March 29, 2024

Miriam Sachs Awarded Student of the Year


By Noah Bell

Online Theme Editor

Mira Costa senior Miriam Sachs is this year’s new Student of the Year.

The seven nominees also included seniors Shubhayu Bhattacharyay, Priya Chatwani, Noah Forman, Danielle Major, Cathy Miao and Oia Walker-Van Aalst.  Costa Administrative staff awarded Sachs as the winner with a commemorative video at the assembly made by her family. The video included her achievements throughout her years at Costa, including her work with Broadcast Journalism and Poetry Out Loud.

“Miriam has followed her passion for cinema, journalism and poetry, and poured her soul into these endeavors,” Cinema and Broadcast Journalism teacher Michael Hernandez said. “I think that independence and authenticity resonated with the faculty as traits we admire and hope to see in all students at Mira Costa. Miriam sets a great example for all other students.”

The Student of the Year award goes to the student who shows excellence in academics and extracurricular activities, Costa Art and Ceramics teacher Katherine Martin said. All students nominated for the award showed outstanding academic skills, but Sachs’ work in the classroom and her art made her stand out, Martin said.

“Winning Student of the Year makes me feel so honored and grateful,” Sachs said. “Basically my philosophy is do what you love and in my case, that thing is art. So long as I am always working hard and making stuff, I feel like I am doing the right thing and have found my place.”

Sachs is a part of the Broadcast Journalism team, a member of the Get Lit Words Ignite program, which focuses on poetry through speaking, and has won the Poetry Out Loud contest at Costa for three years in a row, also placing third in California this year.

“I feel like I am not as proud of individual accomplishments, but more that I figured out a way to do what I love and continue to create and understand the world through art,” Sachs said. “That to me is the biggest accomplishment: working together to make something that helps us relate to the world around us.”

Since Costa offers a variety of classes, students are able to pursue almost any area of study that they are intrested in, Sachs said. 

“Costa has incredible arts programming, and specifically the media arts have helped me so much because I have really been able to learn and push myself,” Sachs said. “The Broadcast Journalism program and video production/cinematic arts classes have opened me up to an entire world of creation. If it weren’t for Costa and Mr. Hernandez, I probably would not be doing film.”

This fall, Sachs will be attending the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. Being able to attend USC to study a subject that she loves is a dream come true, Sachs said.

“I don’t know what I want to do in the industry specifically,” said Sachs. “Right now, I love writing and directing, but I could see myself falling in love with other aspects of the filmmaking process that I haven’t been exposed to get interested in.”

Sachs says she advocates following your dreams and doing what you love to do. This mindset has propelled her into huge success in academics and extracurriculars, which helped her get into her dream school to follow her passion, Sachs said.

“Winning Student of the Year really made me realize that it is possible to pursue your passion and do what you love, and you can be recognized for that,” Sachs said. “For me, I think it is a sign that I am on the right track and that following my heart is not just a pipe dream,  but a very real and even noble goal that is actually achievable.”

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