June Husky Herald 2025 by ismhuskies

THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MINNESOTA

THE HUSKY HERALD

FROM THE DIRECTOR

Wow! It’s hard to believe that the 2024-25 school year has come to an end. We have had so much fun this school year with many things to celebrate. As we kick off the month of June with high school and kindergarten graduation, it is hard to contain our excitement as we finish the year. Thank you so much ISM families for sharing your amazing students with our learning community.

There are several important items of note. First, be sure to collect all medications and needed items before you depart for the summer. If your student has outgrown ISM uniform items, we will gladly accept donations in the bins outside of the main office. Second, student forms and health forms will be available to families over the summer and we will notify you when they are ready to be completed. ISM Family Liaison, Ms. Melanie Gilles, will be working with families to ensure all needed forms are received before August 1st.

Finally, we are excited to honor the successful completion of ISM’s 40th year of operation with the conclusion of the 2024-25 academic year. Please save the date of November 1 as we will we host the celebratory gala downtown Minneapolis at the Royalston Square. The end of the school year is always bittersweet as we will not get to see our students each day, but we wish each and everyone a restful and joyous summer 2025.

Jeana Carrasco

ISM School Director

HABITAT RESTORATION AT ISM

COLLABORATION AND CONSERVATION: ISM’S CREEKSIDE COMEBACK

The Nine Mile Creek is one of many beautiful landmarks on the ISM campus. About a year ago, the Three Rivers Park District and the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District came together to figure out a plan to renovate the Nine Mile Creek. Before the renovation, there was zero water flow in the creek and that caused a reduction in habitat. There weren’t as many animals in the wooded area by the creek and something needed to change. The two districts pulled out trees and found a way to make the creek flow all the way into Bryant Lake at the beginning of the 2024-25 academic school year.

Kaia Frazier (ISM '25), social responsibility department deputy head prefect, thought of an idea after the renovation to bring back habitat and animals to the creek. Frazier spoke to the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District and they suggested to make wood duck houses as it’s a great habitat for wood ducks. The Nine Mile Creek Watershed District paid for all the supplies to build the wood duck houses and it became a project during SLO’s Day of Service in December 2024. The students built seven houses and wanted to put them up by the creek in March 2025. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t friendly and they weren’t able to put them up at that time. The group waited until Thursday, May 22, and took a day to go out and properly put them up. The students received help from Mr. Trent Mahr, Mr. Joel Reinitz, and some members of the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District.

The group had a great time learning and working together to put these wood duck houses in the right location for the best success in the future. Mrs. Sarah Bianucci, ISM’s Student Life Coordinator, said Kaia didn’t want this project to end after this school year, so there are plans for next year’s SLO team to carry on the wood duck houses. “Next March, we’re planning to go out to the wood duck houses and put wood chips in them for the ducks,” Mrs. Bianucci said. “We’re going to monitor them on a consistent basis and learn about the habitat near the creek.”

The SLO team is hoping to get a camera in the future and document when these ducks come in and out of the houses. Eventually, Mrs. Bianucci and the students want to make a trail out to the wood duck houses made out of wood chips. It might take some time, but it could be a good way for people to understand the habitat that is right in ISM’s backyard.

ISM INTRODUCES A NEW LITERARY JOURNAL PROJECT FOR THE 2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR

ISM

STUDENT, SAHER IQBAL (ISM '26) LEADS NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS

I am proud to announce ISM's brand new literary journal, titled Rust & Stardust. This will be an opportunity for ISM's writers to hone their craft with periodic opportunities for publications in the 2025 - 2026 Academic Year. Each month a new prompt or theme will be revealed, the English Department will assemble to review the submissions, and eventually decide on 4-6 works that will appear in the final publication. This is a project created with the intent to have drawn-out downstream effects, upheld long after I graduate!

To formally begin, I would like to introduce a prompt for our writers to noodle on over the break. Poetry and prose are accepted, with a 500-word limit.

