September Mustangs of the Month
Each month St. Rita of Cascia High School honors one student from each class to be the Mustang of the Month. For a student to be nominated by a faculty or staff member for the Mustang of the Month Award, he must excel or stand out in at least two of the following areas: academics, activities, athletics, spirituality or community service. Nominees for Mustang of the Month are those students who are vital elements to St. Rita of Cascia High School and whose efforts, accomplishments, and contributions to our community sometimes go unnoticed.
Senior: James Kevin
Representing the Class of 2025 as our September Senior Mustang of the Month is James Kevin. James is a graduate and member of the St. Daniel the Prophet community.
James is an enthusiastic and friendly Ritaman who also happens to be an avid ping pong player. James works hard in the classroom, and was on the honor roll (4.0-4.199 GPA) last semester. James is a member of the wrestling team, and he is also involved in Student Government, Caritas Club, Spanish Club, ABC, and Student Ambassadors. James will be inducted to the National Honor Society later this month. After graduation, James hopes to attend the University of Illinois for Engineering.
A faculty member who nominated James, spoke of him saying, “James goes above and beyond in and out of the classroom. He is a charismatic student and a good role model in both Student Government and on the wrestling team. He is always willing to help.”
Speaking about his experience as a Ritaman, James said, “‘We do not remember days; we remember moments.’ This quote reflects my time at St. Rita because as I look back, I can’t remember a specific day that was boring or gloomy; I remember the laughs and good times with my friends.”
Congratulations, James!
Junior: Monte Bourke
Representing the Class of 2026 as our September Junior Mustang of the Month is Monte Bourke. Monte attended Cassell Elementary School and is a member of St. Terrence Parish.
Monte is a hardworking student who achieved Honors (4.0-4.199 GPA) during his last semester. Monte is part of the wrestling and rugby teams as well as a member of the Aviation Club. Monte has stated, “The person who has supported me most on my St. Rita journey is my dad, Ryan Klinger ‘03, he has helped me whether it’s in the classroom or the wrestling room. He is the person who introduced me to St. Rita and I’m so thankful because I’ve had the best years of my life so far in this school.”
A faculty member said of him, “Monte is a very respectful and hard working young man. He brings a positive presence to the classroom and always has a positive disposition. He has an excellent work ethic and is a leader among his peers. It is a pleasure having him in class.”
Monte spoke of his experience as a Ritaman saying, “My time at St. Rita has been the best years of my life. I’ve had the pleasure to attend school with my best friends and great teachers. I’ve also been able to play sports that I'm passionate about. All my coaches have been great and really helped me achieve the goals I’ve set for myself and taught me many life lessons.”
Congratulations, Monte!
Sophomore: Aiden Mendez
The student of the Class of 2027 chosen as our September Sophomore Mustang of the Month is Aiden Mendez. Aiden is a graduate of St. Daniel the Prophet and a member of St. Aloysius Parish.
Aiden is a dedicated student who achieved Superior Honors (4.4+ GPA) during his freshmen year at St. Rita. Besides earning a Heeney Award for straight A’s last year, Aiden is involved in Advice Beyond the Classroom, Cooking Club, and Electrical House Wiring Club. Outside of school, he enjoys weight lifting and bike riding in his free time. His favorite memory at St. Rita was his biology class last year where his teacher always encouraged him, gave good advice on how to improve his future, and even took them outside to search for cicadas.
In his nomination, a St. Rita faculty member is quoted saying “Aiden demonstrates creativity and focus. He is polite, helpful and demonstrates great maturity. In the two years I have known Aiden, he has always composed himself with honesty and integrity. He aims to do things the right way, always challenging himself.”
When asked to speak about his experience as a Ritaman, Aiden replied, “My time at Rita has been great. I have met a ton of new people and got involved in a lot of activities that I haven't tried before. I hope to continue with my head high and a great Ritaman mindset.”
Congratulations, Aiden!
Freshman: Nick Connolly
The Ritaman from the Class of 2028 chosen to be our September Freshman Mustang of the Month is Nick Connolly. Nick graduated from St. Daniel the Prophet School and is a member of the St. Daniel the Prophet parish community.
In the month Nick has been at St. Rita, he has been able to adapt to the St. Rita community and excel greatly in and out of the classroom. Nick is currently on the JV football team and wants to get involved in the movie, cooking, and blackjack clubs. He also hopes to write and eventually edit for The NATIR. His favorite memory thus far has been playing vocabulary charades in his Spanish class. Outside of St. Rita, Nick is an altar server and likes to spend time outdoors.
In his nomination, a faculty member stated, “Nick is a strong Ritaman who demonstrates great potential leadership and does well in the classroom.”
When Nick reflected on his time thus far at St. Rita he quoted Walt Whitman saying, “‘Do anything, but let it produce joy.’ I like this quote because all things I do at St. Rita, I try to be joyful. The joy produced allows me to do anything I set my mind to inside and outside of school.”
Congratulations, Nick!
