News

At NSCD, achievement isn’t just about awards — it’s about character, perseverance and growth

By Brian Frederick, Head of Upper School

“When you go into the end zone, act like you’ve been there before.”  — Vince Lombardi 

Celebrating accomplishments matters. How you do it matters even more. 
 
Our students have given us so much to be proud of in recent weeks. More importantly, they continue to be wonderful individuals who are humble, hardworking and exemplary members of the community.  
 
For many years, our athletic teams have been a source of pride and distinction at NSCD. We are the most successful high school athletic program for a school of our size in Illinois, based on top finishes in state tournaments over the past decade. This winter, the girls varsity basketball team added another milestone, capturing the program’s first-ever IHSA Class 1A Sectional Finals championship — just two days after securing the first sectional semifinal victory in school history.
 
In recent years, we have intentionally focused on elevating our academic teams as well, and it has been tremendously rewarding to see that effort pay off.
 
This year alone, 23 upper school students have earned a remarkable 52 awards across seven highly competitive Model UN conferences. At the North American Invitational Model UN (NAIMUN) — the de facto national championship hosted by Georgetown with 3,300 competitors representing over 250 top schools — our team earned 11th place overall, a notable achievement among the nation’s best.

Our DECA students recorded 19 top-three finishes across a wide range of events during the regular season and sent 23 students to the state conference, bringing home five state medals. One student even qualified for the International Career Development Conference in Atlanta. 

In the prestigious Chicago Scholastic Writing Competition, four NSCD students captured an impressive nine awards — from Gold Key honors to Honorable Mentions — reflecting both their creativity and discipline. 

Our upper school Science Olympiad team, now in its second year, continues to impress. At their most recent invitational, the team earned four podium finishes, including first place in their division for Bungee Drop and Electric Vehicles and second place in Chem Lab and Machines. With regionals just around the corner, the team is building strong momentum heading into the next stage of competition.

Our math team also excelled: Four students scored in the top 2.5% nationally on the American Math Competition, qualifying for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination. The team took first in Region 20 at the regional tournament and ranked fourth statewide among all 1A teams, securing a spot at the state tournament in April. 

What makes these achievements so meaningful is not just the awards themselves, but who is earning them. The same students excelling in Model UN, DECA, writing competitions, Science Olympiad and Math Team are also competing in sports and performing onstage in our winter play and spring musical. That combination is rare. To me, it is the “special sauce” of NSCD — a quality some may not fully understand, but one our community lives every day. It is a testament to well-rounded students who compete at a high level while flourishing across so many different areas.
 
We see this same ethos reflected when our alumni return to campus. Recently, we welcomed back James Robinson ’15, an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker with The New York Times, and Joel de la Fuente ’87, an actor whose work spans stage, television and film, including roles in multiple Emmy Award-winning original series. What stood out most was not just their impressive resumes but the humility, thoughtfulness and grounded confidence with which they spoke about their work and their paths since NSCD.
 
After 19 years at North Shore Country Day, I remain deeply proud of this small school, its accomplishments and the graduates it produces. Our students know what it means to prepare, persevere and compete with integrity. They leave NSCD not only accomplished, but confident, grounded and ready for what comes next.
 
After nearly two decades at NSCD, I am reminded once again that our greatest achievement is not what our students win, but who they become.