By By ANDY HAMILTON / Niles Daily Star
NOTRE DAME, IND. - Does a student who earns straight A's still have a least-favorite subject?
Skalla was one of 160 Niles Community Schools students honored for straight A's Thursday morning at the fifth annual Breakfast of Champions.
Of the 160, 48 were from seventh grade, 32 from eighth, 29 from ninth, 21 from tenth, 12 were juniors and 18 were seniors.
A Parent Involvement Grant through a federal program called Title One that directs money to schools funded the grant, the director of curriculum and instruction of Niles schools, Jim Craig said.
The breakfast was held in the Monogram Room of the Joyce Center on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. Craig welcomed the 400 guests.
He also said achieving perfect grades “takes more than just intelligence.” Craig said the students in attendance possessed character, passion and talent. And, he said they had the drive to work through difficulty.
As an example of how persistence can pay off, the district asked a Niles alum and current Notre Dame student to speak to the students and their families.
Dan Klute graduated from Niles High School in 2002 and plans to graduate from Notre Dame in the fall with a degree in marketing. Klute described some of the rewards he has experienced as a result of his own hard work, including achieving his “life-long dream” of attending Notre Dame. He also described some of the excitement that comes with life after high school.
The keynote speaker of the morning encouraged the Niles audience to pursue a part of their education out of the classroom. Vice-President of University Relations at Notre Dame, Lou Nanni, told the students to “displace yourself and reach out.”
The best way an individual can grow is by putting themselves in a position where they are the minority, Nanni said.
Nanni was drawing from his experiences in Chile and the Dominican Republic as well as his position as executive director of the Center for Homeless in South Bend, Ind.
As for Skalla, she said she found her gift of writing in English class.
She also said she plans on returning to the Breakfast of Champions, which means algebra classes do not stand a chance.