Kylie Soble

Graduation Date: May 25

High School: Solon High School

Hometown: Solon

Synagogue: Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple

Jewish activities: Friendship Circle of Cleveland

Parents: Julie and David Soble

Like many of this year’s graduating seniors, Kylie’s sophomore year was completely virtual due to COVID-19, but as she approached her May 25 graduation, she re ected on the silver lining.

“It was very weird being online my entire sophomore year,” Soble said. “But even though it made school really hard, I got to spend a lot more time with my family. We all learned to cook together and bake together.”

She said a de ning experience she had in high school was her involvement in competitive dance, which she participated in for eight years. She danced in multiple styles, including jazz, tap and contemporary.

“It was just really good to have a space outside of school, and I had such a close community of dance friends, and I just loved dancing,” Soble said.

She said she was also involved in the Friendship Circle of Cleveland, which she joined in seventh grade for her bat mitzvah project.

“ e biggest thing is kind of that you all get to be together and make friends,” Soble said. “And during COVID, obviously that was really hard because everyone was stuck at home, and you couldn’t do that. So, we did Zooms every day where we would play games, we would get to know each other, we would have guest speakers and fun activities.”

She plans to attend the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla., where she will major in biomedical engineering. She said she hopes to pursue a pre-med track, but her goals are still

Carly Stewart

Graduation date: May 12

High School: Solon High School

College: Vanderbilt University

Hometown: Solon

Synagogue: Park Synagogue

Jewish activities: Vanderbilt University

Hillel, student president

Parents: Rachael and Ralph Stewart e day before her May 12 commencement ceremony in downtown Nashville, Stewart gathered with other graduates on the lawn for “Graduates Day” to hear from 2021 Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria A. Ressa. As several students also took the stage to share a few words, Stewart spoke on behalf of the Jewish community in her role as student president of Vanderbilt University Hillel.

Graduating from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., is a two-day a air in which this year, Carly Stewart of Solon was able to play a special role in representing the Jewish community.

“It was very meaningful to be able to go up there and speak for my community, and o er advice and wisdom that I think was applicable to the entire campus community, but coming from my own faith,” Stewart said.

Solon High School, Stewart knew she wanted to continue her involvement in Jewish activities through college and found that at Hillel.

“When I got to college, I knew that that was a really easy way for me to make the campus seem a bit smaller and I always thought of it as a slice of home,” she said.

With an ambitious double major in molecular and cellular biology and communication of science and technology, along with a minor in medicine health and society, Stewart plans to enjoy a trip with one of her roommates before going back to school.

In late June, she will be attending the University

SOBLE | CONTINUED ON PAGE 39 STEWART | CONTINUED ON PAGE 39

After growing up attending what is now Joseph and Florence Mandel Jewish Day School and becoming involved in BBYO while attending