Local Students Earn Honors for AI, Essays, and Speaking

Achievements recognized in Highland Park, Skokie, and Niles North

Apr. 6, 2026 at 8:39pm

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A high-contrast silkscreen print of a graduation cap repeated in a grid pattern, rendered in vibrant neon colors and heavy black outlines to capture the celebratory spirit of student accomplishments.Bright, bold symbols of student achievement celebrate the diverse talents and academic excellence of local youth.Wilmette Today

Eighth-grader Luc Sever of Highland Park was named a state champion in the Presidential AI Challenge for creating a chatbot to help users find news stories based on their interests and reading level. In Skokie, students from Wilmette Junior High School were recognized for winning an American history essay contest, and a Regina Dominican student won the Good Citizen Award and Essay Contest. Additionally, a senior at Niles North High School was selected to speak at a national AVID conference.

Why it matters

These student achievements highlight the academic excellence and innovative thinking of young people in the local community. The recognition they receive can inspire other students, showcase the quality of education in the area, and demonstrate the diverse talents and interests of local youth.

The details

Luc Sever, an eighth-grader at Edgewood Middle School in Highland Park, was one of 25 Illinois students named a state champion in the Presidential AI Challenge. He won in Track 2, which asked students to build and demonstrate a working AI solution. Sever created a chatbot called Personalized News that recommends news stories based on a user's interests and reading level. The project required persistence as Sever troubleshot issues and included safeguards like attribution citations. He now advances to the regional level of the competition. In Skokie, the Daughters of the American Revolution honored local students for their essays on 'Lunch with a Signer' of the Declaration of Independence. Seventh-grader Luke Fang, who won third place nationally last year, had the first-place essay this year as an eighth-grader. Other winners included Madeline Rose Newman, Sonia Green, Adele Bilings, and Emily Macklis. For the Good Citizen Award and Essay Contest, Regina Dominican student Sofia Ujiki won first place with her essay on renewing and strengthening American democracy. At Niles North High School, senior Luciano Diaz was selected to speak at the AVID Summer Institute 2026, a national conference, about how the AVID program has supported his development of skills like confidence, collaboration, and critical thinking.

  • Luc Sever's Personalized News chatbot was created in 2026.
  • The Daughters of the American Revolution essay contest awards ceremony took place on February 21, 2026.
  • Luciano Diaz will speak at the AVID Summer Institute 2026 in Kansas City.

The players

Luc Sever

An eighth-grader at Edgewood Middle School in Highland Park who was named a state champion in the Presidential AI Challenge for creating a chatbot called Personalized News.

Michael Lubelfeld

The superintendent of the school district that Luc Sever attends, who praised Sever's work on the Personalized News project.

Luke Fang

A student at Wilmette Junior High School who won first place in the eighth-grade American history essay contest, after winning third place nationally the previous year as a seventh-grader.

Sofia Ujiki

A student at Regina Dominican High School who won first place in the Good Citizen Award and Essay Contest.

Luciano Diaz

A senior at Niles North High School who was selected to speak at the AVID Summer Institute 2026 national conference.

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What they’re saying

“'Luc saw a real problem and built something thoughtful to address it. What stands out is not only that he created a working tool, but that he kept improving it, worked through setbacks, and paid attention to how it should be built responsibly.'”

— Michael Lubelfeld, Superintendent

“'Luciano is surrounded by an incredible AVID community at Niles North that has strengthened his skills and confidence. We celebrate Luciano for taking this national stage which will elevate his path and future even further.'”

— Marlon Felton, Principal, Niles North High School

What’s next

Luc Sever will compete in the regional level of the Presidential AI Challenge, where he will have the opportunity to advance to the national stage.

The takeaway

These student achievements showcase the academic excellence, innovative thinking, and community engagement of young people in the local area. The recognition they receive can inspire other students, highlight the quality of education, and demonstrate the diverse talents of the next generation.