Ten Latin students were recently recognized by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers through its Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

The entries they submitted for the regional competition earned a total of 20 awards, including four Gold Keys, seven Silver Keys and nine Honorable Mentions. Below are the names of the students, the awards they won and the categories in which the awards were received.

Art Awards
Arlo H. (10th grade) - SILVER in Experimental Photography for "Electric City"; Honorable Mention in Experimental Photography for "Haunted Self"; Honorable Mention in Photography for "Sometimes I Feel Like a Nut"

Olivia L. (12th grade) - GOLD in Photography for "Clock"; Honorable Mentions in Photography for "Going Places" and "Reflecting"

Charles Y. (12th grade) - GOLD in Photography for "Incarcerated Liberty"

Writing Awards
Pilar A. (11th grade) - GOLD and American Visions Nominee* in Speculative Fiction for "The Dust Gold"; SILVER in Personal Essay & Memoir for "Bam Chowder" 

Cecelia B. (11th grade) - SILVER in Critical Essay for "How Abolitionists Forced Slavery Onto Lincoln's Agenda" 

Scarlet G. (12th grade) - Honorable Mention in Journalism for "The Vital Ms. Vela"

Lyla G. (12th grade) - SILVER in Personal Essay & Memoir for "Red Seat"

Klein K. (11th grade) - Gold and and American Visions Nominee* in Poetry for "sandwiches"; Silver in Poetry for "the girl next door"; Honorable Mentions in Poetry for "closet love," puzzle pieces," "things i would say to you if you would listen: a list," and "tides" 

Joseph O. (12th grade) - SILVER in Critical Essay for "Qian’s Final Lesson: A Unique Perspective On The Chinese Communist Party’s Inner Workings"

Genevieve R. (11th grade) - SILVER in Journalism for "ICE Raids Target Families, Not ‘Crime’"

*Regional American Visions Award Nominees are eligible to receive a national American Visions medal.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the nation's longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens. They seek to honor "the vision, ingenuity and talent of our nation’s youth, and provide opportunities for creative teens to be celebrated." Past winners include Richard Avedon - photographer, Ken Burns - producer, Robert Indiana - artist, Joyce Carol Oates - author, and Amanda Gorman - poet.

We want to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the award winners for their remarkable achievements. We also want to express our sincere gratitude to our teachers for their unwavering dedication to helping our students pursue their passions and seek excellence.

Learn more about these awards at the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. 

Congratulations to our student-athletes on a wonderful winter season. The Romans closed out 2025 and kicked off 2026 with remarkable individual and team accomplishments that reflect their hard work and dedication. Below are some of the highlights from the season.

Girls Basketball
Girls basketball built on its championship standard this winter behind a strong senior class. The team reached the championship game of Latin's inaugural Thanksgiving tournament and followed that with a strong showing at the Regina winter tournament. Multiple athletes earned Athlete of the Week recognitions; Cali K. was named to an All-Tournament Team; and the team had two 1st Team All-Conference selections, one 2nd Team selection, and one Honorable Mention. The Romans also captured their fifth straight regional championship and made it to the sectional semifinal. 

Boys Basketball
Boys basketball made one of the biggest jumps in the conference this season. After finishing 7-18 and fourth in the ISL last year, the team turned it around with a 20-9 record and a share of the ISL Championship. The group finished second in their Thanksgiving tournament, with Rohin S. and Josh S. earning All-Tournament Team honors. The growth across the roster, combined with senior leadership, helped reset the standard for the program.

Boys Swimming
Boys swimming had a strong growth year both in and out of the pool, with captains Clark S. and Emilio E. setting the tone with steady leadership and accountability. The team finished 4–6 overall and placed 3rd at ISLs. Every swimmer qualified for sectionals, with the group finishing 8th overall thanks to the impressive depth of their roster. Ben R. and Oscar T. each earned Athlete of the Week honors for standout performances during the season. The team also completed three community service projects, continuing Latin's expectation that our student-athletes compete hard and give back. This group laid a solid foundation and gained experience that will pay off next year!

The following student-athletes and coach earned individual accolades for their performances this season.

Independent School League 1st Team All-Conference

• Ari G. – Basketball
• Ellie S. – Basketball
• Connor K. – Basketball
• Josh S. – Basketball

Independent School League 2nd Team All-Conference

• Cali K. – Basketball
• Thomas M. – Basketball
• Rohin S. – Basketball

Independent School League 2nd Place Individual Event

• Clark S. - 100-yard Backstroke

Independent School League All-Conference Honorable Mention

• Teagan M. – Basketball

Illinois Athletic Director Association All-State Award
Each year, the Illinois Athletic Directors Association (IADA) recognizes seniors across the state who stand out in athletics, academics, leadership and service. Congratulations to the following student-athletes for receiving this recognition of their commitment and excellence in athletics and beyond.

• Teagan M. - 1st Team All State
• Josh S. - Honorable Mention

Illinois Basketball Coaches Association - Hall of Fame Inductee, Max Rouse '93
Last year, Latin celebrated the 400th career win of varsity girls basketball coach and Latin alumnus Max Rouse '93. This year, we have the honor of congratulating him on his selection for induction into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2026.

The IBCA Hall of Fame recognizes coaches from across the state for their long-term excellence, impact, and commitment to the game. This honor reflects not just wins, but the culture Coach Rouse has built and the consistency of his program over time. 

