Each year, each department at Mundelein High School awards two students with the distinction of Excellence, or best-in-class, in that subject area. The members of department (teachers & department chairs) take into account the number of classes taken & their respective difficulty; related honors & achievements earned by the student; and extracurricular, out-of-the-classroom passion for the subject, demonstrated civically. Of the class of 502, I was one of two students who received this award.