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THE DEVILS’ DEPARTED
Early graduations provide an alternative path for Central students.
by Jessie Wang and Killian Hughes designed by Rania Arain illustrated by Rania Arain
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Under the shimmering San Diego sun, Marco Grande feels sweat sliding down his jawline. He wants to wipe the beads away, but the Marine Drill Sergeant’s stony face and boiling temper convince him otherwise. Instead, despite his stiff muscles and drooping eyelids, Grande maintains a ramrod posture and keeps his gaze locked forward. Although he hasn’t left for boot camp yet, Grande imagines that it will be a tough yet rewarding experience. While his peers are still in school, Grande will spend this spring a bit differently. This March, Grande decided he wants to push himself by graduating early. For most Central seniors, the month of May marks the end of their high school experience as they walk in front of the principal, receive their diplomas, and join a sea of red cloth and smiling faces. However, some students, like Grande, conclude their time at 55th and Grant a bit earlier, before all the snow has melted. Seniors Marco Grande, Kaitlyn Mrksich, and Mia Thompson all have chosen to graduate early and pursue their respective passions. Boot camp, a research lab, and the ocean each called these seniors to join 2021’s small cohort of early Central graduates, an option which allows Red Devils to seek out new opportunities while their peers remain inside the classroom. Since he was four years old, Grande has known that he wanted to pursue a career in the military. Along with the call to support his country, he said that his urge to join the armed forces has sprung from a family legacy of service. “My grandpa fought in World War Two, my uncle in Vietnam, and my cousin was in Iran,” Grande said. “And I just thought, if they’re doing it, I’ve got to do it too.” Although he is not certain exactly what his Marine Corps future will bring, he has committed to attend boot camp. In March of this year, Grande will fly west to San Diego for 15 weeks of basic training, including two weeks of hotel room quarantine, to become a machine gunner. “During the day, you go on hikes, you go in the pool to do training, [and] you do runs,” Grande said. “You get tased once or twice, and go into a gas chamber, and that’s about it.” After his training, Grande will begin classes at Loyola University in Chicago while simultaneously undergoing training in the reserves. He said that even though the northbound weekend excursions will take up time, it differs from an ROTC experience, since his on campus will be completely normal. “The training won’t get in the way of school at all, which is good,” Grande said. “The school gives extra scholarships and grants to military members, which is really nice.” Grande acknowledged that there were several options in front of him, with varying levels of financial support. Although he was offered a full scholarship in exchange for a more immersive military experience, he chose to participate as a reserve instead because he desired a true college experience. Another choice that Grande had to make was which branch of the military he would pursue. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Marines all have programs targeted to college students, each with a separate allure. “I wanted to join the Army when I was younger,” Grande explained. “But doing more research, I [was drawn to] the Marine Corps.” According to Grande, when it came to graduating early, the process was fairly easy. He had already decided to join the reserves, and was happy to see that he was eligible. “I found out that I was graduating early the day before it happened. My mom just came and said ‘hey, I just talked to your counselor. If you want to graduate early, go for it,’” Grande said. For Kaitlyn Mrksich, who graduated in December of 2020, the idea to graduate early was planted much earlier. Since freshman year, she had taken the maximum number of science classes she could. However, her zeal started to push Central’s limits senior year. “I have always been a science and math kid. So, the process started last year when course registration came around,” Mrksich said. “I wasn’t really excited by a lot of the options, because I’d taken a lot of the classes I was interested in.” When she asked the guidance department, she found out that there were a cadre of students who decided to graduate early. What’s more, the number of students considering the option had expanded for the Class of 2021. Once she had decided to join them, Mrksich noted that the process was quite easy. The only schedule change Mrksich made was front-loading her English classes to meet Central’s graduation requirements. “At that point...I had to write down a few sentences about why I wanted to graduate early, get my parents to sign it, and then [Principal] Walsh [agreed to] sign it,” Mrksich said. She had planned to spend her last semester on a trip abroad, but COVID-19 forced her to change her plans. Now, Mrksich has turned her immediate focus to helping out her community. She volunteers at People’s Resource Center four times a week, works on school board campaigns, and helps out with a kid’s ministry program at her church. In April, Mrksich plans to return to doing research at Northwestern University. In previous summers, Mrksich interned as a nanotechnology research assistant, and she plans to return to the same lab to further her knowledge. “[We use] really tiny gold particles... called nanoparticles. They have shown a lot of potential in medical applications in chemistry and cell biology,” Mrksich said. Mrksich has worked on two projects involving these gold nanoparticles. The unique properties of gold nanoparticles, such as a high surface area to volume ratio and chemical stability, make it a promising candidate for research. “We engineered the nanoparticles through the tiny bits of gold to be able to go into cell levels with chemicals and drugs,” Mrksich said. “Early detection is a way that helps doctors treat disease.”
