The Hoofbeat is proud to recognize Northside students for their outstanding achievements across a wide range of academic competitions this past winter and this coming spring.
World Language Achievements
Spanish: Congratulations to Junior Yaretzi Lema, who advanced to the regional level as a semifinalist in the Spanish oratory Competition. She will represent Northside this April.
Japanese: Northside students earned 6 of 9 awards at the Illinois Japan Bowl on February 28 – the highest number in school history. The Level 4 team, including seniors Krisna Patel and Parker Hill, and junior Clara Mueller, will represent Illinois at the National Japan Bowl in Washington, D.C. on April 17-18.
Illinois Junior Classical League Convention (IJCL)
Northside delivered an exceptional performance at the 2026 convention.
School Awards
- 1st Place – Most Sweepstakes Points (Overall)
- 1st Place – Sweepstakes Points Per Capita
Top Individual Sweepstakes Winners
- 1st Place Luke Montzka (Senior, Latin 5)
- 2nd Place (tie) Arava Meital (Sophomore, Latin 2)
- 2nd Place (tie) Raphael Jankelovics (Sophomore, Latin 3)
Special Awards
- Senior Wesley Berlin – Marilyn Brusherd Award
- Sophomore Jankelovics – Lois Dion Award
Certamen State Championships
- 1st Place Lower Level Team: Sophomore Autumn Dechant, Sophomore Olivia Hotary, Sophomore Arava Meital, Sophomore Oscar Rogne
- 2nd Place Upper Level Team: Sophomore Raphael Jankelovics, Junior Piranesi Marquez, Senior Luke Montzka, Senior Zoe Newton, Junior Coren Smith.
All honors will be recognized at the Latin Banquet on May 13.
Math Team Regional Competition
Northside students competed across multiple divisions:
Math Team Regional Competition
Algebra 1: Overall — 3rd place (134 points)
Freshman Julia Korda — 2nd place (38 points)
Freshman Larry Nguyen — 5th place (36 points)
Freshman Safa Mohammed — 9th place (32 points)
Geometry: Overall — 2nd place (116 points)
Sophomore Finn Das — 2nd place (36 points)
Sophomore Leo Das — 7th place (30 points)
Sophomore Asiyah Afrah — 8th place (28 points)
Algebra 2: Overall — 4th place (82 points)
Junior Skyler To — 3rd place (30 points)
Junior AJ Dale — 9th place (24 points)
Pre-Calculus: Overall — 4th place (90 points)
Senior Tanmay Garg — 3rd place (30 points)
Oral: 3rd place (45 points)
Senior Tanmay Garg and Sophomore Asiyah Afrah
Calculator: 4th place (50 points)
Senior Julia Matula
Senior Eva Buzanis
Junior Ashlyn McLennan
Junior Skyler To
Sophomore Arsalan Das
Sophomore Nathan Lee
Freshman Safa Mohammed
Freshman Mikhael Borodkin
8 Person Freshman/Sophomore Team: 3rd place (80 points)
Sophomore Asiyah Afrah
Sophomore Nathan Lee
Sophomore Arsalan Das
Sophomore Finian Das
Freshman Safa Mohammed
Freshman Julia Korda
Freshman Larry Nguyen
Freshman Mikhael Borodkin
8 Person Junior/Senior Team: 4th place (70 points)
Senior Julia Matula
Senior Eva Buzanis
Senior Natalie Geenen
Senior Victor Wodzien
Junior Sarah Pati
Junior Skyler To
Junior Elle McLennan
Junior Ashlyn McLennan
2 Person Freshman/Sophomore Team: 2nd place (44 points)
Sophomore Finian Das
Freshman Julia Korda
2 Person Junior/Senior Team: 3rd place (39 points)
Senior Tanmay Garg
Senior Max Heuer
