Go Gryphons is a newsletter that highlights the achievements of ISI students, faculty, staff, alumni, and board members.
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December 2023
Upper School Students Attend Lugar Symposium Two Years in a Row
In December 2022, grade 11 students (now in grade 12) Caitlyn Hempstead, Channing Bernat, Simon Tuite, and Sophie Albert attended the Lugar Symposium at the University of Indianapolis. This past December, current grade 11 students Umay Ozsoy, Aoife Lien, Kennedi Green, Adam Murphy, and Makoto Buroku also attended the symposium along with almost 200 students from over 70 Indiana high schools. The symposium, hosted to honor former Indiana Senator Richard G. Lugar, invites Indiana students to learn about current global issues.
Middle School Student Participates in Space Day
Grade 6 student Anastacia Davis was selected from a pool of hundreds of grades 3 to 8 students from all over the country to participate in Purdue University's Space Day. She spent the day at Purdue University learning about various topics involving the history and science of space travel and participating in hands on actvities, such as launching a water rocket that she built. Anastacia also had the opportunity to meet astronauts Charlie Walker and Andrew Feustel.
Grade 4 Student Wins State Girl Scouts Design Contest
Grade 4 student Anna Rose Worthington won a state contest to design a Girl Scout Patch, which was distributed to Scouts who attended the Ringling Bros Circus at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. She received a framed version of her artwork and was congratulated by the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana.
Middle School Students Perform at Indy Chinese New Year Gala
Middle School Mandarin track students Harper and Lily Flenniken, Benjamin Radefeld, Teresa Avila-Guevara, Alexia Whiteside, and Anabel Kim were invited to perform at the Indianapolis Chinese Community Center's Indy Chinese New Year Gala in January. This celebration is the largest Lunar New Year celebration in Indianapolis.
Grades 4 and 5 Students Awarded for Exceptional Math Performance
Members of the Math enrichment group participated in the Beaver Computing Challenge, an international online math competition organized by the University of Waterloo, Canada. Four Lower School students, Tamara Zaazoue (grade 4), Zameer Kaushik (grade 4), Austin Kathir (grade 5), and Henry Lemoine (grade 5) were awarded Certificates of Distincion for their exceptional performance.
Grade 11 Student Attends Rose Hulman Summer Program
In June, Grade 11 student Tristyn Patel attended the Rose Hulman University Operation Catapult Summer Program, where he won third place for his hovercraft project. He also earned the Operation Catapult Certification of Completion.
Class of 2022 Graduate Receives Scholarship
In March, Purdue University Honors College awarded senior (now alumna) Melanie Kreutz the Stamp Scholarship. The Stamp Scholars Program covers a student's full cost of tuition and connects students with a national network of dedicated peers, among other esteemed opportunities. Fewer than 15 students in the United States receive this prestigious scholarship, and she is the first student in ISI history to receive it. Melanie accepted the scholarship and matriculated to Purdue University, where she is majoring in Anthropology.
Lower School Students Launch Recess Problem Solver Program
In partnership with the Lower School Counselor, grades 1 to 5 students formed a Recess Problem Solvers group toward the end of the 2022-23 school year. In addition to teachers being available to support any conflicts that may arise during recess, students were also trained on how to hep their fellow classmates if needed during recess. The program continues during the 2023-24 school year.
Upper School Students Chosen to Attend Conference
Grade 11 students Isabel Kim and Peter Machado were chosen to attend the West Point Ethics and Leadership Conference in November. Students were selected to attend due to their student leadership along with other Indiana high school students.
Local Museum Seeks Student Input for New Design Project
Representatives from Newfields visited with Design students across grades 6 to 10 to seek their input on design for a new outdoor space at the museum. Students were asked to brainstorm a list of things they believe Newfields was missing from their project and to draw their own version of the space. Students who attended will also be considered to serve on a permanent committee that will help with the planning for this space.
Grade 5 Student Immersed in European Culture
This past summer, grade 5 student Bryn Worland traveled and spent three weeks in Europe. While immersed in the culture, Bryn was able to see where her grandparents lived in Wales, make macarons, and see the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Class of 2022 Grad Earns Prestigious Awards
In February, senior (now alumna) Grace Kaneshiro was named a National Merit Finalist, an honor awarded to academically talented high school seniors who have an opportunity to compete for National Merit Scholarships. In March, she was also selected as a 2023 Regional Academic All-Star by the Indiana Association of School Principals and was recognized at a luncheon. After graduation, Grace matriculated to Princeton University.
