Get to Know December’s Students of the Month!
December’s Students of the Month were joined by their families for a very special assembly in their honor.
BAY RIDGE – Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn’s prestigious Student of the Month program continued with a special assembly inside the John Lockwood Auditorium Theatre in early January to recognize five outstanding students who demonstrated extraordinary effort during the month of December. Vanessa (Lower School), Adel (Middle School), Luana (Upper School), Erika (Student-Artist) and Andre (Scholar-Athlete) were each recognized in front of the entire Adelphi community and received official certificates signed by Head of School Ms. Iphigenia Romanos. They recently sat down with the Panther Press Room for an exclusive interview, during which they shared some details about themselves and their experiences at Adelphi.
Lower School Student of the Month Vanessa already knows what she wants to be when she grows up. “I’m going to be a chef!” she smiled. “I want to cook pizza and pasta.” That career plan makes perfect sense, since she said her favorite food is pizza. In addition to her culinary aspirations, Vanessa enjoys coloring and creating artwork. Her favorite colors are pink, purple and gold. She’s also a responsible student. “I like to do homework,” she said. When she’s not in school, she enjoys playing with her dog Tito. “He loves people!” she giggled.
Lower School faculty member Ms. Baalbaki said, “Vanessa is a strong listener who always follows directions well and works hard to complete her assignments.”
Middle School Student of the Month Adel was excited to learn that he had received this prestigious honor. “It felt good because I didn’t actually expect it,” he said. “It means I’m a good student!” Though he is uncertain as to his future career plans, Adel said he enjoys science class the most at Adelphi. “It’s interesting, definitely,” he said. As a new student, Adel said he appreciates Adelphi’s welcoming and warm environment. “It’s a good school,” he said. “Everyone here is accepted for who they are.” He also offers some sage advice to his fellow Adelphians who are looking to achieve success. “Do your homework on time, always respect the staff and participate in activities,” he advised.
House Morrill House Master Ms. Wynne witnessed Adel’s effort firsthand during House activities. “Adel has done an incredible job of recognizing and appreciating what it means to be an Adelphian,” she said. “He is kind, dedicated and respectful to his housemates at all times.”
Upper School Student of the Month Luana has fully embraced Adelphian life in her second year. She recently attended the Academy’s Annual Fall Student Leadership Retreat to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. “It was my first time going away without my parents,” she said. “It was really interesting.” A talented artist, Luana enjoys creating magna cartoon art and, though she is undecided as to her future career plans, said she could see herself working in anime one day. At Adelphi, she appreciates the sense of family that exists both inside and outside the classroom. “I like the people. They’re always there to help,” she said.
Upper School faculty member Mr. DeCrescenzo praised Luana’s effort and attention to detail. “Luana is always looking to grow academically and artistically. She pays attention to the lesson and works well with her classmates,” he said.
Congratulations to Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn’s December Students of the Month!
Student-Artist of the Month Erika attributes her artistic abilities directly to her parents. “They enrolled me in special art classes when I was very young,” she said. She has developed a strong love of drawing and sketching, particularly in recreating real life images. One of her favorite pieces is a drawing she created of frogs based on a photo she saw in a magazine. “I thought the picture looked lovely,” she said. “I wanted to recreate it.” The results were astonishing, as only a highly trained eye could differentiate between the drawing and the photograph. Erika said she worked on the project for approximately 5 hours and proudly showed her parents when it was completed. Though she is new to Adelphi, her art gained immediate recognition as she was selected to submit a piece to this past Fall Auction of Fine Art. It was a painting of Manhattan based upon another photo she had seen. “I’ve always loved Manhattan. It’s so enjoyable to watch all the people walking by. I love to capture different perspectives,” she said. In addition to her artistic prowess, Erika has a strong business sense and dreams of owning her own design firm one day. She excels in mathematics, which she said will help her in her future endeavors. At Adelphi, she particularly enjoys the House System and serving as a mentor to the younger students. “I love mentoring the little ones,” she smiled. “They’re so cute!”
Art Instructor Ms. Fregara said, “Erika’s artwork is always of the highest quality. Her ability to capture the smallest details in each of her creations is truly awe-inspiring.”
Scholar-Athlete of the Month Andre excels in the sport of basketball and has assumed a leadership role within Adelphi’s Basketball Club, which meets weekly after school. Andre, who coached the students to a victory in last year’s Students Vs. Faculty Basketball Game, said he enjoys running practice sessions and scrimmages after school. When it comes to playing the sport he loves, he sees himself as a small forward and said he’s happy to do whatever it takes to win. “My goal is always to put points on the board,” he said. Andre said he is exploring several career paths at the moment. “I’m not sure [what I want to be] yet. Maybe a doctor, lawyer or engineer,” he said.
House Lockwood House Master Ms. Giacchino said she sees strong leadership qualities in Andre. “There is no doubt that Andre is a leader among his housemates and classmates,” she said. “He takes what he learns on the court and brings it into the team-building exercises he participates in during House meetings.”
Congratulations once again to Adelphi’s outstanding Students of the Month for December: Vanessa, Adel, Luana, Erika and Andre!
As the oldest private, independent, continuing, coeducational, college-preparatory day school in the borough and one of the oldest in the nation, Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn, “the little school of big dreams” has been “effectively preparing young people for college, career, and life, one day at a time” for over 150 years. Founded in 1863 and located in the historic Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn, Adelphi enrolls students from two years of age through twelfth grade. A strong emphasis is placed on small class size, individualized attention, self-expression, critical thinking and challenging hands-on learning through Adelphi’s founding philosophy and dedication to the education of the “total child.” Adelphi students excel within a small, intimate, safe, caring, nurturing, and secure environment through Adelphi’s core values and founding principles of pride, tradition, spirit, and excellence. The student-teacher ratio is 8 to 1 and Adelphi is a New York State Regents Exempt Program with a 100% college application, acceptance and attendance rate. A founding member of the Coalition of Essential Schools, Adelphi receives its charter from the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York and has been a member of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools since 1928. Ms. Iphigenia Romanos serves as Head of School.
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Photos courtesy of Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn