sports Media Team was recognized for livestreaming all five RPS 205 high school graduation ceremonies this spring. Students Jancarlo Martinez Cervantes, Christian Klasnja, Colton Montgomery, Eri Escobedo Albino and Hailey Powers volunteered their time to operate cameras, manage graphics and direct broadcasts, helping families and friends who could not attend the ceremonies watch the celebrations live. The students worked under the guidance of Zach Larson.
Staff Recognition
The Board recognized Guilford High School Nutrition Services employee Daisy Powell for receiving AFSCME’s Never Quit Service Award. Nominated by colleague Judith Johnson, Powell was honored for nearly 26 years of dedicated service to students and staff. Known for her caring nature and commitment to serving others, Powell has become a beloved and dependable presence at Guilford High School.
Heroic Actions Recognized
The meeting concluded with special recognition for RPS 205 bus driver Jill Dobratz, who was honored by the district and AFSCME Council 31 for her extraordinary actions while driving Route 67.
While completing her afternoon route, Dobratz spotted a baby crawling alone in the street without any adults nearby. She immediately stopped, secured the child’s safety and contacted bus dispatch. Law enforcement responded shortly afterward.
District leaders praised Dobratz’s quick thinking, attentiveness and professionalism, noting that her actions likely prevented a tragic outcome. She was commended for exemplifying the district’s commitment to safety, care and service to the community.