5 Michigan Students Making The Wolverine State Proud

Michigan is full of bright, driven young people making a difference in and out of the classroom. That’s why Patch and T-Mobile have teamed up to spotlight students excelling in academics, athletics and community service.

Check out five exceptional Michigan students making a big impact. And if you know a student who deserves a shoutout, we want to hear about them! Click here to nominate them for a chance to be featured as a Star Student on Patch!

Arda Aydogan (Northville) — A senior at Northville High School, Arda Aydogan was named a 2025 National Merit Scholar semifinalist and is already gaining real-world experience as a legal intern at DexKo Global. As the co-president of the Turkish American Cultural Association of Michigan’s high school chapter, Arda helps organize cultural events and lead community discussions. He also serves on the board of the Northville German Club, competes with the school’s rowing team and spends his free time playing basketball and soccer with friends. Arda’s diverse passions reflect his drive to lead across academic, athletic and cultural spaces. Read more here.

Madeline Bildeaux (Traverse City) — A 2025 National Merit Scholarship Finalist and star athlete at Traverse City West Senior High, Madeline Bildeaux is setting her sights sky-high—literally. The varsity volleyball standout recently signed her national letter of intent to play at the United States Naval Academy, where she’ll study electrical engineering and train to become a fighter pilot, inspired by childhood memories of watching the Blue Angels at the Cherry Festival. Known for her leadership on and off the court, Madeline was praised by her coach for mentoring younger teammates and bringing fire and poise to every match. “You enter as a recent high school grad, but you leave as someone who's capable of doing so much more,” she said of her decision to attend the Academy. Read more here.

Jesus Gonzalez-Torres (Lansing) — As President of Everett High School’s Junior Board of Education, Jesus Gonzalez-Torres is using his voice to champion student leadership, college access and mental health awareness across the Lansing School District. A senior and Peer Forward leader, Jesus helps classmates navigate the college admissions process while also launching initiatives like “Wear Green on Mondays” to promote mental health support. Outside the classroom, he’s a multisport athlete—running cross country, swimming, playing baseball and training in mixed martial arts—and an artist who plans to study electrical engineering at a Michigan university. Read more here.

Weiran (Alice) Jiang (Saline) — A semifinalist for the 2025 National Merit Scholarship and a dedicated Science Olympiad competitor, Saline High School junior Weiran (Alice) Jiang is already making a name for herself as an innovator. As communications lead for the EMUiNVENTEAM, she helped design a mobility device—dubbed the “Sitter-Upper”—to assist seniors in changing positions safely. The team, supported by the Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam grant program, is one of only eight nationwide working on year-long invention challenges. Outside the lab, Alice is a writing consultant at her school’s writing center and continues to shine in both STEM and communication-driven roles. Read more here.

Ruby Landacre (Hartland) — A dynamic performer and leader at Hartland High School, Ruby Landacre is leaving her mark on Michigan’s performing arts scene. As president of the Hartland Drama Club and a member of the Girls Varsity Pom Pon team, Ruby has balanced stage presence with school spirit. In December 2024, she was recognized as one of the Top Ten theatre students in Michigan at the Michigan Thespian Festival—earning a prestigious scholarship for students planning to major or minor in Theatre or Communication Arts. Most recently, she placed second in the Marilyn S. Jones vocal scholarship competition, highlighting her range as both an actor and vocalist. Read more here.

These exceptional students are just a glimpse of the incredible talent in Michigan. The future is certainly looking bright! If you know a Star Student making an impact in your community, nominate them today to be featured on Patch!