Montini Catholic High School in Lombard is proud to announce senior Rory O'Connor as their September Student of the Month. Rory was enthusiastically nominated by his Broadcaster's Club moderator, Mr. William Dawes.

“I nominated Rory for Student of the Month, not only because of his exceptional loyalty as a broadcaster here at Montini, but also for of all the extracurricular activities he is involved in," said Mr. Dawes, who relies heavily on Rory throughout the year for his accountability and especially for his broadcasting abilities as a four-year member of the Bronco Broadcaster's Club. "He is also a member of Montini's Peer Ministry team, our National Honor Society, French National Honor Society and Chess Club. He was most recently chosen to be a Eucharistic Minister at school Masses and is a dual-sport athlete in Cross Country (where he is a captain) and Boys Volleyball."

Mr. Dawes and Montini's administration are also very impressed with the work Rory does outside of his work at Montini. "He is a Life Scout in Boy Scout Troop 89 in Darien and is currently working on the requirements needed to become an Eagle Scout. As an Eagle Scout myself, I know firsthand how intensive and challenging these requirements are. A Scout must show leadership and dedication to his troop and his community, and he must also plan and execute a service project benefitting a non-profit organization. I was impressed when Rory told me that he was planning to do his Eagle Scout project here at Montini and do landscaping work in the courtyard of De La Salle Hall!"

"It is an honor to be selected for Student of the Month," said Rory, a St. Mary of Gostyn graduate, who found an interest in broadcasting and being the designated 'voice of Montini' during his freshman year. "It was nice of those to take the time to recognize me - I am very thankful."

Rory's iconic voice lights up Montini hallways and classrooms practically every morning during homeroom announcements with "Good Morning, Montini!" When asked what sparked his interest in broadcasting, Rory, who is an avid history buff, had quite an interesting answer. "I thoroughly enjoyed Robin William’s character (Adrian Cronauer) in 'Good Morning Vietnam.' My favorite scenes are when he is on the radio and I try to give off the same energy that he does." 

His loyalties to the club not only lie in making announcements, he has also taken on the role of managing the broadcasting team to make sure that announcements get made. "I go down to the office every day and make sure that whoever is signed up is present, and if they are not there then I go on."  If there is any aspect of the job of broadcaster he is not as thrilled about it would be pronouncing names, which as any broadcaster will admit, can get a little tricky at times.

Rory, a senior at Montini, has set his sights on a few colleges for next fall - he is currently looking at the University of Tennessee, the University of South Carolina, and the University of Notre Dame. His goal is to major in Political Science or History, two subjects that have always intrigued him, even at a very young age. "While I am not sure yet if I'll continue pursuing broadcasting into college, if the opportunity does present itself then I might get involved." 

Being a broadcaster requires confidence in one's abilities and the willingness to put oneself out there. "There is only one way to do the announcements and that is with enthusiasm and to just have fun with it," says Rory when asked what advice he would give other students who are interested but reluctant. "I still get nervous, but I still go through with it, so don’t worry about anything and get it done."

"I have known Rory as a student for the past eight years," said Montini Principal Chris Tiritilli. (Mr. Tiritilli was also Rory's principal at St. Mary of Gostyn) "Rory consistently leads by example. He has demonstrated his willingness to step up and help out in any situation, with and without being asked. Perhaps most importantly, Rory is a student who treats everyone he encounters with respect and kindness. He is able to successfully balance his academic workload with his extra-curricular activities in the Broadcasting Team and his pursuit of Eagle Scout distinction, and does so with a smile on his face and joy in his heart. Congratulations to him on his terrific honor!"