Get to Know Adelphi’s October 2019 Students of the Month!
Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn’s October 2019 Students of the Month: Annamaria (Lower School), Tiffany (Middle School), Maxelle (Upper School), Reena (Student-Artist) and William (Scholar-Athlete).
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 November to recognize five outstanding students who demonstrated extraordinary effort during the month of October. Annamaria (Lower School), Tiffany (Middle School), Maxelle (Upper School), Reena (Student-Artist) and William (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 Annamaria always makes a special effort to help others. “I help my teacher and my classmates a lot,” she smiled. The talented musician already plays the piano every day at home and has performed at assemblies for the entire school. But she’s not content with mastering just one instrument. “I want to learn the guitar!” she exclaimed. As far as her future plans, Annamaria said she is looking forward to opening a pizzeria and working as a chef. “I love pizza, especially pepperoni,” she said.
Lower School faculty member Ms. Kohler said, “Annamaria is the perfect choice for ‘Of the Month’ honors. She comes to school every day with a smile on her face, eager to learn and participate in class. She always helps her classmates and takes pride in her role as a leader within the class.”
Middle School Student of the Month Tiffany already knows what she wants to be when she grows up. “I’m going to be a veterinarian. I love animals!” she said. A proud pet owner, she has a dog named Chloe. Tiffany is also an accomplished figure skater who can effortlessly perform such moves as a scratch spin and a backward crossover. Her extensive figure skating experience has instilled in her the courage and determination to succeed. “I’ve fallen before, but I always get back up,” she said. Her favorite subjects at Adelphi include English and Math. “Actually, I like all of them!” she smiled. She has some wise advice for her fellow Adelphians who may aspire to earn “Of the Month” honors: “Don’t give up. Keep trying your best and behave!”
Homeroom teacher Ms. Wong said, “Tiffany is a studious student who stays on task and always helps her classmates. She possesses strong leadership qualities that continue to develop inside and outside the classroom.”
Upper School Student of the Month Maxelle summed up how it felt to earn her first Student of the Month award in one word. “Great!” she smiled. The aspiring student leader has made a conscious effort to become more involved in Adelphian life this year. “I tried my best, participated in class and passed all my tests,” she said. Maxelle loves to write and showcase her creativity. “I like writing, so maybe one day I will write a book,” she said. “Maybe an autobiography.” Maxelle starred in the recent Faculty vs. Students Volleyball Game, which the students won in an impressive showing. “It felt amazing to beat the teachers!” she gushed. “I wanted to join a sport and try it out and I’m so glad I did.” She would like to offer her fellow Adelphians some sound advice as they pursue success in their Adelphi careers. “Don’t give up, Always try hard and get involved in activities,” she said.
Homeroom teacher Ms. Giacchino said, “Maxelle has such a kind and sweet personality. She shows great effort when it comes to her academics. She is willing to help others and is such a pleasure to have in homeroom. Maxelle has expressed since the end of last year that one of her goals was to be Student of the Month and I am so happy that she has reached that goal!”
October 2019 Students of the Month were recognized at a special assembly held in their honor.
Student-Artist of the Month Reena was very happy to learn that she had been selected for this prestigious honor. “It feels very great,” she said. The talented artist enjoys drawing and painting and mentioned her unique re-imagination of Vincent Van Goh’s “Starry Night” as a personal highlight from this year. When it comes to artwork, Reena relies on her own imagination to inspire her. “I just think of an idea in my head and I make it,” she said. Besides art class, her favorite subject is English because she loves to read. Nevertheless, her career goal remains clear. “I want to be an artist,” she said. “I want to sell art for money.”
Art Instructor Ms. Fregara noted, “Reena reminds me of the artist I was at her age. I was always super excited to go to art class, work on art projects and draw, paint and draw some more — it would always make my day! Reena is always that way. She is filled with artistic enthusiasm! I was so proud of her painting named ‘Shooting Star’ that was selected and showcased in this year’s Art Auction. She is a dedicated member of our Art Club during lunch time and never misses a day. Reena is a wonderful artist and always a great pleasure to teach. As Pablo Picasso once said, ‘Every child is an artist.’ Reena has the heart of a true artist.”
Scholar-Athlete of the Month William enjoys playing basketball and said his athletic endeavors have made him more comfortable with taking on a leadership role at Adelphi Academy. He was recently named to Adelphi’s Student Advisory Board and is looking forward to continuing to improve as a leader. “I have to be outspoken more. That’s my goal for this year,” he said. “My other goals are keeping up with my grades, studying more and not procrastinating.” William is an avid photographer and artist, which he sees as beneficial to his future plans of becoming an architect. “It’s fun drawing edges on buildings and exploring my interests through art and photography,” he said. William’s goal is to attend The Cooper Union to pursue his degree in architecture, then to design modern buildings in the city. He said he is nervous but excited to enter the next stage of his academic career. “I’m starting to research and get familiar with the programs that are available,” he said. William said that courage is a quality that defines an Adelphian. “You have to believe in yourself,” he said. “You need to be dedicated and stay on task. You can do it if you really work at it.”
Open Gym Moderator Ms. Alvarracin said, “William is a dedicated student in all aspects of physical education. He continues to show sportsmanship through all sports and is a great mentor for Middle School students.”
Congratulations once again to Adelphi’s outstanding “Students of the Month” for October: Annamaria, Tiffany, Maxelle, Reena and William!
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