Coal City High School has announced that 22 of its students have been named Illinois State Scholars by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). The recognition is given to high school seniors who rank in the top 10 percent across the state, based on a combination of SAT or ACT scores and class rank after six semesters.
The ISAC has recognized high-achieving students for 67 years. This year’s honorees from Coal City High School are Maria Campagna, Jacob Cimino, Nathan Foster, Carter Gill, Kamryn Hansen, Austin Hardin, Aidan Kenney, Mackenzie Lovell, Julian Micetich, Layla Miller, Dane Noffsinger, Jordan Olson, Lance Perino, Camryn Planeta, Cade Poyner, Olivia Sage, Colin Schimandle, Liam Seeley, Sam Vota, Nicolas Votta, Olivia Weatherbee and Evelyn Wills.
ISAC describes these students as “the best and brightest” among Illinois high school seniors. According to ISAC: “These students are designated as ‘the best and brightest’ of Illinois high school seniors.” The award is non-monetary; each student receives a congratulatory letter and certificate from ISAC. Their photos are also displayed in the administration hallway at the school.
Each recognized student participates in various school programs and plans to continue their education or training after graduation in spring 2026. ISAC notes that their college assessment exam scores and academic records indicate strong potential for future success.
Maria Campagna plans to study American Sign Language education at a four-year university. She has participated in Educators Rising and several other clubs. Jacob Cimino intends to pursue computer science and is involved in music ensembles and academic teams. Nathan Foster has participated in music groups and Science Club and will attend college next year.
Other scholars plan to study fields including business finance (Carter Gill), pre-dentistry (Kamryn Hansen), finance (Austin Harding), engineering (Aidan Kenney and Mackenzie Lovell), medicine (Julian Micetich), nursing (Colin Schimandle), chemistry (Liam Seeley), forensic sciences (Sam Vota), law (Nicolas Votta) and secondary English education (Evelyn Wills). Several were also recognized as AP Scholars with Honors.
The Coal City Community Unit School District 1 includes Coal City High School along with other schools serving Grundy and Will counties. More information about the district can be found on its profile at the Illinois Report Card website: https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/
According to data from the Illinois State Board of Education https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/, Coal City Community Unit School District 1 employs 153 teachers who earn an average salary of $69,297 before pension contributions; nearly 78 percent are women while just over 22 percent are men. There are no teachers with more than ten absences per year.
Demographically https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/, the district’s student population is nearly 87 percent White with Hispanic students making up about 10 percent; Black and Asian students each represent less than one percent.
In terms of finances https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/, Coal City Community Unit School District 1 spent $21,619 per student in 2020 for a total expenditure of $47 million.
