Get to Know Adelphi’s May 2021 Students of the Month!
Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn’s May 2021 Students of the Month (clockwise from top): Jenna (Lower School), Alexander (Middle School), Isaac (Upper School), Autumn (Scholar-Athlete) and Isabelle (Student-Artist).
BAY RIDGE — Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn’s prestigious “Student of the Month” program continued in June as five outstanding students were recognized for demonstrating extraordinary effort during the month of May. Jenna (Lower School), Alexander (Middle School), Isaac (Upper School), Autumn (Scholar-Athlete) and Isabelle (Student-Artist) each received official certificates signed by Head of School Ms. Iphigenia Romanos, who congratulated each recipient in person at Adelphi’s Annual Student Awards Banquet held June 9th, 2021 at the Bay Ridge Manor. These exceptional Adelphians 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 Jenna was thrilled to learn that she had been selected to receive this prestigious honor. “Yes! It’s exciting,” she smiled. The ambitious young Adelphian has several interesting careers in mind already, each of which is designed to help others. “I want to be a police officer. No, a doctor…no wait, I really want to be a teacher,” she said. “I like to help kids.” What subject does Jenna want to teach when she grows up? “Everything!” she exclaimed. Jenna is a talented artist who enjoys experimenting with various colors, including purple, red, green, blue and white. But there is one color that Jenna always tries to incorporate into her artwork. “I like pink because it’s the best color in the world!” she exclaimed.
Lower School faculty member Ms. N. Baalbaki said, “Jenna is a remarkable student. She is always eager and ready to learn. Jenna is a wonderful friend to all her classmates and works very well with others. She has shown excellent progress throughout the school year. I am so proud of Jenna’s hard work!”
Middle School Student of the Month Alexander is a talented artist who enjoys creating various types of artwork. He is a skilled painter and also excels at drawing. “My favorite things to draw are nighttime cities and outer space,” he said. This year, Alexander developed an interest in music and became adept at playing the guitar. “I’ll probably play more guitar in the future,” he said. Alexander is extremely interested in plant life and cares for several plants. He may even consider a career in botany when he gets older. His advice for his fellow Adelphians who hope to succeed is simple, yet sage. “You have to do your work,” he said.
Homeroom teacher Ms. Foronda said, “Alexander has shown immense growth this year. He has shown his capabilities as a student academically and has been a good friend to his peers. He continues to be involved in our various House activities by leading the class in discussion and helping the Lower School students in our class exercise. I am proud of his accomplishments this year, and I look forward to seeing him grow as an individual as a high school student next year. I am proud to be Alex’s homeroom teacher!”
Upper School Student of the Month Isaac was happy to be included among such a talented group of honorees. “I’m proud of every ‘Of the Month’ winner,” he said. “Each is truly capable of great things!” Isaac has enjoyed the past academic year and is grateful to have been given the opportunity to learn alongside his classmates in person. “It’s so great to be back in school, even with masks, because we are able to socialize and grow. That’s so important,” he said. One in-person activity that Isaac particularly enjoyed was serving as a counselor in Adelphi’s Spring Break SHTEAM Camp. “I really enjoyed the camp. It was lots of fun assisting the little ones and teaching them Brain Games activities and how to solve a Rubik’s Cube,” he said. “When I look at these young Adelphians I see myself.” Isaac plans to pursue a career in medicine, either as an ophthalmologist or a general surgeon. An active member of Adelphi’s Theater Arts Program and The Adelphi Oracle, Isaac said he has learned much from his involvement in school activities. “I really grew from my experience with the Oracle, and I enjoy watching Ms. Fregara and Mr. Bates work with the theater students. They inspire me,” he said. Isaac has some important advice for his fellow Adelphians as they pursue similar accolades. “Don’t sweat the small stuff,” he said. “Take everything one step at a time.”
Homeroom teacher Ms. Giacchino said, “Isaac has been in Adelphi for many years now. He is a bright young man who has a great future ahead of him. Isaac works hard academically and is friendly to all he meets. He is gifted and talented in the arts. He is passionate when it comes to singing, acting, and playing the piano. I am proud that he has been chosen as our Student of the Month!”
Scholar-Athlete of the Month Autumn couldn’t contain her excitement when she found out that she had been selected for this prestigious honor. “I was very excited,” she exclaimed. “My heart was beating so fast!” Autumn excels in a variety of athletic activities, including singing, dancing, ballet and gymnastics. “I’m flexible and I can jump very high,” she smiled. “I also do swimming and can go in without my goggles!” When it comes to dancing, Autumn said it’s important to have fun and feel good. “I just go with the rhythm,” she said. “It’s so fun.” Autumn aspires to become an astronaut or a teacher when she gets older. “I love space!” she exclaimed. “There’s so much to see there. I have a space map in my room. I want to go to Pluto with all my buddies.” Autumn is so happy to be enrolled at Adelphi because it’s different from other schools. “I like that it’s a private school and we have events,” she said. Autumn always pays close attention to their fitness and health, and she encourages her fellow Adelphians to do the same. “It’s important to be healthy,” she said.
House Ellinwood House Master Ms. Fregara said, “Autumn is a gifted athlete and an incredible dancer! She moves with grace and determination and enjoys challenging herself physically in all activities. I am very proud of her for receiving this Scholar-Athlete of the Month award!”
Student-Artist of the Month Isabelle is both a talented artist and a skilled photographer. She has created a number of beautiful artworks in class and spent extra time perfecting her Spring Break assignment inspired by artist Lauren Roth. “I mostly used markers and colored pencils,” she explained. “It was a challenge because I wasn’t used to filling up the entire page with no negative space.” As for photography, Isabelle has always had an interest in the field and jumped at the chance to submit an image to the Bay Ridge Fifth Avenue BID’s National Photography Month Photo Contest. “I like to photograph nature and commercial buildings,” she said. “For the contest, I saw a flower shop and a bus passing by, so I snapped the photo on my phone and used a black and white filter because I thought it looked nice.” The voters also thought it looked nice — so much so that her entry was voted the overall winner of the contest and will serve as the header on all Fifth Avenue BID social media channels as well as its official website! “I was very happy to be chosen,” she smiled. “I feel like I achieved something special and it can help me with future projects.” This past year, Isabelle became more involved in The Adelphi Oracle, for which she pens the popular “Passion for Fashion” column. That serves her perfectly given her career aspirations. “I want to be a fashion stylist with a background in marketing,” she said.
Art Instructor Ms. Fregara said, “Isabelle has grown tremendously as an artist and as an Adelphian. She takes her art very seriously and always puts in maximum effort. Her growing interest in photography led her to submit an entry to the Fifth Avenue BID’s National Photography Month Contest, which was selected as the overall winner! Congratulations to Isabelle for being named Student-Artist of the Month.”
Congratulations once again to Adelphi’s outstanding “Students of the Month” for May: Jenna, Alexander, Isaac, Autumn and Isabelle!
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 three 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