Write about a character in conflict with the summer.

Happy Writing!! - Saher Iqbal (ISM '26)

ART WITH HEART

ISM STUDENTS INSPIRE AT ANNUAL ISM ART SHOWCASE AND MSHSL SECTION SHOW

The month of May included a couple of highlights for the art department with the ISM Art Showcase and the conclusion of the MSHSL Section Visual Arts Show. Both of these events display the level of skill and creativity that ISM students have when creating pieces of art.

On Tuesday, May 6, the ISM track was lined up with pieces of art from every student at the school for the ISM Art Showcase “Echoes of Ink”. The event was hosted by Mr. PJ Mack, art teacher for grades 3-12, and Mrs. Preeti Devaraj, art teacher for preschool through grade 2. Parents, family, and friends had the opportunity to come to the ISM track and walk around the entire track to see the various paintings, drawings, and pieces of art. There was a great turnout as the track was filled with people smiling with each art piece they saw along the way.

Later in the month, on Friday, May 23, ISM students received recognition for their art pieces that were sent into the MSHSL Section Visual Arts Show. The school had 10 students submit art to the show and all of them received either excellent or superior certificates. The creativity these students have to create incredible art pieces is truly extraordinary and ISM is proud of all of these students for their accomplishments.

¡FELICIDADES! ISM SHINES IN NATIONAL SPANISH EXAM

NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR THIRTEEN ISM SPANISH STUDENTS

One of the foundations of The International School of Minnesota is our world language department as we offer Spanish and French to students. Students have the opportunity to choose which language they want to study. Our middle and high school Spanish students took the National Spanish Exam earlier this school year.

The exam goes into a number of categories to test the student’s knowledge on vocabulary, forming sentences, having conversations, and the overall understanding of grammar. The test results came back from the national Spanish exam and there was a celebration in the dining hall on Tuesday, May 27. 13 ISM students received medals recognizing their accomplishments on the exam. There were two gold medals, six silver, and four bronze.

There are rare situations when a student receives a perfect score on the exam. It doesn’t happen that often, but Yunfei ‘Sophie’ Zhang (ISM ’28) was one of those students this year that earned a perfect score. Mrs. Patricia Suarez, head of the Spanish department, said Sophie has been working diligently on her Spanish and she’s happy to see her hard work pay off. Sophie received a special medal for earning a perfect score and a letter congratulating her on the achievement. Congratulations to Sophie and the other 12 students who earned these medals!

BUZZERS, BRAINS, AND BRACKETS

The ISM Science Department hosted its inaugural Science Trivia Competition for both middle and high school students. A total of 12 teams competed for each division and the competition had a bracket-style tournament with questions being science related. The tournament took two weeks to complete, but the students had a great time competing with their classmates.

The middle school competition took place the week of May 12, while the high school tournament happened the week of May 19. The teams were made up of two students and each team had the opportunity to press the button first to answer the question. The categories ranged from chemistry to physics and staying within the science topic.

Congratulations to Saher I. and Zyva I. (ISM ’26) for winning the high school division and Rocco B. (ISM ’31) and Jack S. (ISM ’30) for winning the middle school division. Many of the students gave high remarks regarding the competition and they want to see if again for next spring. The science department looks forward to building on the first year and making it more competitive and fun for future years.

A HUSKY YOU CAN COUNT ON

MAY THEME: TRUSTWORTHY

This student is someone others can count on. They are honest in their words and actions. They don’t lie, cheat, or take what isn’t theirs. When they make a promise, they keep it, and when they say they’ll do something, they follow through. They show integrity by standing by their values, even when it’s not the easy choice. Their loyalty shines through in how they treat their friends and classmates with respect and support, not just when it benefits them, but all the time. Others know they can trust this student because they are reliable, responsible, and always strive to do the right thing. Their trustworthy character makes them a strong role model and a positive force in the school community.