Upper School Students Asked to Participate in ICO Event
Upper School French, Spanish, and Music students were asked to serve as international greeting hosts for guests attending the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra's premiere of the Concierto Con Brio, compiled by conductor Miguel del Aguila (pictured with ISI students above). Students greeted the evening's patrons in their track languages and shared their experience as an IB student at ISI.
Senior Receives Full Tuition Scholarship
Miles Mixon, ISI senior, was awarded the Center for Leadership Development scholarship to Wabash College. This distinguished scholarship is offered to only two students and covers the full cost of tuition to Wabash College, valued at almost $200,000.
Middle School Brothers Featured in Local YouTubers Episode
Simon and Nicholas Fleming, grade 8, were featured in Episode 5 of local YouTuber and Weather Channel host Creek Stewart's YouTube show, Scenes with Creek. Simon and Nicholas were invited to be featured in the video (beginning at the 9:38 mark) and participate in the Sidewalk Hand Drill Challenge!
ISI Girl Scout Troop Visits Federal Courthouse
In November 2022, the ISI Girl Scout Troop #73 visited the federal courthouse in Indianapolis. Troop #73 received a tour of the courthouse, visited two courtrooms, and participated in a voir dire (jury selection) experience.
Class of 2024 College Acceptance Stats Impress
As of December, 100% of the Class of 2024 has applied to a college or university with 87% already receiving acceptances. And, so far, they have already reported $2.1 million in scholarship dollars awarded.
November 2022
Senior Named Semifinalist in National Merit Scholarship
Grade 12 student Grace Kaneshiro was recently named a Semifinalist in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program. Kaneshiro is one of 16,000 Semifinalists and now has the opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,250 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million.
Grade 11 Student Featured in News for Go-Karting
BJ Shaw, a grade 11 student, races and trains at Racecraft 1, and was featured on WISH-TV 8 in June. Shaw also traveled to Florida over the summer for Race Car Training at Sebring International Raceway, and he has aspirations to compete at a professional level in the future.
Grade 3 Student Competes in USTA Tournaments
Grade 3 student Tamara Zaazoue participated in multiple United States Tennis Association (USTA) tournaments over the summer, placing in a number of them and receiving sportsmanship awards, too. She continues to work on her tennis skills and hopes to play for the ISI Middle and High School Tennis teams and in the US Open one day!
Top 5 Finish for Middle School Student in Songwriter Competition
Grade 8 student Austin Bruford was a top five finalist in the 8 to 12 year old International category of the Young Songwriter 2022 Competition, the world's leading songwriting competition for young aspiring songwriters. Bruford's song, titled Anywhere, was recently included in a compilation album with other winners. The album can be accessed on Apple Music and Spotify.
Grade 11 Student Interns With Eli Lilly, Attends National Conference
Grade 11 student Miles Mixon has been a member of the Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA) for four years, where he's learned four different coding languages. Through the club, Mixon learned of and was hired as an intern for Eli Lilly this summer, working to make database software Confluence more streamlined and user friendly. In August, he was recommended by a mentor to attend the BDPA annual conference due to his efforts and responsibilty displayed during his internship.
Grade 5 Student Earns Awards at Summer Academy
This past summer, Amirah Weaver, grade 5, attended Culver Summer Academy for six weeks. She earned and was awarded a Bronze Star, Medal in Equation, and numerous patches for accomplishments in swimming, reptiles and amphibians, scouting, arts and crafts, rocketry, sign language, and theatre arts. Weaver also earned a pin for art journaling!
Middle Schooler Attends Prestigious Summer Program
Grade 8 student Dylan Rogers was accepted to the Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute program at Purdue University over the summer. He spent two weeks at Purdue taking classes focusing on high-speed global problem solving and received high scores and feedback in all categories by his professors. Rogers enjoyed meeting people from across the world and getting a taste of college life.
Lower School Student Takes Second Place in "I Voted" Sticker Contest
Students across the state of Indiana were invited to submit a sticker design in the 2022 "I Voted" Sticker Design Contest. Grade 3 student Anna Rose Worthington won second place in her age bracket, and her stickers were available in poll sites across the state on Election Day!
