So far, the Class of 2025 has earned a total of $5,643,850 in scholarships, averaging over $225,000 per reporting student. This beats the Class of 2024's total by nearly $100,000!

Among the 27 graduates, they plan to matriculate at fifteen different universities, with two planning to attend a school out of the country. Congratulations, Class of 2025! 

The 2025 Gates Scholarship is highly competitive, with less than one percent of applicants receiving an award each year. The scholarship requires a dedicated and rigorous application process due to its prestigious nature. Factors like outstanding academic performance, community involvement, strong recommendations, and successful interviews are crucial for selection. 

Each year, only 300 student leaders across the entire United States are selected, receiving funding for up to the full cost of attendance to a four year college or university and engaging with students/their institutions to ensure they have access to resources and services they need. As one of the most competitive scholarships in existence, the overwhelming majority of people who receive it will attend top schools in the national. 

Senior Isabel Kim is the International School of Indiana's first recipient of The Gates Scholarship, and will be attending the University of Michigan, majoring in Nursing! 

ISI partners with NextGrad to connect high school students with higher education opportunities through its digital screen, located in the Taurel Building upstairs common area. Each year, NextGrad donates a scholarship on behalf of every high school partner. The scholarship is awarded to a senior who has demonstrated leadership and motivation throughout the college application process. 

Senior Makoto Buroku was selected as the 2025 NextGrad Scholarship recipient. He plans to attend Waseda University in Japan.

The College Board National Recognition Program awards academic honors to high-performing underrepresented students. This National Program recognizes the achievements of students across the country based on exceptional performance on the PSAT/NMSQT standardized exam in Grade 11. Recipients are among the highest-achieving high school students in the country, and, as a result, many colleges are eager to recruit them. Two ISI seniors were recognized for this award:

• Kennedi Green | National African American Recognition Program
  Kennedi will be attending Howard University
• Isabel Kim | National First-Generation Recognition Program
  Isabel will be attending the University of Michigan 

The Harvard Political Review Essay Competition challenges students to engage with critical social and political issues defining our world. Students from around the country submit essays that dive into thought-provoking topics. Grade 11 student Alex Jones submitted his essay this year about the European Union and the crises it faces–he won individual honors!

This spring, grade 7 student Beckett Garry made the State of Indiana Olympic Development Soccer Team and traveled to Portugal for training. They trained with professional Portuguese staff, played with a peer-level Portuguese team, attended professional soccer matches, and enjoyed other educational and cultural activities! 

Jackie Ko, Levi Fauntleroy, Alexander Moss, and Joaquin Olivares represented the International School of Indiana at the Scholastic Chess of Indiana 2025 Team Championships. The team placed sixth out of 33 teams in the 3rd grade and under bracket. You can find the final results here.

Alexander Moss led the team as captain, playing the toughest competitors throughout the day. Joaquin Olivares went undefeated in second chair. Levi Fauntleroy pushed through a headache, besting four out of six opponents. Jackie Ko pulled off a win in the final round that solidified the team's sixth place finish. 

Martinsville High School hosted the 2025 SCI Team Finals on Saturday, March 22. The team played six matches in the tournament, which lasted from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It was a test of determination, focus, preparedness, and resilience!

Boston Harvard Model Congress (Feb 20-25):
Six of our students attended the prestigious Harvard Model Congress, where 1,700 students from around the world gathered. It was our first time, and the conference was incredibly welcoming. Delegates experienced both small and large committee sessions, including the full House and Senate. Some participated in unique committees like a Harry Potter-themed Ad Hoc committee, while others tackled challenges in committees such as the West Wing or the Historical Committee on the HMS Bounty. 

Indiana University Model United Nations (Feb 28-Mar 2):
Twelve of our delegates attended this smaller conference with 350 students from nearby states. It was an excellent opportunity for skill-building, offering feedback and instruction throughout. Three of our alumni served as chairs, while another volunteered to help the organizers. In their downtime, students had fun bowling, playing pool, and dancing at a silent disco while also making new friends and sharpening their skills.

In February, ISI students performed at the annual Indianapolis Chinese Community Center's Lunar New Year celebration at the Palladium in Carmel! The celebration showcases unique parts of Chinese and Asian cultures.

Lower School teacher Li Huang, who also performed at the event, prepared her Kindergarten Mandarin class to perform! Upper School Mandarin students also performed at the event. Enjoy a video recording of both performances! 

