November 2023 News
Student Research at The Academy
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
As part of the Research Science curriculum at the Academy, senior Daniel Yoo and junior Jackson Bales are conducting original research to be presented next semester at local and/or state research conferences. Under supervision of Dr. Olufowote, Director of Academic Affairs, Daniel’s research, “School type and perceptions of well-being among South Korean Students,” investigates the impact of conventional or vocational secondary education in South Korea on student mental health, while Jackson’s study under the supervision of Dr. Donald Winslow, Assistant Teaching Professor of Life Sciences, investigates how factors such as temperature, time of day, weather, the presence of people/animals affect the presence of chipmunks and their efficiency in collecting food to store for the winter.
Spell “Perfection”
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Academy junior Alesya Rathinasamy and senior Carson Gull competed in the Individual Spell Bowl State Finals on November 15th. Both did fantastic, and Alesya won Gold by having a perfect score at Area Team competition, State Team competition, and Individual State Competition. This means she spelled all 75 words in Individual State Competition correctly, as well as all 9 words for Area and all 9 words for State correctly.
Congratulations!
Academy Senior Elise Adams Receives Harvard Interview
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
As part of Harvard University’s admissions process for prospective applicants under consideration, the university recently invited Academy senior Elise Adams to participate in an initial first round interview with a Harvard alumni member! “This is really exciting news for Elise, her family, and the entire Academy community,” remarks Dr. Joel Olufowote, Director of Academic Affairs. “Harvard has a lengthy, rigorous admissions process and while we know the Alumni interview does not guarantee admission, we also recognize these interviews are restricted to institutions Harvard regards as highly prestigious and reserved for candidates like Elise with strong, competitive applications.”
Congratulations to Elise!
Experiential Study at the Indiana Academy
Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Several of our students this semester are participating in a variety of activity outside of the typical classroom centered at the intersection of academic research, investigation, and college/career exploration. Check out some of the stories below and contact Dr. Olufowote, Director of Academic Affairs, to find out more and get involved!
“I applied to the two-month Chemistry Immersion Summer Program (CRISP) at Ball State University…[and] was partnered with Dr. Robert Sammelson, the department chair of the department of chemistry and a professor of chemistry at Ball State University. I learned various research techniques and got an introduction to organic chemistry…[as] the only high school student among many undergraduate students. I am very grateful that I was accepted into the program and that I have been given the opportunity to continue working on research. This allows me to be introduced to techniques I will be utilizing in my future, as I pursue a career in healthcare.”
-Alesya Rathinasamy
CRISP Summer Immersion Program
“This experience so far has taught me so many lessons. Getting attached to a dog like Pumpkin has taught me that you have to think of the best situation for the animal, no matter how close you got to them. I feel like going through experiences like this early on will train my mind for the huge tragedies that I will have to encounter being a real vet. Also, I am very thankful for the vet that I’m able to be trained by because she is so supportive of my mess-ups, and she pushes me to my full potential.”
-Sylvia Rodriquez
Intern at Riverview Animal Hospital
“This was an interesting week because I was able to learn from a PHD student and get a different perspective on our work. I also got to learn about the work he is doing in his own lab and how different it is from the work he was doing at Ball State. It helps me better understand the depth and variety of the field of organic chemistry research which is helpful since I am interested in going into it in college. It was also helpful to have time to study some of the different reasons behind the work we do, as it helps me better understand my research and makes it a more valuable experience in my opinion.”
-Felix Griffin-Little
Lab Science Apprenticeship at BSU
“I think they might try and get me in to shadow one of the ultrasound techs at some point, but next on the list was the lab. Of all the places I had the most experience seeing from the position of a SPA employee, it was the lab, as it is conveniently located by the front and I can watch as people are called in to get their blood drawn or give a urine sample. Most days there are two phlebotomists, but on Thursday they had three. On a non-job-related note, I’ve really appreciated the office dynamics that I have observed so far. All of the people I’ve seen seem to get along really well.”