Grade 8 Boy Scout Earns Next Rank
Landon Evans, grade 8, is a Boy Scout in Troop 514. He recently received his next rank of Second Class along with six merit badges in Personal Fitness, Swimming, First Aid, Sports, Nature, and Environmental Science.
High School Students Accept Award on Behalf of Timmy Global Health
In June, seniors Karina Peate and Melanie Kreutz accepted the presentation of the Kiwanis International World Service Medal on behalf of Timmy Global Health. This award is Kiwanis International's highest honor, and is awarded to a person or organization whose mission and goals align with Kiwanis' mission of serving children of the world.
Lower School Chess Players Take Home Second Place
In March, Lower School students who participate in Chess competed in The Scholastic Chess of Indiana State Team Championships, held in Hammond, Indiana. The ISI Team made up of Ashton Kathir, Austin Kathir, Zameer Kaushik, and Hayden Patel took home second place in the tournament! Twenty teams participated in the tournament and this was the ISI Team's best finish ever in this competition.
Sophomore Participates in Week-Long Research on Agrobacterium Tumefaciens
Asia Genawi, grade 10, participated in the week-long Jim Holland Summer Science Research Program at the Indiana University Department of Biology this summer. She was mentored by Professor Clay Fuqua and researched the bacteria that causes Crown Gall Disease. "Given the results of my research, a lesson I learned was that a lot of times, the results of your work does not go as expected, but the thought process you apply to deduce a valid conclusion makes a difference and can end up leading you down a different path," Genawi said. Click here to view her research poster.
Senior Chosen to Participate in Indy Project STEM
This summer, grade 12 student Yuichiro Murakami applied to Indy Project STEM and was chosen to work at a Biochemistry Lab at IUPUI for eight weeks. Murakami was introduced to the process of how proteins are purified and how assays are performed, as well as how to analyze and process data through a computer. "This experience further opened me up to the field of research. Learning about biology and actually utilizing it are two completely different things," Murakami said. "Researching this summer helped me realize that I want to pursue medicine further in college."
Senior Participates in IU STEM Project
Senior Patrick Machado participated in an eight-week program at the IU Health Neuroscience Center this summer. Machado researched for the introduction of his poster (shown above) for half the day and for the remainder of the day, would try different procedures with lab technicians. "My biggest takeaway from this experience was being able to see how a lab functions and how medical discoveries are made," Machado said. "In the lab you are able to see how some of the things you have learned in school actually apply to the real world. If you are looking at going into the medical field, this is the perfect opportunity to see if it truly is for you."
Class of 2022 Sets Earned Scholarship Record
The Class of 2022 enjoyed a 100 percent college acceptance rate, with 30 percent of graduates matriculating to highly selective colleges and universities both stateside and abroad, including Northwestern University, Howard University, McGill University, and more. The Class of 2022 earned the highest amount of scholarship dollars in school history at $7,732,248!
Upper School Students Attend Education Summit and College Fair
Audrey McCaslin (grade 11), Carson McCaslin (grade 9), Sofia Belcher (grade 9), and Isabela Knarr (grade 9) attended the 11th Annual Indiana Latino Education Summit and College & Career Fair in September. Students gathered with 4,000 Latino high school students to learn about the college application process and engage with university representatives. Students also heard from speaker Carlos Ojeda Jr. on defining yourself in your own journey.
Governor Selects Students to Attend Global Summit
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb personally invited International School of Indiana students to attend the Indiana Global Economic Summit, where over 30 international delegations gathered in Downtown Indy. Upper and Lower School students welcomed conference attendees by greeting them in their language track and sharing conversations about ISI. And, grade 3 students performed a welcoming song for participants.
January 2022
Senior Receives Prestigious Indiana College Scholarship
Each year, the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program offers the Lilly Scholarship to 9 students in Marion County. This distinguished scholarship includes full tuition, required fees, and a book stipend for all four years to any Indiana college or university that the student chooses to attend.
In December, a representative from the Central Indiana Community Foundation, along with members of the Upper School College Counseling and Leadership teams, surprised Samantha McCrea during the school day by awarding her with this distinct honor.
Middle Schooler Wins National Title in Equestrian Competition
In November, grade 6 student Samuelle Leerkamp competed with horse Idol of Kings in the Marshal & Sterling Insurance/USHJA National Championships.
Samuelle won the .7 Meter Children's National Championship and the USHJA outreach Golden Ticket for being a top scorer in Zone 5. The USHJA also published a video featuring Samuelle.
