Get to Know Adelphi’s March 2o20 Students of the Month!
Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn’s March 2020 Students of the Month: Edward (Lower School), Alex (Middle School), Matthew (Upper School), Erika (Student-Artist) and Platon (Scholar-Athlete).
BAY RIDGE – Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn’s prestigious “Student of the Month” program continued with the announcement of the March honorees at the Academy’s Annual Student Awards Banquet, held virtually for students and families on June 24th, 2020. Edward (Lower School), Alex (Middle School), Matthew (Upper School), Erika (Student-Artist) and Platon (Scholar-Athlete) were each recognized in front of the entire Adelphi community online and will receive official certificates signed by Head of School Ms. Iphigenia Romanos. They recently sat down with the Panther Press Room for an exclusive digital interview, during which they shared some details about themselves and their experiences at Adelphi.
Lower School Student of the Month Edward was overjoyed when he found out that he had been named a Student of the Month. “It felt amazing!” he said. “My family was very proud of me when they heard about it.” Edward said he is proud to be considered worthy of the honor. “I think a Student of the Month is someone who gives his or her all as a student. He or she gives maximum effort and shows interest in what they learn,” he explained. His favorite subject is math, he said, because he enjoys experimenting with numbers. When he grows up, he would like to be a dentist like his uncle, whom he admires. Outside of school, Edward enjoys playing soccer and video games with his cousins. To his fellow Adelphians, he offers the following advice: “Everyone has an equal shot at getting the ‘Student of the Month’ award. It’s all a matter of how hard you’re willing to work.”
Lower School faculty member Ms. Banach said, “Edward is always committed to trying his best and never gives up. When working on an activity independently, he remains focused and works hard. Edward has done a great job transitioning to our distance learning program. He continues to be well prepared and on time for class. I am very proud of Edward for receiving ‘Student of the Month’ honors.”
Middle School Student of the Month Alex was very excited to hear his name called at the Awards Banquet. “My family is very proud of my successes,” he said. “We watched the awards ceremony together and everyone congratulated me. I was very surprised when I saw my face and name on the computer screen!” Alex loves math and computer science and hopes to pursue a career as an IT specialist. “I like to play video games and create characters,” he said. His favorite part of being an Adelphian is getting to know his fellow students. “I like the students at school because they are good, well-mannered people,” he said. During the distance learning program, Alex enjoyed participating in social media campaigns, especially sharing #ThankYouHeroes messages.
House Master Ms. Foronda of House Levermore said, “Alex is a curious student who enjoys nature, reading fiction novels, and has a love for art. He has truly opened up this year through his participation and his dedication to his academics. He has also done well with transitioning to our distance learning program. I am very proud of Alex for receiving March’s Middle School ‘Student of the Month’ honors.”
Upper School Student of the Month Matthew was pleasantly surprised when he heard his name announced at the Awards Banquet. “I didn’t expect it but it definitely feels good,” he said. Matthew made the necessary adjustments to truly embrace Adelphi’s distance learning program and enjoy success during an otherwise difficult time. “The teachers told me I did a good job during the online classes, so I guess that played a role.” In addition to his being named Student of the Month, Matthew also earned induction into the Quill and Scroll International Honor Society for High School Journalists during the Awards Banquet. He served as Sports Editor for The Adelphi Oracle and will be pursuing a career in journalism at St. John’s University in the fall. His advice to fellow Adelphians who are looking to succeed is simple. “If you have a task, just do it. It may be hard to get there but you just have to finish it.”
Homeroom teacher Ms. Wynne said, “Matthew has grown tremendously during his time as an Adelphian. He has continued to explore his unique interests and develop the skills needed to ensure that he will achieve success in college. I am so proud of the continued effort he has shown throughout his time at Adelphi.”
Student-Artist of the Month Erika is excited to begin drawing more images of Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn. Last year the talented artist produced an original painting of her Class of 2021 school ring to be unveiled at the Annual Junior Ring Ceremony; it was such a masterpiece that she has been commissioned to create artwork based on various Academy icons for the upcoming school year. “It’s important because I’m getting to create something nice and also helping the school,” she said. Erika hopes to attend a prestigious art school when she graduates so that she can turn her unique artistic abilities into a fruitful career in industrial design. “I want to do art professionally,” she said. At Adelphi, Erika has immersed herself in various clubs and activities to make the most of her experience, including the Theater Arts Program, Brain Games Club, Art Club and The Adelphi Oracle. Her favorite project during distance learning was designing face masks using household materials. “I loved handcrafting those masks,” she said.
Art Instructor Ms. Fregara said. “Impressionist artist Edgar Degas once said, ‘Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.’ This quote reminds me of Erika because all her artwork leaves the viewer a story of her own. It is a great pleasure watching Erika produce beautiful artwork, but also seeing her brilliant talent grow throughout the years. She did an unbelievable job with designing a mural for the Honors Art program. She works very hard and she has an amazing art portfolio. Since this is her junior year, it is exciting to see her looking at art colleges and their programs. Congratulations, Erika!”
Student-Athlete of the Month Platon said he really liked the feeling of being named Scholar-Athlete of the Month. “It feels like I have done something extraordinary,” he smiled. “My parents were very proud of me.” The young athlete enjoys playing hockey and Beyblades with his friends and dreams of becoming a professional hockey player one day. “That way I will enjoy my job and earn good money at the same time,” he reasoned. As a backup career, Platon said he would be open to becoming a computer technician. He also enjoys chemistry, but said his favorite part of being at Adelphi is actually art class. “I really like drawing,” he smiled. Platon is a fan of the New York Rangers and said he understands how athletics can help develop leadership traits. “When I play hockey, I often need to lead the team. I also try to support my teammates and cheer them up if we lose.”
Ms. Banach said, “Platon has been actively involved in all Adelphi games and athletic activities and has always shown enthusiasm for sports. I am very proud of him for receiving ‘Scholar-Athlete of the Month’ honors.”
Congratulations once again to Adelphi’s outstanding “Students of the Month” for March: Edward, Alex, Matthew, Erika and Platon!
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