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Meet some great grads
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BY: ELLEN SCHUR BROWN Editor, Family Section
Read about these graduating high-school seniors, and you’ll be as amazed as we are over their impressive accomplishments.
Congratulations to all our grads and to all the parents; you have raised unique and inspiring children.
Name: Mark Levin
School: Mayfield High School
Honors: Perfect score on the ACT
True passion: Math and science
Still more activities: World Affairs Club VP; Model UN VP; National Honors Society treasurer; Science Olympiad
Parents: Janet and Victor Levin of Highland Heights
Jewish Connection: Teachers’ aide at Temple Israel Ner Tamid
One surprise: Listens to NPR
Last hurrah in HS: Combination goodbye/graduation party
Plans: The Ohio State University on a full scholarship
Most looking forward to about college: Learning about physics and biology, studying evolutionary biology, and possibly going into medicine
Most dreading about college: “My family is moving to St. Louis, so I won’t be home on vacations.”
In my dorm room: My guitar
Name: Joanna Mitchell
School: Shaker Heights High School
Honors: Named Presidential Scholar in the Arts, sponsored by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. One of 20 young artists chosen nationally for a week of master classes and exhibitions in Miami and New York and at the National Portrait Gallery
True passion: Charcoal drawing, painting and sculpture
Still more activities: Arts Editor of Shaker’s school newspaper The Shakerite; violin; singing in two choirs and school theater performances
Parents: Susan Isler and Tim Mitchell
Jewish Connection: Suburban Temple Kol Ami confirmand
Plans: Maryland Institute College of Art
Most looking forward to about college: Independence
Most dreading about college: “I would have been dreading making new friends, but all six of the artists I met in New York are going to Maryland with me, so I have some buddies already.”
In my dorm room: Everyone at art school has art supplies
Name: Dorian Rahamin
School: Orange High School
Honors: Grand prize winner at NorthEast Ohio Science and Engineering Fair (NEOSEF) for his “Distributed Intelligence Project” simulating ant populations. Second place award at the national competition from the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence
True passion: Thinking
Still more activities: National Merit Commended Scholar; debate team; robotics club; Model UN; National Honor Society; and cartoonist for the school newspaper
Parents: Susan and Ezra Rahamin
Jewish Connection: Saltzman Youth Panel, Israel Culture Club at school
One surprise: “My favorite class is English.”
Plans: The Ohio State University on a Medalist scholarship, a writing competition
Guilty Pleasure: Following stand-up comedians
Most looking forward to about college: Research and going forward with ideas I’ve had
Last hurrah in HS: Senior project at NASA Glenn Research Center, programming space suits for the 2012 moon mission
Name: Evan Luxenburg
School: Beachwood High School
Honors: All conference, all district and all state as the football team’s defensive tackle. Team MVP
True passion: Football
Still more activities: CVC Scholar Athlete Award for above 3.25 GPA; playing varsity basketball; lifting weights and running; Students Against Destructive Decision (SADD)
Parents: Donna and Tom Luxenburg
Jewish Connection: Bethaynu congregant
One surprise: “I’m a really nice guy. People feel intimidated by me, but they shouldn’t be.”
Plans: Northwestern University on a full scholarship
Guilty Pleasure: Can’t wait to defeat Ohio State
Most looking forward to about college: Living in Chicago, playing football at a whole other level of competition.
Most dreading about college: The level of work will take some getting used to
In my dorm room: It’ll be stocked with food
Name: Sharon Pearlman
School: Laurel School
Honors: “Urinetown” and cabaret troupe at Stagecrafters; “The Sound of Music” at Carousel Dinner Theatre; school a cappella group
True passion: Theater. “I’ve been on stage since I was 5 and even before that.”
