BBCHS is made up of about 1.8% Asian Americans. We are grateful to have been able to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander History Month with our students, enabling us to learn more about their culture and background. Two of our students, Urva Purohit and Nidhi George, were able to answer a few questions to help us gain this understanding. They were asked:

"Who inspires you and why?"
"What does Asian American/Pacific Islander mean to you?"

"What part of your Asian American heritage are you most proud of?"

"What is something you wish you would have been taught in school about Asian American/Pacific Islander heritage?"

If you would like to see their answers, please visit our Facebook page!

We were able to gather majority of our students and faculty members who have are Asian American or Pacific Islander for a group picture to show their pride for their culture!

We started May off with School Lunch Hero Day! This was a day to show our appreciation for our dedicated cafeteria and nutrition staff who work tirelessly each day to serve our students. They all play a vital role in our school community. Thank you for your commitment and positive impact you make every day! Our orchestra also paid them a visit to play some music while they ate their breakfast.

David and Bonnie Kuiken have been raising money in memory of their son Joel, a 1995 BBCHS graduate. Over the years, they have raised around $78,000 for this scholarship in honor of their son. They have contributed a lot to our Academic Foundation to help our students in continuing their education. We have much appreciation for David, Bonnie, and their family for being such positive lights in our school and community!

Our senior students represented their college of choice on College Decision Day! The Counseling staff also had a table in the main lobby open for seniors to share their post-graduation plans. We can't wait to see all of the amazing things they do in their next endeavors!

Several of our Kankakee Area Career Center students signed to officially commit to the path that they are going to take their future next year and the years to come! We had some join the military, continuing education, Chicago Pipefitters, and a few other routes. They have continuously excelled at KACC, and it has positively impacted them in chasing the career path that they each desire. We are proud of your hard work and can't wait to see you in your success in your future endeavors!

Our Best Buddies and Buddy Pairs participated in the Friendship Walk at Lincoln-Way East. It is the leading walk in the country supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. People raise money to walk and support Best Buddies.

Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with disabilities. In each chapter of Best Buddies, club members participate in events in the community and spend time together.

BBCHS Best Buddies earned Chapter of the Year, Ireland Kaufman was named Chapter President of the Year, and Ben Worsham and Chloe Cooper were named Buddy Pair of the Year! These are huge honors, and we are so proud!

On May 5th, BBCHS celebrated Cinco de Mayo! It was a day to honor Mexican heritage, history, and pride. It was a great opportunity to learn, appreciate, and celebrate together!

May 5th through 9th was Teacher Appreciation Week! Our teachers have a positive impact on our students every day. We are grateful for all of the hard work, dedication, and commitment they have to their jobs. BBCHS would not be the same without our amazing teachers. We appreciate you all!

Throughout the week, we had many activities and treats to show our appreciation to our teachers!

Monday: donuts, coffee, snacks available and Staff vs. Student basketball game

Tuesday: massages for teachers

Wednesday: staff pickleball tournament

Thursday: free lunch

Friday: cookies and raffles

We held a school-wide spring assembly this month to recognize all of our spring athletes and coaches from softball, baseball, girls badminton, track and field, boys tennis, and boys volleyball. We also celebrated the State Championship that was brought home by the Unified Basketball team!

The staff took on the students in a friendly game of basketball. The staff team was able to defeat the student team after a hard-fought competition. The assembly ended in the announcement of Prom Court! It was a great assembly full of togetherness and fun!

In our Outdoor Education 2 class, students have been practicing fishing. They were able to travel out to Willow Haven to put their skills to the test! Conservation Officer, Brian Elliot, also came to speak to all of our students about natural resources, conservation, and outdoor recreation. It was important for our students to understand the regulations of fishing and other outdoor activities to ensure public safety. This was a great opportunity for our students to learn a new skill and receive feedback from a professional regarding fishing in public spaces!

We celebrated School Nurse Day on May 7th as a school community! Our school nurses, Amy Hagenow and Beth Palmer work tirelessly to ensure our students stay healthy. We appreciate everything they bring to the school - it would not be the same without them!

