I think Conor has a great future ahead of him in math as he engages with the material and appears to be very interested in course topics. He is also very advanced for his age and will likely continue to stand out amongst even his older peers.

-Thomas Baer, University of Michigan Summer Camp

I’ve had many students over my 26 years of teaching math at Crystal Lake Central High School. When reflecting on my perceptions of Conor, what really stands out to me, and what I believe will make him such an asset to your summer program, is that he’s one of the most well-rounded students that I have had. He’s jumped into High School with both feet and is trying to experience as much as he can. He is a varsity athlete, a leader on multiple academic teams, and is excelling in many rigorous academic courses. Fun fact: Conor is only a sophomore and the age of a freshman. Conor is currently in my AP Calculus BC course. I took this course as a freshman at the University of Illinois and can honestly say that the course I teach at Crystal Lake Central is more rigorous than that one. Conor has excelled all year and based on my perceptions, I fully expect he’ll get a 5 on the AP exam.

-Michael Herman, Crystal Lake Central, Calc BC Teacher

It is rare in a comprehensive public high school to work with a student as intelligent as Conor, but even more rare to work with on that is well-rounded as he is. In speaking with Conor’s teachers, they echo many of these statements. The mention how intelligent he is, but are impressed that he has prioritized a well-rounded experience.

-Paul Lichtenheld, Crystal Lake Central, Counselor

May I pass along my observations of Conor Naughton. It has been my good fortune to get to know this young man through the great game of Golf. I have been Conor’s golf coach for the past 3 years. and that time I have watched him go from a very intelligent boy to an incredibly wonderful young man. He is interesting, entertaining and very athletic with great sense of humor. I feel quite certain that whatever field or arena, Conor steps into, he will rise to the challenge.

-J. Anderson PGA, Golf Coach

Conor Naughton will have been on my varsity boys tennis team for all four years of high school.  Even as a young freshman on a team of mostly seniors, Conor was an outstanding teammate.  He has always been a team player with a "team-first" mentality.  As his coach, I have always appreciated this quality about him.  He will play doubles with anyone on the team and will play singles if that is what I need him to do.  He has earned the respect of his teammates and he shows respect towards his peers, coaches, and opposing players.  He is truly an exemplary athlete and has been a pleasure to coach during his time at Crystal Lake Central.

-Cory Osterberg, Crystal Lake Central Tennis Coach

Conor is skillful and inquisitive with his research. His literature review was detailed, and he came in with an organized approach that allowed him to thrive on a difficult and challenging physics subject.

Conor asks good questions. It was also very important for him to not only understand what he was reading but to articulate it well in his writing, he also very quickly picked up on what kinds of resources to look for and was independent quickly in his research.

Conor was curious and great. I always enjoyed answering his questions because it made me stop and think about some matters that I may have taken for granted as fact.

-Sanah Bhimani, Yale Doctoral Candidate, Mentor

I have known Conor since he was a little tyke-his family and my family are friends. This association is not my reason for writing, however. This recommendation is based primarily upon my observations of and conversations with Conor while he was in my AP Physics C class in the 2022-2023 school year. My experiences with him have demonstrated his obvious intellect, his consistent work ethic, and his unfailing social graces. The truth is, it is the combination of instances in which I have seen him operate, both outside and inside school settings, that lead me to believe that Conor is indeed the real deal and complete package-a person who can not only carry himself intellectually with individuals older and more experienced than he is, but also socially and emotionally . I have come to the conclusion that Conor has what it takes to excel at the collegiate level, and that he certainly will one day be a terrific professional, hopefully in a STEM career in astrophysics like he is leaning towards at this point. I found Conor to be a disciplined, serious student within the first few days of the start of school. He became a valuable team member within his 4-person small-group because of his acute analytical skills in physics, his willingness to listen, and his industrious nature. He knew when and how to ask questions, and was very receptive to teaching. Conor’s math skills are top-notch, and his mind is always looking to relate new information to old. He did excellent work, despite being the only sophomore and the only kid in the class who hadn’t taken chemistry previously. He tackled new assignments with a determined attitude, always checking in with his small group members to ensure that he and they were progressing appropriately. When others faltered, he was happy to help them. When he faltered, he always got right back to business after correcting any errors he may have had. He earned an A- in the first semester and an A in the second semester, getting stronger and stronger academically as the year progressed.

-Brian Strombom, AP Physics Teacher