Student & Faculty Standouts: Bedell ’23, Patton ’23, Moore ’24, Reed ’24, Gelven ’25, Alyasiry ’26, Day ’30, Teacher Sarah Garner, Varsity Boys Lacrosse, Boys & Girls Track & Field, Middle School Boys Lacrosse
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.
Mason Bedell Named St. Louis Post-Dispatch Scholar Athlete
Our very own Mason Bedell ’23 has been selected by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch as a scholar athlete! At MICDS, Mason has participated in swimming, water polo, and track and field. He is a National Merit Finalist, earned the top ACT score possible, received the Yale Book Award, and Science Department Award, and is a member of the Cum Laude Society. He’ll be attending the University of Alabama in the fall. Read his scholar athlete bio at the above link. In his bio, he also gives a shoutout to Upper School Math Teacher Al Begrowicz. “My calculus teacher, Mr. B [is my role model]. He comes to work every day excited to teach and interact with his students, and it is evident that he has dedicated his life to what truly makes him happy. I aspire to one day find a purpose in life that makes me as happy as Mr. B is when he’s teaching.”Congratulations, Mason!
Recent Graduate Earns Gold Award from U.S. Figure Skating
Skye Patton ’23 has been awarded the Gold Level Graduation Seniors Award by U.S. Figure Skating! This award recognizes her as a student-athlete who has worked hard to pursue figure skating while maintaining a strong academic performance.
Moore '24 and Reed '24 to be published
Ava Moore ’24 and Kamryn Reed ’24’s essay submission to Teaching History: A Journal of Methods was selected to be published as a Student Voices article in the Fall 2023 issue special section “History Fun and Games.” Their essay is entitled “All African People’s Conference Game Reflection.” Ava and Kamryn were encouraged by Upper School History Teacher Alexander Rolnick to submit their work for this chance to be published in this educational journal. In the Fall 2023 issue, look for their work in the special section focused on teaching and learning history with games. Way to go, Ava and Kamryn!
Rising Senior Selected for Missouri Girls State Program
Ava Moore ’24 was selected to participate in the 2023 Missouri Girls State program, a week-long program held from June 24 to July 1 for students who have completed their junior year. The program gives participants an opportunity to help create and participate in a fictional government to better understand how government works at all levels. Over the course of the week, students will learn from people who work in all levels of government and gain interesting networking opportunities.
Sophomore Golfs to 9th Place at State
Sophomore Benjamin Gelven ’25 earned a medal at the State Boys Golf Tournament! He finished in 9th place overall. Go Rams!
Rising Sophomore Selected into WashU's College Prep Program
Congratulations to Maha Alyasiry ’26 for being accepted into the next cohort of WashU’s College Prep Program. This program supports talented local students from across the St. Louis region who will be the first in their families to go to college or have limited resources. Maha is one of 50 rising sophomores who will be part of this 10th cohort for the next three summers. According to the WashU website, Maha “will study in Washington University laboratories and studios, attend classes led by university faculty and learn the skills needed to thrive in college.” Go, Maha!
MICDS Student Chosen as Missouri Winner in Doodle for Google Contest; Teacher Recognized Too
A talented MICDS student could soon have her art on the Google homepage for hundreds of millions to see. This week, Google announced the 55 State and Territory winners in its 15th annual Doodle for Google competition, a contest where K-12 students across the United States have the opportunity to create their own version of the Google logo inspired by the prompt “I am grateful for…”
We are very proud to share that our very own Ryen Day ’30 is the 2023 winner for Missouri and one of the 55 US State and Territory Winners with her Doodle, “A Time to Hangout.” Ryen’s Doodle was selected from thousands of entries received this year. Students at MICDS helped Ryen celebrate during a surprise assembly on Tuesday, May 16, where Ryen found out the wonderful news that she is the Missouri winner. Her family and siblings were in attendance to support her as well.
Everyone across the U.S. can now vote for their favorite Doodle from the 55 State and Territory Winners. Voting is open from May 18-25 on this site: https://doodles.google.com/d4g/vote/ (Ryen’s artwork is in the Grade 4-5 category and labeled “Missouri”). The public vote will determine the Five National Finalists (one in each grade group). Google will announce these five National Finalists in late May, one of whom will have their Doodle featured on the Google homepage for a day.
The National Winner will take home a $30,000 college scholarship and their school will receive a $50,000 tech package towards the establishment or improvement of a computer lab or technology program.
Upon learning of this news, Ryen shared, “I feel proud that the judges liked my art [so much that they chose] for me to be the state winner. It made me feel very special because MICDS made an entire assembly just to recognize me, and I was very surprised—I knew nothing about it. I came up with the idea for my doodle from going to see the hot air balloons and fireworks downtown at Forest Park. It was a time to hang out with my family and friends, but to me, it was a time to especially hang out with my sister. Even though I see her every day, we are a very busy family during the week and even on weekends, so I finally got to hang out with her more. During my free time, I’m mostly by myself or with my younger brother, so this was a time with her.
“I’d like to thank my Dad. I used a special drawing iPad to make my doodle. Since I didn’t have a computer at the time, he always let me use his to hook my iPad on and work on it. He also helped me submit my doodle. I am very thankful for him.”
Additionally, Google recognized “a very special educator who has helped to foster the love of the arts in this winner and so many other students!” Congratulations to Lower School Visual Arts Teacher Sarah Garner for earning this recognition. Upon hearing of Ryen’s achievement, Ms. Garner exclaimed, “I am so proud of Ryen! Her accomplishment is an example of how art can bring an entire community together in celebration. The art that Ryen created was inspired by the things she is grateful for. As a community, we can mirror Ryen’s spirit and remind ourselves that every day at MICDS we are surrounded by things we are thankful for. Art can lift us up, bring us together, and share positivity in a community, and I am so thankful for artists like Ryen that are brave enough to share their creativity and inspire us every day.” Thank you also to Jayme Zimmer, Middle School Visual Arts Teacher and Ryen’s current art teacher.
Let’s go, Ryen! Let’s go VOTE, MICDS!
Track Teams Earn 2nd Place at Districts
Both the Boys and Girls Track & Field teams earned second place in their District Championships last weekend! A total of 28 entries across individuals and relays qualified for sectionals which will take place on Saturday. Keep it up, Rams!
Ten Rams Make All-State and All-Conference Teams
The following Rams on the Varsity Boys Lacrosse team have earned all-state and all-conference:
- Tyler Petersen ’23 – Conference Player of the Year, 1st Team All-State, 1st Team All-Metro League
- George Herron ’23 – 1st Team All-State, 1st Team All-Metro League
- Henry Oliver ’25 – 1st Team All-State, 1st Team All-Metro League
- Willy Carpenter ’24 – 2nd Team All-State, 1st Team All-Metro League
- Tyler Tschudy ’24 – 2nd Team All-State, 1st Team All-Metro League
- Mac Stevens ’23 – 1st Team All-Metro League
- Graham Faust ’26 – 1st Team All-Metro League
- George Pronger ’23 – 2nd Team All-Metro League
- Mikey Gutchewsky ’26 – 2nd Team All-Metro League
- Peter O’Leary ’26 – 2nd Team All-Metro League
13 Championships and Counting for Middle School Boys Lacrosse
For the 13th straight season, the Middle School Rams take the city championship. Noah Menneke ’27 had the game-winner off a pass from Justin Bishop ’27. The team defeated Chaminade, 7-6. Go Rams!