Thank you to all of our student-athletes, families, coaches and athletics staff for making this another successful season for the Latin community. We look forward to an exciting spring season for our Romans. Be sure to keep up with the latest spring team schedules with the Latin Athletic Calendar.

When did you start playing basketball?
I started playing basketball in fourth grade at my school and then started playing club basketball in sixth grade.

Why do you enjoy playing basketball at Latin?
I like the sport in general and, specifically at Latin, my team is a core part of enjoying it, including the coaches. We are all very close. 

How have you evolved as a basketball player and teammate over the years?
I’ve learned from my mistakes each year and what I needed to practice for the upcoming seasons. 

As a teammate, I went from watching others lead in previous years to serving as a captain myself, where I try to apply what I appreciated most about the captains before me.

Any pre- or post-game rituals for you?
Recently, the team has been going to Starbucks and Chipotle and getting something from there before each game. We’ve been winning, so I’m keeping that going. 

I’ll also listen to music during halftime of the JV girls basketball game while we’re warming up.  

How do you feel being in your last year of Athletics at Latin? 
Very sad, especially since I’m not playing a sport in college, so my competitive athletic career will be over. I’m sad to leave all of the friends I’ve made from playing sports at Latin.

What have you learned from your teammates & coaches over the years?
I’ve learned something new from all of my teammates. It’s specific to each person. They’ve taught me a lot.

Coach Max, specifically, has taught me to keep my composure. I can get easily frustrated when playing sports, and he helped me a lot with that. If you mess up, just play harder to get it back.

What has been a highlight of this winter season?
Beating Regina at home! It was a really good game for us, and our team played really well together. We haven’t beat them at home in a long time, so that was fun. 

You were recently named to the Illinois Athletic Directors Association (IADA) All-State Team. How did it feel to 1) be nominated by Upper School AD Katie Johnson and 2) receive that recognition?
I was honored to be nominated because there are so many amazing student-athletes who are also academic- and service-oriented at Latin. It was really nice to be nominated. I got really excited when she emailed me.

To then earn the honor was also a really exciting moment. It proved that all of the hard work I’ve put in over the many years of balancing sports and academics has paid off.

What are three words your teammates would use to describe you?
Competitive, leader, caring

Who has contributed to your basketball journey? Who would you thank & why?
My parents and my sisters. I probably wouldn’t have played basketball if my sisters didn’t play because I liked to follow what they did.

I’d also thank all of the Latin coaches–Max, Nikki, Adam, Jade–and my teammates from every year that I’ve played, too.

What is your favorite part about being on a team at Latin?
Each team I’ve played on is insanely different and I love that they’re different. With field hockey, we’re all super competitive and worked really hard, but still had fun.

With basketball, we still work hard, but we goof off a little more. I think our basketball team is probably a little closer since it’s such a small team.

Track is more of an individual sport, but you are still part of a team. It’s a different experience because you connect with your team while focusing on achieving your individual goals. 

Overall, playing sports at Latin was one of the best decisions I’ve made. It helped me connect with people from different grades and different friend groups. At a larger school, I’m not sure if I’d have been able to play all three sports that I love. Being able to do that is the best.  

Who inspires you? Who do you look up to?
My cousins got my sisters and me into sports and we look up to them a lot. I look to both of my sisters for guidance through everything because they’ve already been through it and we’ve played mostly the same sports. And my parents, especially them.

Favorite warm-up song?
The team-wide favorite song is “Jimmy Cooks” by Drake. It’s the first song we play for every warmup. It’s been our walk-out song since my freshman year and we’ve kept it until now. Reese and Megen started that several years ago and we’ve kept it going. 

What are you involved with at Latin outside of basketball?
Field hockey and track. I’m also a Roman Ambassador and the head of the Marketing Club.

Being a senior, what are you looking forward to the rest of this year?
Finishing off the year with my friends and making the most of it. I’m excited to finish out the year with track in the spring season.

What’s next after Latin?
I’m undecided, but I’ll go to college somewhere. I hope to study something with science. I’m not quite sure yet.

We asked long-time girls varsity basketball coach Max Rouse a few questions regarding Teagan’s basketball journey... 

How many years have you been coaching Teagan?
I have coached Teagan since she was finishing up middle school and practiced with the Chicago Sky Basketball Academy. It has been a pleasure working with her over the years!  

What do you enjoy about having Teagan on the team and in Latin's basketball program?
Teagan has always brought a competitive mindset while still having fun. Over the years, she has learned to maximize her athleticism and speed, becoming a menace in our press and a strong finisher at the rim on offense. Her confidence has grown, and she is now a more physical and resilient player.

How could other players learn from Teagan?
One of the most exciting parts of Teagan’s development has been watching her grow into a strong and impactful leader. It has not always been easy for her. She has faced injuries and setbacks along the way. Over the course of her career in overcoming these obstacles, Teagan has developed a leadership style that focuses on bringing positive energy and giving her full effort in practices and games. The foundation of Teagan's leadership has been her actions, and that is a lesson all athletes can use to help themselves and their teams.

Congratulations to the varsity girls basketball team on a successful season that included winning the 3A regional championship.

You can stay up-to-date on the latest spring athletics schedule with Latin’s Athletic Calendar.