-Kaitlyn Mrksich
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The other project researched the experience for helping her discover her “[I] always knew I wanted to sail or do use of nanoparticles to target delivery interest in research. something like that when I got older.” to cells, which has seen increasing “Going in, I was pretty sure that I For Thompson, COVID-19 played a specific applications. Because of liked medicine and I just wanted to large part in her decision to graduate early. their small size, nanoparticles can be be a normal doctor. But then it was She said that the low rates of COVID-19 used for personalized drug delivery. really cool … to see what research was,” and subsequent lack of restrictions in
“This means that nanoparticles [are Mrksich said. “I like this idea of doing Australia made it an attractive option, used] to deliver something directly to the both because you start in the lab, you do especially compared to the United States. ribosome, or directly to the nucleus, as research, and then you can carry over “I decided to graduate early primarily… opposed to just right into the cell. And that your innovations into the clinical side.” because I knew that I would probably never is… a pretty powerful tool,” Mrksich said. Mrksich hopes to continue following go to [Central] again, [since classes were]
When asked to reflect on her high this path for a while, and is happy to online, so my family and I decided it would school experience, Mrksich said that have had the opportunities that the be best to graduate early,” Thompson said. the Hinsdale Central STEM curriculum early graduation provided. She has been Although her situation was has greatly prepared her for the future. grateful for the service opportunities, unusual, Thompson said she was
“I feel really comfortable going both on a local and global level, that the happy with how Central handled to [undergraduate programs] at any decision has provided, and hopes this the early graduation process. school … [I’m] confident that I have head start will help her down the road. “Central was very flexible with my the tools to succeed,” Mrksich said. Down and under the vast Pacific credits. All I had to do to graduate early
While at Central, Mrksich took Ocean, Central graduate Mia Thompson was take one economics class online, three physics classes, two chemistry tells a similar story. After graduating in and an extra semester of English as classes, one biology class, two calculus December, Thompson moved to Australia, well,” Thompson said. “My counselor classes, and two research classes. One where her family has lived for many periods made it very simple and easy for me.” of her favorite courses was AP Research of time throughout her life. She plans to Thompson’s decision to graduate because she had the opportunity attend University of New South Wales early was largely driven by people who to pursue independent projects. when Australian college starts in January, came before her. Although her decision
“I did a synthetic biology project in but before she enrolls, she will go on an 80- was an uncommon one, made due to [that] class, [which] was really impactful day sailing expedition from Tahiti to Bali. unusual circumstances, she knew it was because it was the first major research The trip, which is hosted by the useful to look towards those who made project that I’d done by myself,” Mrksich Seamester program, will be 5,870 nautical similarly unique decisions for guidance. said. “It taught me a lot about independence miles long. According to the Seamester “A lot of older friends who have in research… and the writing process.” website, students will spend about a graduated a semester early in the
Another one of Mrksich’s favorite third of their time anchored on various past say that it was one of the best classes was AP Chemistry with teacher islands, and two thirds of their time at sea. decisions they have ever made,” Paul Woods. Since the class focused “There are 24 students and eight staff Thompson said. “Their experiences heavily on the laboratory experience, roughly on each trip, which is held on a definitely played a part in my decision.” Mrksich gained further knowledge 112 foot sailboat,” Thompson said. “We Grande, just a few months off on the experimentation process. sail for the majority of the time, but graduation himself, urges other students
“I loved a lot of the labs that we did,” [we] also stop on remote islands and to follow in his footsteps in joining Mrksich said. “It was cool because [I learn about the cultures and traditions.” the military, particularly due to the applied] the experience [of] learning While on board, Thompson and other wealth of opportunities it provides. in the classroom [to] a research lab.” students will spend time learning how to “You’re missing out… if you
In the fall of 2021, Mrksich plans operate the large watercraft, as well as a don’t,” Grande said. “You’re on attending college and pursuing a plethora of other ocean-related lessons. closing the door to so many spots.” degree in biomedical engineering. She “Along with sailing itself and getting Mrksich echoes this sentiment and notes hopes to become a physician scientist, our sailing and diving certificates, we that graduating early offers many benefits for which would require both “My grandpa fought in World War get 12 college credits through seamanship, those interested. Although she was initially hesitant to pursue this unconventional a MD and Two, my uncle in Vietnam, and marine biology, student path, her fears were quickly dispelled. a PhD. She my cousin was in Iran. And I just leadership, and nautical “I was definitely a bit nervous when I credits her thought, if they’re doing it, I’ve got studies courses,” was first deciding to graduate early because laboratory to do it too.” -Marco Grande Thompson said. I didn’t know a lot of other people that did Thompson has it,” Mrksich said. “But now that I’ve done it, had a passion for the ocean for many I’ve realized that graduating early has given years, and, like Grande, her interest me access to a lot of other opportunities started with a family connection. in life to take advantage of...Don’t be “My mum studied marine biology afraid if it’s something you’re thinking in college, and my dad has always had a about, and use your time… to the fullest.” passion for sailing and surfing, so I grew up around the ocean,” Thompson said.
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