Student Standouts for April 2

Najaah Earns City Academy's Brightman Award

Congratulations to Najaah Muhammad ’21 who recently received City Academy’s Brightman Award which includes a $1,000 scholarship! On the City Academy blog, Najaah is recognized for being “brilliant, determined, and a fierce community advocate, and a wonderful example of the long-lasting impact of City Academy.”

To accept this award, Najaah attended the 2021 Virtual Annual Luncheon and delivered her Brightman Award Acceptance Speech. Here’s what she shared about MICDS: “I would also like to thank MICDS for continuing the advanced academic preparation and many opportunities including the ones that will occur in the future. During my time at MICDS, I have also been able to gain great friendships in the community, along with many of the faculty. I am thankful for the faculty members like Ms. Moore, Mr. Shockley, and Coach Foster who I can always go to for advice, questions, or just getting some food. I’m also thankful for the faculty members like D Self – my choir teacher – who has taught me all four years of high school and I am free to talk to him about anything. Overall, I’m appreciative of the experiences during my six years at MICDS.”

She also shares about her future plans: “Though I have not committed to a college yet, the guidance from City Academy and MICDS has gotten me accepted into Howard University, Spelman, University of Loyola, University of San Francisco, and many others, and I am waiting to hear from Washington University (talk about connections). My plan is to study psychology and possibly minor in dance for my undergraduate studies. This will hopefully get me to my career path as a lawyer in either family court, civil rights, or criminal law with future plans of becoming a judge or a part of Congress. Even outside of my career path, I want to help my community and other communities that struggle to support young children with educational or financial challenges, so no matter where you start off in life it does not predict your future.”

Read Najaah’s full acceptance speech here! Congratulations, Najaah!

Senior on List of Boys Golfers to Watch

Henry Mikula ’21 is on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s list of Boys Golfers to Watch for the upcoming 2021 season. In 2019, Henry helped the Rams earn a runner-up finish at Class 3 district, sectional, and state tournaments. He also earned a runner-up finish at the Class 3 state tournament. Let’s go, Henry!

Junior in the News for Breaking the Stigma Around Mental Health

Shelly Bhagat ’22, MIST (Mental Illness Support for Teenagers) Club co-founder, was recently interviewed for a Town & Style article entitled “Breaking the Silence: Mental Illness Support for Teenagers.” Learn about how she and Siri Battula ’22 have worked to conquer the stigma around mental illness in the U.S. and in South Asian countries. MIST now runs a newsletter, podcast, social media, and is working on a webinar, all in the pursuit of spreading awareness about mental health. Check out this recent story on the new MIST podcast and newsletters.

Additionally, Shelly wrote an article that was published in Ladue News: “Ladue Students Establish Mental Illness Support for Teenagers.” Learn more about her story with MIST and how the organization has grown to make a big impact!

Junior's Team Earns 1st Place in Research and Innovation Challenge

Anny Rui ’22 recently competed in China Thinks Big (CTB), a six month research and innovation challenge focused on important issues posed by professors at Harvard and other top institutions. This year’s challenge focused on social impact and community implementation. Last Friday, the Harvard College Association for U.S.-China Relations held a forum in Harvard Center Shanghai. Anny’s team worked on making travel for visually impaired people better. “My team in China got the first prize for the CTB challenge and is invited to present in front of many professors from different countries.” Congratulations, Anny!

Ram Accepted into U.S. Naval Academy's Summer STEM Program

A HUGE congratulations to Norah Wright ’25 for being accepted into the U.S. Naval Academy’s Summer STEM Program! This summer, Norah will be working with students across the country to put her STEM problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration skills to the test. She said, “I am very grateful to have been accepted into a program run by such a prestigious school. I am looking forward to the challenge of this course and making myself known to the naval community. I hope it will help me to be accepted into USNA in the future.” Congratulations, Norah!

MICDS Spelling Bee Champion Featured

Our MICDS Spelling Bee champion, Abhiram Madala ’26, is profiled in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch as a 2021 finalist. Learn about some of his favorites including his favorite word, mitrailleuse. Photos from the 35th annual Spelling Bee held at Lindenwood University on March 13 can be viewed here. Congratulations again to Abhiram for making it this far in the Spelling Bee!

Boys Lacrosse Plays "Like It's Their Last Game"

In the US Lacrosse Magazine, Boys Lacrosse Head Coach Andy Kay is quoted about the current 2021 lacrosse season that is underway at MICDS. Although the team has made adjustments for this season, they are not taking being able to play for granted. Even with wearing masks at practices, not being able to travel to as many competitions, and other precautions, the team always plays like it’s their last game since many of them played their final game in the 2020 season without knowing it would be their last.

Let’s Go Rams!

13 Field Hockey Players Make National Academic Squad

Congratulations to Field Hockey players Lily Baker ’21, Jenna Bernstein ’21, Brecken Calcari ’22, Aishani Chakraborty ’22, Caroline Cooper ’22, Ella Durrill ’21, Janie Guirl ’21, Anna Lochhead ’22, Kate Oliver ’22, Ananya Radhakrishnan ’21, Lauren Sugavanam ’21, Livie Warren ’21, and Hanna Wurdack ’21 for being recognized by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) as part of the NFHCA High School National Academic Squad! This program “…recognizes those high school seniors and juniors who have achieved a minimum cumulative, unweighted grade-point average of 3.50 out of 4.0 — or the equivalent — through the first quarter of the 2020-21 school year.”

Oliver, Warren, and Wurdack also earned Scholar of Distinction honors for achieving a minimum, cumulative, unweighted GPA of 3.9 out of 4.0 through the first quarter of the school year. Additionally, alumna Annika Kline ’20, who plays field hockey at Haverford College, earned a spot on the NFHCA Division III Scholars of Distinction list due to achieving a cumulative grade-point average of 3.9 or higher through the first semester of the 2020-21 academic year. Way to go, Rams!