Career-related Programme: Keith Hipp II, DC International School (Coordinator, Shane Donovan)

Keith is a great example of what it means to truly be a balanced IB Learner and Career Programme student. He puts himself in a variety of extracurricular activities and DCI events in order to support and expand DCI's mission of IB for all. When he isn't leading as the captain of the Varsity Lacrosse team or president of National Honor Society, you may find him on the stage in theater club, building a robot with the FRC team, playing league of legends with ESports and even giving tours to students and staff alike as a DCI student ambassador. Keith's shining achievements of the 2023-24 school year alongside receiving this award include being intern of the year with On-Ramps and becoming a POSSE scholar winning a full tuition scholarship to Lewis & Clark College where he plans to pursue Computer Science in the Fall.

Service Highlight: A public service I enjoy doing the most is volunteering as a lacrosse coach with a lacrosse organization known as Winners across the DMV. I have played lacrosse for over a quarter of my life and I love to teach the younger players the same love for the sport I have.

Diploma Programme - Adam Belouad, Meridian High School (Coordinator, Josh Singer)

Adam is a kind and compassionate Diploma Candidate that has proven to be an inquiring, analytical thinker and a charismatic communicator across all contexts. His passion for serving others and creating a more economically and environmentally sustainable planet can clearly be seen through his work with combating food insecurity and waste. As Co-Founder and Executive Director, he has scaled his service project, Hand to Hunger, from simply being a group of friends getting together to pack meals for local homeless shelters to a global movement mobilizing upwards of 60,000 student volunteers, across 50+ schools, to become the future change makers for a world without hunger. Adam unequivocally demonstrates the qualities of a Diploma Candidate and illustrates the power of youth to create change in their communities and internationally.

Rachita Bandi, Harrisburg Academy (Coordinator, Leyla Goldfinger)

Rachita Bandi is a student at Harrisburg Academy who is enthusiastic and hard-working. She embraces challenges and takes up various volunteer opportunities and extracurriculars. She enjoys exploring new topics, especially those related to STEM. For the past few years, she has completed research projects and submitted them to science competitions, like CASEF, where she has won first place! Last year, she created a non-invasive continuous glucose monitor that constantly measures a diabetic patient’s blood glucose level without drawing blood.

Rachita also completed a service project that raised awareness for a non-profit organization called Caitlin’s Smiles. This organization provides creative activities for children with health challenges, instilling them with a sense of self-worth. She volunteered there and made 350 kits filled with fun activities for kids. She also created posters and gave a presentation to her school’s community to raise awareness and support for this organization's purpose. Outside of school, Rachita has participated in Bharatanatyam, a form of Indian classical dance! She performs at various events that bring awareness to this form of dance. Recently, she performed on the Perelman Stage in Carnegie Hall, New York!

Primary Years Programme: Jeremy Oparah, Maya Angelou French Immersion School (Coordinator, Amy Lahlou)

Jeremy has become a strong communicator in French at his language immersion school. His sense of humor stands out as he is able to deliver quips and jokes in two languages. Jeremy demonstrates the IB learner profile in class and in the community showing kindness to everyone he interacts with. He loves to share his knowledge of animals and science as well as his perspective with his peers in person and through books as he is a three-time published author. Jeremy enjoys playing with friends, sports and outdoor activities with his family, reading and the occasional video game.