Three seniors from Evanston Township High School – Ilana Baker, Cassidy Keubbeler, and Avery Gross – were honored March 21 as Van Zelst Scholars by the Kiwanis Club of Evanston.
Ilana and Cassidy head up the Ambassadors Club. Ilana also has been very active in a program slated to replace Styrofoam trays from the cafeteria with a more ecologically friendly product. Cassidy was a member of the Girls Soccer Team and captained the Cross Country team. Avery, the first Van Zelst double winner, loves his involvement with Ambassadors, helping new students become comfortable with their new environment at the high school. He is also a McGaw YMCA Achiever.
Since its inception in 2007, more than 200 students have received the Van Zelst award. Ted Van Zelst was an Evanston businessman, entrepreneur, art collector, and humanitarian. An endowment from the Van Zelst family provides for each honoree to receive a certificate of recognition, a book on leadership, and a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble.