Student Standouts for May 2, 2025

Student Standouts: O’Leary ’26, Zar ’26, Alpaslan ’27, Soshnik ’30

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.

 

Junior Named High School Athlete of the Week

This week, Peter O’Leary ’26 was dubbed a High School Athlete of the Week according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Peter is a midfielder on the MICDS Lacrosse team, and he has committed to play for the Air Force Academy. He has a .72 faceoff winning percentage and averages 7.3 ground balls per game. Read more about him here!

Two Students Awarded Prestigious Scholarships for their Spanish Expertise

For the past three years, many of the Spanish students at MICDS have taken part in the National Spanish Exam—not only to challenge themselves and showcase their language skills, but also to be part of a larger community of learners across the country. Recognition through Oro (Gold), Plata (Silver), and Bronce (Bronze) placements is a tremendous accomplishment. However, beyond medals and rankings, the exam also opens doors to amazing opportunities — including scholarships that are both experiential and monetary in nature. MICDS is proud to have two students who have been awarded very prestigious scholarships.

First, Ian Zar ’26 has been awarded an extremely competitive scholarship to attend one of Spain’s most prestigious universities, La Universidad de Salamanca. He will participate in a three-week online course led by top professors from the university, gaining exposure to advanced language, culture, and academic excellence. What an incredible opportunity. ¡Felicidades, Ian!

The second recipient is Arissa Alpaslan ’27, who has been awarded the Kevin Cessna-Buscemi Global Citizen Scholarship to attend Concordia Language Villages, located in the North Woods of Minnesota. She’ll participate in an immersive language and cultural experience through this nationally recognized global education program. ¡Felicidades, Arissa!

Robin Begley, Upper School Spanish Teacher, says, “Both of these students exemplify what it means to be passionate, curious, and committed global learners. We are so proud of them!”

¡Felicidades, Ian y Arissa!

Seventh Grader Scores 174 Three Pointers and Raises $32,000

Seventh grader Jordan Soshnik ’30 recently launched a unique fundraising drive for the Jewish Community Center sports scholarship fund. He asked his community to donate money for every three-point basketball shot he could make in 18 minutes, 18 representing a lucky number in Judaism. His basketball skills and donation collection efforts tallied to an incredible 174 baskets and over $32,000! This achievement and community act are highlighted in the video below by KSDK. Jordan is excited to help other kids play community basketball and hopes this fundraising effort expands to other kids shooting baskets for nonprofits of their choosing. Congratulations and thanks for making a difference, Jordan!