Still more activities: President of Laurel’s Green Key student tour guide club; president of drama club; co-captain of Gay-Straight Alliance; co-captain of speech and debate team; dance and piano lessons; honor roll
Parents: Ilissa and Alan Pearlman of Solon
Jewish Connection: President of Haverim BBG for two years
Guilty Pleasure: “Desperate Housewives” every Sunday
Last hurrah in HS: “My Senior Speech. It was scheduled on Day of Silence (a national observance to raise awareness of harassment and bullying of lesbians and gays). I kept my vow of silence and played a recorded speech for the assembly about oppression.”
Plans: Tisch Theatre program at New York University, for experimental theater
Most looking forward to about college: Being in New York and getting discount tickets to Broadway shows
Most dreading about college: Missing my friends
In my dorm room: My Audrey Hepburn Collection: paintings, books, and DVDs of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”
Name: Sarit Toltzis
School: Fuchs Mizrachi School
Honors: AP Scholar with Distinction; Young Scholar Award from Fuchs Mizrachi; National Honors Society; head of the Chesed committee
Still more activities: Volleyball team; Intra-mural dodgeball league; National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY)
Parents: Hasida and Phil Toltzis
Jewish Connection: Szarvas Fellowship this summer in Hungary. “I met teens from places like India and Turkey. They wear crosses because they can’t even say they’re Jewish.”
One surprise: How Judaism is such a huge part of who I am and everything I do.
Last hurrah in HS: A little senior prank involving switching people’s school binders. We got in trouble for it, though.
Guilty Pleasure: Drinks LOTS of coffee
Plans: Year in Israel with Shalem, a Young Judea course involving learning and volunteering. Then, University of Pennsylvania
Most looking forward to about college: “Going to a large, secular college where I’ll have to make an effort to be Jewish, keep Shabbat and keep kosher. I’ve been going to Fuchs Mizrachi since pre-K, surrounded by the same people in my small class.”
Most dreading about college: Lots of work, study
Name: Sharon Pearlman
School: Laurel School
Honors: “Urinetown” and cabaret troupe at Stagecrafters; “The Sound of Music” at Carousel Dinner Theatre; school a cappella group
True passion: Theater. “I’ve been on stage since I was 5 and even before that.”
Still more activities: President of Laurel’s Green Key student tour guide club; president of drama club; co-captain of Gay-Straight Alliance; co-captain of speech and debate team; dance and piano lessons; honor roll
Parents: Ilissa and Alan Pearlman of Solon
Jewish Connection: President of Haverim BBG for two years
Guilty Pleasure: “Desperate Housewives” every Sunday
Last hurrah in HS: “My Senior Speech. It was scheduled on Day of Silence (a national observance to raise awareness of harassment and bullying of lesbians and gays). I kept my vow of silence and played a recorded speech for the assembly about oppression.”
Plans: Tisch Theatre program at New York University, for experimental theater
Most looking forward to about college: Being in New York and getting discount tickets to Broadway shows
Most dreading about college: Missing my friends
In my dorm room: My Audrey Hepburn Collection: paintings, books, and DVDs of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”
Name: Lauren Goldstein-Kral
School: Hathaway Brown
Honors: Tri-athlete: finished 8th overall and first among Americans ages 16-19 at Pan American Championship in Mexico. International competition is June 5.
True passion: Becoming a doctor
Still more activities: Graduating cum laude; state qualifier for cross country and swim teams; co-president of Amnesty International at school; spent three summers researching circadian rhythms with a biology professor at Case, published a paper in BioMed Central, a scientific journal
Last hurrah in HS: Organizing “Displace Me Day” in sympathy with homeless and displaced persons. Students will sleep outside in cardboard boxes, hear speakers and write letters to help 2 million Ugandans, “displaced in the longest and least-publicized conflict in Africa.”
Parents: Dana Goldstein and Don Kral of Shaker Heights
Favorite Jewish Memory: Relatives gathering for Passover
Plans: Williams College
In my dorm room: My bike
Guilty Pleasure: Memorizing 32 digits of pi
Most looking forward to about college: “The opportunity to focus and pursue my interests in pre-med and environmental science.”
