The Iowa City Press-Citizen Student of the Week poll has returned for another round of voting.
Each week, Johnson County high school principals and faculty are asked to nominate students who excel in and out of the classroom.
The public can vote at press-citizen.com until noon on Thursday, Oct. 16. The winner will be announced on Friday, and an accompanying story will be published in the Press-Citizen.
Students from public and private high schools in Johnson County are eligible to participate.
Iowa City High School senior Lily Rantanen was the Press-Citizen’s most recent Student of the Week.
Here are this week’s nominees:
Gretchen Gerke, Regina Catholic High School
Gretchen Gerke is a senior at Regina Catholic School. Gerke has excelled in many areas at Regina and in her community. In the classroom, Gerke has earned a GPA over 4.0 while taking multiple Advanced Placement and Honors courses. In the pool, Gerke has been a MVC conference runner-up three times, a state qualifier and finalist three times while swimming for Iowa City West, and a state and national qualifier while swimming for IFLY.
Gerke is a member of Regina’s Honor Choir and was a semifinalist at the National Association of Voice Teachers Regional Competition. Gerke also volunteers her musical expertise in her parish, St. Thomas More, and as a National Anthem singer at Regina and other charity events. Gerke also gives to her community, serving families in need, painting a mural, and creating over 30 plushies for children and infants at a local hospital.
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Owen Raefield, Iowa City High School
Owen Raefield is a senior at Iowa City High School. Raefield is a hard-working student, a member of the football team, and always makes time for others around him.
“(Raefield) is an all-around great young man who deserves to be recognized for being a leader in the hallways at City High,” said Principal John Bacon.
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Endrit Ramku, Iowa City West High School
Endrit Ramku is a junior at Iowa City West High School. This summer, he organized and taught a pre-AP biology course for students who will take AP biology this year. He had a large enough enrollment to host classes at the ICPL, where all students could have free public transportation to get to class. Additionally, Ramku had students from the other high schools in his course.
Ramku has prepared students to take AP biology, giving them a head start in learning complex concepts, and now manages the Biology Club at West. Not only is Ramku organizing students to take a national exam, but he will also compete in the regional science bowl and help collect and remove compost from the cafeteria each day.
“(Ramku) goes above and beyond being a student as he is a contributor to making the West High community stronger,” said Principal Mitch Gross.
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Piper Stahle, Solon High School
Piper Stahle does a little bit of everything at a high level at Solon High School. Whether it is excelling in the classroom, singing in the Bella Voce group, pacing the cross country team, or designing clothing with her artistic abilities, Piper’s talents are diverse and plentiful. In her senior year, she is a staple on the Student Council and National Honor Society, along with being a leader and positive role model within the building.
About Student of the Week
The Press-Citizen’s Student of the Week is a weekly contest throughout the academic year. Polls will open on Mondays and close on Thursdays. Students from public and private high schools in the Iowa City area are eligible to participate.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Vote for the Press-Citizen Student of the Week for Oct. 17
