October 2025 Spotlight: James Garske

It is my great honor to present James Garske as the recipient of the Nova Classical Spotlight Award. This award was established to recognize individuals who exemplify Nova Classical Academy’s commitment to academic excellence, virtue, and a thriving school community. Through their outstanding dedication, they inspire those around them and contribute meaningfully to our pursuit of learning not for school, but for life. James Garske, a senior at Nova Classical Academy, has attended Nova since kindergarten and embodies the ideals of scholarship, service, leadership, and virtue. His accomplishments and contributions exemplify what it means to be a Nova student who not only excels academically but also strives to improve the community around him.

James has achieved national recognition as a National Merit Scholar Semi-Finalist, a distinction earned by only a small percentage of students nationwide. He serves as Vice President of the National Honor Society, where he helps lead initiatives that reflect the organization’s four pillars of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Through this work, he has modeled the very qualities that Nova seeks to cultivate in its students’ commitment to learning, service to others, and leadership grounded in integrity.

Beyond the classroom, James is an active participant in several student leadership groups that strengthen Nova’s culture. As a member of The Collective, he contributes to thoughtful discussions on current events and civic engagement and is leading the effort to bring a guest speaker to campus to broaden dialogue and understanding within the student body. He also serves on the Knights Roundtable Student Advisory Group, working directly with school leadership to enhance the student experience and promote meaningful student-administration collaboration. His thoughtful advocacy was instrumental in helping shape this year’s Upper School dress code reforms, including the introduction of Fun Sock Friday, which has become a symbol of community and school spirit.

James is also a valued member of Mock Trial, the school’s choir program and the Boy Scouts of America, experiences that have deepened his skills in teamwork, communication, and civic responsibility. In addition, his participation in the Minnesota High School Page Program and his Public Affairs Internship reflect a growing passion for public service and engagement with the broader world, a hallmark of a Nova education. James’s leadership, intellectual curiosity, and virtue make him an exemplary representative of Nova Classical Academy. His achievements are matched only by his humility and his consistent desire to use his abilities for the good of others.

On behalf of Nova Classical Academy, I am proud to recognize and celebrate James Garske for his outstanding achievements and contributions. We are deeply grateful for the academic excellence, civic engagement, and leadership he brings to our community and for the example he sets for his peers.

It’s a Great Day to be a Knight!

Dr. Brett Wedlund
Executive Director