Get to Know Adelphi’s December 2019 Students of the Month!
Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn’s December 2019 Students of the Month: Isabella (Lower School), Svetlana (Middle School), Yura (Upper School), Jessica (Student-Artist) and Warren (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 January to recognize five outstanding students who demonstrated extraordinary effort during the month of December. Isabella (Lower School), Svetlana (Middle School), Yura (Upper School), Jessica (Student-Artist) and Warren (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 Isabella can identify three keys to her success at Adelphi Academy. “I did my homework, I followed all the rules, and I also ate all my vegetables!” she smiled. “The secret is to add ketchup.” Isabella is a foodie, for sure, as she already knows that she wants to pursue a career in the culinary arts. “I want to be a pizza chef,” she said. “I have a lot of secret recipes.” The energetic Lower Schooler also enjoys playing with her toys and making friends. “I like school,” she said. “I already have so many friends!”
Lower School faculty member Ms. Churchill said, “Isabella loves learning. She always tries her best, no matter what challenge awaits. Every day, her excitement spreads such joy to everyone around her. I am so proud of all she has accomplished!”
Middle School Student of the Month Svetlana is a talented artist and musician who is always looking to better herself as a student. “I’m learning so many new things and studying different subjects this year,” she said. Svetlana is especially dedicated to her craft as a musician. “Twice a week I go for piano lessons,” she said. “I’ve learned four new songs.” She also enjoys drawing original cartoon characters in art class as well as in her spare time. An accomplished student, Svetlana advises her fellow Adelphians, “Always try your best and even if things don’t turn out the way you like, always try hard to succeed.”
Homeroom teacher Ms. Wong said, “Svetlana is a self-motivated student. She always puts forth her best effort in and out of the classroom.”
Upper School Student of the Month Yura is glad to be back at Adelphi after a brief hiatus to return to his home overseas. “I’m excited to further my Adelphi story,” he said. “I was really excited to come back because I was here for a long time before.” Yura, who aspires to become an orthodontist when he gets older, takes his studies seriously and always strives for success. “I work hard,” he said. “I did well on all my exams.” Upon his return to Adelphi, Yura said the change that stood out to him the most was the implementation of the Academy’s House System. “It’s really cool. It reminds me of Harry Potter,” he said. Yura has embraced a leadership role at Adelphi this time around and looks forward to offering advise to younger students. “I remember being in Lower School and looking up to the older students,” he said. “My advice is to not be shy. Make friends, socialize and always look out for one another.”
Homeroom teacher Ms. Giacchino said, “Yura is a hardworking student who always puts forth a great amount of effort in all that he does. He is always committed to doing his best. Yura is polite, respectful and sets an example for others, which makes him a great ‘Of the Month’ recipient. It is a pleasure to have him in my homeroom and I am happy that he has received this honor.”
December 2019 Students of the Month were recognized at a special assembly held in their honor.
Student-Artist of the Month Jessica is a talented artist who enjoys drawing and painting, but she also tapped into her artistic nature by auditioning for a role in The Adelphian Masquers’ 5 Year Anniversary Show! “It’s really interesting,” she said. “I like dancing and I made some friends.” Jessica remembers one of her favorite drawings from when she was only 8 years old — a family portrait. She also enjoys drawing animals, especially dogs. “I like to draw huskies,” she smiled. She said she would like to pursue art professionally when she gets older.
Art Instructor Ms. Fregara said, “Jessica is a very talented young artist. She pays attention to making sure all her artwork is detailed. She has a lot of patience with her work as well. I am extremely proud that she auditioned for our winter production, The Adelphian Masquers’ 5 Year Anniversary Show! and that she is now a part of our ensemble for our Theater Arts Program. She has a beautiful voice and she memorizes lyrics pretty quickly. Jessica is a very dedicated and well-rounded student. She is doing an incredible job thus far and I am excited for her progress throughout the rest of the school year!”
Scholar-Athlete of the Month Warren was recognized for showing leadership on and off the court. He recently built his own computer from scratch by researching the parts he would need and ordering them online. “I wanted to play games online with my brother but my laptop wasn’t fast enough, so I bought the parts online and built my own,” he said. “That’s how I learned that I can rebuild a PC.” Warren is also involved in The Adelphi Oracle, for which he pens the popular “Gamer’s Guide” column. His advice to younger Adelphians who dream of being named a Student of the Month? “Follow your own path and you will be noticed,” he said.
Open Gym Moderator Ms. Alvarracin said, “Warren is a dedicated student athlete who shows teamwork and agility in all sports. I am very proud of Warren for receiving this Scholar-Athlete of the Month award.”
Congratulations once again to Adelphi’s outstanding “Students of the Month” for December: Isabella, Svetlana, Yura, Jessica and Warren!
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