Minooka High School's Melissa Marquez named Rotary Club Student of the Month

Minooka Community High School senior Melissa Marquez has been named the Channahon-Minooka Rotary Club’s Student of the Month for February.

Marquez keeps a 4.66 GPA on the 4.0 scale, and she’s on the high honor roll, designated as a National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar, and named in the top 1% of students at Minooka Community High School.

She participates in several athletics and activities like the tennis team, math peer tutor, speech team, student council, Student Athletics/Activities Leadership Team, Connections Crew, and was inducted into the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society. She also serves as a lector at St. Ann Catholic Church in Minooka.

“Melissa has been a member of Interact for the past three years,” said Nicole Bolek, her nominating teacher. “In her junior year, and currently in her senior year, she has served as Vice President. She has earned the respect of her peers through her hard work and leadership. She has organized over 17 hours of service projects. As a result of her efforts, 15 families at MCHS have had a Thanksgiving dinner, 145 dog toys have been donated to area shelters and she has inspired MCHS students to color over 500 Color a Smile pages and 35 blankets have been donated to Joliet Hospice. Melissa’s dedication to community service has without a doubt lifted others.”

Marquez said service does not have to be complicated, and it’s not a burden. Service is necessary for a person to grow.

“After years of dedication to my community, I have only recently discovered that service has given me more than the feeling that I did something good,” Marquez said. “It has given me friendship, gratitude, and life skills. For me, the service I have accomplished would never outweigh what my community has done for me”

Marquez plans on majoring in molecular engineering at the University of Chicago.