Sisters Perform as Part of the Indiana Ballet Conservatory
In November, Katerina (grade 3) and Anastasia (kindergarten) Hanzlik performed as Little Mouse and Angel in The Nutcracker at The Palladium in Carmel. The sisters performed as part of the Indiana Ballet Conservatory.
Middle Schooler's Soccer Talent Recognized by Professional Team
Four Grade 11 Students Receive Academic Recognition
Seniors Produce Original Play
ISI Recognizes Language Learning with the Global Seal of Biliteracy
Students Attend Symposium at University of Indianapolis
Grade 11 students Zaina Hayek, Melanie Kreutz, and Georgia Wiltz attended the Lugar Symposium in December. Hosted by the Lugar Academy, the event brings together top high school juniors from around the state to discuss public issues and world events.
Lower School Chess Players Win First Place at Tournament
In September, four Lower School students who participate in the Chess enrichment class won first place at a tournament hosted at the Westfield Library. Zameer Kaushik, Austin Howerton, Hayden Patel, and Jordan Howerton won first place as a school team in Category Third Grade. Ashton Kathir also won first place in Category First Grade.
December 2023
Varsity Cross Country Runner Advances to Sectionals
In his first Cross Country season at ISI, grade 10 runner Ashwin Long advanced to both sectionals and regionals.
Inaugural Golf Outing Hosted to Benefit Athletics Program
To support the Gryphon Athletics program, ISI held its inaugural ISI Golf Outing, a parent-organized event that was the vision of ISI parents Jack Hope and Kelly Steele Hughes. The event was hosted at the Prairie View Golf Course and included nearly 100 players, bringing in $25,000 in support of the ISI Athletics Program. Learn more in our blog recap.
Senior Volleyball Player Earns Honorable Mention
Senior Caitlyn Hempstead was named as an Honorable Mention player for the PAAC Volleyball All Conference Team for the 2023 season.
Middle Schooler Competes in USHJA National Championship
Last November, middle schooler Samuelle Leerkamp and her horse, Idol of Kings, competed at the USHJA National Championships in Las Vegas. Samuelle placed top three in jumpers, third place in .80 meter, Reserve Champion in .90 meter, and first place at .90 Grand Prix. She returned to the same competition this year, becoming a double National Champion in both divisions competed: .80m & .90m Children's jumpers. She also won the .90 Grand Prix again.
Boys Soccer Players Recognized by PAAC Athletics
Seniors Kael Miller and Kenjiro Murakami were both named to the PAAC All Conference Second Team. And, senior Bobby Kehl was named as an Honorable Mention player for the PAAC All Conference Team.
Senior Receives Basketball Honors
In the Winter 2022 Basketball season, then-grade 11-player was given an Honorable Mention for the 2022-23 Boys Basketball PAAC All Conference Team. He was also selected to participate in the 2023 Indiana Class Basketball All-Star Classic Junior Games, hosted at Anderson University.
He started his senior season off strong in the Winter 2023 season with 28 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, six steals, and two blocked shots in a win over Eminence followed by 24 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and four steals in a loss to Cambridge City Lincoln. He was featured in the Indianapolis Star and competed to be named the IHSAA Boys Basketball Player of the Week.
November 2022
Senior Volleyball Player Earns Honorable Mention
Grade 12 Volleyball player Melanie Kreutz was given an Honorable Mention for the 2022 Girls Volleyball All Conference Team.
Boys Soccer Players Recognized by PAAC Athletics
Grade 12 student Patrick Machado and grade 11 student Philip Randolph were both named to the PAAC All Conference 2nd Team. And, grade 10 student Evan Johnson earned an Honorable Mention!
Cross Country Runners Finish Strong in Sectionals
The Boys Cross Country team had a great season, and two runners earned their best times of the season during the Sectionals meet! Grade 11 student Miles Mixon ended Sectionals with an average mile time of 6:27.3. Grade 9 student Dennis Lemoine had an average mile time of 7:25.7 during Sectionals.
Grade 11 Student Receives Basketball Awards
Last winter season, grade 11 student Philip Randolph excelled on the Basketball court – he was named 2nd Team All Tournament in the Hoosier Holiday Basketball Classic and 2nd Team PAAC All-Conference. Randolph was also invited to participate in several elite camps and was ranked in the top 10 for several State division stats.
