Antigo Teen Elks

Midori Santiago has been selected as the Elk Teen of the Month for March 2026, and is now eligible for Teenager of the Year. She is the daughter of Roberto and Brittany Santiago. Midori is involved in:Student Council, National Honors Society, Varsity Swim Team, volunteering at elementary schools, as well as being her class president. 

Midori’s leadership is defined by her commitment to inclusion and the courage to stand up for others. During a high school Unified Swim Meet, she realized that true success wasn't about winning, but about the joy of empowering her teammate. This belief extends to her daily life: she refuses to stay silent when others are treated poorly. 

Her deep empathy comes from her own journey with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. Spending time in specialist waiting rooms as a child taught her early on that life is fragile and challenges are not distributed fairly. These experiences shaped her core conviction that every person deserves to be treated with dignity. For Midori, leadership isn't about being in charge; it’s about the simple, powerful act of uplifting those around her.

Ellie Brown has been selected as the Elk Teen of the Month for March 2026, and is now eligible for Teenager of the Year. She is the daughter of Stan and Barb Brown. Ellie is involved in: the Pit Band for AHS, Drama Club, Art Club, as well as volunteering at the Elementary Art Classes here in Antigo School District. 

For a long time, Ellie has known that she wants to be an Art Teacher. The path to becoming an art teacher has been a "vibrant evolution." Her time volunteering at North and West Elementary under Mr. Rethaber transformed her understanding of leadership, proving that an art teacher’s role extends far beyond the color wheel.

In these elementary classrooms, Ellie acted as both a mentor and a mediator—comforting students over broken crayons and even "saving friendships." These experiences taught her that teaching young children is a delicate balance of guiding their artistic skills while helping them learn how to navigate their emotions and "be a person." This period of service gave her a profound respect for elementary educators and provided the professional clarity to realize her true calling: making an impact at the high school level. 

Ella Koca has been selected as the Elk Teen of the Month for March 2026, and is now eligible for Teenager of the Year. She is the daughter of Andrew and Angela Koca. Ella is involved in: Marching Band, AHS Hockey, as well as being on the honor roll.

For Ella, the path to adulthood has been defined by three pillars: professional responsibility, community service, and the grit of varsity sports. At Fleet Farm, she transformed a standard job into a lesson in social intelligence, using every shift to sharpen her customer service skills and build a strong work ethic. Beyond the workplace, Ella’s commitment to her community is a personal philosophy. Through fundraising for school clubs and volunteering at local events, she has consistently shown that leadership is about more than being in the spotlight—it is about the "behind-the-scenes" drive to help others succeed.

The most significant catalyst for Ella’s growth has been hockey, which taught her the emotional maturity and resilience needed to lead. Her dedication culminated in her being named Varsity Captain, a role where she shifted her focus from her own performance to the development of her teammates. By balancing the discipline of competitive sports with the selflessness of volunteering, Ella has built a versatile toolkit of leadership skills. She enters the next chapter of her life as a well-rounded leader, ready to bring the maturity of a captain and the heart of a volunteer to everything she does.