Student Standouts: Ross ’20, Bellamy ’21, Tharenos ’20, Zhao ’20, Dundoo ’20, Mandal ’20, Awasthi ’20, Ji ’21, Mufti ’22, Gipson ’23, Yao ’23, Iken ’24, Cai ’27, Lurk ’28, Arch City Theater Troupe Participants, Athletes in the News, Yearbook Club Students
Faculty Features: Huber, Kay, Marberry
Congratulations to this week’s standouts below. Way to go #RamNation! And as always, if you have a story to share, please email weeklynews@micds.org.
Setting Records in Track and Field
The new track records from the spring were recently posted. We’re so proud of Josh Sutton ’19, Kelly Ross ’20 and Alexis Bellamy ’21 for setting new MICDS track and field records this past season. Way to go, #RamNation!
Tharenos to Spend Senior Year in Germany
Athena Tharenos ’20 was awarded a full scholarship to spend her senior year in Germany through the prestigious U.S. State Department’s Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange Program. Although she will be away for the year, she will graduate as a member of the MICDS Class of 2020. Gute Reise, Athena!
Dancing through the Summer
Over the summer, four of our MICDS dancers attended the NDA Dance Camp at Southeast Missouri State University for four days. They learned four routines during the first two days and then they were evaluated on three of the four routines. One of the routines was a team dance, where they all learned the same dance and were evaluated together. They received a bronze plaque for the team dance.
In addition, all four Upper School dancers received superior ribbons (the highest rating) on the two individual routines. They were able to choose which individual routines they learned and were evaluated on. Jenna Zhao ’20 received two superior ribbons on the advanced and elite hip hop routines. Asha Dundoo ’20 received two superior ribbons for the advanced hip hop and jazz routines. Tista Mandal ’20 received superior ribbons in poms and jazz. Leila Awasthi ’20 received superior ribbons, both in jazz. Leila also received a nomination for „All-American,“ meaning that she has the opportunity to travel to several places including Rome, London and Orlando to perform! To top it off, the girls also received a spirit stick all three days the stick was presented.
NCSA Summer Championships
Eric Ji ’21 made the final for the 200-meter breaststroke in the 2019 NCSA Summer Championships this summer. By earning winter junior national time, he is now qualified for the 2019 Speedo Winter Junior Championships. He also broke his team’s open age men 200-meter breaststroke record. Congratulations, Eric!
Attending the National Student Leadership Conference at Harvard Medical School
Tenth grader Siraj Mufti ’22 attended the National Student Leadership Conference in Boston this summer. For nine days, he participated in the medicine and health care program at Harvard Medical School, learning about surgical didactics, injections and much more! What a fun way to make friends, experience life on a college campus, practice leadership skills and explore a possible career.
Teamwork and Character Development Recognized On and Off the Field
Congratulations to Cole Gipson ’23 who is the Rawlings Gold Glove Grand Prize Winner! This award recognizes Cole’s commitment to teamwork and character development as part of the Redbird Rookies program which acknowledges that he’s among „the finest on and off the field.“ As the winner of the grand prize, Cole was honored at a pre-game ceremony in June. Congratulations Cole!
Gipson also is in the news regarding his involvement in the documentary, Where the Pavement Ends. The film is being distributed by educational distributor Torch Films and Arch City Defenders non-profit selected the film for their series. The screening and Q&A session was at the Grandel Theatre on August 15.
Ram Makes the U.S. Youth Futsal National Team
During the summer, Nathan Yao ’23 tried out for the U.S. Youth Futsal National team. Futsal is a derivative of soccer, played by five players on hard floors. Nathan plays as a supplement for his regular soccer training to improve his footwork and tactics. On Wednesday, U.S. Youth Futsal International announced that Nathan made the team! Nathan will be going to Barcelona this December for the games. Way to go, Nathan!
Tapping into the Spotlight
Ben Iken ’24 was in the spotlight in June for performing as Young Peter Allen on „The Boy from Oz“ at STAGES ST. LOUIS. He starred in 20 performances and appeared on KMOV’s Great Day St. Louis to promote the show. Tap into the KMOV preview of the musical here! Way to break a leg, Ben!
