May Mustangs of the Month
Every month, St. Rita of Cascia High School honors one student from each class as 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.
Freshman: Dominic Garofalo
The Ritaman from the Class of 2029 chosen to be our May Freshman Mustang of the Month is Dominic Garofalo. Dom is a graduate and member of Queen of Martyrs School and a member of the St. Gianna Parish community.
Dominic is both a hardworking and kind Ritaman who gives one hundred percent into everything he does. In the classroom, Dom strives for excellence and pushes himself to succeed. Dom is a three-sport athlete, being part of the football, basketball, and JV volleyball programs. He is also a member of the photography club and the McCarthy Center sports club, where he was a semi-finalist in the annual 8-ball March Madness school-wide tournament. Dom hopes to become a big brother and student ambassador in the future, where he wants to help recruit the future classes of Ritamen. His favorite memory of his time at Rita thus far was when his basketball team was down by 30 points at halftime and they came back and won the game on the last play.
In his nomination, a faculty member stated, “Dominic is an extremely hard-working, attentive student who maximizes his time, takes initiative, and approaches every challenge with intentional effort. What stands out most is his genuine kindness and leadership: a talented athlete who is respected by all, he consistently supports his classmates. He represents the true spirit of a Ritaman.”
When Dom reflected on his time so far at St. Rita, he said, “Everything is in God's hands, but it's my job to work hard every day for his glory. At St. Rita, I give my best in school, sports, and how I treat others. It motivates me to keep working hard and to stay focused on my faith above all things.”
Congratulations, Dominic!
Sophomore: Christopher Castellanos
The member of the Class of 2028 chosen as our May Sophomore Mustang of the Month is Christopher Castellanos. Chris is a graduate of Richardson Middle School and a member of St. Turibius.
Chris is an intelligent and faithful Ritaman who has gone above and beyond in his time so far here. Academically, he has achieved Superior Honors (4.4 and higher GPA) in all his previous semesters as well as a Heeney Award (Straight A’s) each semester. Chris is highly involved here at St. Rita, being a member of the cross country team, church choir, caritas, cooking, and latin clubs. He is also a founding member of the Tolle Lege Club. Chris also attends our daily Masses in our Shrine Chapel. He is running for Junior Student Government next week, wants to be a big brother, and to continue to grow the Tolle Lege Club. In the future, he plans to be a Catholic priest. He credits his teachers and counselors for helping him on his journey here at St. Rita, especially Father Stephen and Brother Joe, who have given him great spiritual and real-life insight.
In his nomination, a St. Rita faculty member is quoted as saying, “Chris is an exceptional and highly motivated student who learns for the love of it, consistently pushes himself beyond expectations, and sets the standard in class through enthusiastic participation, insightful questions, and independent initiative.”
When asked to speak about his experience as a Ritaman, Chris used the quote, “‘The battle is never lost until you give up.’ There have been times when I have been hopeless, both socially and spiritually, during my time here. However, I was able to overcome challenges I once felt were impossible, building confidence in my actions and abilities.”
Congratulations, Chris!
Junior: Matt Mullins
Representing the Class of 2027 as our May Junior Mustang of the Month is Matt Mullins. Matt is a graduate and member of the St. Christina Parish community.
Matt is a personable and well-rounded Ritaman. In the classroom, he has been very successful, achieving Superior Honors (4.4 and higher GPA) last semester. Matt is a member of the basketball and baseball teams as well as involved in the big brothers and ABC programs. Matt credits his family and all his friends here at St. Rita for his success. Matt is looking forward to his senior year, where he plans to keep up his good grades and get into his dream colleges. His favorite memory so far has been the Las Vegas trip with the baseball team. Matt is also looking forward to traveling with St. Rita to Ireland this summer.
A faculty member spoke of him, saying, "Matt is a very hardworking, kind, and respectful student. He is active both inside and outside of the classroom and is highly involved in student activities. He is a member of various teams here at St. Rita and is a great teammate and leader. Matt is a true Ritaman.”
Matt spoke of his experience using the quote, “‘The little things are really the big things.’ This quote means a lot because if you don’t do little things like your homework or studying in school and trying your best, you aren’t going to be successful, and you will be unhappy. Also, all of the memories I have made here with my friends may seem little now, but in the future they will be big highlights of my life.”
Congratulations, Matt!
Senior: Eli Erkapic
Representing the Class of 2026 as our May and final Senior Mustang of the Month is Eli Erkapic. Eli is a graduate of Orland Junior High School and a member of the St. Michael Parish community.
Eli is a friendly and positive Ritaman who has transformed over his time here at St. Rita. Last semester, Eli earned Superior Honors (4.4 and higher GPA). He is a member of the football and rugby programs, as well as serves as the Vice President of Student Government. Eli was also the Rector of Kairos 161 and is part of the student ambassadors and ABC program. Eli says his favorite memory of St. Rita was after beating Batavia to head to the football State Championship, Sweet Caroline started playing as they were sitting on the bench, and Coach Nee started singing along. It was one of the happiest times of Eli’s life, and he felt accomplished. Eli will be attending and playing football at Valparaiso University in the fall and will be studying business law.
A faculty member who nominated Eli spoke of him, saying, “Eli is a dedicated and energetic student leader who has been deeply involved in various programs and consistently models what it means to be a true Ritaman through his positivity, work ethic, and commitment to others. Over his four years, he has matured into a respected leader who genuinely loves his school community.”
Speaking about his experience at St. Rita, Eli quoted, “‘Only those who will risk going too far can find out how far one can go.’ This sums up St. Rita well because if I didn’t try some of the things I did, I wouldn’t end up where I am.”
Congratulations, Eli!
