May 16, 2018 // Uncategorized

Salutatorian Jerome Lechleitner

Michelle Donaghey

Heritage Jr./Sr. High School: Monroeville

During high school, Heritage Jr./Sr. High School salutatorian Jerome Lechleitner said he felt he “had the privilege of being able to participate in many extracurricular activities” including serving as a staff writer for the student newspaper, The Structure. He served as the editor-in-chief during his junior and senior years. He also played on the junior varsity soccer team during his freshman year and on the varsity team from sophomore to senior years, as well as on the junior varsity baseball team during his freshman year.

“Being raised Catholic has offered me invaluable guidance throughout my high school career” said Jerome, who is from Hoagland. “I think that the Catholic faith’s emphasis on empathy and kindness helped me connect with an incredible number of my classmates.”

He thinks his beliefs propelled him to have “the motivation to initiate conversation and create friendships with people whom I may have otherwise never connected.” Jerome believes this extended his high school experience beyond what it may have otherwise been.

“It was incredible to have such an expansive network of peers with whom I could converse and ask for help. It made me feel like I was more deeply connected to the Heritage community and made me feel comfortable and at home in my school. Best of all, I maintained the friendships I had created in middle school with classmates I had at St. Joseph – Hessen Cassel,” he said.

Jerome was a member of the History Club as a junior and senior, as well as being a member of Drama Club those same years — starring in two productions. The 4.35 GPA student was a National Honor Society member both junior and senior years and a team member for Heritage’s NEITC Tech Fest team during his sophomore and junior years.

“My hobbies include reading, watching movies, writing, playing video games, listening to music, taking photos, and traveling with my family,” he said.

While Jerome has “many awesome memories from high school,” one of his fondest is from the time his soccer team advanced to regionals during his sophomore year. Another memory he cherishes is from Drama Club, when he played the lead role in “And Then There Were None” with an outstanding cast.

He plans to attend Indiana University as a media major.