-Guin Robertson
Intern at Ball Memorial Hospital
Volleyball State Champions
Saturday, November 4, 2023
Congratulations to the Academy/Burris volleyball team for winning the state championship on Saturday, November 4! They won three sets to zero by scores of 25-23, 25-16, and 25-17. This is the school’s 23rd state volleyball championship, but the first since 2010. Congratulations to the players and coaches for the hard work they put in this season!
Indiana Academy Spell Bowl Team Triumphant
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
Monday, October 30th, the Indiana Academy’s Spell Bowl team competed at the area Spell Bowl contest at Hamilton Southeastern High School. Not only did our students place first in our division at area, but our score of 70 was the highest of any Class 4 school at area competitions across the state. Two students had perfect rounds, and four students had near-perfect rounds. The team has qualified to participate at the state competition, held at Purdue University on Saturday, November 11th.
Team members are Alesya Rathinasamy (co-captain), Elizabeth Rayl (co-captain), Kennedy Horner, Carson Gull, Tandeko Beier, Miriam Boersma, Amy Wang, Eibhlin Teague, Marissa Silkett, and Lily Partridge.
Academy/Burris Volleyball Team to Play for State Championship
Monday, October 30, 2023
Congratulations to the Indiana Academy/Burris Volleyball team for winning their semi-state match this past weekend and advancing to the Class 2A State Championship match! The final match takes place on Saturday, November 4 at 1:30 PM at Worthen Arena on Ball State University’s campus in Muncie.
The team has worked incredibly hard to reach this point and is inviting all in the Academy/Burris community to join them this weekend as they seek to become state champions. Tickets and streaming option information is available here:
https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/girls/volleyball/2023-24-tournament?round=state-finals
If you are free this Saturday, come out and support the team!
Fall 2023 Directors’ List
Thursday, October 19, 2023
Congratulations to the following students who earned placement on the Fall 2023 Midterm Directors’ List at the Indiana Academy!
Indiana Academy Seniors Win First Place at Undergraduate Conference
Friday, September 29, 2023
Congratulations to Indiana Academy seniors John Kim and Sunghoo Hong for winning the Undergraduate Award for Best Poster at the American Chemical Society “Think Like a Molecule” Poster Session, held at Marian University, located in Indianapolis, Indiana on September 21st, 2023. As a result of winning first place, both John and Sunghoo will receive a $100 cash prize.
Dr. Joel Olufowote, Director of Academic Affairs, remarks, “We take research seriously at the Academy and I’m estatic to hear that out of all the undergraduates who presented their posters at this session, the ACS judges rated John and Sunghoo’s research the best! To compete against college students and come out on top as a high school is a testament to the hard work and intentional mentorship of our faculty and staff across Academic Affairs. We also recognize the advantage we have leveraging the talented Ball State University faculty and research scientists that commit to the mission of our institution and flourishing of our students. Congrats to John, Sunghoo and the many others that made this opportunity and recognition possible.”
Indiana Academy Once Again Ranked #1 Public High School in Indiana
Monday, September 25, 2023
Niche.com released its 2024 high school rankings on Friday, September 22, and the Indiana Academy was once again listed as the #1 Best Public High School and #1 Best College Prep Public High School in the state of Indiana. The Academy also saw improvement in several areas over the 2023 rankings.
The complete Niche profile of the Academy is available here, but highlights include:
- #1 Best Public High School in Indiana
- #1 Best College Prep Public High School in Indiana
- #1 Best High School for STEM in Indiana
- #9 Best Public High School Teachers in the United States (up 6 spots over 2023 rankings)
- #13 Best Magnet School in the United States
- #21 Best Public High School in the United States (up 23 spots over 2023 rankings)
The Academy also received A+ grades in Academics, Teachers, College Prep, Administration, and Resources & Facilities, and received A grades in Diversity, Food, and Clubs/Activities.
According to Dr. Dain Kavars, Executive Director of the Indiana Academy, “The Indiana Academy is an incredible school changing the lives of our students. This is due to the hard work and dedication of every employee at the school! The deep care that each individual provides our students was evident on my first day at the Academy many years ago and is just as strong, if not stronger today!”