In January, senior Blair Breeden was awarded second place for the DAR Good Citizen Contest, which was created in 1934 and is intended to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship. This award recognizes and rewards high school seniors who possess the qualities of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism in their homes, schools, and communities. Learn more about the contest here!

This week, Upper School students who earned a spot on the Fall 2024 Honor Roll were celebrated during an all-school ceremony. These students achieved an impressive average of 6 across their courses for the first semester of the 2025 school year.

This year, Lower School parent Angie Lau & Upper School parent Beth Prince began offering enrichment classes titled Life Beyond School - Leadership Skills. The aim of the class is to offer simple, engaging activities that help kids develop life skills, think creatively, solve problems, and practice kindness. 

In December, Angie and her grade 2 student, Grayson Bell, were featured on WISH-TV to discuss the exciting venture! You can learn more about Life Beyond School here and also purchase their at-home packs on Amazon! 

Grade 9 student Emma Wust Head is featured in the Letters About Literature publication for her piece "Letter to Kiera Cass" (page 10). Letters About Literature is a reading and writing contest for students in grades 4 through 12. Students are asked to read a fiction or nonfiction book, book series, short story, poem, essay, or speech, and write to the author about how the book affected them personally.  

Led by senior Sai Klobsnik and supported by Mr. Raymond, Dr. Peate, Mr. Long, Mr. Davis, and the senior boys, the group committed to raising awareness about prostate and testicular cancer and mental health by participating in Movember. 

Movember is a global charity that raises awareness and funds for men's mental health issues. The month-long event encourages men to grow a mustache (women and children can wear a mustache to support!). The name "Movember" is a combination of the Australian-English term for mustache, "mo," and "November." 

Upper School student Veronica Sabau was recognized with a State/Regional Award for her video "Macroalgae: The Protein of our Future" in the World of 8 Billion student video contest. The contest required students to produce a 1-minute video on a global topic related to human population growth. Over 3,100 videos were created for this international student contest, and Veronica was the only award recipient for the state of Indiana! 

In November, twenty-one of our Lower School math enrichment students participated in the Beaver Computing Challenge, an international competition hosted by the University of Waterloo in Canada. The competition is aimed at students in grades 5 and 6, but ISI students were ready for the challenge, with students in grades 2 to 5 participating. With over 12,500 international participants, five ISI students earned distinction certificates for their outstanding performance on the challenge.

Congratulations to Jordan Howerton, Zameer Kaushik, Miles Lessey, Hayden Patel, and Lucas Vogel!

In November, Grade 11 students Ashwin Long and Amalia Cristea attended the West Point Leadership Conference. The purpose of the conference is to help make good young leaders by giving them tools they can use as leaders in their school community.

The Conference is an interactive seminar during which the students will explore the foundations of ethical leadership and their own personal values.

Grade 10 students were paired with Butler University Chemistry majors during a field trip in November. Students used a colorimeter to measure the concentration of a copper solution that ISI students had prepared using prior chemistry knowledge.

This was an excellent opportunity for MYP Chemistry students to experience a college-level lab, engage with college students, apply their chemistry knowledge, and use advanced equipment. 

In November, Upper School students Matteo Coppano, Craig Johnson, Ashwin Long, Luka Buroku, Makoto Buroku, and Emma Phan volunteered to help distribute coats for the Coats for Kids Distribution Day at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. For Ashwin, Matteo, Craig, and Emma, this was an opportunity to see their CAS Project through to the end! 

On behalf of Coats for Kids, the ISI community donated:

• 259 coats
• 86 hats
• 90 pairs of gloves
• 65 scarves

Grade 7 student Amirah Weaver received two medals from Culver Woodcraft Camp for Swimming and Math! She graduated from Butterflies as Gold C and will be a Cardinal in summer 2025. 

In May, Lower School students Loulou Vetrini and Isaac Mo competed in a regional synchronized swimming competition in Wisconsin with Indy Synchro. Their team won first place in the competition to the song Be My Guest from Beauty and the Beast. 

In honor of International Happiness Day in March, Lower School Art teacher Ellery Diaz and Lower School students collaborated with Mirror Indy. Students wrote down their tips for being happy on Post-It Notes and put them in a Tip Jar of Happiness for anyone to read! Mirror Indy invited students to read their tips and featured them on their YouTube channel. 

