​My name is Alyssa Markevicus (formally Hall) and I graduated from St. Mary’s in 2003 after spending kindergarten through 8th grade there! I actually spent kindergarten and first grade in the old St. Mary’s school that is attached to the church. My dad also attended and graduated from St. Mary’s in DeKalb!  After St. Mary’s, I graduated from Dekalb High School in 2007. In 2011, I graduated from Northern Illinois University with my bachelor’s in nursing. I spent one year at Swedish American Hospital in Rockford working on the orthopedics and neurology floor. After that, I moved to Chicago and started my nursing career at Rush University Medical Center where I have been ever since! I have spent the last five years working in the emergency department where there is never a dull moment! I moved out of Chicago two years ago and currently live in the suburbs with my husband and our fur baby Theo. Currently, I am back at NIU working on my masters in Family Nurse Practitioning and am on track to graduate in May 2021! My goal is to work as a women’s health nurse practitioner when I am done with school. I am eternally grateful for my time and the education I received at St. Mary’s. The small class sizes and individual attention helped me thrive throughout my higher education. Special shout out to Mrs. Feltes who I know has personally touched so many alumni’s hearts including mine! 

​Bianca graduated from St. Mary's in 2006, going on to DHS for high school, and then Kishwaukee Community College for the start of her collegiate career. With a little help from some fellow SMS friends she decided to take on her B.A. in Public Relations at Illinois State University. After graduating ISU in 2014 she landed her first job at a leading PR agency in Chicago working on consumer food brands and commodity boards. Most recently she has taken on a new position at another PR agency working on Fortune 500 companies in the food, hospitality, and automobile industries. Since her days at St. Mary's, she has been able to travel the world personally and professionally, become a Big with Big Brothers Big Sisters, and keep close ties with her SMS family. She is grateful for the education and values instilled by St. Mary's that set a strong foundation to help her reach the accomplishments she has achieved thus far. 

​When I reflect on my education as a whole, my experience at SMS is what sticks out the most. As others before me have said, St. Mary gave me the educational foundation that has been the reason for my success in not only my academics, but also in my personal and spiritual formation! I graduated class of 2012, and from there moved onto Sycamore High School where I was named an Illinois State Scholar. I am now attending NIU, and in May of 2020, I will receive my degree in Spanish with emphasis in business and translation! In my personal life, the teachers at St. Mary were true models for perseverance, determination, compassion, and faithfulness. They continue to inspire me today, years after graduation. These days you can find me working at my part time job at a local bank and spending time with my two cats and my husband Zach, who I just married in October! I’m so thankful for all SMS did for me in those early years of formation. Parents, you’re doing the right thing by sending your children here! I am very fond of my time at SMS and wouldn’t trade my Catholic education for the world. 

I graduated from St. Mary School in 2014 after attending this school for 11 years (Pre-k 3 through 8th grade). I then attended Rosary High School in Aurora. I am now a sophomore in college at the University of South Alabama in Mobile. I am a nursing major and will start nursing school in fall of 2020. I am working toward being a neonatal nurse. Even after graduating St. Mary, the friends that I have made during my time there are still some of my closest friends today. The education I received from St. Mary has allowed me to academically thrive in high school and now, in college. The teachers there are still some of my favorite people, whom I go visit often.
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​This week’s SMS Alumni spotlight is Scott deOliveira, who graduated from St. Mary School in 1990.
 
Scott was born, raised, and educated in DeKalb, IL at St. Mary School and DeKalb High School.  He attended the College of Business at Northern Illinois University where he obtained a degree in Marketing.  Throughout high school and college, Scott worked for the DeKalb Park District seasonally in a variety of capacities.  Upon graduating from college, he worked for a data analytics firm in Naperville for a few years. Scott then found his career path lead back to the DeKalb Park District where for the last 15 years he held leadership positions with the District in marketing, aquatics, golf, IT, and banquet operations.  He recently joined the PrairieView Golf Club and The Byron Forest Preserve District as the Assistant General Manager of both PrairieView Golf Club and the new Toptracer facility that is under construction and set to open in early 2020. 
 
In his free time, Scott enjoys spending time with family and friends, golfing, playing guitar, and attending concerts and sporting events. 
 
Congratulations Scott-  SMS is very proud of your accomplishments!
 
 
 

​I moved to New York City about 3 months ago. I am pursuing my dreams as a music artist, producer, performer, and writer, indulging in all things creative. I am also working in a Michelin Star restaurant titled Gramercy Tavern. 

​Reflecting back on my years in school, I feel confident in saying that SMS gave me the strongest foundation for my future. St. Mary School was my home away from home from kindergarten through eighth grade (class of 2005)and for that I will always be grateful. It was in middle school language arts class where I realized that my love for reading, writing, and helping others could all be turned into a career. Ever since then, I made it my goal to make that happen. After graduating from DeKalb High School in 2009 I moved to Illinois State University and studied middle level education with endorsements in language arts, reading, and social studies. In 2013 I began my teaching career in Plainfield School District 202 as a long term substitute which allowed me to gain experience in classroom settings from 5th-8th grades. In the fall of 2014 I found my home at John F Kennedy Middle School in Plainfield and have taught 6th and 7th grade language arts, 8th grade communications, computers, and reading intervention courses across various grade levels. I recently started my seventh year of teaching and have also served as our student council advisor for the last few years. I am forever grateful for the foundation that St. Mary School provided me and how it shaped me into who I am today. 

​I graduated from St. Mary in 2010 and went on to attend high school at DeKalb High. During my time in high school I played softball , volleyball and basketball, and was able to receive a softball scholarship to attend Judson University. At Judson University I played for the softball team where we were able to make is to the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association National Tournament four years in a row and placed in the top 5 all four years. I graduated from Judson University in 2019 with a Bachelors Degree in Interdisciplinary Communications. During my time in college I coached a young women’s travel softball team for the Wasco Diamonds in Elburn and led a high school girls youth group at Willow Creek Community Church. While finishing up my college courses I worked for Townsend Realty and Management from May 2018-September 2019. I just began a new job at CHS, and I am excited to see where life takes me!