Achievements ♡

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Baking

Like many passionate pandemic bakers worldwide, I took it upon myself to raise my family and friends’ spirits through carbohydrates, delving deep into Slavic culture through my own spin on household classics, from pavlovas to beze cookies. Although my first taste-testers were members of my family, I began sharing my creations with friends and community members for feedback. Word quickly spread of my apple sharlotka (a moist, spongy vanilla cake filled with soft apple chunks and heightened with a sweet note of honey); soon, customers were ordering it for all kinds of occasions, from birthday parties to Russian New Year celebrations to community events. Inspired by my dad—a successful entrepreneur—I readily launched Jules’ Bakery. The rest is side-hustle history :)

Gymnastics, Cheerleading, and What!?

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Community Service

In the summer of 10th grade, my coaches suggested I cement my knowledge of ballroom basics and fundamentals by becoming a teacher, so I volunteered to lead free group classes every Friday for kids of all ages at my dance studio. Eager to keep expanding our studio and expose more children to the beauty of dance, I created Instagram and Facebook pages to publish coaches’ and students’ achievements, along with fun events and preparations for competitions. With more experience under my belt, I began taking students for individual lessons, helping them incorporate musicality, artistry, and elegance not only into their dance routines but also into other sports they pursued, such as figure-skating and rhythmic gymnastics. When the war in Ukraine began, I was devastated for Ukrainian families fleeing their homeland, terrified and unsure of what awaited them. Recalling the challenge of entering English-speaking kindergarten as a Russian speaker, I realized that I could use my first language to help newly arriving refugee families in Deerfield and Highland Park navigate the language barrier. With every week, I saw progress in the ease with which they found the right words. I watched them smile as English-language movies started making more sense, and the growing confidence in their speech as they talked.

Math and Stem

In high school, I discovered Mathletes, an eclectic community of logarithm enthusiasts and problem solvers from across cliques and among grades. I appreciate how Mathletes has allowed us to step outside of social norms and pressures to form a tight-knit team—even placing eighth in the state!

While competing alongside close friends ranks among my favorite high school experiences, becoming a Mathletes mentor is what I’ve loved most. Helping a teammate solve an equation—seeing that “aha!” moment as they turn to me with a glint in their eye—is exponentially more satisfying than winning a tournament. Eager to do more one-on-one work, during junior year, I began tutoring my peers in AP Calculus before school.

Contact Me

Email: julia@shvartsman.com

Phone: 123-456-7890