Latest News
Indiana Academy Closing for Winter Break
Monday, December 22, 2025
Indiana Academy offices will be closed beginning at 3:00 p.m. (Eastern) Tuesday, December 23, 2025. Wagoner Hall reopens to students on Sunday, January 4, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. (Eastern) and offices will open at 8:00 a.m. (Eastern) on Monday, January 05, 2026.
Indiana Academy Students Receive Congressional Nomination
Friday, December 12, 2025
Admission to the country’s prestigious military academies typically requires a nomination from an elected member of the U.S. Congress. This year, two Indiana Academy students received nominations from U.S. Congressman Jefferson Shreve (Indiana’s 6th District).
Academy senior Desmond Bex received nominations to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point.
Academy senior Benjamin Walker received nominations to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis and to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point.
Desmond and Benjamin were two of just nineteen students nominated by Congressman Shreve this year. Congratulations!
Indiana Academy Students Lead Effort to End Alzheimer’s
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Alzheimer’s disease affects more than 6 million Americans, touching families, friends, and communities across the country. Each Fall, the Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s brings people together to remember, honor, and raise money to support research for a cure. This year, the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities’ National Honor Society (NHS) chapter joined the cause in a powerful way.
More than 60 students, and numerous faculty and staff, volunteered at the Muncie event in September. Together, they raised more than $4,200 for the Alzheimer’s Association—surpassing their goal for a third consecutive year.
“It didn’t feel like an obligation,” said NHS President Neela Cormier-Marri, a senior at the Academy. “Everyone wanted to be there. We started early, setting up tables and balloons, cheering on the walkers, and helping with the cleanup afterward. The whole morning was about community.”
Indiana Academy’s chapter of NHS began supporting the walk four years ago, and the partnership has grown stronger each year. Adviser Chris Buczek, associate lecturer of chemistry, who founded the chapter five years ago, said the service aligns with the group’s mission.
“I hold these students to very high standards in terms of service, leadership, and character—and they’ve come through with shining colors year after year,” Ms. Buczek said. “Projects like this show how much they care about making a difference, not just here on campus but in the broader Muncie community.”
The NHS leadership team also includes Savannah Scott, who helps coordinate member participation and oversees the group’s Study Buddies peer mentoring program. There are 47 Indiana Academy students—nearly 25 percent of the school’s student body—who are members of the Academy’s NHS chapter.
John Eenigenburg, the Academy’s chapter treasurer, recalled the excitement when the group surpassed its fundraising goal.
“Last year we raised about $3,400, and this year we hit $4,300,” he said. “Our goal this year was $4,000. Seeing everyone’s reaction when we crossed that mark was amazing. I even donated the last $15 myself just to make sure we did it—and then we even topped that.”
For many students, the day was personal. The Academy’s NHS chapter secretary, Andrew Maple, said the Promise Garden ceremony—a moment when participants raise colored flowers representing their personal connection to Alzheimer’s—left a lasting impression.
“Everyone has been impacted by Alzheimer’s in some way,” Mr. Maple said. “Standing there, seeing those flowers and the people holding them—it really hits you. It’s emotional and inspiring.”
The Alzheimer’s walk is one of many projects NHS members lead each year. Students also volunteer at local food banks, clean public spaces, and mentor their peers through Study Buddies, a tutoring and accountability program they created to help classmates navigate rigorous coursework. Each member strives to complete at least 50 service hours annually, though many exceed that goal.
“What makes our NHS special is that every project has a personal touch,” Ms. Cormier-Marri said. “It’s not just about earning hours—it’s about passion and giving back in ways that matter to us and others.”
Ms. Buczek said the students’ energy and leadership continue to inspire her.
“They’re proof that when bright, motivated students are trusted with real responsibility, they rise to the occasion—and make a lasting impact.”
Maria Lopez-Owens, senior director of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, said the Academy students’ involvement strengthens the entire event, which had 522 participants and raised more than $73,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association this year.
“Our organization cannot do what we do without the support of students like those from the Indiana Academy National Honor Society,” she said. “They are the organizers, the volunteers, and the cheering squad who bring wonderful excitement to the day. We hope to build on this momentum for years to come.”
Indiana Academy Student Government
Monday, November 24, 2025
The Indiana Academy’s Student Government (IASG) was developed for the 2025-2026 academic year with the help of funding by the Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County.
The IASG was designed to allow consistent feedback from student representatives.
“The IASG will serve as influential, key collaborators on institution-wide matters and provide insight on important decision-making,” said Dr. Joel Olufowote, Director of Academic Affairs, who spearheaded this development.
A proposal titled “The Blueprint for Leadership Project” awarded the IASG a $2500 grant through the Community Foundation. This proposal focused on immersive activities for leadership after receiving student feedback.
