2025 MAD HATTER BALL HONORS
TOP TALENT IN ALL OF THE ARTS IN THE ILLINOIS VALLEY!
We are so incredibly delighted to announce this year's cream of the creative crop in the tri-county area!
There were so many amazing nominations this year for the Mad Hatter Ball student honorees that it was almost impossible to choose among them...but choose we did, and here they are! To see & hear their amazing performances, join us at the 2025 Mad Hatter Ball in the beautiful, historic Westclox event center on Friday, January17th. Support the Arts. Support talented local kids. Get your tickets here today!
Student honorees representing LaSalle, Bureau, and Putnam Counties will perform and present their work at the 8th Annual Mad Hatter Ball on Friday, January 17, from 6 to 9 p.m. (Doors open at 5:30pm) at the Westclox Event Center in the west wing of the historic Westclox building in Peru.
This year’s honorees include: Kayla Lauck, Hall High School, Visual Arts; James Hoehn, LaSalle-Peru High School, Voice/Theatre; Anna Sandberg, Putnam County High School, Music Performance; Jasmine Arce, LaSalle-Peru High School, Visual Arts; Maddie Kerestes, Ottawa Township High School, Dance; Ella Lewis, Mendota High School, Music Performance; Gretchen Hauger, Ottawa High School, Visual Arts; and Molly Ewen, Ottawa Township High School, Voice.
“The Mad Hatter Ball is the regional equivalent of a state championship of the arts, where topnotch local talent is honored, great food is eaten, and prizes and music and fun fill up the evening,” said Julia Messina, executive director of NCI ARTworks. “This event showcases top local student performers in ALL of the arts: visual, music, performing, literary, etc. By attending the event, you support the arts and the creative community in the Illinois Valley.”
Dinner music will be provided by Ladd Sound Productions/Mario Data will DJ; and the Mad Hatter will emcee the event, where the Queen of the Arts will be crowned for the eighth year in a row. Tickets are $45 and are available online at nciartworks.com or by calling (815) 866-5167.
Anna Sandberg is a senior at Putnam County High School and is the daughter of Brandy and Ryan Sandberg. Anna has played the marimba for 4 years; her teacher is Natalie Hulstrom. She is involved in band, theater, and scholastic bowl at Putnam County High School and participates in community theater in the summer. This year, she is participating in an internship at her district's primary school, getting early work experience. She loves being a part of band because of the sense of community created in her class and the joy of playing music. She believes the arts are essential to uniting people and creating safe places to learn and grow.
Kaylee Lauck. I am the daughter of Natalie and Doug Lauck. I am a senior at Hall High School and I have taken part in photography class and portfolio with Allie Lemrise as my teacher. I participate in dance, basketball, and hallunteers at Hall High School. My love for art generally happened at a party that one of my friends had at a pottery store. We didn't get to actually make it but we did get to paint it and make it our own. My love for photography happened when I was very young. My grandma was the first person that I knew that had an actual camera. She would always bring it around with her while we were camping and doing other things as a family.
Maddie Kerestes is a senior at Ottawa Township High School and is the daughter of Chad and Lisa Kerestes. Maddie has been dancing for 10 years, and her teachers include Alaina Weatherford, Leah Kuhn, Rachel Martin, and Heather Sheppard. She participates in Pirate Poms, Rotary Interact, Speech Team, Fine Arts Club, The Pirate Press, and Students in Politics at Ottawa High School and works for Senator Sue Rezin, Casa Mia, and teaches dance outside of school. She loves to perform to audiences and inspire emotion through movement. She is proud to represent dance not only as an artform but also a sport that brings success to the athletic department at her school. After high school she plans to dance on a college dance team and major in political science.
James Hoehn, LaSalle-Peru High School, Voice/Theater. James is a senior at L-P High School, where he has participated in mixed choir his sophomore year and concert choir his junior and senior years. He is a boy scout, set to obtain Eagle Scout rank in early 2025. He has been selected to be at ILMEA District (2023-2024) and All-State 2024. James has performed in two productions at L-P ("The Addams Family" and "Les Misérables") and two Stage 212 productions: "The Wizard of Oz" as the Tin Man and in the featured ensemble of "Anastasia." He plans to attend a 4-year music education program to become a high school choir director.
Ella Lewis is a junior at Mendota High School and is the daughter of Julie Lewis. Ella has played music for 7 years under the guidance of Marilyn Younger, Nicki Wujek, and Steve Olsen. At Mendota High, she serves as Section Leader and Woodwind Coach in the band, is a member of the Interact Club, and plays as the number one singles player on the tennis team. Additionally, she is a Lion’s Club Banquet attendee, first chair alto sax in the MHS Jazz Band, a Student Council member, and participates in Show Choir, Madrigals, MHS Fine Arts productions, and 4m summer productions at MHS. Ella has attended Concert ILMEA and participated in ILMEA’s second and first jazz bands. She is also a member of the IVCC Jazz Band and was a runner-up for the 2024 IVSO Young Concerto Competition. During the summer, she attends music camps such as ISYM and Blue Lakes and has had the honor of participating in Wesleyan Honors Jazz Band Day and her Conference Music Festival. Ella loves how the arts allow her to meet new people and experience different cultures. She enjoys music because it provides a creative outlet and allows her to express herself in ways words can't.
Jasmine E. Arce is a senior at LaSalle-Peru Township High-school, and is the child of Sujaid Ruiz and Brooklyn Alfonso. Jasmine has created art and been involved in the arts for all 4 years of high school, their art teacher for these four years being Julie Jenkins. They participate in Weight-Lifting, FBLA, LEAD, and Harbor Homeroom at LP and is also a Unified Partner for the Special Olympics. Besides these clubs and activities they participate in at LP, they spend a lot of their time creating art of different media. Art is such a creative outlet for many people, it allows one to express things they could never say out loud; and that is special. For that reason alone, it is why Jasmine has such a strong connection to the arts and feel it's very important for people to have. The pieces they create represent them and showcase them better than anything else ever could, each and every one.
Gretchen Hauger is a senior at Ottawa High School and is the daughter of David Hauger. Gretchen has been doing art for over 7 years and her current art teacher is Mrs. Paula Carroll. She participates in art club and student council at Oths. She likes to paint and do art because she enjoys putting down the paint on canvas and watching it come to life. Gretchen thinks the arts are important because they encourage people to think outside the box and see the world from other peoples' perspectives. She fell in love with doing art as a kid and hasn't looked back since. She wishes to pursue tattooing as her future career.
Molly Ewen is a senior at Ottawa Township High School and is the daughter of Daniel and Crystie Ewen. Molly has sung for 11 years and her voice teacher is Jenilyn Roether. She participates in choir, drama, DoChange, and other high school activities at Ottawa. She also does Peer Jury, goes to church, and sometimes she’s the school mascot.
Molly plans to receive a BFA in musical theater and wants to work on stage for the rest of her life; she believes the arts are an important lesson to teach emotional maturity and critical thinking skills to developing brains of all ages.
Molly plans to receive a BFA in musical theater and wants to work on stage for the rest of her life; she believes the arts are an important lesson to teach emotional maturity and critical thinking skills to developing brains of all ages.