Dreading about college: Swim practice starts at 5:30 a.m.
Congratulations to all our grads and to all the parents; you have raised unique and inspiring children.
Name: Mark Levin
School: Mayfield High School
Honors: Perfect score on the ACT
True passion: Math and science
Still more activities: World Affairs Club VP; Model UN VP; National Honors Society treasurer; Science Olympiad
Parents: Janet and Victor Levin of Highland Heights
Jewish Connection: Teachers’ aide at Temple Israel Ner Tamid
One surprise: Listens to NPR
Last hurrah in HS: Combination goodbye/graduation party
Plans: The Ohio State University on a full scholarship
Most looking forward to about college: Learning about physics and biology, studying evolutionary biology, and possibly going into medicine
Most dreading about college: “My family is moving to St. Louis, so I won’t be home on vacations.”
In my dorm room: My guitar
Name: Joanna Mitchell
School: Shaker Heights High School
Honors: Named Presidential Scholar in the Arts, sponsored by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. One of 20 young artists chosen nationally for a week of master classes and exhibitions in Miami and New York and at the National Portrait Gallery
True passion: Charcoal drawing, painting and sculpture
Still more activities: Arts Editor of Shaker’s school newspaper The Shakerite; violin; singing in two choirs and school theater performances
Parents: Susan Isler and Tim Mitchell
Jewish Connection: Suburban Temple Kol Ami confirmand
Plans: Maryland Institute College of Art
Most looking forward to about college: Independence
Most dreading about college: “I would have been dreading making new friends, but all six of the artists I met in New York are going to Maryland with me, so I have some buddies already.”
In my dorm room: Everyone at art school has art supplies
Name: Dorian Rahamin
School: Orange High School
Honors: Grand prize winner at NorthEast Ohio Science and Engineering Fair (NEOSEF) for his “Distributed Intelligence Project” simulating ant populations. Second place award at the national competition from the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence
True passion: Thinking
Still more activities: National Merit Commended Scholar; debate team; robotics club; Model UN; National Honor Society; and cartoonist for the school newspaper
Parents: Susan and Ezra Rahamin
Jewish Connection: Saltzman Youth Panel, Israel Culture Club at school
One surprise: “My favorite class is English.”
Plans: The Ohio State University on a Medalist scholarship, a writing competition
Guilty Pleasure: Following stand-up comedians
Most looking forward to about college: Research and going forward with ideas I’ve had
Last hurrah in HS: Senior project at NASA Glenn Research Center, programming space suits for the 2012 moon mission
Name: Evan Luxenburg
School: Beachwood High School
Honors: All conference, all district and all state as the football team’s defensive tackle. Team MVP
True passion: Football
Still more activities: CVC Scholar Athlete Award for above 3.25 GPA; playing varsity basketball; lifting weights and running; Students Against Destructive Decision (SADD)
Parents: Donna and Tom Luxenburg
Jewish Connection: Bethaynu congregant
One surprise: “I’m a really nice guy. People feel intimidated by me, but they shouldn’t be.”
Plans: Northwestern University on a full scholarship
Guilty Pleasure: Can’t wait to defeat Ohio State
Most looking forward to about college: Living in Chicago, playing football at a whole other level of competition.
Most dreading about college: The level of work will take some getting used to
In my dorm room: It’ll be stocked with food
Name: Sharon Pearlman
School: Laurel School
Honors: “Urinetown” and cabaret troupe at Stagecrafters; “The Sound of Music” at Carousel Dinner Theatre; school a cappella group
True passion: Theater. “I’ve been on stage since I was 5 and even before that.”
Still more activities: President of Laurel’s Green Key student tour guide club; president of drama club; co-captain of Gay-Straight Alliance; co-captain of speech and debate team; dance and piano lessons; honor roll
Parents: Ilissa and Alan Pearlman of Solon
Jewish Connection: President of Haverim BBG for two years
Guilty Pleasure: “Desperate Housewives” every Sunday
Last hurrah in HS: “My Senior Speech. It was scheduled on Day of Silence (a national observance to raise awareness of harassment and bullying of lesbians and gays). I kept my vow of silence and played a recorded speech for the assembly about oppression.”