Lower School student Ismay Byczko had her artwork featured on IndyCar driver Marcus Ericcson's helmet during the Indy 500 in May. Ismay drew a red Riley racecar to support the Racers for Riley initiative, a partnership between INDYCAR, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Riley Children's Foundation to help raise money to help Riley families. She appeared on Fox59 with her mom and a representative for IMS to discuss the initiative! 

In May, Eckerd College awarded senior (now alumna) Helena Duarte the highest academic achievement scholarship as well as a First Year Research Associateship. The associateship is awarded to just 25 incoming freshmen and provides the opportunity for recipients to work closely with a member of the faculty on a research project of mutual interest. Helena was also selected as one of the five E-STEM scholars (Eckerd Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.

In February, Indiana University awarded senior (now alumna) Caitlyn Hempstead the Indiana University Wells Scholarship. The Wells Scholars Program covers a student's full cost of tuition for all four years, living stipends, and financial support for a full year of study abroad. Fewer than 17 students across the globe receive this prestigious scholarship annually. Caitlyn accepted the scholarship and matriculated to Indiana University this past fall. 

In July, senior Simon Chen participated in the Princeton Photo Workshop Summer Camp. Simon learned several new techniques, including portrait photography, macro, and post editing using Adobe Lightroom. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.  

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.

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.

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 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.

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 help their fellow classmates if needed during recess. The program continues during the 2023-24 school year.

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.

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. 

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.

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.  

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.

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. 

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! 

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." 

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."

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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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 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. 

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!  

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 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 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! 

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 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 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. 

Toby Schamberger and Norah Hempstead raised over $6,000 to produce an original play that was performed at the District Theater in Indianapolis in October. Inspired to create a play about LGBTQ youth, Toby hired a playwright and director, interviewed LGBTQ teens and families, and helped develop the play.

Each year, The Rising Stars of Indiana honors grade 11 students for their academic achievements. This year, Grace Kaneshiro, Melanie Kreutz, Karina Peate, and Georgia Wiltz received this esteemed honor.

Grade 7 student Michael Bonaccorsi was invited to practice with the FC Cincinnati Youth Academy, including representing the academy at a tournament in Rhode Island last May. Michael continues to attend training with the team 1 to 2 times per month. Locally, he competes for FC Price as well as the ISI middle school soccer team.

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. 

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.

Congratulations to the six ISI Middle School Track & Field athletes who qualified for the State Championships this season!

• Mateo Anderson (400m: 53.07, 800m: 2:06, 4x400m Relay: 4:00.6)
• Beckett Garry (100m: 11.79, 200m: 24.46, 4x400m Relay: 4:00.6)
• Mauricio Laguna (4x400m Relay: 4:00.6)
• Alex Lee (4x400m Relay: 4:00.6)
• Nadia Shannon (Discus: 81-5)
• Sophia White (100m: 13.69)

Congratulations to the Boys Varsity Golf Team for the 2nd place finish in the PAAC Conference Tournament! The Gryphons had two podium finishers, Evan Johnson (3rd place) and Tristyn Patel (5th place).

At the Senior Send Off Assembly in April, Eddie Willis signed his letter of intent to play Lacrosse at Wabash College! Eddie made the exciting commitment to further his athletic career at Wabash surrounded by family, friends, and coaches!

In March, senior Peter Machado was nominated for the MaxPreps Indiana High School Athlete of the Week. Peter was nominated for his game performance against Purdue Broad Ripple, where he had 16 points, 19 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks in the 68-50 win. He averaged 13.8 points and 11.3 rebounds (ranks 10th in Indiana) with 13 double-doubles. He also named an Honorable Mention Player for the PAAC Basketball All Conference Team! 

Freshman Yaretzi Mejia Guevara was named as an Honorable Mention player for the PAAC Volleyball All Conference Team for the 2024 season.

Freshman Ana Cuevas-Faget was named as an Honorable Mention player for the PAAC Volleyball All Conference Team for the 2024 season.

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.

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. 

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.

Senior Caitlyn Hempstead was named as an Honorable Mention player for the PAAC Volleyball All Conference Team for the 2023 season.

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.

In his first Cross Country season at ISI, grade 10 runner Ashwin Long advanced to both sectionals and regionals.

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. 

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. 

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! 

Grade 12 Volleyball player Melanie Kreutz was given an Honorable Mention for the 2022 Girls Volleyball All Conference Team. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

In March, Upper School Director of Admissions Jen Rose attended the Center for Leadership Development's Annual Minority Achievers & Scholars Gala. The Gala acknowledges incoming grade 9 private high school scholarship recipients, who have completed the CLD program and demonstrate academic strength.