Best Buddies hosted an event after school to do ceramic painting. They painted handmade coasters with their buddy pairs and had lots of fun! Thank you to Ms. Cohagan for the materials and access to your classroom!

Our art students hosted their own Art Show at BBCHS during the school day! Students and faculty members were able to stop by and take a look at the beautiful artwork that our students created. This show also featured student award winners from area shows and AP portfolios! They also provided some food to snack on while enjoying the fabulous art.

The senior class kept the tradition alive for the Senior Sunrise Tailgate! This is an event that the seniors host in the school parking lot in the morning before any other students are present to visit with each other, eat good food, and soak up one of the last moments all together as a class. It is always one of the great final memories of being a student at BBCHS!

During Prom ticket sales, SADD provided a banner where students could promise to not drive impaired or distracted, not allow their friends to drive impaired or distracted, and to get home safely or call their parents for help returning home. We are extremely proud of our students to make a pledge to have a safe and fun night by making smart decisions!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. During the month of May, many schools and community partners will host various events to bring awareness to the importance of mental health. Our staff members helped spread the word and participated in the Be Seen in Green Challenge on May 9th by wearing green throughout the school day.

Last week, there were various activities to spread the awareness of mental health. There was a table in the main lobby every day to have conversations and share resources. Some of these conversations included the negative effects of social media, mindfulness, gratitude, and more! Together, we can raise awareness and support mental health!

Outdoor Education 2 had another exciting unit where they learned how to shoot archery! After learning the basics and proper technique of shooting archery, they were able to take their skills outside to try it out. They were each given a bow and chose a target in which to aim. It took some practice, but eventually, it started becoming more natural, and the students were improving!

We are extremely appreciative of our Academic Foundation, which has helped our classes have access to more resources to do these unique activities!

Prom night was a successful one! Congratulations to our Prom King and Queen, Derek Otero and Sarah Bouferrache! It was a night full of smiles, fun, and good company!

Our Fashion class has been learning about the fashion industry careers and production. In doing so, students assembled lanyards in an assembly line process to learn more about and experience textile and garment production. This project was completely student-run, as one student was the supervisor and another the quality assurance manager each day. They made lanyards for all of our teachers at BBCHS to show their appreciation during Teacher Appreciation Week. Thank you to our Fashion class and Mrs. Rylee Panozzo!

The reorganization meeting of the BBCHS District 307 Board of Education took place on May 12th at the monthly board meeting. Elections were held last month to fill three board seats. Jim Patterson, Ann Brezinski, and Sally Martell were all running for re-election. These three board members were re-elected, they read their Oath of Office, and will serve another term for Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School District 307.

Every two years, the board seats are reseated. Justin Caldwell was re-elected as School Board President, Jim Patterson was re-elected as School Board Vice President, and Ann Brezinski was re-elected as School Board Secretary.

Congratulations to our BBCHS students who were named 2025 KACC Scholarship Recipients and Students of the Year!

KACC Student of the Year:

2nd Place: Sofia Ramirez

Students of the Year by Class:

Tyler Moore - Cyber Security

Kloey Bull - Foundations of Education

Sofia Ramirez - Law Enforcement

Brayden Douglas - Multimedia Production

Grant Sheely - Welding Technology

KACC Golf Scholarships:

3rd Place: Abigail Parson

NUCOR Scholarships:

Grant Sheely - Welding

Alice Argyelan Scholarship:

1st Place: Delaney Kreissler - C.N.A.

KACC Teachers Union Scholarship:

Delaney Kreissler - C.N.A.

Brayden Douglas - Multimedia Production

Senior Academic Awards is a formal ceremony where BBCHS recognizes the academic achievements of our senior class. At this event, seniors receive their cords and stoles for graduation, and the scholarship winners are presented. We are extremely proud of your hard work and dedication to your education!