Plans: Tisch Theatre program at New York University, for experimental theater
Most looking forward to about college: Being in New York and getting discount tickets to Broadway shows
Most dreading about college: Missing my friends
In my dorm room: My Audrey Hepburn Collection: paintings, books, and DVDs of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”
Name: Sarit Toltzis
School: Fuchs Mizrachi School
Honors: AP Scholar with Distinction; Young Scholar Award from Fuchs Mizrachi; National Honors Society; head of the Chesed committee
Still more activities: Volleyball team; Intra-mural dodgeball league; National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY)
Parents: Hasida and Phil Toltzis
Jewish Connection: Szarvas Fellowship this summer in Hungary. “I met teens from places like India and Turkey. They wear crosses because they can’t even say they’re Jewish.”
One surprise: How Judaism is such a huge part of who I am and everything I do.
Last hurrah in HS: A little senior prank involving switching people’s school binders. We got in trouble for it, though.
Guilty Pleasure: Drinks LOTS of coffee
Plans: Year in Israel with Shalem, a Young Judea course involving learning and volunteering. Then, University of Pennsylvania
Most looking forward to about college: “Going to a large, secular college where I’ll have to make an effort to be Jewish, keep Shabbat and keep kosher. I’ve been going to Fuchs Mizrachi since pre-K, surrounded by the same people in my small class.”
Most dreading about college: Lots of work, study
Name: Sharon Pearlman
School: Laurel School
Honors: “Urinetown” and cabaret troupe at Stagecrafters; “The Sound of Music” at Carousel Dinner Theatre; school a cappella group
True passion: Theater. “I’ve been on stage since I was 5 and even before that.”
Still more activities: President of Laurel’s Green Key student tour guide club; president of drama club; co-captain of Gay-Straight Alliance; co-captain of speech and debate team; dance and piano lessons; honor roll
Parents: Ilissa and Alan Pearlman of Solon
Jewish Connection: President of Haverim BBG for two years
Guilty Pleasure: “Desperate Housewives” every Sunday
Last hurrah in HS: “My Senior Speech. It was scheduled on Day of Silence (a national observance to raise awareness of harassment and bullying of lesbians and gays). I kept my vow of silence and played a recorded speech for the assembly about oppression.”
Plans: Tisch Theatre program at New York University, for experimental theater
Most looking forward to about college: Being in New York and getting discount tickets to Broadway shows
Most dreading about college: Missing my friends
In my dorm room: My Audrey Hepburn Collection: paintings, books, and DVDs of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”
Name: Lauren Goldstein-Kral
School: Hathaway Brown
Honors: Tri-athlete: finished 8th overall and first among Americans ages 16-19 at Pan American Championship in Mexico. International competition is June 5.
True passion: Becoming a doctor
Still more activities: Graduating cum laude; state qualifier for cross country and swim teams; co-president of Amnesty International at school; spent three summers researching circadian rhythms with a biology professor at Case, published a paper in BioMed Central, a scientific journal
Last hurrah in HS: Organizing “Displace Me Day” in sympathy with homeless and displaced persons. Students will sleep outside in cardboard boxes, hear speakers and write letters to help 2 million Ugandans, “displaced in the longest and least-publicized conflict in Africa.”
Parents: Dana Goldstein and Don Kral of Shaker Heights
Favorite Jewish Memory: Relatives gathering for Passover
Plans: Williams College
In my dorm room: My bike
Guilty Pleasure: Memorizing 32 digits of pi
Most looking forward to about college: “The opportunity to focus and pursue my interests in pre-med and environmental science.”
Dreading about college: Swim practice starts at 5:30 a.m.
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