A Birthday of Blues and Compassion
Last Saturday, one 5th grader wanted to give back for her birthday. Joined by 13 friends, Catherine Cai ’27 got to celebrate her birthday at the Botanical Gardens and instead of requesting presents, she suggested that her friends donate to the Blues for Kids organization. The organization „focuses on four areas of giving, which include cancer care and awareness, health and wellness, education and youth hockey development.“ As a Blues fan with a special appearance playing piano in a previous St. Louis Blues ad, Catherine and her friends donated $300 in the name of the MICDS Class of 2027 to celebrate her birthday and the Blue’s Stanley Cup victory this year. What a thoughtful way to celebrate your birthday, Catherine! We’re wishing you a happy birthday but will be singing „Gloria“ in place of „Happy Birthday“ this year.
Stirring Up the Competition
Congratulations to Eloise Lurk ’28 who earned a 1st place ribbon in Equitation at the Country Heir Show in Lexington, Kentucky. She was judged on walking, trotting and cantering on her horse!
Performing for a Good Cause
- Jennifer Goldberg ’19 – Director
- Charlie B. Southern ’19 – Assistant Director
- Lauren Goldberg ’20 – Creative Director
- Ally Kalishman ’21 – Publicity Manager
- Harrison Brown ’22
- Mimi Brown ’21
- Bryn Daney ’20
- Ellemieke Ferguson ’27
Student-Athletes in the News During Summer
During the summer, many MICDS student-athletes were in the news!
In The St. Louis American, Parker Perry ’20 (golf), Journee White ’22 (girls tennis) and Chase Nwamu ’20 were listed as Prep Athletes of the Year!
Will Kacmarek ’21 made First Team and Crawford Bundy ’21 and made Second Team as All-Metro Boys Lacrosse players.
Evan Erb ’21 made First Team in All-Metro Boys Tennis, and Chase Nwamu ’20 made Second Team in the All-Metro Boys Tennis. Both tennis players were featured in this West Newsmagazine article for battling each other at state.
Henry Mikula ’21 made Second Team in All-Metro Boys Golf.
Caroline Carr ’20 made Second Team in All-Metro Girls Lacrosse.
Filip Aleksic ’20 earned First Team on the All-Metro Water Polo Team.
Dreaming Up the Pages of the 2020 Yearbook
Some of our Upper School Yearbook Club students attended Yearbook Camp for three days this summer! At camp, they thought about student journalism and how to best capture the MICDS experience in the pages of the yearbook. They also brainstormed the 2020 theme for the yearbook, led camp attendees in a roller coaster cheer and presented their theme to the rest of camp. With one week down but the rest of the school year to go, we can’t wait to see what memories are created that they’ll capture in the year ahead!
A Summer of ACTivity for Patrick Huber
MICDS Fine Arts Faculty member Patrick Huber had a jam-packed summer! He participated as the Associate Director of the St. Louis Actors‘ Studio LaBute Festival of New Theater where he has been the resident Set and Lighting Designer since their inception 10 years ago. The festival consists of new plays, 15-40 minutes long, that are selected by a committee of local theater artists.
Prior to this, he designed lighting for „Indecent“ by Paula Vogel, which opened June 21 at the Grandel Theater in Midtown. The original production was developed and staged at the University Theater at Yale, where he designed the scenery for the Yale Baroque Opera Project in April.
After the LaBute Festival, he designed scenery and lighting for Union Avenue Opera’s production of „La Boheme,“ which opened July 26. He’s worked with UAO since 2008.
Kay Coaches at Adrenaline All American Games
Head Boys Lacrosse Coach Andy Kay was included in this article over the summer as one of the coaches for the Adrenaline All American Games, presented by Adrenaline Lacrosse. Coach Kay was selected to coach at the event in June which was held at the Dallas Cowboys‘ facility. MICDS had three recent graduates in the game including Graham Bundy Jr. ’19, Henry Carpenter ’19 and Thomas Niedringhaus ’19 who scored the game-winning goal. What an amazing way to conclude their time in the MICDS program with Coach Kay!
