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NFA Sponsors Haitian Hope Day

: U.S. Senator Christopher J. Dodd with students from the NFA Haitian Club

The Haitian Advocate Movement and the Norwich Free Academy sponsored a fundraiser January 23, 2010, in Slater Auditorium to benefit the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.

The event hosted Haitian Christian and community leaders who delivered words of reflection and inspiration, and U.S. Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, D., Conn., as guest speaker.

The day featured dance and instrumental and vocal music performances from local organizations. Among the participants were the Rose City Chorus Barber Shoppers, Norwich Bullybuster Rhythm Circle, Artists In Motion, the NFA Gospel Choir, and the American’s Best Martial Arts.

All proceeds were donated to the American Red Cross for relief efforts in Haiti.

Junior Classics League Sponsors All Night Readathon of Ovid

The Junior Classics League and their advisors World Language teachers Nina Barclay and Elizabeth Tylawsky held their annual readathon, January 8-9. The text was Humphries' translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Students arrived with pillows, quilts and snacks at 4 p.m. Friday, and for the next 15 hours Land Library was transformed into a place of costumed inspiration, illustration, feasting, laughter and design as students dramatically read aloud. Alumna Lara Day created a stencil for participants to design their own T-shirt with Daphne's transformation into laurel tree. Eight NFA alumni (a record) attended, including David Brine who brought his famous mac and cheese, and their experience staying up until wee hours facilitated the reading through the night. Domino's supplied pizza, and NFA alumni Daniel Park and Michelle Moran replenished the coffee. Senior Silvi Banushi led the group in illustrating scenes from the myths to post in the library.

By 6:30 a.m. the entire book was complete, the wrappings from the many door prizes of the night were gathered, and the library was again transformed to a place of quieter reading.

Other students who participated were seniors Alexina Aron, Matthew Donahue, Shane Donahue, Lucy Fernandez, Victoria Moebus; uppers Michael Jones, Paden Kosoff, Lindsay Savignac, Jonathan Sheffield, Victoria Schultz, Jenny Yee; lowers Jessica Cote-Michaud, Aaron Evrett, Tonay Gooday-Ervin, Hannah Perkins, Daniel Pisowloski, Genevieve Remondi; and juniors Mackenzie Little, Christopher McAlpine, and Jake Paulman.

Elaine Porter Receives Prudence Crandall Award

Norwich NAACP in its 100th year celebration “Bold Dreams, Big Victories” recognized Elaine Porter as a recipient of the Prudence Crandall Award in honor of her dedication and commitment to educational programming for the community. In 1834 Prudence Crandall, defied Connecticut State Law by providing a free education to a Negro student, Sarah Harris, from Norwich. Porter, NFA Academic Support Instructor, has worked tirelessly to increase educational opportunity and achievement for students of color.

Since 2004 Porter has served as the advisor for NFA’s Nexus for Black Achievement, an organization that provides a network for students of African decent to embrace the desire for high achievement and academic excellence. She has also been an advisor for the Mosaic Project, which provides students with educational and social activities that promote diversity, awareness, and acceptance of people from all economic, social, racial and ethnic groups or cultures. Porter was recognized at the 46th Freedom Fund Dinner Dance and Gala at Foxwood's in October.