One of Notre Dame’s 42 International Baccalaureate Diploma Program candidates celebrated at annual event says his IB teachers were tough, but they helped make him into an independent thinker.
Forty-two International Baccalaureate Diploma Program candidates will be celebrated Monday, April 24, 2017, in a special annual ceremony held in Notre Dame’s media center. Last year’s Class of 2016 included 31 IB-DP candidates at the celebration.
According to IB-DP coordinator Kim Anderson, the event is a special way to recognize the hard work, dedication and talent of the seniors who are heading into the IB examination period next month and also the NDP juniors in the program who will follow in their footsteps (list below).
All of the seniors in the Diploma Program had their extended essays available on Monday for guests to review. Many also were on hand to answer any questions about topics that range from how popular music was a reflection of the anti-Vietnam War movement in the U.S. from 1962-1970; how Christianity and Islam are similar or different based on the accounts of prophets; and to what extent did Thomas Jefferson’s philosophies and policies on economics and the role and power of the federal government prevail over the opposite philosophies and policies of Alexander Hamilton in the United States during the year 1830.
Notre Dame senior Collin Lambrecht, who is wrapping up his tenure in the IB program, said his extended essay topic was the exploration of how the established male guardianship system of Saudi Arabia violates the human rights of women. He noted that working on his essay was hard work, but well worth it.
“I found the topic very interesting and eye-opening,” he said, “and I am very grateful I had the opportunity to learn about human rights and the processes of implementing them globally.”
Lambrecht said Saudi Arabia is a nation with the worst human rights record in the world. In his research, he learned of what was driving Islamic theocracies around the world (Saudi Arabia rules by Wahhabism, the strictest practice of Sunni Islam); the legal processes of the Saudi Arabian government; and the social practices affecting women.
Collin Lambrecht, a Notre Dame senior, said his extended essay topic explored how the established male guardianship system of Saudi Arabia violates the human rights of women.
Lambrecht said that just like his extended essay experience, his time throughout the entire Diploma Program was also both rigorous and satisfying.
“The IB teachers, in my opinion, have been fantastic,” he said. “They are helpful, but they also truly teach you how to think for yourself. There is zero spoon feeding. They are very friendly and open to any and all intellectual discussions.”
He said he’s established a number of friendships with many of his teachers as well.
“They connect you with society, yet do not indoctrinate you,” Lambrecht added. “Rather, they present information and allow you to think for yourself. IB truly does teach free thinking to students. In order to do well, time management is absolutely crucial. If one does not manage his or her time well, then one will drown in a pile of stress. IB has taught me time-management, research skills, and intense analytical thinking, leaving me, I believe, very well equipped for college.”
Notre Dame’s IB Diploma Program candidates for 2017 and their Extended Essay topics:
Rudy Aguilar: To what extent did stroke work affect the result of faster times in swimming from 1970 to 2007?
Jacob Bankstahl: To what extent did the environmental effects of the Chernobyl explosion compare to the agricultural and the economic effects through the period of 19861991?
Catherine Berich: How and why did Napoleon Bonaparte and his troops fail to permanently colonize Egypt during the time period of 1798 to 1801?
Andrew Blocki: To what extent does the pH of a beverage affect its ability to decay calcium-based solids?
Sarah Bonema: To what extent does mammal internal body temperature affect the amount of the milk protein casein’s digestion?
Diego Collazo: To what extent did YouTube influence the concept of a “content creator?”
Montserrat Dorantes: To what extent did America’s “War on Drugs” and Mexico’s political decentralization fuel the rise and control of the Mexican Drug Cartels?
Nicholas Durham: To what extend does alcohol play a role in the amount of probiotic bacteria that live inside the human gut?
Ryan Flaherty: To what extent does the aeration of waterways affect the balance of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria that occupy that ecosystem?
Ryan Genord: To what extent has Data Analytics had an effect on the use of data for Major League Baseball?
Gabriella Gonzales: To what extent did the First World War from 1914-1918 improve the lives of women in Britain politically and socially?
Eileen Haig: How and Why did Anti-Semitism in Germany Evolve from an Elimination Policy to one of Extermination from 1870-1945?
Nicholas Hariskos: To what extent do the dystopias present in George Orwell’s 1984 and Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 provide a lens through which certain aspects of society are criticized, especially in the systems of government?
Genevieve Hendler: What do the differences in the Chinese Cinderella and old English Cinderella say about the cultures in which they originated, and further, what do the similarities say about the nature of humanity?
Margaret Henige: How can the context in which art is presented sway a viewer’s perception of art?
Alyssa Huth: To what Extent did the Woodstock Music Festival of 1969 influence future Music Festivals, and how does it compare to Altamont Music Festival, Coachella and Lollapalooza?
Gabrielle Jacoby: How Successfully Do Artists Use Artistic Devices to Shock Audiences Morally?
Julia Jenaway: To what extent do the heroines in Alfred Hitchcock films subvert the traditional 1950s society?
