Class of 2024 Valedictorians and Salutatorians

Aerin Miller was born and raised in Iowa. She had been enjoying working as a bike messenger and a member of Chicago’s service industry for 12 years before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. This presented the perfect time for Aerin to make a career change, although she was apprehensive because it had been 16 years since she was last in school.

Aerin rose to the challenge. She worked full-time while pursuing her associate degree in science. As a lover of wildlife and avid bird watcher, it proved to be the perfect area of study for her.

After graduating from Harold Washington, Aerin hopes to pursue her bachelor’s degree in biology and eventually earn a master’s degree in environmental ecology.

Mar Estrada is a first-generation, bilingual, queer graduate. She decided to return to school 12 years after graduating from Carl Schurz High School. While enrolled at Harold Washington College, Mar worked full-time and maintained a 4.0 GPA. She was also a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and is graduating with high honors.

Outside of the classroom, Mar volunteers with rescue animals, helping them find their forever families. She is currently studying at Northeastern Illinois University to become a social worker.

Raven Edwards graduated from Lindblom Math and Science Academy, where her dedication to her studies earned her a 4.6 GPA and the Star Scholarship. This awarded her the opportunity to pursue her dreams of becoming an educator through the Teach Chicago Tomorrow program at Harry S Truman College at no cost.

 While pursuing her education at Truman, Raven took on the additional challenge of becoming a reading tutor for Chicago Public Schools. In the fall, she plans to attend Illinois State University in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She hopes to make a difference in the lives of children by providing them with a quality education and unparalleled support.

Saron Haileselassie was born and raised in Ethiopia. She moved to the United States and decided to enroll at Harry S Truman College to pursue an associate degree in general studies. This gave her more time to get accustomed to school as she became acclimated to a new country.

While furthering her education, Saron remained committed to pursuing her dream career in the medical field. The desire was born from her interest in biology and chemistry and her positive interaction with nurses following a medical emergency.

At Truman, Saron was awarded the Presidential Scholarship twice. She also worked and joined Phi Theta Kappa and the National Society for Leadership and Success while continuing to make time to enjoy anime and read manga. After graduation, Saron plans to continue her education in nursing school.

Salli Mae Ross began attending Kennedy-King College in the fall of 2019 to obtain her high school diploma after being homeschooled all her life. She completed the Adult Education program, earned her diploma, and transitioned into college credit courses to study media communications.

Salli Mae maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout her studies, earning the Presidential Scholar Award in 2021, the Cook County College Teachers Union Scholarship, and a spot in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

In addition to her studies, Salli Mae operates a hair business and continues to grow her social media platforms with beauty and lifestyle content. After graduation, she plans to expand her career in producing, writing, filming, and creative directing.

Roinel Sánchez Ge, who is originally from Cuba, was working full-time as a phlebotomist at Northwestern Medicine when he enrolled at Kennedy-King College. His passion for learning and his medical background, having previously been a doctor in his home country, motivated him to pursue his associate degree in science.

Roinel regularly participated in events and on-campus activities at Kennedy-King, was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and won the Presidential Scholar award twice. He is now working to become a physician’s assistant and is applying to some of the top universities in Chicago to reach that goal.

Prerana Sharma was born and raised in India, where she received her bachelor’s degree. After moving to the United States, she pursued an education and career in baking, but her plans were altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prerana began looking for a career change that would leave her feeling fulfilled while providing opportunities for growth. She decided on nursing, and several scholarships helped her pursue her associate degree in nursing at Malcolm X College.

During her time at Malcolm X, Prerana became a student member of the American Nurses Association and helped patients during her clinical rotations at St. Bernard Hospital, Weiss Hospital, and Near North Health Clinic. While completing her associate degree, Prerana continued to work as an obstetric (OB) scrub technician at Swedish Hospital and a baker. She also taught cooking classes to elementary school students.

Prerana was accepted into University of Illinois Chicago to pursue her bachelor’s degree in nursing thanks to a transfer pathway Malcolm X has with the college. She was also offered a job as a labor and delivery nurse at Swedish Hospital. In the future, Prerana plans to continue her education to become a family nurse practitioner.

