As the school year draws to a close, the North Shore Hebrew Academy High School (NSHAHS) class of 2025 marks a new beginning. The graduates are celebrating an incredible list of accomplishments, from awards and accolades to acceptances from colleges, yeshivot, and seminaries throughout the U.S. and Israel.
NSHAHS guides students to try new disciplines, develop their skills and explore their options for continued studies. The prep begins in middle school and continues with a comprehensive college guidance program including support for SAT and ACT testing, connecting with college representatives, essay writing, and completing college applications.
Those efforts have paid off, with the U.S. college acceptances demonstrating an impressive diversity of academic institutions including Yale, Vanderbilt, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Princeton, Barnard, Columbia, Brown, University of Pennsylvania, George Washington University, Washington University in St. Louis, Albert Einstein College of Medicine Medical Scholars Program through Yeshiva University, Macaulay Honors College at Queens College, Hunter College, Baruch College, Tufts, University of Florida, the University of Miami, Northeastern, Muhlenberg, Syracuse, UMASS Amherst, Oberlin, Franklin and Marshall, Yeshiva University, Brandeis University and more.
The student achievements this year speak to what makes the school’s culture singular, says NSHAHS Dean Ira Miller. “Our students are incredibly motivated, they have high aspirations, and they want to learn as much as they can and prepare themselves,” he said. “The NSHAHS environment produces a culture of expectation –– it motivates them.”
Whatever their interests, Mr. Miller says the school works with students and their families to figure out what postsecondary options are right for them. “Some students come in knowing they want to go into business or art, but high school is a time for exploring and building a foundation,” he said. The class of 2025’s achievements are evidence of how effective NSHAHS’s academic rigor and extracurricular opportunities are in preparing students for success.
A strong foundation in Judaic studies
Core to the school’s mission is instilling a love and mastery of Judaic studies and fostering the next generation of Jewish leaders.
This year, Ethan Monhian participated in the Tel Aviv University Hebrew Olympiad. Students from around the world were tested on their knowledge of Hebrew. Ethan placed second globally in the prestigious competition, something he says would not have been possible without Chairperson of the Hebrew Language & Literature Department Ms. Rachel Taylor’s guidance. “I cannot thank her enough for believing in me and my ability to achieve great success,” Ethan said.
Other students are celebrating great strides in Judaic studies, too, such as Talia Beck, who was a Siyyum Scholar and will be continuing her rigorous Judaic studies path at Midreshet Lindenbaum in Israel next year.
Many graduates choose to pursue education in Israel. Of this year’s graduating class, students will attend a wide array of yeshivot and seminaries. Others are beginning their lives after graduation in service, like Jakob Baum who will attend Mechina Keshet Yehuda and enlist in the IDF.
Immersive programming for future leaders
NSHAHS’s unique, personalized schedules and specialized programs allow students to focus on the subjects that interest them most –– and set them up for success. “Our goal is for our graduates to make their mark on the world beyond North Shore,” commented Rosh HaYeshiva / Head of School Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Kobrin. “We want our alumni to inspire others as we have tried to inspire them during their time with us.”
The school’s Model Congress, for example, builds a wide variety of skills from public speaking to research methodologies and collaboration. Several members among this year’s graduates have used those skills to attain impressive accolades; class of 2025 co-valedictorian, Ilana Greenberg, earned a prestigious National Merit Scholarship - the John M Stalnaker Memorial Scholarship awarded to a student who is planning to study in the STEM field. She also earned the gold medal at the Long Island Math Fair, and the Grace Hopper Innovation & Leadership Award; Jordana Bruckheimer, a 2025 salutatorian, won the Nassau County Award in Combating Antisemitism from Bruce Blakeman; Elizabeth Mirharoon won Best Delegate at JCYMUN while also editing the school’s Science Research Journal; and Abby Rutta, also a salutatorian, won Best Delegate at the Princeton Model Congress.
Whatever combination of programming our students choose, they are known for their initiative. Graduate Abigail Suler was recognized with the first place prize for leadership by Virtual Enterprise International, an organization that creates educational pathways that align career education and work-based learning with academic standards-based education.
Cultivating acumen in STEM
From computer science to mathematics, NSHAHS students have demonstrated excellence in STEM. Director of College Guidance Mrs. Susan Davidson says she’s seen the class of 2025 go above and beyond with their studies and their pursuit of higher learning.
“Having excelled in the math curriculum at our school, one student pursued coursework at NYU to reach even higher in math and physics,” she said.
That thirst for knowledge has led to several awards for members of the graduating class: Sarah-Kate Leibowitz won the Ada Lovelace Award for Excellence in Computer Science, Natalie Terrani was recognized with the Computer Science Department Award and class of 2025 co-valedictorian Maya Arama has been selected for the highly competitive Albert Einstein College of Medicine Medical Scholars Program through Yeshiva University.
NSHA students also garnered awards for their athletic and artistic prowess, says Mr. Miller, and altogether, he says their success demonstrates the results of programming that nurtures students’ abilities. “Our students’ achievements span each subject area, from the humanities, the arts, the sciences, mathematics, languages, technology, and finance,” he said. “At the same time, our program steeps our students in Torah learning with courses in Tanach, Talmud and halacha/machshava. Our educational mission is to inspire our students to grow and develop not only academically, but also emotionally and spiritually –– they are our leaders of tomorrow.”