Director of Upper School Admissions Jen Rose presented and recognized ISI's two CLD scholars at the event, and also shared more about our school's unique mission with attendees.

In February, Lower School Mandarin teacher Li Huang performed at the annual Indianapolis Chinese Community Center's Lunar New Year celebration at the Palladium in Carmel! The celebration showcases unique parts of Chinese and Asian cultures. You can watch part of Li's performance here! 

Upper School teacher Jenny Howell received the prestigious 2025 Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Fellowship award! The program supports K-12 educators throughout Indiana by providing resources for them to take time for meaningful renewal.

Annually, educators all around Indiana create and submit a competitive project proposal for review. Jenny received the award for her submission, titled “Filling the Vacuum of Missed Opportunities in Japan: Immersion into Mindfulness” – hike the Kumano Kodo trail and engage in language classes and immersive cultural opportunities.

In September, the International School of Indiana was selected to host a Finalsite Onsite Workshop. Admissions and marketing professionals from 15 schools (including the ISI Advancement Team and Admissions Team) in Illinois and Indiana gathered on campus for a full day of sessions and networking.

The workshop started with sessions led by Finalsite Client Success Managers and concluded with a workshop led by Kristen Kaiser, Emily Griffin, and Kelsey Cahlamer. The team presented on the marketing, communications, and website strategies that are key to their success and how they best optimize Finalsite to meet the needs of the ISI community. 

Finalsite is ISI's chosen partner for the school website, communications, and enrollment platform. In June, the ISI Advancement Team, Kristen Kaiser, Emily Griffin, and Kelsey Cahlamer, attended Finalsite University. This annual conference brings together Independent School Finalsite clients to network, attend workshops, and strategize for improvement. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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..." 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

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."

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

In May, a running/walking group made up of ISI students, teachers, and alumni participated in the Indy Pride Rainbow 5K Run/Walk presented by C.H. Douglas & Gray. The group gathered in downtown Indianapolis to participate in the race, which started at the Fowling Warehouse and moved throughout the Brookside Park area!  

Class of 2024 graduate, Anzie Wiseman, matriculated to University of Miami and has started her journey as a marine science student! Throughout her freshman year, Anzie:

• Volunteered at the Philip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, where she cared for marine species by preparing diets, observing behavior, and getting hands-on exposure to aquatic animals
• Became Marine Mammal Stranding Certified and is an active volunteer who may be called upon to assist with real strandings throughout Miami-Dade
• Joined a Scuba Club and marine science honors society, which led her to participate in dive trips and the Shark Tooth Festival in Venice Beach, Florida

In May, USA Today published an article, IU Language Workshop builds global skills through intensive training. The article shares an in depth look into into Indiana University's 75-year-running Language Workshop, which welcomes 300 students and professionals each summer. 

The article also mentions the Hamilton Lugar School's Language Summer Camp held in partnership with ISI each year. Read the full article here! 

In alignment with Pillar 1 of the Strategic Plan (Community Culture), Head of School, Elizabeth Head, started the inaugural ISI Couch to 5K Parent and Staff Running Club! The Running Club, made up of ISI parents and employees, met on campus twice a week for nine weeks for training sessions, which were open to seasoned runners and those who had never run before. 

On May 3, the Running Club gathered to participate in the 500 Festival 5K together! Lower School teachers Abbie O'Keefe and Kim Deakyne ran the Mini Marathon the same day! 

Indianapolis marked an unforgettable stop on the road to the 2024 Olympics in Paris, serving as host to the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials -Swimming presented by Lilly- the first time a swim meet has been held in an NFL stadium. An important symbol of our city’s extraordinary efforts to host the event was a 66-foot-tall, 14,000-pound replica Eiffel Tower constructed by Indiana Sports Corp, F.A. Wilhelm Construction, and the Latinas Welding Guild. The tower, constructed on Georgia Street, greeted a record-breaking 285,000 fans during the nine-day event. 

It was recently announced that the International School of Indiana has been selected as the permanent home for the art piece! Learn more below:

News Coverage:

• WTHR
• Indianapolis Business Journal 
• WFYI Indianapolis
• WISH-TV

Blog Posts:

• ISI
• Indiana Sports Corp

In April, Lower School parent Kira Newkirk was featured on Indiana Donor Network's Story of Hope series alongside Cliff, a coach from her former high school. Cliff discovered that he was in urgent need of a kidney transplant and, upon discovering she was a match, Kira donated a kidney. Watch the inspiring story here! 

