Two Rams Welcome Future Middle Schoolers to MICDS

At the recent admission Middle School Accepted Celebration event, eighth graders McCormack Amini ‘29 and Skyler Dastgah-Bradford ’29 spoke to newly-enrolled and newly-accepted Middle School families in the bustling McDonnell Athletic Center. Here’s what they had to share.

McCormack Amini ’29

Hello, everyone. My name is McCormack Amini. This is my second year here at MICDS. I’m currently an eighth grader, and I’m excited to talk to you all about this wonderful school. Like most of you, I was super nervous about coming here because I didn’t know what to expect; all I knew was that this was an extremely hard school, much different than the public school I was in. I’m a student athlete, so I was very excited about the sports here, but hearing for the first time how much work this was going to be scared me. What I wish I knew was how welcoming this community is and was to me and how invested everyone around you is in your success. For sports, everyone is here to help you. All the coaches are awesome, and so are your teammates because our MICDS community is all about helping you grow to become successful here.

I wish I had known, coming into this school, that everyone is here for you, and that’s what makes MICDS so incredible. This school throws a lot at you, which you’ve all probably heard a thousand times. What you might not know is that your teachers really want you to succeed and supply you with the help you will need; all you have to do is utilize them as a resource. Every other day, we have 45 minutes of dedicated flex time to get whatever you need done and meet with whomever you need. It is extremely important to use this because the only other time for you to meet with a teacher is before or after school, and believe me, waking up any earlier than you already have to is not fun. This is so great about MICDS. Our school already knows how hard they are on you, and they give you the resources to make it easier, so my advice to you is to make it easy on yourself. Don’t stress yourself out; work proactively, not negatively. Thank you for listening, and have a great day.

Skyler Dastgah-Bradford ’29

Good morning, everyone. My name is Sky Dastgah-Bradford. I have attended MICDS since first grade, and I am currently an eighth grader. I want to start off by congratulating you on your acceptance into MICDS. This is a huge accomplishment, and I hope you all are very proud of yourselves! Throughout my years in middle school, I have learned what works best for me as a student-athlete. I play both club field hockey and a school sport each season, so it did take me a little while to learn how to balance all my sports and school work.

One of the things I have learned is not to be afraid to ask questions and ask for help when I need it. The teachers and coaches here are so supportive and helpful; I can always rely on them for help with certain problems or skills I need to work on. So whether it’s finding your way to a classroom or learning how to solve a math problem, everyone (including your peers) is here to support you and wants you to succeed! A big thing that has helped me throughout these four years is a period called FLEX. During these 45 minutes, we are given the opportunity to complete homework and to meet with teachers for help on school work.

One thing I recommend is that you try something new! Trying out for a sport or joining a club during your time here in Middle School is a great way to meet new people as a new student! This year, I met some of my favorite people while playing Middle School field hockey and lacrosse. These girls were new seventh-grade students, and I am appreciative to have gotten the opportunity to play with them. It has always been exciting to know new classmates will be admitted into our school every year.

The current fifth, sixth, and seventh-grade students are just as excited as I am to hear you all will be joining them, and they can not wait to give you a very warm welcome. I know you will enjoy your time here in Middle School as much as I do. Again, congratulations, and welcome to MICDS!