Seniors Compete with Indianapolis Rowing Center
Seniors Eli Gruen and Vasco McAlear have enjoyed meeting new people and improving in this distance sport at the Indianapolis Rowing Center. Last May, McAlear and Gruen competed in the Midwest Junior Rowing Championship in Ohio. Gruen went on to compete in Youth Nationals in Sarasota, Florida, where he placed top 15 in the nation.
Grade 7 Student to Compete in USHJA National Championship
Samuelle Leerkamp, grade 7, ended up as the official high point rider for USHJA Zone 5 (IL, IN, KY, MI, OH) and 11 USHJA Zones (all 50 states). As a result, she won the Golden Backstage Pass for Marshall & Sterling Insurance/USHJA National Championships. Leerkamp will travel to Las Vegas in November for this prestigious competition.
January 2022
Girls Volleyball Snags Sectional Runner-Up Title
High School Girls Volleyball earned a Sectional Runner-Up title after being narrowly defeated by the Indiana School for the Deaf in three close sets. Grade 12 student Nia Simmons was also given an Honorable Mention for the 2021 Girls Volleyball All-Conference Team.
Boys Soccer Earns Best Record in 5 Years, All Conference Players Named
High School Boys Soccer accomplished their best record in 5 years, finishing the season 7-4-1. Grade 12 student Myles Bernat and Grade 11 student Patrick Machado competed in the first-team All-Conference game. Grade 12 student Will Breeden competed in the second-team All-Conference game.
Girls Soccer Players Given Honorable Mention
High School Girls Soccer finished the season with a record of 3-1-6 and is looking forward to continuing to build out the program. Following their season, Grade 10 student Caitlyn Hempstead and Grade 11 students Karina Peate and Grace Kaneshiro were Honorable Mentions for the 2021 PAAC Girls Soccer All-Conference Team.
December 2023
Upper School Teacher Co-Publishes Textbook Set
Upper School Mandarin Teacher Dr. Ying-Sin Chen recently collaborated with a University of Virginia professor and 2 Mandarin teachers from New York and Ohio to publish Volume 1 of a Mandarin textbook set, which includes a textbook, practice book, task book, and character book. The Beijing Language and Culture University Press wrote about the publication: "...Through task-based language teaching and curriculum design, the textbook directly integrates communicative language goals into classroom instruction, making students fall in love with learning Chinese and Chinese culture..."
Head of School Featured on Local Podcast
In January, Head of School Elizabeth Head was the featured guest on the Luminate: Navigating the Unknown Through Creative Leadership podcast. The episode featured discussions on the opening of the Chen Family Lower School as well as Ms. Head's leadership style.
Mandarin Track Teacher Performs at Indy Chinese New Year Gala
Lower School Mandarin teacher Li Huang serves on the Board of Directors for the Indianapolis Chinese Community Center, and was invited to perform at their annual Indy Chinese New Year Gala. Ms. Huang sang the opening song at the event as well as a solo song written by her father.
Teacher Honored by Former Student
In honor of Teacher Appreciation Day, Lower School French track teacher Faustin N'Tala was recognized by former ISI student Aniya Duffy-Broderick as her most influential/favorite teacher at a basketball game. Mr. N'Tala was invited onto the court prior to the game to be honored.
Delegation From Indiana's Sister State Visits ISI
An international delegation from Zhejiang Province Government (China), Indiana's sister-state, visited Indianapolis and, due to the uniqueness of our Mandarin Immersion Program, visited our campus. Members from the ISI administration, Board of Directors, and Mandarin track teachers met with the delegation, teaching them more about ISI.
Primary Years Programme Coordinator Becomes Workshop Leader
Lasin Ilbay, ISI Primary Years Programme Coordinator, participated in a 2-month intense online/visual course, becoming a PYP Workshop Leader earlier this year. Becoming an IB Workshop Leader allows professionals to share their expertise with fellow educators, facilitate professional growth opportunities, foster a global network, promote innovation and best practices, support the implementation of IB programmes, and inspire a passion for lifelong learning.
November 2022
Lower School Teacher Selected for Fellowship
Earlier this year, Lower School Art teacher Ellery Diaz was selected as the only teacher in the United States for the World's Largest Lesson Teacher Fellowship. The Fellowship focuses on the creation of "a new set of learning resources focused on supporting children's mental health and well-being and helping them to find their happiness and share it in their community."