MAY HUSKY HOWL RECIPIENTS

Humayel Mukadam

Jonas Boehle

Ashwin Devineni

Zyva Iqbal

Jack Wu

Victoria Buergel

Kenny Willkomm

Cloris Chen

Himanshu Singavarapu

Kaia Frazier

Hana Hawkinson

Raiyn Matta

Siri Devineni

Aviyah Agunwamba

Emeric Salgado

Kenan Peteri

Anniston Johansen

Maysa Gelle

ISM SENIORS CELEBRATE FINAL DAYS

Each student in the Class of 2025 at ISM has had a unique journey, but ultimately, it has led them to decide on a college and continue their educational goals. On May 2, 2025, these seniors cemented their future with Decision Day and announced their college at the Leila C. Saad Performing Arts Center. The Class of 2025 received over 70 college acceptances across the country and were offered a substantial $837,000 per year in scholarships, totaling over $3.4 million in scholarships throughout their college careers.

The students accepted over $232,000 per year in financial aid, and nearly 20% of the senior class will receive full-ride scholarships to prominent schools. When it came to selecting a college, Mr. Cohen, Director of College Counseling, said that each senior student had their own path, with certain nonnegotiables, such as affordability, location, strength of academic programs, extracurricular activities, and other aspects of college life.

Senior Dmytro Nyzhnyk said one of his focuses was a strong program for economics, so he could continue challenging himself in education. He also wanted affordability and was fortunate enough to receive the Claremont McKenna Grant, covering both tuition and his room and board to attend

Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California next year. “I’m excited about Claremont and starting a new chapter at a new school,” Dmytro said. “I had such a great, supportive community at ISM. When I came to ISM, I didn’t speak English well. The teachers and staff supported me while I learned English, and I appreciate the things they’ve done for me.”

Although affordability was on Laura's list, she prioritized finding a strong pre-med program, as she’s studying biochemistry. The University of MinnesotaTwin Cities provided her with numerous opportunities to explore a variety of curricula, while also helping her find her path in the pre-med program. Laura was also accepted into Howard University, but felt that Minnesota was the best fit for her and her academic future.

“The college prep at ISM was very helpful, and Mr. Cohen provided me with reachable goals and expectations during my college search,” Laura said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what lies ahead at the University of Minnesota next year.”

One of the pillars that ISM stands on is preparing our students for college and what to expect both inside and outside the classroom. The college process begins in seventh grade and continues to progress until Decision Day. Middle school years provide Mr. Cohen with opportunities to individualize the experience for each student. Once students reach their freshman and sophomore years, the college prep becomes more focused on goal setting. Mr. Cohen wants to create a strong plan with attainable goals while they’re attending high school. Whether it’s scoring on AP exams or learning more about a specific subject, he can guide them down the right path to achieve that goal. Ultimately, junior and senior years are spent navigating every step of the college application and matriculation process. From looking at the small details that make a college great for each student to helping colleges understand why each student would be a good fit on their campus. Students work with Mr. Cohen to review non-negotiables and determine their top 3-5 schools to select their top choice. ®

Mr. Cohen said he’s proud of each student for all of their hard work getting accepted and deciding which college suits them and their needs best. “Reflecting on my time at ISM, I’m incredibly grateful for how this school has prepared me for college,” said Malaika Bajwa, ISM senior. “From the academics to the incredible international experiences, this school has amazing opportunities, such as SABIS Stars and the SLTC, which I attended last year. This school has truly pushed me to become more disciplined, adaptable, and confident.” ® Resilient. That’s the one word that Mr. Cohen used to describe the Class of 2025.

“This class has been through a lot,” he said. “Returning to school after COVID to begin high school was one of the biggest hurdles they faced, but they’ve overcome it and grown into remarkable young people.”

Here’s where each student in the Class of 2025 will be attending next fall:

-Malaika Bajwa, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Sociology of Law

-Kaia Frazier, Lafayette College, Engineering

-Jinsheng Tim Li, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Electrical Engineering

-Ian Looser, Augsburg University, Music/Business

-Cecilia Lundquist, St. Catherine University, Psychology

-Mahad Molel, Normandale Community College, Undecided

-Dmytro Nyzhnyk, Claremont McKenna College, Economics

-Laura Odeh, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Biochemistry

-Sirui Shannon Qiu, Iowa State University, Accounting

-Ruhaan Singh, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Engineering

-Siyuan Steven Wu, Rutgers University, Undecided

-Zijin Wu, University of South Florida, Electrical Engineering

ISM ALUMNI STORIES

FROM ISM TO THE CBS EVENING NEWS: NATALIE FABER (’16) PENS A THANK YOU LETTER TO ISM FOR PLAYING A PART IN MAKING HER DREAMS COME TRUE

Natalie Faber (’16) started her educational journey at ISM at the age of three by joining the Preschool program. She spent the next 15 years building a solid foundation for her future by benefiting from the variety of educational opportunities, excellent guidance, and supportive community that ISM has to offer. In her own words, Natalie describes the significant impact ISM had on her life including her recently accepted position on the CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell.

“A thank you to my ISM family:

I consider my 15 years at ISM as the bedrock foundation of who I am today. The SABIS® curriculum prepared me not just for college, but also further down the road and most recently in the selective career I chose. ISM taught me to be courageous and competitive.

I made it well known since I was in Middle School how determined I was to one day work for network television. I strived to reach the goals that felt impossible and with the guidance of those who supported my dreams, I knew anything was attainable. The ones who listened and supported me the most were my teachers and counselors. The ISM community allowed me to feel valued and taught me that I have a purpose in life. The purpose? Anything I desire and put my hard work into. Whether it was with the ISM show choir, “Universal Appeal” where Mrs. Everitt nurtured a safe place on stage, or in the Math lab with Mr. Willkomm who promised us we would pass Math Studies as long as we put in the work and attended the lab every week. The remarkable teachers molded me into who I am and opened up so many doors I had no idea existed. The pedagogy provided by SABIS® has taught me the fundamentals of organization, time management, and solid knowledge in almost all subjects incomparable to most people.

Two years ago, I used my ISM bedrock as my greatest strength when I decided to move across the country in search of my future calling. The melting pot of cultures I was exposed to because of ISM has allowed me to stand out in a career that is centered around storytelling and people. I am also pleased that the Spanish classes I was subject to every day for 15 years served their purpose. The daily classes have allowed my Spanish to continue to be at a level that is equivalent to a native speaker’s fluency. In my most recent job, I stood out from other journalists simply because I could translate and speak the language so well.

The courage, competitive streak, and world-class education ISM gifted me with have allowed me to continue climbing the television industry ladder and I am more than confident it will continue serving its purpose as I begin a new position at the CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell. My lifelong wildest dream is coming true and all in part because of you, thank you.”

- Natalie Faber (’16)

During her time at ISM, Natalie made just as strong of an impression on the community as it made on her. ISM math teacher, Mr. Willkomm fondly remembers Natalie like she was here just yesterday. “Natalie always impressed me with her positive attitude and her grit. Natalie consistently showed up to work on math, outside of class, with a super positive attitude. Natalie kept working hard, no matter what. If something didn’t go her way, Natalie just kept working until it did go her way. Natalie is a fantastic role model for our ISM students,” says Mr. Willkomm.

Following senior graduation, Natalie completed her freshman year at St. Catherine University. She transferred to Minnesota State University, Mankato her sophomore year where she graduated with a Major in Communication Studies and Mass Media. While attending college, she returned to ISM for two years working as a Dorm Supervisor.

To Natalie: We are proud to watch you pursue your dreams and we congratulate you on your undoubted success in your new role at the CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell. We look forward to seeing you back on campus very soon.