BBCHS is built on strong, meaningful relationships and a deep sense of family. This year, 13 of our staff members have children who are graduating as senior students - a testament to the close-knit bonds within our school community! These connections are at the heart of who we are and play a vital role in shaping us as a true school family.

May 14th was the seniors' last official day as a Boilermaker at BBCHS. Thank you for the lasting imapct you have made on all of us! We will miss your presence in our school, but we are extremely proud of all you have accomplished.

If you are a returning student, online registration is now OPEN for the 2025-26 school year! If you are an incoming freshman (even if you have a sibling at BBCHS) or transfer student, you MUST register in-person. For more information, visit our website at bbchs.org. Navigate to Students/Parents, then 2025-26 Registration.

The first ever English Learner Awards were held at BBCHS in the auditorium! There were lots to celebrate, as we had 41 students that saw growth in Access Testing this year! Access Testing is a state testing requirement for students who are in the English Learner (EL) program, and it measures a student’s English language proficiency level in listening, reading, writing, and speaking. This is an amazing accomplishment. Congratulations to these students!

We also had several students graduate from the English Learner program! Congratulations to:

Daniel Lopez
Rosemary Ramos
Lexi Rodriguez
Izel Jaimes-Tercero
Jonathon Armatys
Saul Beck
Jaime Rodriguez-Diaz
Diva Mercado
Jostin Ramirez
Anthony Rodriguez

We are so proud of your hard work and dedication!

Also, a huge thank you to the Academic Foundation for the generous contribution to purchase gift cards for our award winners! We greatly appreciate it.

It was a great night celebrating the accomplishments of our seniors in the Class of 2025! Matt Fox welcomed everyone into Barclay Stadium, and senior, Myah Crawford, opened the ceremony with a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem. We then heard three student speakers: Maddalena Righi, Gavin Kohl, and Ava Mossop who all talked about the lasting impact that BBCHS has had on their lives that will continue into their futures. Our Principal, Dr. Evan Tingley, said a few words about the meaning of being a Boilermaker and being a part of the BBCHS community, highlighting everyone in the stadium who were alumni. This put into perspective the pride of BBCHS, which was a very special part of the ceremony. Before the students walked across the stage to receive their diplomas, Dr. Matt Vosberg certified the graduates. They then walked the stage and celebrated their completion of high school!

Our BBCHS Football team held a fundraising event with the Boosters Club at Culver's in Bourbonnais to raise money for the 2025 season! The boys helped serve the community in various different tasks around the restaurant. They greeted people as they walked in the door and cleaned up different areas to ensure that everyone was eating in a clean space. Thank you to our football players!

Mrs. Amy Cook and Katie Lindo began Advocacy Projects with their students. Within this Boiler Block, students are challenged to give a voice to a mental health cause they believe needs attention. Through this project, they were aiming to raise awareness, help build connections with local, state, or national resources, and let our school community know that no one struggles alone.

Their goal with this project was to help students build confidence in having discussions around mental health and building skills to connect to resources. There were several students who presented about different topics surrounding mental health during Boiler Block.

Olivia Showers presented about coping strategies while students colored and drew, which happens to be a coping strategy that helps many people decompress. She explained how art can be a stress reliever through its therapeutic characteristics and the refreshing feeling of creating something new. Olivia provided three resources for her classmates: school counselors, NAMI, and Psychology Today.

Two students presented about social anxiety and how to reach resources. They discussed with the class that it is okay to speak to someone at school if you need help managing your social anxiety. The BBCHS counselors are willing to help and support anyone dealing with this. These students also helped us learn how to help people with social anxiety more comfortable, and the main way is to be an encouraging and supportive person.

Students also hosted a table in the main lobby of our school during lunch periods to raise awareness of depression, anxiety, and overall mental health. These students connected with local resources to gather information and fun "freebies" they could hand out to share about available resources!

