On October 2nd, IC Catholic Prep principal Tom Schergen announced seniors Gabrielle Zanoni and Erin Liszka as the September ICCP Students of the Month. They were selected by their fellow peers and the faculty of the school.
The award is one of the many ideas that Principal Schergen introduced to the IC Catholic Prep community in his first year as principal, as he felt that it was important to “recognize our great students and the incredible things they are involved in.”
The two senior girls have been showing leadership in the school community since the very beginning of the academic year, when they organized the KnightUp217 Pep Rally on the first full day of school. Since then, they established the popular “#KnightUp217” social media trend, encouraging students to support their classmates in their extracurricular activities with the hope of reigniting school spirit to start the 2019-2020 school year.
In previous school years, both Zanoni and Liszka had been involved in promoting school spirit through the Knights of the Round Table Spirit Club, as well as the school’s Athletic Leadership Council. After she decided to take things to the next level this school year, Erin Liszka said that she was doing all of these things so that “everyone else can have a better start to the year, and to also set the tone for the rest of the year.”
Reflecting on her honor, Gabrielle Zanoni now recognizes that “to be a Student of the Month means that you are a student that watches out for others and helps create the fun, spirited, and loving atmosphere that we want at ICCP.” Liszka also added that “I think a Student of the Month must do something out of the ordinary for the good of the rest of the school.”
Both Zanoni and Liszka agreed that, whether they are rewarded or not, every young student should approach academic and extracurricular opportunities with an open heart and an open mind, as it has allowed them to get the most out of their experience at ICCP.