Student Standouts and Faculty Features for February 6, 2026

Student Standouts: Gilbert ’26, Arvind ’26, Elvin ’28, Feng ’27, Ko ’28, Emerson ’29, Becker ’26, Cox-Garleanu ’26, Su ’29, Varsity Boys Squash

Faculty Features: Barciszewski and Lee

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.

 

Senior Earns Gold & Silver Awards for Photography

Senior Layla Gilbert ’26 entered the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers Scholastic Art and Writing competition and received a gold award for her photo Emergence and a silver award for her photo No Trespassing Here. According to their website, “Founded in 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the nation’s longest running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teenagers across America and a significant source of scholarships for young artists and writers.”

Check out Layla’s award-winning photos below. Way to go, Layla!

"Emergence" - Photo by Layla Gilbert '26
"No Trespassing Here" - Photo by Layla Gilbert '26

Rams Earn an Impressive 16 Awards in 2026 Scholastic Writing Competition

Several MICDS students earned a 2026 Scholastic Writing Award. Congratulations to the following Rams whose pieces were selected from more than 700 submissions across Missouri and Kansas. According to Scholastic, “This recognition speaks not only to the student’s talent and effort, but also to the thoughtful instruction and encouragement they received along the way.” These award-winning pieces will be published in Missouri Youth Write, which is an online publication available on the GKCWP website in June.

Bravo to the following writers listed below!

Gold Key Winners:
Students who earned a Gold Key will advance to the national level.

  • Athreya Arvind ’26 – Critical Essay, “Nuclear Loops: When Reason Turns Against Itself in Einstein’s Monsters”
  • Bruce Elvin ’28 – Poetry, “Tout Moun ap Peye”
  • Eddie Feng ’27 – Flash Fiction – “Tomorrow”
  • Anna Ko ’28 – Critical Essay, “Aurea Mediocritas: Shakespeare’s Balances in A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

Silver Key Winners:

  • Bruce Elvin ’28 – Critical Essay – “The Services Catch: When Accuracy Costs Access”
  • Bruce Elvin ’28 – Short Essay – “Thigh Receipts”
  • Bruce Elvin ’28 – Poetry – “The Rope Still Sways”
  • Bruce Elvin ’28 – Poetry – “We Were Never Promised an Answer”
  • Susan Emerson ’29 – Novel – The Assassin’s Daughter

Honorable Mention

  • Luca Becker ’26 – Critical Essay, “Society’s Shared Delusion Imposed on Empirical Life: An Exploration of the Meaning of ‘Division by Zero'”
  • Isabelle Cox-Garleanu ’26 – Short Story, “Life Cycle of a Thunderstorm”
  • Isabelle Cox-Garleanu ’26 – Novel, A Royal Rebellion 
  • Bruce Elvin ’28 – Speculative Fiction, “Measured by Our Mistakes”
  • Bruce Elvin ’28 – Short Story, “Colors No Human Should See”
  • Anna Ko ’28 – Critical Essay, “The Fluidity of Female Identity: The Characterization of Ifeoma in Purple Hibiscus”
  • Crystal Su ’29 – Short Story, “The Portrait”

Boys Squash Earns Seventh Place in U.S. Middle School Team Squash National Championships in D-2

Five players from MICDS—Levi Dembiec ’32, Johnny Gabel ’31, Anders Reboulet ’31, Bruce Clennan ’30, and Ryan Plaskett ’30—traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania this past weekend to compete in the U.S. Middle School Team Squash National Championships. They played at the U.S. Squash headquarters, state-of-the-art Arlen Specter Center, and also had a chance to play on the UPenn courts, home of the back-to-back defending national champions. They earned an impressive seventh-place finish in Division II. Just as notable as the result was the spirit of the team, marked by camaraderie, mutual support, and friendships that bridged grade levels. Go Rams!

Director of Facilities Earns NBOA Professional Achievement Award

Congratulations to Jim Barciszewski, Director of Facilities, who was recently announced as one of the 2026 NBOA Professional Achievement Award Recipients! He is being honored for his outstanding contributions as an independent school staff member for making exceptional strides in enhancing MICDS’ operations and financial health. Way to go, Jim!

Faculty Feature: Dean of Faculty Named as Honoree of Little Black Dress Bruncheon

MICDS Dean of Faculty Dr. Grace Lee was named as an honoree of the Little Black Dress Bruncheon, which will be held in March by The Sophia Project (TSP). According to TSP, honorees are selected “for their outstanding leadership, commitment to service, and meaningful impact. They are mentors, trailblazers, and change-makers who continue to open doors and inspire others to dream bigger—both professionally and personally.”

The Little Black Dress Bruncheon is a celebration, a moment of visibility, and affirmation. TSP states that “by honoring women who lead with purpose, we also show our youth what’s possible when they are supported, seen, and surrounded by role models who look like them.” Learn more or purchase tickets here! A BIG congratulations to Dr. Grace Lee!