Student Standouts: Casillas ’26, Nuzum ’26, Bell ’28, Day ’28, Cox ’29, Ondala ’29, Roberson ’29, Nadella ’29, and Cyclocross
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.
Students Volunteer at Operation Food Search
On Friday, October 17, MICDS Upper School students from the African American Support Committee rolled up their sleeves and packed 87 boxes of bread at Operation Food Search. These meals will go directly to the organization’s food pantry partners and will help support the 200,000+ families they serve each month—all at no cost to those in need.
According to their reps, the hard work from our students saved Operation Food Search an estimated $487.06. They can now put these funds toward providing nutritious meals and expanding their hunger relief programs.
Huge thanks to Justin Bell ’28, Rylee Day ’28, Peyton Cox ’29, Irmine Ondala ’29, and Cam Roberson ’29 for making a difference and helping our community heal hunger across the bi-state region!
Freshman Earns 14th Place at Golf State Championship Match
MICDS Cyclocross Bikers Place First and Second
Sawyer Huffman ’29 came in first place and Catherine Dawson ’26 came in second place in the Cyclocross Queeny Park juvenile race on October 19 at Queeny Park. Way to bike, Sawyer and Catherine!
Two Seniors Share About Normandy Academy Experience
Last December, Ava Casillas ’26 and Taylor Nuzum ’26 were selected to be the two 2025 Pete Wilson ’51 Fellows for the National World War II Museum’s Normandy Academy. Normandy Academy is a 12-day immersive summer learning experience in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Normandy, France, that challenges students to learn from the choices made before and during the historic D-Day landings. Through the generosity of Mr. Edward T. Baur ’64, two MICDS students are chosen every year to participate in the Academy with full scholarships.
This past Monday, October 20, Casillas and Nuzum presented to the MICDS ninth graders about their experience at Normandy Academy, in connection with the ninth-grade unit on WWII.
“I absolutely loved being able to share our experience with the freshmen!” said Casillas. “As somebody who wants to be a teacher, it gave me a peek into how I can best share my experiences in an informative and engaging way. I hope they were able to take away our message regarding the ways in which we choose to recall history, whether it be museum designs, modern technology, or cemeteries, especially when it comes to events as important as D-Day and World War II.”
“Being able to share this experience with the freshmen was one of the reasons that I initially applied for the trip,” said Nuzum. “I remembered being a freshman, watching Chloe, Abby, and Aanya present about war and people, and I was immediately intrigued. Teaching the freshmen about the different perspectives of war felt very rewarding, and I hope Ava and I can inspire a few freshmen to appreciate the value of learning history and apply for the trip.”
Casillas continued, “Ultimately, being able to experience the places where such important history occurred allowed me to expand my perspective regarding what it means to be a witness of history, whether on the ‘winning’ or ‘losing’ side. Through understanding the stories of these witnesses, whether they be civilians or soldiers, I believe Normandy Academy aided me in reframing my definition of what it means to be an open-minded and empathetic individual.”
Nuzum shared, “My top takeaways from my time at the academy were the individual costs of war. It can be difficult to comprehend that the casualties of wars are not statistics-they are people. It is integral that we understand that history is both real and recent to prevent history from repeating itself. This was the central message of Ava’s and my presentation, along with the importance of remembering and learning the stories of veterans and firsthand perspectives from the war, like the French citizens.
“The most meaningful part of the experience for me was the ability to learn about history from exactly where it happened. Also, the deep friendships I formed on the trip were similarly valuable.”
Casillas said, “If nothing else, the Normandy Academy experience has shown me the significance of exposure to history. We must keep ourselves informed, both in a historical context and world context, in order to ensure that we do not attempt to make the same mistakes that led to the tragic events of D-Day and World War II.”
Nuzum reflected, “One of the most memorable parts of the trip for me was on Omaha Beach, when our tour guide, Tomas, showed us how to place sand in the memorial sign for combat medics to make the fading lettering legible. He told us that he always finds someone has placed sand in the sign—a metaphor for the enduring gratitude for veterans of the war, even decades later.”
“I’d like to thank the Baur Family once again for helping us and so many other MICDS students in being able to attend Normandy Academy,” said Casillas. “I’m so grateful to have been given this opportunity thanks to the contributions of Mr. Baur, may he rest in peace, and Mrs. Baur, and hope I can do my part in spreading the lessons of this incredible experience.”
Check out this video by Casillas of her Normandy Academy experience. What a profound learning experience! Applications are currently being accepted for consideration to attend Normandy Academy in 2026. Current students can find more information on the portal and website.