Upper School English Teacher Presents Research
Over the summer, Upper School English teacher Dr. Geoff Peate was invited to present his research on Youth Leadership at the Association of Leadership Educators 2022 Annual Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Most recently, Peate traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota for the ISACS 2022 Annual Conference, where he presented a workshop for Upper School English teachers, titled Leadership and Literature: How Fiction Can Develop Personal Leadership Traits in Adolescents.
Head of School Appears on Insiders Panel
In May, Head of School Elizabeth Head was one of three featured guests on the Inside INdiana Business Panel, where they discussed local and state-wide business ventures. The program airs weekly statewide and is also published on the program's YouTube channel.
Lower School Principal Attends Conferences, Presents Framework
In July, Lower School Principal Trina Haygaru attended the IB Global Conference in San Diego. Haygaru presented on the Compassionate Systems Framework, a system she started to help develop in 2016. ISI is one of eight schools around the world that helped develop the Compassionate Systems prototype with help from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She was then invited to MIT in September to participate in the inaugural MIT Systems Awareness Lab, where she served as a consultant for other schools preparing to adopt the Compassionate Systems Framework.
Senior Leadership Team Members Attend Mickey's Camp for Women
In August, Head of School Elizabeth Head and Vice President of Development & External Affairs Kristen Kaiser attended the 15th Annual Mickey's Camp for Women. At the Women's Camp, they enjoyed networking with other Indianapolis-based businesswomen and discussing the ways ISI has grown and positively impacted the Indianapolis community and beyond.
Upper School Principal Registers ISI for ASCD Activate
ASCD Activate is a significant professional development platform supporting educational leaders and teachers in the USA and beyond. Upper School Principal Richard Bruford recently registered ISI for this subscription, which provides teachers with extensive online professional development resources. This allows teachers to maintain their teacher licenses and gives them access to the latest educational research.
Upper School Music Teacher Creates Virtual Museum
In August, Upper School Music teacher Dr. Sarah Kgagudi worked with the whole school community in creating the ISI Musical Museum for a lesson in the MYP 3 Music class. ISI students, families, friends, and faculty/staff members were invited to submit a video recording playing an instrument and explaining how the sound was created.
Upper School Teacher Presents Work About Houma Nation
In September, French and Global Politics teacher Dr. Federic Allamel gave a special presentation about the Houma Nation to grade 10 students. As part of U.S. History, students learn about Indigenous people and colonization. As Allamel has a close relationship with the Houma Nation, he was able to share about the nation's history and challenges they faced in the past and present.
January 2022
Head of School Serving on Board of Local Non-Profit
In January 2021, Head of School Elizabeth Head began serving on the Board of Directors at American China Society of Indiana (ACSI), a local non-profit that leads the way to facilitate productive, sustainable, and open business relationships between Indiana and China. As part of her duties, Ms. Head attends quarterly Board meetings.
Lower School Principal Co-Hosts Webinar
In December, Lower School Principal spoke at a webinar hosted by the Committee on Teaching About the United Nations. The webinar, titled "Global Competence: Teaching and Learning In An Interconnected World," aimed to "define global competence, explain why it is essential for today's learners and show how it has been implemented in various programs." Ms. Haygaru spoke about the implementation of a Compassionate Systems Framework at the Lower School.
Upper School Principal Continues Work with the IB Educator Network
Upper School Principal Richard Bruford has worked in the IB educator network for 15 years, holding roles as a school evaluation team leader, workshop leader, consultant, and lead educator. Since arriving to the U.S. last year, Mr. Bruford has served as an evaluation team leader for schools in Colorado, North Carolina, Oregon, and Virginia. As a workshop leader, Mr. Bruford leads workshops on successfully implementing the IB Diploma Programme in schools around the world, which helps him provide pertinent professional development for our own faculty at ISI. He remains passionate in this work and has even encouraged ISI teachers to become members of the same network.
High School Biology Teacher & Students Interview on Podcast
Biology teacher Susannah Miller, alongside Grade 9 students Umay Ozsoy, Blair Breeden, and Kennedi Green, were interviewed by Robert Colangelo of Green Sense Radio Show. Ms. Miller and her students spoke about student's passion for the environment and how this is incorporated to their daily lessons. Listen to the interview here.
