It often seems like academic activities get overshadowed by sports, but senior Nick Ieremciuc doesn’t let that get in the way of his success. Whether it be because of his rigorous course load or his overwhelming amount of extra curricular activities, Ieremciuc is nothing short of a stellar student. Last year, he won the prestigious ‘Exceptional Genius’ award at the National Science Fair.

Most recently, Ieremciuc and the other members of the Niles West Mock Trial team placed in the top five at the Bulldog Invitational at Yale University. Ieremciuc is also a part of National Honors Society, a group of students who have achieved academic excellence.

Ieremciuc clearly has a lot on his plate, and many people would have trouble maintaining his same level of motivation. Perhaps one of his best qualities is that he does not give up.

“I stay motivated by being involved in activities that interest and challenge me,” Ieremciuc said. “Each day, I interact with people who are pushing their own limits, and their ambition draws out my desire to perform at my best. By staying busy, I find that I enjoy everything I put my mind to.

“When it comes to improving my worth ethic and success, I always look to my father,” he continued. “Reaching his example of hard work and smart thinking has been my goal for as long as I can remember. Regardless of how much time I spend out of the house and on homework, my sisters remind me to never forget the family I belong to. My friends encourage me to explore, laugh, learn, and love.”

Ieremciuc’s former AP Great American Writers teacher Lisa Rossa not only admires Nick’s intelligence, but she also enjoys his funny demeanor.

“Nick’s intelligence is complemented by his clever, irreverent sense of humor. He kept our class laughing — sometimes showing up in full presidential garb, sometimes shaving only half of his face, sometimes livening discussion with perfectly timed puns,” Rossa said.

Ieremciuc’s close friend and junior Dennis Angelov is inspired by him and his accomplishments. He looks up to Ieremciuc for not only his academic success, but also for his friendly and humorous personality.

“Nick goes above and beyond as a friend since he really cares about the people close to him. He’s the most generous and unselfish guy I know. Nick is the kind of guy to go out of his way to help you with something or just make your day with his funny personality,” Angelov said. “Just last week actually, on my birthday, Nick not only congratulated me like most other people, but he went so far as to bring me a cupcake, and even put up a poster next to my locker to really make the day special. Nick isn’t just a thoughtful and kind person, he is also a friend who will support me with anything I might need help with. Nick is smart, funny, and absurdly selfless, making him a huge inspiration, not only to me, but to many other people.”

Ieremciuc’s skill is very versatile when it comes to academic subjects. His areas of expertise range from writing to higher level sciences.

“There are a lot of subjects that I love, but I’m going to have to go with science [as my favorite], and more specifically, biochemistry. Biochemistry is equally interesting and useful, so every topic is not only intriguing but also reveals something amazing about the world around us. [A few] honorable mentions [are] writing, US History, Spanish, and World History,” Ieremciuc said.

One of Ieremciuc’s most admiring teachers was his sophomore Honors English teacher Michele Hettinger. She enjoyed having him in class and appreciated his intelligence.

“When Nick won his ‘Exceptional Genius Award’ last year, I don’t think it surprised anyone. In SoHo, his essays were consistently the models I used to show excellence. But not only is Nick a genius, he’s a genuinely nice kid. Well-rounded in academics, comfortable talking to adults, and kind,” Hettinger said.