Schmidt Associates, the architecture firm that helped to bring the vision of the Chen Family Lower School to life, published an article celebrating the International School of Indiana's 30th Anniversary. The article shares insight about the vision of ISI's inception, how we've grown over the past three decades, and well wishes for where we are headed. Read the full article here!

Each year, bestselling author James Patterson gives out holiday bonuses to hundreds of independent bookstore workers across the country. Addison Roberts, Class of 2017, works at The Book Cellar in Chicago, Illinois. In December 2024, Addison was selected as a $500 bonus recipient after her coworkers nominated her! Read the full story here! 

In December, Class of 2020 alum Nelle Bargeron graduated from Hofstra University with a Bachelor's in Jewish Studies and a minor in Human Services. Nelle graduated with a 3.74 GPA in her senior semester, making her a candidate for the Dean's list for the second time in her collegiate career. 

Class of 2023 alum, Evan Cahoon, performed as the lead character in Puffs at Purdue University. Evan is a member of the Purdue Performance Collaborative, which is a student-run theatre organization. 

Current grade 11 & 12 students, along with Upper School Theatre teacher RJ Jensen, traveled to Purdue to attend the production!

Class of 2017 alumna, Kensi Knowling, made national news for running the New York City marathon and then flying to Indianapolis for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour the same day! 

After Kensi had already secured her spot in the New York City marathon, she also secured tickets to the highly coveted concert more than 600 miles away. Her idea to run the marathon and then fly immediately to Indianapolis for the concert went viral on Tik Tok, which led to her being featured in People magazine. Read the full story here! 

Nadia Kimbrough, an ISI Class of 2021 alum and a current Purdue Evans Scholar, was elected to serve as the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on the Purdue Evans Scholar Board in 2024. Nadia also serves as a Purdue Campus Ambassador. 

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! 

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! 

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." 

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. 

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.

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. 

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. 

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! 

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."

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. 

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. 

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 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! 

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!

Hongyu Zhang, Class of 2020, is studying Physics at Hamilton College and is already making strides in research, working with data from NASA. Hongyu has also been selected as a recipient of the Phi Beta Kappa Book Prize, which recognizes 10 students who have the highest GPA after their first year of college.

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. 

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and WISH-TV is featuring Asian Americans in the community who have made a difference! 

Advisory Board Member Dr. Albert Chen is a successful entrepreneur, founding Telamon Corp. in 1985. In the interview, Albert speaks about remaining resilient, how the Asian population has grown in Indiana over the past 25 years, and his hopes for the future. Watch the full interview here! 

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, Andrea Richter Garry, ISI board member and Lower & Upper School parent, received this honor.

Each year, the Chair of the ISI Board of Directors selects the winter of The Order of the Gryphon. This award is reserved for those who exemplify the very essence of service and selflessness. This year, Board Chair Alonzo Weems awarded The Order of the Gryphon to Sidney Taurel, School Founder & current Advisory Board Member. In reflecting on Sidney's leadership in helping to found the International School of Indiana and his consistent and generous support over the past 30 years, it was evident that Sidney should receive this award in our 30th Anniversary Year.

Andrea Richter-Garry and Ashley Garry, in coordination with Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, procured a statewide proclamation for Indiana, making December 7 Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome Awareness Day a cause close to their hearts. 

Andrea and Ashley shared ways to help honor TTS Awareness Day and their late twins, Teck and Kitty:

1. Share TTTS Awareness Day with your network to help amplify information about TTTS.
2. On December 7, create a World Wide Wave of Light from 5:10-5:15 p.m. as part of the day–light a candle or take a moment to keep TTTS families in your thoughts. 
3.  Learn more about TTTS or support the TTTS Foundation. 

Sarla Kalsi, ISI Advisory Board Member, was the keynote speaker for the 10th annual Great Girls, Wonderful Women luncheon. The luncheon raises funds for scholarships to allow young people to participate in Foundation for Youth programming in Columbus, Indiana. 

Sarla shared powerful words about the obstacles she has faced throughout her life. Read the full story here! 

In November, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce held its 35th Annual Awards Dinner, which recognizes noteworthy individuals and a local community. 

Patricio Daneri was awarded the NextEra Energy Resources Young Professional of the Year award, which recognized Patricio's inspiring story of immigrating to the U.S. and founding his own business at 25. Learn more about Patricio's story here.

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. 

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. 

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 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. 

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.

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.