NFA World
By Geoff Serra
March 13, from 8-11:30 the Alumni Gymnasium was transformed into a
tropical paradise with colorful table settings, coconut and tiki centerpieces,
seashells, and votive mood lighting.
Tropical Leis and sunglasses were distributed as favors as 365 students
gathered for the annual Coronation Ball, this year
titled “Tropical Sunset.” Throughout
the evening students danced to DJ brothers Steve and Rich Avdevich’s (NFA classes of ’93 and ‘03 respectively) “Sounds in Motion.” Queen Maggie Jacksin and King Kevin Liang and members of the court took
their places on a platform set before a tropical island background for pictures
and enthusiastic applause. Thirty-four
students were named to superlatives in seventeen categories. Those names will appear in our column over
the next few weeks..
March 20th, students did not
have school, but teachers did. NFA
staff spent the day in professional growth activities. The English Department worked with Lorrie Stoops Verplaetse, PhD and Marisa Ferraro Wilhelm of Southern
Connecticut State University’s TAT Program (Training for All Teachers: Instructional Best Practices for English
Language Learners). Others did
curriculum and department work. Music teachers visited other high school music programs while the
visual arts teachers spent the day in New Haven, at the Yale Art Gallery and
the Yale Center for British Art. Art
School Director Melissa Smith says, “We are grateful for this
opportunity…. Experiencing art in person and up close is exciting and
energizing, and we bring that energy back into our classrooms and our students
benefit directly…. That's what I believe professional development should do for
educators.”
Wildcat Congratulations to Special Education teacher Karen
DiCrosta’s Special Olympics speed skating team. After competing locally, nine members
brought home 6 gold, 11 silver, and 10 bronze medals, and several personal
bests from the winter state games March 1-2, at the Simsbury International Skating
Center. The NFA Special Olympics Speed Skating Team includes: Daisy Adams, James Barnes, Jacob Chamberlain, Janelle Daly, Thomas Fournier, Megan MacArthur, Efrain
Quilles, Katie Ryley, Jacob Sharpe, Josh Perez, Isaiah Chapman, Shaimelle Estrada, Matt Stolz, and Derek Dixon.
Special Wildcat recognition to Senior Krysta Seitz and Lower Alexis Tate who assisted the coach and team in
the overnight competition
Upper, Kevin Galiant says, “We had something for everyone.”
Basketball, Volley ball, Dodge Ball, Video Games, Board Games, and, of course,
lots of food – these were all part of the Upper Class Open Gym Night
fund-raiser, 5:30-9:30 p.m., March 11. Robert
Kearney, Class President, says, “We had more students than
we expected. A lot of students came to
show support for the junior class.”
Proceeds will defray the cost of class activities.
Thirty members of the National Honor
Society volunteered on March 13 at the Rose City Senior Center’s annual St.
Patrick’s Day Corned Beef and Cabbage fund-raising luncheon. Chefs, Gerry Meadows (a former NFA Staff member) and her husband Ed “Buddy”
Meadows, with Center Director Mike Wolak, prepared the food, and donned in green derbies and tiaras, students
served, tying last year’s record for fast service – 225 meals served in 22
minutes. Nice work.
Special recognition goes to, Brenner
Green, Devin Quinn, Emma Kate
McNomee, Lindsay Makowicki, and Cami
Ferguson for their fast work serving in the
kitchen and to Courtney Fish, Carolyn Walker, and Courtney Meek for washing dishes. It is always a special pleasure to visit the
Center.
Friday March 14 forty-five members of the Gay/Straight Alliance joined
2,500 students from New England at the annual True Colors Conference at
UCONN/Storrs. Co-Advisors Chuck Lynch and Pamela Hitchcock and students
attended a wide range of workshops.
Seniors Erika Stanton and Cassie Irons presented a workshop on "Tips for a Successful Ally
Week." Last fall during "Ally
Week" NFA signed 875 students and 175 faculty and staff as allies against
bullying, harassment and name calling of any kind. Upcoming events will be the Day of Silence on April 25 and World
Youth Day May 2.
A Wildcat sweep took place at the Connecticut State Science Fair on
March 11-15 at Quinnipiac University.
Siblings Senior Zachary Banning and Lower Jessica
Banning, students of Jason Croteau, were second place winners in the Life Sciences Senior High Division
for their project ” Population Spread and Impact of Galerucella Beetles.” They were also recipients of the Audubon
Connecticut & Arch Chemicals Environmental Award, the Barnes Aerospace
Applied Technology Award, and the Pfizer Life Sciences Award. Winner of a second place ribbon, ninth
grader Sarah Kremer also won the UCONN Physics Department
Book Award and the Müller Award for her project “Packing It In.” Chad Johnson is her proud teacher. Placing
first in the Life Sciences Senior High Division, Lowers Samantha
Schoepfer and Heather Leask also won the Pfizer Life Science Awards, a medallion from ATOMIC
(Associated Teachers of Mathematics In CT) Mathematics Awards Program- with
Webster Bank, an award from Long Island Sound Foundation, Inc., and one from
Southeastern New England Marine Educators, and The Stanley Lessoff Award for
Excellence In Analytical Technique.
Their project was “The Impact of Park Clearing Along the Yantic River on
Benthic Macroinvertebrate Populations: Part II.” Their teacher is Roy Wentworth.
Wildcat Billboard:
For all regularly scheduled Varsity Athletic
events, consult the NFA Web site, Athletics tab, Schedule link.
NFA College Fair, 8-11 a.m. March 27
Geoff Serra teaches English at NFA.
Reach him at serrag@norwichfreeacademy.com