Kate Joslin: To what extent does psychoanalysis of the human mind and the culture of different countries influence the production tactics of films in the horror genre?
Kendal Kazyak: To what extent did the LA race riots of 1992 influence the content of gangsta rap songs?
Jacqueline Kenny: To what extent do business and government intersect to create policies regarding Genetically Modified Organisms in the United States of America and Norway?
Dane Kovaleski: To what extent was popular music a reflection of the anti-Vietnam War movement in the US from 1962-1970?
Collin Lambrecht: To what extent does the male guardianship system of Saudi Arabia violate the human rights of women?
Katharine Lawrence: To what extent was Westernization in the Meiji Period beneficial to Japanese culture and society?
Alexis Lawroski: How are women of color underrepresented in Western beauty and fashion advertising and why is this detrimental in Western society?
Tessa Magsoudi: To what extent has westernized yoga derived from the origins of yoga within the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religion?
Tala Mahjoub: To what extent are Christianity and Islam similar or different based on their accounts of prophets?
Mariel Manzor: To what extent did the American Civil War catalyze the greater acceptance of women pursuing medical careers in the United States of America?
Olivia Mears: To what extent is the process of an athlete reaching a “flow” state inherent or learned?
Katherine Nachazel: To what extent are an addiction to video games and ADHD related?
Dana Pangori: To what extent are the young women in Sailor Moon portrayed positively in anime culture?
Rebecca Petrella: To what extent does the vampire archetype within English Literature undergo a dynamic shift from the 19th century to present day?
Mary Riss: To what extent do artificial and natural antibiotics effect the growth of Escherichia coli?
Thomas Robbins: To what extent did Thomas Jefferson’s philosophies and policies on economics, who should govern, and the role and power of the federal government prevail over the opposite philosophies and policies of Alexander Hamilton, in the United States, by the year 1830?
Justin Roose: Which theory best explains the disappearance of Henry Avery, infamous English pirate and mutineer of the Royal Navy?
Morgan Rubino: To what extent is Erik, the Phantom, portrayed differently within Gaston Leroux’s novel, Phantom of the Opera, and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical reproduction?
Anna Sartori: To what extent were the Vietnam War protests at University of Michigan successful at influencing other student led protests at other college campuses from 1960-1975?
Julia Walter: To what extent are conflicting policies between the United States and European Union affecting the proposed alignment of food and environmental safety standards within the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)?
Glenn Watza: Evaluate the claim that, the Battle of the Bulge from December 16, 1944 to January 25, 1945 was more influential than the D-Day invasion for the Allied Victory in Europe.
Marshall Weimer: How has the past policies of the United States towards foreign languages in education and culture lead to a nonlinguistic, English speaking community?
Ethan Wiegert: To what extent is Joseph Campbell’s outline for the hero in The Hero with a Thousand Faces embodied in Aragorn from the movie series The Lord of the Rings and Luke Skywalker from Star Wars?
Madalyn Winarski: Of which of the following: Serbia, Austria Hungary, Russia or Germany, was most responsible for the start of WW1 in the time period of 1914?
Also at tonight’s celebration, all seniors in attendance were given special sashes that identify them as IB Diploma Program candidates when they graduate from Notre Dame.
Notre Dame Preparatory School Class of 2018 International Baccalaureate Anticipated Diploma Program Candidates (current juniors):
Christian Andre, Nathan Audia, Alexis Barker, Taylor Beaver, Alexander Blanchet, Jessica Brinser, Kyle Colburn, Cailey Collins, Kyle Conroy, Patrick Convery, Alexander Cousins, Audrey Damman, Joseph DePillo, Elena Diez, Kayla Donaldson, Sofia Duoba, McKenna Dooley, Emily Finn, Joshua Fischer, Nicholas Foltenyi, Nicholas Fraser, Emma Fredin, Braeden Fromwiller, Celia Gaynor, Jane Gemellaro, Claire Genord, Anna Hein, Sean Higgins, Grace Holbert, Joonhee Jang, Eve Juliani, Luke Juriga, Peter Kochanski, Alex Kocheril, Gretel Keller, Angel Kieger, Faith Knill, Elizabeth Krencicki, Isabel Lenzen, Maxwell Lozon, Lia Mastroianni, Madelyn McCullen, Katie McDonald, Elijah McLean, Rachel Michel, Anna Miklas, Malini Mukherji, Camila Munaco, Daniel Murvar, Julia Nellis, Daniel Nemmert, Abigail Rankin, Thomas Riss, Greg Rizzo, Brenden Roose, Nicholas Schulte, Ajay Sheth, Claire Seitzinger, Gabrielle Shilling, Riley Simmonds, Adelina Tatone, Danielle Wagner, Haley Williams, Zachary Wojcik, Shannon Wood and Teresa Woryk.
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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." The Marist Fathers and Brothers sponsor NDPMA's Catholic identity and manages its educational program. Notre Dame is accredited by the National Association of Independent Schools, the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.