Congratulations to Ben Kubal for receiving the Kiwanis Arion Award last month! This unique award recognizes outstanding student achievement in music throughout all three branches of music performance at BBCHS: band, choir, and orchestra. Ben Kubal is an extraordinary musician in the BBCHS music department. His leadership, positivity, and selfless involvement in band, orchestra, and choir is most deserving of this recognition. We are very proud of you, Ben!

Our softball team did not give up a single run this whole tournament! They defeated Benet Academy in game 1 of the tournament 1-0 in 9 innings. They then moved on to play Neuqua Valley and beat them 10-0 in 5 innings, and they won in the Championship against Fremd 1-0 who is ranked 16th in the State of Illinois. The other teams in this tournament included Minooka, Roncalli, Oak Forest, and Rock Island.

Congratulations to Lydia Hammond on throwing a PERFECT GAME in the Tournament Championship battle against state-ranked #16 Fremd. She saw just 21 batters, striking out 17 of them on only 86 pitches through 7 innings. Congrats, Lydia - this is a fantastic accomplishment!

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, the members of the Tri-M Honor Society created and delivered thirteen baskets filled with a variety of gifts for the music classrooms that feed into BBCHS. We are so grateful for the K-8 music educators who provide unique and well-rounded experiences for the students and families within our community. Our local K-8 music educators are responsible for establishing the love of music and required skills for our current music students.

Members of the Tri-M Music Honor Society also volunteered at Mattea's Joy, a local non-for-profit organization that provides care, connection, and community for families navigating the challenges of having a hospitalized child, and created 200 snack boxes for families staying with their hospitalized child. This was such a wonderful experience for the Tri-M Music Honor Society students and they are grateful for the opportunity to serve such a special organization in our community.

BBCHS held the Senior Athletic Awards where all of our senior student-athletes are recognized for their athletic achievements during their seasons. Each year, we give out a Female and Male Athlete of the Year. This year, Savannah Zirbel was named the Female Athlete of the Year with her involvement with the Swim and Water Polo programs here at BBCHS. Pierre McElroy was named the Male Athlete of the Year with his involvement in co-ed Cheer in both the Fall and Winter seasons. We are so proud of the both of you - a well-deserved honor!

Our girls badminton team competed in sectionals at Romeoville High School on May 8th. This consisted of their best singles and doubles athletes. Ashley Salazar competed in their first singles match, and Emily Stearns competed in their second singles match. Kimmy Vahl and Haylea Grilli competed in their first doubles match. Kate Greenlee and Haley O'Malley competed in their second doubles match.

Unfortunately, none of them qualified for the State Finals, however, Emily Stearns earned All-Conference for this season! Congratulations, Emily!

On a night where rivalry often divides, our BBCHS softball team decided to unite with Bishop McNamara's softball team for something bigger than the game. Strikeout Cancer Night was a success, and both programs could not be more thankful for all the help of those that made this night possible! Both programs' varsity and JV squads raised $2700 to two community families!

The Girls Water Polo team had a hard-fought season that ended with a loss from a talented Lincoln-Way West team. Our team has shown improvements in both overall record and conference record! They also had an improved sectional seeding for playoffs! Girls water polo has grown as a team and continue to make positive strides. They have truly learned how to play together as a team, and we are excited for the future of their program!

Our Boys Track and Field team finished in the top 3 at every invite this season up until their conference meet. They were the Champions of the Blue Smoke Invitational and All-City, placed 2nd in the Thornwood Gary Haupert Invitational, and 3rd place in the Yorkville Invitational and the Oswego East Invite.

Malachi Lee broke the school record in the long jump multiple times this season. His best mark of 7.30m (23' 11.25") is 2nd in class 3A going to the sectional round. At Sectionals, he jumped 6.84m and is advancing to the State Finals!

Jamir Birt competed in Sectionals in the 110m Hurdles and finished at a 15.13, which also qualified him for a State appearance!

Our 4x100m relay of Seth Teague, LyZale Edmon, Jordan Fitch, and Isaac Allison broke our school record with a time of 42.49 seconds. All four young men will be returning to BBCHS next year to beat their own time!