IASG allows students to better understand and respond to student needs, better understand high ability education, and participate in the administration decision making process.
Twenty-five students applied for IASG positions and ten were accepted. Members of the inaugural group will engage the student body in celebrating student success.
Global Scholar Program Receives Community Grant
Friday, November 21, 2025
The Indiana Academy’s Global Scholar Certificate Program received the Indiana Language Roadmap Community Grant this year from the U.S. Department of Defense’s National Security Education Program to continue to promote international education at the Academy.
The Indiana Language Roadmap provides world language instruction and training in global skills for Indiana residents and is housed in the Center for the Study for Global Change at Indiana University in Bloomington.
The grant was used in the International Fest project where Global Scholar Certificate participants are paired with an international student to showcase their country and culture. The project’s objective was to provide a hands-on learning experience for students who are interested in learning about the world and to allow Global Scholar Certificate participants to execute their country projects more effectively. The grant also funded t-shirts to help our international program promote international cultures and the Global Scholar Certificate Program.
The Global Scholar Certificate Program is a non-academic program that is offered to students to engage beyond the classroom. Forty-five students currently participate in the Global Scholar Certificate Program at the Academy. Students presented a country and culture of their choice at the International Festival on November 18 as a part of International Education Week.
The International Fest was designed to celebrate different global cultures and is hosted by Academy students.
Academic Spell Bowl Champions
Tuesday, November 4, 2025
On Monday, November 3, six Academy students traveled to Hamilton Southeastern High School to compete at the regional Academic Spell Bowl competition. The Indiana Academy was the only school in Class 4 participating, so despite being four students short of a full team, they earned first place with 36 points! (Each round is worth 9 points.)
The Class 1 and 2 schools competing included Yorktown, Delta, Noblesville, Fishers, New Castle, Carmel, Pendleton Heights, and Hamilton Southeastern.
Led by sponsor Jessica Edrington, the Academy team consisted of Brooklyn Grey, Avi Kambham, Savannah Scott, Danyal Syed, and co-captains Sarah Glunt and Malachi Smith. Co-captains Sarah and Malachi both had perfect rounds, and will be invited to participate in an individual state competition online later this month. There were only 3 or 4 perfect rounds the entire competition.
Congratulations to the Spell Bowl team!
Dr. Jo Tuite – IAG Proposal Accepted
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Congratulations to Associate Director of Admissions, Dr. Jo Tuite, for being accepted to present at the upcoming Indiana Association for the Gifted conference in December. She will be presenting on a very relevant topic titled “AI Fluency in Gifted Education: Building a Culture of Innovation and Ethics.” She will be presenting at the conference in downtown Indianapolis on Tuesday, December 16.
Dr. Sean Scott Published
Monday, September 29, 2025
Congratulations to faculty member Dr. Sean Scott for having two articles recently published: “James Lynch and the Merging of Religious and Political Reconstruction in Mississippi” in the Fall/Winter issue of The Journal of Mississippi History, and “Episcopalians in Civil War Washington: loyalty, prayer, and the struggle over religious authority within the Diocese of Maryland” in American Nineteenth Century History.
The scholarly accomplishments of our faculty are a testament to the Indiana Academy’s success in cultivating academic excellence.
Indiana Academy Alum Named NASA Astronaut Candidate
Friday, September 26, 2025
Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities alum Yuri Kubo (Class of 2004) was named one of NASA’s 10 new astronaut candidates on September 22, 2025.
“We’re incredibly proud of Yuri and his achievement. His selection as a NASA astronaut candidate exemplifies the kind of excellence and scientific curiosity we strive to nurture at the Indiana Academy,” said Dr. Dain Kavars, Executive Director of the Indiana Academy.
After graduating from the Indiana Academy, Kubo went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 2008 and a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering in 2015, all from Purdue University. He has worked at SpaceX, Vandenberg Space Force Base, and most recently as the senior vice president of Engineering at Electric Hydrogen.
More about Yuri from NASA’s website: Astronaut Candidate Yuri Kubo
This is not the Indiana Academy’s first connection to a NASA astronaut. Retired astronaut David Wolf, the uncle of a Class of 2010 Academy graduate, carried an Indiana Academy pennant to the International Space Station in 2009 as part of the STS-127 mission.
Walk to End Alzheimer’s Recap
Monday, September 22, 2025
Saturday, September 20, Indiana Academy students helped with the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in downtown Muncie. Students raised $4,320.70 to support the cause, an increase of over 30% compared to last year! This outstanding effort reflects the heart of our school community—students who not only excel academically but also step forward to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Through initiatives like this, our students demonstrate that authentic leadership means using their talents and energy to serve causes greater than themselves.