Lincoln-Way Board Honors Students with Perfect ACT Scores, Music Educator of the Year

LW210 Board of Education Meeting | October 16, 2025

Article Summary: Lincoln-Way District 210 celebrated exceptional academic and faculty achievement by formally recognizing nine students who earned a perfect composite score of 36 on the ACT and honoring a teacher named the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra 2026 Music Educator of the Year. The students were praised for their hard work, while the teacher was lauded for her long-standing dedication to the district’s music programs.

Student and Staff Recognition Key Points:

• Nine students from across the district were honored for achieving a perfect composite score of 36 on the ACT Examination.

• The students recognized were Haley Coennen, Nora Flynn, and Aidan Stokrahm from Lincoln-Way Central; Logan Fox, Tiag Hertsberg, Kaitlyn Poidomani, Anthony Russotto, and Felix Sacks from Lincoln-Way East; and Benjamin Doggett and Ethan Ferrucci from Lincoln-Way West.

• Mrs. Stacy Williams-Jackson, a music department chair and orchestra director, was recognized as the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra 2026 Music Educator of the Year.

The Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Board of Education on Thursday, October 16, 2025, began its meeting by celebrating a series of outstanding accomplishments, honoring nine students for earning perfect ACT scores and a distinguished teacher for a prestigious state-level award.

The board first recognized the students for achieving a perfect composite score of 36 on the ACT Examination, a rare feat that places them in the top fraction of a percent of test-takers nationwide.

“Their hard work and dedication exemplifies our academic excellence and we’re honored to recognize them for their remarkable achievement,” an administrator said as the students were called to the front of the room to be honored.

The recognized students and their future aspirations include:

• From Lincoln-Way Central: Haley Coennen (plans to study engineering), Nora Flynn (plans to study business analytics), and Aidan Stokrahm (plans to major in bioengineering on a pre-med track).

• From Lincoln-Way East: Logan Fox (hopes to pursue a career in mathematics), Tiag Hertsberg (hopes to pursue a career in law), Kaitlyn Poidomani (plans to study biology for a career in medicine), and Anthony Russotto (plans to pursue a career in medicine). Felix Sacks was also recognized but could not attend.

• From Lincoln-Way West: Benjamin Doggett (exploring careers in finance) and Ethan Ferrucci (plans to study actuarial science).

Following the student recognition, the board honored Mrs. Stacy Williams-Jackson as the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra 2026 Music Educator of the Year. Williams-Jackson serves as a music department chair and orchestra director and was praised for her leadership within the Illinois Music Educators Association.

In an emotional address to the board, Williams-Jackson, who was hired in 1997, reflected on her 29-year career with the district. She thanked the administration and board for their consistent support of arts and music programs.

“We’ve created some beautiful things here. We’ve sustained a level of excellence,” she said, highlighting the district’s marching band, musical theater, choirs, and orchestra and guitar programs. “Even in the dark times… there’s always been an opportunity for students to enjoy art and music. And throughout our district, there is song, there is strumming, there is Boeing, and there is banding. And we’re so very pleased, so very grateful.”

She concluded by thanking the board for believing in her and providing opportunities for her own children who have attended Lincoln-Way schools.