We have also had multiple athletes hit Top 10 marks in events on the track and in the field for BBCHS All-Time marks (since 2006):

LyZale Edmon 100m 10.95 (4th)

Isaac Allison 100m 11.10 (6th)

LyZale Edmon 200m 22.07 (4th)

Jordan Fitch 200m 22.63 (7th)

LyZale Edmon 400m 50.98 (3rd)

Kyron Birk 400m 51.46 (7th)

Sully Westover 800m 1:59.42 (3rd)

Kyler Savini 1600m 4:42.80 (8th)

Kyler Savini 3200m 9:56.80 (4th)

Jamir Burt 110m High Hurdles 15.24 (2nd)

Jamir Burt 300m Hurdles 42.75 (7th)

Joel Morrical Shot Put 14.93m (6th)

Tyrell Berry Discus 44.57m (3rd)

Demars Dorsey High Jump 1.78m (5'10")

Kayden Bowens Triple Jump 12.41 (7th)

Malachi Lee Long Jump 7.30m (School Record)

Malachi and Jamir will be competing today and tomorrow for the IHSA State Championships at Eastern Illinois University! Best of luck!

The Boys Water Polo team was voted by representatives in the SWSC to be given the Best Sportsmanship Award! This is a testament to the respect and integrity that our boys water polo athletes embody every day.

Zach Morrey was named 2nd Team All-Sectionals as well. Great job, Zach!

They have had a tough season being a very young team, which was almost entirely new to varsity. They were able to secure the Maine East Tournament Champions title that they were extremely proud to accomplish. The boys who will be competing on the team next year are seeking improvement each and every day to prepare already for next year!

BBCHS Baseball held a Strikeout Cancer Night on Carley Field vs. Rich Township. This was their way of showing support for long-time BBCHS baseball coach and supporter, Keith Schweigert as he continues his battle with pancreatic cancer.

Congratulations to our two qualifiers for the IHSA Girls State Track Meet! Niyah Crockett ran a personal record of 58.46 in the 400 meter dash to earn a spot. Navaeh Brown came back from an injury and double-qualified in both the 100 and 200 meter dashes. These two phenomenal young athletes competed at the State Track Meet at Eastern Illinois University!

This past weekend, they ran in the State track meet. Niyah Crockett ran in the 400 meter preliminary race and finished in 28th place with a time of 59.66! Navaeh Brown also ran in the preliminary race, but for the 100 and 200 meter dashes. In the 100 meter dash, she finished in 22nd place, running a 12.28! In the preliminary 200 meter race, Navaeh finished in 35th placed and ran a 25.72.

We are extremely proud of these young ladies for qualifying for the State Finals and competing at the highest level! Both of these athletes are only sophomores this year. They have bright futures ahead! Great job, and we look forward to watching you both throughout the rest of your careers here as Boilermakers!

Our Scholastic Bowl team traveled all the way to Atlanta, Georgia last week to compete in the NAQT High School National Championship Tournament! This is the first time BBCHS competed in the NAQT Nationals! Several seniors who graduated on Thursday night had to catch the charter bus right after graduation concluded - what a busy night! The students who competed were:

Robbie Buick

Nick Coradetti

Libby Johnson

Mikayla Keast

Pine Kimery

Emily Lyle

Stella McMullen

Quinn Meadows

Saloni Patel

Gavin Quinlan

Jiya Rana

Jack Schelling

Max Schmit

Xavier Schultz

Kylee Stone

They finished 4-6 in the NAQT High School National Championship, which placed them in 221st out of 336 teams nation-wide.

Gavin Quinlan finished 290th out of nearly 1,700 players in individual scoring. Xavier Schultz placed 414th, and Quinn Meadows finished 490th. We are extremely proud of our Scholastic Bowl team! Great job to everyone!

