By Jack McDermott
Online Editor-in-Chief
Subscribers to the Daily Herald opened up last Thursday’s paper to a picture of senior Olivia McAleer on page two.
McAleer was one of 24 honorable mentions in all of the Northwest Suburbs for the Herald’s annual Leadership Team comprised of a prestigious group of students recognized for years of service.
“It was really cool because while doing service you are giving back so you can’t say, ‘Well, this weekend I donated 24 hours of my life’.  Instead you have to be really low-key about it,” McAleer said.
To win the award, McAleer volunteered as a LifeSource blood drive coordinator, a Special Olympics volunteer, a St. James vacation Bible school volunteer and also as a Dett gift delivery participant.  She then needed a sponsor, Service Learning coordinator Michelle Tantillo, and a multiple page description of herself including all of her extracurriculars and volunteer hours by date.
Tantillo could only sponsor one student but chose McAleer because of her ability to stay so well entwined in service club while participating in so many other extracurriculars.
“She is a hardworking individual who has taken on a leadership role this year and comes on a regular basis in terms of checking in,” Tantillo said.
After learning of the award, McAleer’s mom was the most excited in the family, especially after  receiving multiple calls from family and friends reading the Herald.  However, this excitement is more than reasonable considering how big of a deal the award is and hat McAleer was the only student from Prospect to receive it this year.
“There is only a handful of applicants each year and there are only so many school so to be honored like that is a really big deal,” Tantillo said.
“Getting recognition is really cool and being the only one from Prospect makes it an even cooler opportunity that I am really thankful for,” McAleer said.