NFA World

by Geoff Serra

 

April 25 at a Norwich Youth Collaborative Forum at the Courtyard Marriott, junior Sam Mishkin, lowers Stephanie Burke, Ara Clark, and David Smith, and upper Erica Kydd, accompanied by NFA Social Worker, Joanne Zenowitz, spoke to various community sectors including the police department, human service agencies, and business about the need for a youth center.

 

Upper Deborah Mazzarella has been chosen as the NFA representative to the Fifth Annual Student Leader Scholarship Breakfast on May 23 at the Courtyard Marriott. The Norwich, Montville, and Griswold Divisions of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut sponsor the event recognizing student leaders, their parents, and teachers.

 

For the first time NFA students participated in the COLT (CT Council of Language Teachers) poetry contest. Nine students entered in three levels of Ancient Greek and six of Latin. With over 1000 students and 100 schools participating state wide, the contest is highly competitive. Wildcat kudos to the following: upper Miranda Young, Bronze Medal, Ancient Greek, Level 1; junior Stephen Piotrkowski, Bronze Medal, Latin level 2: senior Thomas Chiovolini, Silver Medal, Latin level 4; and senior Ted Generous, Silver Medal, Latin level 6.

 

A group of hard-working students and teachers beamed proudly during their last day of class April 28. Since November, a diverse mix of eleven students, including some new to the country, volunteered to meet twice weekly after school to improve their reading skills. Lowers Lindsay Celestin, Belinda Belfort, and upper David Williams volunteered to help and encourage their peers. Teachers Katherine Beit, Anastasia Barber, Danielle Dubro, Denise Dunning, and Joseph Miragliuolo, and community volunteer Gail Piotrkowski, provided reading instruction. The success of the program produced a waiting list and plans for a similar after school program next year.

 

Mary Lemoine, retired NFA House Secretary, Nancy DePietro, Norwich Registrar of Voters, and her Administrative Assistant Barbara Hunt, were on campus registering voters. On May 6, among many seniors who registered, several adults updated their voter registration records. “We appreciate the time at NFA with NFA’s young people, “ said DePietro.

 

"The way we can all honor our survivors and those who perished is to remember." History teacher Henry Laudone, a 29 year NFA veteran who has for years taught a Holocaust unit in his Multi-Racial/Multi-Cultural course, was the guest speaker at Holocaust Commemoration program, May 1 at the Congregation Beth El in New London. Laudone focused on what he has learned from the survivors who have visited NFA to speak to hundreds of young people.

 

Wildcat congratulations to John Iovino, Director of Student Activities who was inducted into Central Connecticut State University’s Alumni Association’s Athletic Hall of Fame on April 25 at the Farmington Club in Farmington.

 

Family and Consumer Science teacher Deb Rand and her students at the Brickvew Inn are also generous souls. This week all proceeds were donated to assist three NFA students, victims of the Peachtree fire.

 

Advisors Chuck Lynch and Pamela Hitchcock, and president Erika Stanton ‘08, announce that the Gay/Straight Alliance, through funding raising efforts on campus and at World Youth Day have raised $175 to donate to the Peach Tree Fund.

 

Music through the generations resounded in Norton and Alumni gymnasiums on May 2, as approximately 180 NFA dads, step dads, granddads and their daughters, stepdaughters, and grand daughters “tripped the light fantastic” at the Student Activity Board’s annual Father - Daughter Dance. Senior Emma McNomee, escorted by her dad Fred, marked her third year at the event, a “ritual” where she claims her father “thinks he is a good dancer.” Senior Mollee Spellman and her dad Dan have made a “tradition” of the event, as have Senior Courtney Meek and her dad Doug. The three agreed that the dads are “ fun to watch” and that it was a great way to “spend time together.”

 

April 23 on the Slater stage Sally Derusha’s drama classes presented a series of candid scenes to student audiences. The first three were hilarious excerpts from the works of quirky playwright Christopher Durang: Uppers Sarah Paprocki and Andrew Horelick, who performed in “Beyond Therapy,” were joined by senior Ashley Destefano in “Naomi in the Living Room.” Upper Kenny Harris performed “Mickey,” a poignant monologue about a grown man who expects Mickey Mouse to attend his birthday party. Destefano joined upper Rebecca Redhead in Eric Ziegenhagen’s “Seniority.” Uppers Crystal Pratt and Erika Kydd were entertaining in “A Couple of White Chicks Sitting Around Talking,” and upper Tabitha Jacobs and senior Juliana Ye presented a scene from “Little Miss Fresno” by Ara Watson and Mary Gallagher. To extend their learning, actors remained in character after performing to take questions from the audience.

 

About 70 alumni and guests from the Classes of 1921-1938 gathered May 3 in the Ensemble Room of the Frank Center to celebrate their Golden Jubilee Reunion. The Frank Center was an appropriate setting as Sidney Frank, the building’s namesake, was a member of the Class of 1938. After lunch, a speaking program featured Head of School Mark Cohan, PhD and Alumni Board President, John Mathieu '70.

 

The Larry Pontriant Memorial 5 K Run will take place May 17 at 9:30 a.m. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. The race, which circles through Mohegan Park, begins and ends at NFA. A $5 minimum registration donation to the Larry Pontbriant Athletic Safety Fund is suggested. More information at www.lpasf.org

 

This week, we recall the wisdom of Winston Churchill: “You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.”