Noah Lande came to Malcolm X College during the pandemic looking to make a career change. After a decade of working in various fields, Noah decided on nursing. He believed it would be the perfect way to blend his loves of science and humanity.

After completing Malcolm X’s Licensed Practical Nursing program, Noah became a registered nurse (RN) through the college’s Licensed Practical Nursing Bridge pathway, all while working at a skilled nursing facility.

After receiving his RN license, Noah wants to work in the emergency room, operating room, and intensive care unit. Eventually, he dreams of becoming a nursing educator.

Edgar Navarro-Angulo chose to attend Olive-Harvey College to help make his goal of becoming a Chicago police officer a reality. He enrolled in the college’s One Year and Out Program, a partnership with the Chicago Police Department, and obtained an associate degree in criminal justice in just one year.

Edgar says he learned to be resilient while growing up on the South Side of Chicago. His love of playing poker taught him strategic thinking and risk management, while playing soccer helped hone his teamwork and leadership skills.

Edgar is graduating with a 4.0 GPA and is a President’s List Award recipient for academic excellence. His next step is enrolling at the Chicago Police Academy for training.

Liz-Anne De Beauville-Jones is a first-generation college student from the Caribbean island of St. Lucia. After moving to Chicago, the Olive-Harvey College philosophy student found a strong community at the college.

Liz-Anne became a work-study student in the First Year Experience Department, an Equity and Excellence intern, a Timuel D. Black Jr. Scholar and Fellow, the president of the Student Government Association, vice chair of the District Student Government Association, a Presidential Scholar, a founding member of the Christian Club, a student scholar panelist during the One Book One Campus panel discussion, a winning defense attorney for Olive-Harvey’s 2023 mock trials, and the Olive-Harvey representative at a mayoral event during Black History Month. She maintained a 4.0 GPA, was awarded several scholarships, and served her neighborhood by volunteering for a clean-up campaign.

Liz-Anne’s future goals include earning her Ph.D., becoming a published author, and continuing to serve her community.

Guadalupe Rojas-Gonzalez enrolled at Richard J. Daley College as a first-generation college student in June 2022 after graduating from Jones College Preparatory High School. Her strong GPA earned her the Star Scholarship, providing her with books and a college education at no cost.

The business student worked in the Transfer Center, helping students research scholarships and edit their essays, and was also a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

After graduation, Guadalupe plans to pursue her bachelor’s degree in business at a four-year university. She hopes to continue her online American Sign Language and acting courses while preparing for an eventual career in the entertainment industry.

Liliana Ornelas is a Chicago native who dreamed of leaving the city for college. After researching the cost, and once the pandemic hit, Liliana decided to stay in Chicago. She also received the Star Scholarship, which allowed her to study at Richard J. Daley College at no cost due to her academic excellence in high school.

After graduation, Liliana’s goal is to become the first health care professional in her family as she pursues a career in the dental field. She is proud to say she’s graduating debt-free.

Maybelle Sanchez took advantage of the Star Scholarship to enroll at Wilbur Wright College after graduating from Lane Tech High School in 2022.

During her time at Wright, she became heavily involved in student clubs and organizations, including as president of the Student Government Association and a member of the Business Pilot Committee, where she worked with employees at Wright to revamp the business curriculum. She is also a One Million Degrees Scholar, a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, a member of the All-Illinois Academic team, a silver scholar on Coca-Cola’s 2024 Academic Team, and a student marketer for Red Bull, all while maintaining an impressive GPA.

After graduating from Wright, Maybelle will continue her education in pursuit of her bachelor’s degree in marketing. She hopes her future career will allow her to interact with people all over the world and try new restaurants.

Adam Moine, a native of Tunisia, came to the United States with his brothers and the dream of becoming an engineer. Adam found success at Wilbur Wright College despite juggling three jobs, working more than 60 hours a week, and navigating the difficulties that come along with living and studying in a new country.

Even with a demanding schedule, Adam secured a research internship at Western Michigan University. He also contributed to an academic research paper that was published in the American Society for Engineering Education. Adam wasn’t only focused on his own success, but also that of his peers. He served as vice president of Wright’s chapter of the American Chemical Society and tutored more than 200 students.

Adam has been accepted into the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he plans to study electrical engineering.