Valerie Gruebele Makri
Born on March 3rd, 1997 in Urbana, Illinois.
Parents: Martin Gruebele and Nancy Makri
Brother: Alexander Makris Gruebele
Education
2002-2009
Kindergarten – 6th Grade, Countryside School
2009-present University Laboratory High School
Current Extracurricular Activities
Ballet (2000-present)
Piano (2003-present)
Central Illinois Children’s Chorus (2004-present)
Countryside School French Club, Basketball Team, Volleyball Team, Math Team
Languages
Greek (bilingual; speaks fluently, reads and writes)
French (5 years)
Latin (2 years)
Spanish (2 years)
Performances
Children's Choir, Noah's Flood, Prairie Ensemble, Kevin Kelly conducting; Nov. 2004
Children's Choir in The Nutcracker, Simfonia da Camera, Ian Hobson conducting; Krannert
Center, Dec. 2004
Children's Choir in Leonard Bernstein's Mass, University of Illinois School of Music, Eduardo
Diazmunoz conducting; Krannert Center, Nov. 2006
Ballet, The Nutcracker, Champaign-Urbana Ballet; Krannert Center, Dec. 2006.
Children's Choir in La Boheme, University of Illinois School of Music, Eduardo Diazmunoz
conducting; Krannert Center, Nov. 2007
Lead Soloist in Michael Haydn's Magnificat, Central Illinois Children's Chorus; Dec. 2007
An Evening of Ballet and Degas, Champaign-Urbana Dance Arts Program; Virginia Theater,
Mar. 2008
Thumbelina, Champaign-Urbana Dance Arts Program; Virginia Theater, Mar. 2009
Soloist in Children's Opera Brundibar; Holocaust Remembrance Program, Sinai Temple,
April 2009
Academic Awards and Honors
Poetry published in A Celebration of Young Poets, 2007 and 2008
Honorable Mention (Finalist) for Essay entitled "Global Warming: What it Does to Nature",
Annual State Poster, Poetry and Prose Contest, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency,
March 2008
Children's Challenge Award in the Humanities, Optimists Club, April 2008
Certificate of Merit, American Mathematics Competition (AMC 8), Nov. 2008
2nd Place, Countryside School Team, Chapter MathCounts competition, Feb. 2009
1st Place Award, Solo and Ensemble Contest, St. Thomas More High School, Feb. 2009
Bronze Medal (5th Place) in National French Contest, April 2009.
All-District-Honors, Illinois Music Educators Association, November 2009.
Silver Certificate of Achievement (2nd Place), American Mathematics Competition (AMC 8),
November 2009.