The Girls Soccer team had a hard-fought season. They earned the title of All-City Champions by defeating two very talented local teams in Bishop McNamara and Kankakee. This month, they were able to defeat Marian Catholic in a convincing win, 6-3. They began playoffs by traveling to Normal West and competed against Normal Community High School. They unfortunately fell short and their season came to an end, but Coach Kristen Powell has lots of great memories from the season and faith of how their program can continue getting stronger in seasons to come.

They are graduating 6 varsity seniors who leave a legacy of positivity, leadership, and fun. Coach Powell has strong confidence in the upcoming juniors filling those roles and taking on the challenge!

Coach Powell is looking forward to continuing to see her athletes learn how to be a better complete athlete by utilizing our in-house resources at BBCHS like Athletic Performance Training (APT), nutrition education, athletic training, recovery practices, and mental health.

When asked about an off-the-field memory from this season, Coach Powell shared that the female coaches taught the girls how to jump a dead car battery after one of the games! That is a great accomplishment! Great job, girls!

Our Boys Tennis team traveled to Lincoln-Way East last week for Sectionals. Isaiah Sharda finished 3rd overall, becoming the first Boys Tennis player to qualify for State since 2022!

He then traveled to the Palatine area this past Wednesday to compete at the State Finals. Isaiah unfortunately lost in the first round of the Singles Championship bracket. He will be back at BBCHS next year for another opportunity to compete on the Boys Tennis team and hopefully make another trip down to state! We are so proud of you, Isaiah!

The Boys Volleyball team had a season full of great competition. They fought hard, especially against tough conference opponents. Their season ended when they were defeated by Oak Forest last weekend in two games.

Boys Volleyball has only been a program at BBCHS for two years. There are lots of positive strides toward success at such an early point in building the foundation of this program. We are excited to see what is in store for BBCHS Boys Volleyball!

BBCHS Softball began tournament play this week on Tuesday night at home against Normal Community. They out-hit them 10 to 2 and defeated them 8-0. Suttyn Hop had a 3-hit day driving in 3 runs, while Hammond had 2 hits, and Schriefer, Woods, Moutrey, Sykes, and Lee all collected hits as well. Lydia Hammond got the W in the circle, striking out 10 batters and only allowing 2 hits. They are competing to earn their 4th Regional Title in a row TONIGHT at 5:00pm at The Brickyard against Rock Island! Come out and show your support!

This victory was also a record-breaking night for two of our Boilermakers! Bella Pusateri collected her 45th single of the year, breaking the previous record set of singles in a season. Lydia Hammond struck out 10 batters, shattering the strikeouts in a season record set by All-Stater and previously selected SWSC Player of the Year, Libby Spaulding. Congratulations to both Lydia and Bella for etching their names in the history books!

BBCHS Baseball started their tournament play last night against 4-seed, Normal West. They pulled off the upset as a 6-seed and came out victorious with a final score of 1-0. They will play again tomorrow (5/31) for the Regional Championship against Minooka at Normal West beginning at 11:00am. Best of luck, boys!

Our Unified Track team traveled to Eastern Illinois University to compete in the State Track meet and placed 2nd in the State of Illinois! Congratulations to all of our athletes and coaches - we are so proud of you!

Unified sports is a program made by the Special Olympics and coincides with the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). This program was created to bring together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to train and compete together on the same team.

BBCHS is hosting athletic summer camps for junior high and high school students for all of the sports that we have to offer! There will also be APT sessions available in the summer for junior high and high school students. Please click the red button below if you are interested! Let's get better together!

Main Office - Blake collects lunch dishes and washes them in the main office kitchenette. He keeps the microwave and cabinets clean. In addition, he dusts the teacher mailboxes and sanitizes the waiting room chairs. His hard work helps create a welcoming and refreshing environment to the visitors of BBCHS.

Taco John's - Mark is on time and ready to work every shift. He maintains the lobby by wiping, sweeping, and refilling condiments. He also keeps the parking lot clean and takes out the garbage. Wish him luck on his upcoming interview to secure summer employment!

Please contact me with any questions or comments.

Kennedy Weigt - Director of Communications and Community Engagement

kweigt@bbchs.org