December 2023
Class of 2019 Alumni Featured in University News Article
Mawich Kachjaani, Class of 2019, is completing his senior year at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he is studying petroleum engineering and playing on the Men's Basketball team. Mawich was recently featured in the News-Miner Sports, where he talks about his journey from South Sudan, to the International School of Indiana, to Alaska!
Chen Building Lower School Awarded Top Prize
Schmidt Associates, the architecture firm that designed the Chen Building, received the IIDA Indiana Chapter IDEA Award for K12 Education for the interior design work on the Chen Building.
Class of 2020 Alumna Graduates College Early; Presents Senior Thesis
Raechel Long, Class of 2020, graduated early from Hanover College this spring, where she was previously awarded the prestigious Benjamin Templeton Scholarship. In October, Raechel was one of thousands of applicants who was chosen to present her senior thesis, titled "The Commodification of the Black Body: A Critical Analysis of the National Football League's 2016 Scouting Combine Day 1 and Draft Round 1" at the 2023 Midwest Popular Culture Association Conference, hosted at DePaul University in Chicago, Illionis.
Class of 2019 Alumni Leads Major Committee
Mateo Arrizabalaga, Class of 2019, (pictured on the left next to ISI teacher Jenny Howell and Class of 2019 grad Akuei Akuei) lead the Ad Hoc Committee of the Secretary-General at the Model United Nations of the University of Chicago Conference in February. The conference is hosted by the University of Chicago each year and the ISI Model United Nations Club attends yearly.
Class of 2020 Student Thriving in College Journey
Class of 2020 alumna, Grace Horton (pictured above in middle), is currently finishing her fourth year at the University of St. Andrews, the top university in the United Kingdom. Over the summer, Grace had the opportunity to participate in a marine archaeology field school in Bulgaria in addition to working at a dig site.
Class of 2011 Alumna Named FAVE Awards Finalist
Class of 2011 alumna, Iman Cooper, was nominated as a Finalist for the FAVE ChangeMaker Award. The ChangeMaker award is presented at the FAVE Awards in Austin, Texas each year, and is awarded to "a young professional (YP) who is a ripple-starter, thought-leader, do-er, ChangeMaker. This person identifies the need for change and through their efforts, creates innovative solutions to business and community challenges while inspiring others to do the same."
Local Publication Includes ISI on Language Learning List
IndyToday, a resource for all things Indianapolis, curated a list of where to learn a new language in Indianapolis. International School of Indiana was included on the list, encouraging locals to learn more about ISI if they want their pre-elementary to high school students to become bilingual!
ISI Featured in the International Center 50 for 50 Series
As part of the International Center's 50th anniversary, they featured fifty individuals, groups, and organizations that helped the Hoosier state become a global hub. The International School of Indiana was a featured organization as the Midwest's only International School!
November 2022
Alumni Siblings Return for Tour of New Chen Building
In May, Class of 2018 ISI alumnus Philip Bauwens and Class of 2020 alumna Olivia Bauwens returned to campus for a tour of the new Chen Family Lower School. Philip is a recent graduate from the University of Michigan and majored in Nuclear Engineering while Olivia currently attends Clemson University and is double majoring in Criminal Justice & Psychology and a minor in Spanish. We always welcome the opportunity to re-connect with our alumni!
Class of 2005 Alumni Publishes Book
Class of 2005 alumni Casey Bales recently published his first book Invisible Outsider, which contains stories and cultural insights he experienced living in two different countries – the United States and Japan. Bales shared that the book would not be possible without his experience at ISI and the valuable relationships he made during his time here. Invisible Outsider is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, and more!
Recent ISI Alumnus Inducted to Business School
In September, class of 2022 graduates Parth Arora, Kate Sears, and Deven Klobusnik were inducted into the Kelley School of Business. All three students were directly admitted to Kelley last year. The induction ceremony is a decades-long tradition that welcomes newly admitted students.
Class of 2018 Alumni Graduates, Lines Up Sports Reporting Job
Grace Ybarra, ISI 2018 graduate, matriculated to Indiana University, working as a sideline reporter for the Big Ten Network. Ybarra recently graduated from IU and now works as a sports reporter and anchor at WBCI-TV, a leading network in Northeast Mississippi and West Alabama.
Class of 2020 Alumna Speaks to Business Class
Teodora Nitu, Class of 2020, returned to ISI last February to speak with Diploma Programme Business students about her experience at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.
