We are incredibly proud to share some exciting news from our school community: MYP3 student Hannah Kaetzler has been awarded the Rising Scholar Award and received a $250 scholarship toward Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program. 

Hannah entered the Junior Scholars Essay Contest, a highly competitive international competition that received over 1,100 submissions from students across 53 countries. To stand out in such a global field is an impressive achievement in itself, and Hannah’s work did exactly that. 

Her journey began when her teacher, Mrs. Von Geyso, encouraged her to take part in the competition as an enrichment opportunity. What started as a simple suggestion quickly became a self-driven project. Hannah chose to work on her essay independently in her free time, dedicating four focused hours to researching, writing, and refining her ideas. Demonstrating a high level of academic maturity, she even included footnotes to support her arguments. 

Before the final results were announced, Hannah received special recognition from the competition organizers. Dr. Dhruva Bhat, Director of the Junior Scholars Essay Contest, shared that after reviewing more than 1,000 essays, Hannah’s work had been shortlisted. Her essay was praised for its originality, clear and compelling argumentation, and strong use of supporting evidence. 

Following the final evaluation, Hannah was named a Rising Scholar Award recipient, earning both international recognition and a scholarship to further her academic exploration. This accomplishment reflects not only her strong writing skills, but also her initiative, independence, and willingness to challenge herself beyond the classroom. 

Many members of our school community also know Hannah previously as a host of the SIS podcast, where she brought curiosity, confidence, and thoughtful discussion to her role. These same qualities are evident in her academic work and have clearly contributed to her success in this competition. 

Hannah’s achievement is a powerful example of what can happen when curiosity meets opportunity. By embracing a challenge and pursuing it with focus and determination, she has demonstrated the kind of engagement and intellectual courage that we strive to nurture in all of our students. We are very proud of her and look forward to seeing what she takes on next!