Up Close and Personal with Schechter Alum Micah Plofsky (‘16)

Up Close and Personal with Schechter Alum Micah Plofsky (‘16)

From the classrooms of Schechter, Deerfield High School, and Indiana University, Micah Plofsky (‘16) has taken his passion for history, learning, and mentoring and turned it into a career in education. He currently teaches 8th grade Social Studies and Language Arts at Viking Middle School in Gurnee, IL.

“I love engaging with kids and helping them grow as people and students,” he says. In his role, he also consults with social workers to discuss social-emotional development, develops dynamic and stimulating curricula, collaborates with coworkers, and attends professional development seminars.

Micah’s passion for mentorship extends beyond the classroom and onto the track. After participating in cross country at Schechter, he competed in track and cross country at Deerfield High School (DHS), earning a spot on the varsity track team his junior year and competing at sectionals. Now, he’s giving back to the sport as an assistant cross country coach and volunteer track coach at DHS, helping young athletes develop their skills and confidence to strengthen both their performance and mindset.

Going into college, Micah recalls that he hadn’t thought about becoming an educator. “I initially entered Indiana University undecided,” he says. “But I always knew I liked helping others and history.” By exploring different courses, he discovered a love for history and education. His summers as a counselor at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin solidified his path.

“I created fun programs for campers, helped them develop socially and emotionally, and built their leadership skills,” he says. “That experience showed me how much I loved working with kids. After that, I knew I wanted to be a teacher.” After student-teaching at Bloomington High School South, covering everything from U.S. History to AP World History, Micah officially launched his career in education.

In addition to teaching, Micah loves doing cardio—running, biking, swimming. Right now, he’s training for a triathlon in early May, and after that, he will start training for the Chicago Marathon in October.

He also stays connected with his college friends through trivia games. “We play together a few times a week, even though we’re spread across Chicago, D.C., and Atlanta. It’s a great way to stay in touch despite our busy schedules.”

One of Micah’s proudest achievements was competing in the Little 500 during his junior year of college. “This was huge for me,” he says. “The race is 200 laps—50 miles—on a cinder track, and it takes a whole year of training just to qualify. Our team made it on our first attempt, which was a big deal since we had never competed before. That moment of crossing the finish line, knowing we had made it, was unforgettable.”

Micah credits his Schechter education and experience with preparing him both academically and socially for high school and beyond. “Schechter was the perfect preparation for high school. I felt confident stepping into a rigorous academic environment and forming meaningful relationships.”

He adds that the most unique part of his Schechter experience was the relationships he made with others. “Unlike my high school experience, Schechter brought together individuals from the greater northern suburban Chicago area. This allowed me to make friends from throughout the suburbs, which led to long-lasting relationships.”

Although Micah and his brother Jeremy were among the few identical twins at Schechter, he says that their teachers always recognized and treated them as individuals. “In our time together at Schechter, we rarely had class together,” he says. “I think our parents purposely did that because we would get riled up near each other and try to provoke the other. Our teachers respected us individually and treated us like we were each our own person. Obviously, people mixed up our names because we were identical twins, but I never felt like we were in another person’s shadow. I felt like I had my own relationship with teachers, and not a shared one.”

One memory in particular stands out. “Growing up, I hated dressing like my brother. If we walked downstairs even wearing the same color-coordinated shirt and shorts, I would change. One day, he convinced me to wear the same t-shirt and shorts to school. However, I did not agree with what would happen next. Jeremy went into one of my classes while I was in the bathroom—and the teacher had no idea! I think it was in Hamorah Forrester’s class, or it was with a sub, but I can’t remember. Other than that, we shared a lot of the same friends, and life was pretty good as a twin at Schechter.”

Micah remains in touch with several classmates, including Ben Sztainberg, a friend he reconnected with years after Ben left Schechter in 5th grade. As for a special shoutout? “Definitely Mar Schrag. He taught me how to play ultimate frisbee, and because of him, I got pretty good at it.”

“The Schechter community was my gateway to so many values that define who I am today,” he adds. “Without it, I probably wouldn’t have gone to Camp Ramah or had so many formative experiences. It helped me shape my own Jewish identity and determine what aspects of Judaism are most meaningful to me.”

If Micah could give advice to his younger self, it would be simple but powerful: “Don’t be afraid to engage with people you may not be friends with, and ask for help when you need it.”