The Carlin Nalley Foundation is proud to announce that Lisle High School senior Nicole Paszko has been awarded the 2025 Steve Green Musical Achievement Scholarship, a $4,500 award presented during the Senior Recognition Night on May 7, 2025.
This prestigious scholarship recognizes Nicole’s achievements, leadership potential, and passion for pursuing a future in art. We are confident she will continue to represent the Lisle community with distinction in her next chapter.
We asked Nicole for her thoughtful responses to the following questions:
CNF: Following graduation, what are your educational plans—where do you intend to enroll, and what will be your major field of study?
NP: I am planning on going to Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL where I will be majoring in Business Management and minoring in Jazz Studies.
CNF: Which teachers or staff members at Lisle High School had the most significant impact on you, and what made them so influential?
NP: Mr. Gumina is one person that immediately comes to my mind. He is caring, funny, helpful, and very dedicated to what he does and his hard work shows off. He would always push me to be my best and I appreciate it a lot. Me and Mr. Gumina became best friends over my 4 years here. I also appreciate Mrs. Derby and Mr. Eric Woyna for being a helping hand and for being people I can talk to about anything. They always have my back and taught me some valuable lessons.
CNF: What personal and professional goals do you aim to achieve after you reach your next academic milestone?
NP: I want to graduate with a Masters in my major and minor and I would love to have done an internship or have a job ready by the time I graduate college. I want to work in either a company or on my own.
CNF: What is your best memory of your time at Lisle High School?
NP: My favorite memories are always the fall semester because the environment and weather is perfect. I would love the football games and play in the stands while hanging out with my best friends. I am going to miss the football games.
CNF: Finally, please express to the alumni what winning the award means to you and how it will assist you in accomplishing your goals. Alumni have contributed over $300,000 to the CNF scholarship program in the last 20 years. We want to relay your gratitude for their support.
NP: Winning this award means so much to me since the music department has become my second home and I couldn't be the person I am without it. I plan on still playing and being a part of music as I get older. This award just tells me my hard work paid off and a reward for that means a lot to me. This money can help me pay my fees and can get me a new instrument that I have been wanting which will help me with one of my goals of still playing in college. Thank you so much and this truly means a lot to me.
The Steve Green Musical Achievement Scholarship is one of ten scholarships the Foundation awarded this year, made possible through the generosity of our donors and partners, many of whom are proud Lisle High School alumni. Their commitment to giving back helps ensure that outstanding students like Sydney have the support they need to pursue higher education and their professional dreams.
Over the past twenty years, the Carlin Nalley Foundation has awarded over $300,000 in scholarships to deserving Lisle High School graduates. This lasting impact reflects a shared belief in the value of education, community, and opportunity.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who makes these scholarships possible—and we invite you to join us in continuing this mission. Please consider supporting the Carlin Nalley Foundation, so we can sustain and grow these life-changing opportunities for the next generation of Lisle graduates.
Thank you,
The Carlin Nalley Foundation board of directors
This prestigious scholarship recognizes Nicole’s achievements, leadership potential, and passion for pursuing a future in art. We are confident she will continue to represent the Lisle community with distinction in her next chapter.
We asked Nicole for her thoughtful responses to the following questions:
CNF: Following graduation, what are your educational plans—where do you intend to enroll, and what will be your major field of study?
NP: I am planning on going to Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL where I will be majoring in Business Management and minoring in Jazz Studies.
CNF: Which teachers or staff members at Lisle High School had the most significant impact on you, and what made them so influential?
NP: Mr. Gumina is one person that immediately comes to my mind. He is caring, funny, helpful, and very dedicated to what he does and his hard work shows off. He would always push me to be my best and I appreciate it a lot. Me and Mr. Gumina became best friends over my 4 years here. I also appreciate Mrs. Derby and Mr. Eric Woyna for being a helping hand and for being people I can talk to about anything. They always have my back and taught me some valuable lessons.
CNF: What personal and professional goals do you aim to achieve after you reach your next academic milestone?
NP: I want to graduate with a Masters in my major and minor and I would love to have done an internship or have a job ready by the time I graduate college. I want to work in either a company or on my own.
CNF: What is your best memory of your time at Lisle High School?
NP: My favorite memories are always the fall semester because the environment and weather is perfect. I would love the football games and play in the stands while hanging out with my best friends. I am going to miss the football games.
CNF: Finally, please express to the alumni what winning the award means to you and how it will assist you in accomplishing your goals. Alumni have contributed over $300,000 to the CNF scholarship program in the last 20 years. We want to relay your gratitude for their support.
NP: Winning this award means so much to me since the music department has become my second home and I couldn't be the person I am without it. I plan on still playing and being a part of music as I get older. This award just tells me my hard work paid off and a reward for that means a lot to me. This money can help me pay my fees and can get me a new instrument that I have been wanting which will help me with one of my goals of still playing in college. Thank you so much and this truly means a lot to me.
The Steve Green Musical Achievement Scholarship is one of ten scholarships the Foundation awarded this year, made possible through the generosity of our donors and partners, many of whom are proud Lisle High School alumni. Their commitment to giving back helps ensure that outstanding students like Sydney have the support they need to pursue higher education and their professional dreams.
Over the past twenty years, the Carlin Nalley Foundation has awarded over $300,000 in scholarships to deserving Lisle High School graduates. This lasting impact reflects a shared belief in the value of education, community, and opportunity.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who makes these scholarships possible—and we invite you to join us in continuing this mission. Please consider supporting the Carlin Nalley Foundation, so we can sustain and grow these life-changing opportunities for the next generation of Lisle graduates.
Thank you,
The Carlin Nalley Foundation board of directors
RSS Feed