Class of 2020 Alumna Excels at Hofstra University
Nelle Bargeron, ISI 2020 graduate, was recently nominated and awarded a 2022-2023 HCC Fellowship in Jewish Studies at Hofstra University. "While my path may have changed a little bit, my Jewish identity still speaks strongly with regards to which career I will involve myself in," Bargeron shared. "I would advise people to have certain interests in high school that will have something to do with their lives already. Sometimes though the type of path we choose may change, having an idea or an interest in something will help in narrowing down the choices we make as adults in college."
ISI Alumni Featured on School Blog
Showcasing our alumni achievements inspires current and future students! The Alumni Feature section of the school blog highlights former ISI students, sharing how their ISI education helped them get to where they are today.
January 2022
Former ISI Student Selected for Prestigious Fellowship
Former ISI student, Maya Caldwell, has been chosen to join Orr Fellowship, which is "a two-year, post-graduate program that places high-achieving students into full-time, paid jobs at companies or organizations in Indianapolis." Maya was one of six DePauw seniors and 100 other Indiana college seniors offered this fellowship. Nearly 12,00 fellowship applications were submitted this year.
Class of 2020 Alum Making Strides at University Level
Class of 2013 Alum Develops App for International Students
Santiago Salmeron, Class of 2013, works as a mobile app developer and helped with the creation of the app Sunapsis. The app was released in February and was created to assist international students coming to the U.S. for college upload required documents. Indiana University has already implemented this tool. The Indiana Daily Student published an article with more information on the app.
December 2023
Advisory Board Member Honored by Indiana Governor
Albert Chen, Advisory Board Member and founder of Telamon Corporation, was honored by Governor Eric Holcomb with the Sachem Award. The Governor gives the Sachem Award annually to recognize an individual whose lifetime of excellence and moral virtue has brought credit and honor to Indiana.
Vice President of Board Named to Forty Under 40
Annually, the Indianapolis Business Journal honors 40 individuals under 40 who have demonstrated leadership, initiative, and dedication, leading to success in their field of work. This year, Patricio Daneri, Vice President of the Board of Directors, received this honor.
Advisory Board Member Featured in Indiana University Publication
Susan Thomas, ISI Advisory Board Member, was recently featured in the IU Alumni Magazine Fall 2023 edition, where she reflects on her study abroad experience in college. She touches on how her year abroad led to a lifelong interest in all things global, including being a founding board member of the International School of Indiana. Read the article online here (scroll to the fifth story, titled Magical Memories).
November 2022
Board President's Company Becomes Employee-Owned
Board President Scott Weaver was recently featured on Inside INdiana Business. Weaver is now the Chairman and CEO of the newly re-titled SAW Ventures Inc. as the venture firm becomes employee-owned. The firm, which operates Safeway Supermarkets and other businesses, is now an Employee Stock Ownership Plan company.
Board Member Named Dean of Lacy School of Business
In April, Craig Caldwell was named the Dean of Butler University's Lacy School of Business. Caldwell served as the school's Interim Dean beginning in July 2021. Caldwell will serve as the chief academic and administrative officer for the Lacy School.
Board Members Attend Mickey's Camp for Men
In August, ISI Board Members Scott Weaver and Craig Anderson, founding Board Member David Kosene, and former Dean of Culture and Counseling Rob Love attended the 21st Annual Mickey's Camp for Men. At the Men's Camp, ISI was one of four not-for-profit organizations chosen to receive a portion of the camp's proceeds.
January 2022
Board Member Serving as Interim Dean at Butler
Craig Caldwell, who previously served as an Associate Dean in Butler University's Lacy School of Business (LSB), was appointed as the School's Interim Dean in July. Caldwell continues to teach in the MBA and Master of Science in Risk & Insurance programs.
Board Secretary Promoted Within Eli Lilly and Company
In June, Board Secretary Alonzo Weems assumed his new role, Senior Vice President and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, at Eli Lilly and Company. His alma mater, Wabash College, announced the news and shared more about this new role.
Board Member Receives Award From International Center
In September, Andrea Richter-Garry was the recipient of the 2021 Global Impression Award, which "honors emerging leaders who are demonstrating success in their profession, directly impacting the global community within Indiana, and whose work has a considerable impact on a vision for an Indiana that is a vibrant place to live and work while valuing all cultures." The award is presented at the International Citizen of the Year event, hosted by the International Center, each year.
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