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Rotarians honor January’s Students of the Month
The Sunrise Rotary Club of Davis recently recognized 12 students at Davis and Da Vinci high schools as January’s Students of the Month.
The honored students are:
* Sara Albertson, nominated by Learning Center teacher Debbie Covert, who wrote, “Sara Albertson is a peer tutor in my third-period guided reading and writing class. Sara has demonstrated a sincere interest in supporting students with disabilities. As a peer tutor, Sara works directly with students to provide academic instruction and play games that help facilitate social interactions and communication skills.
“Sara has discovered that the students look forward to working with her and that she does make a difference. I know that the experience she has had with our students will have a lasting impression on her.”
* Oscar Alvarado, nominated by math teacher Nicholas Pasquale, who wrote, “Oscar Alvarado exemplifies the type of student and person we hope to have in our classes. He is incredibly attentive to lessons, thorough in his work and positively contributes to class activities. Oscar’s self-responsibility sets him apart from his classmates.
“Upon returning from an absence, he asks if what he practiced has prepared him for where the class currently is, versus the average student who will wait for direction when he or she returns to class. He works well with other students, helping them with their algebra, and takes a personal interest in his teachers and their lives.”
* Jennifer Blanc, nominated by social studies teacher Caitlin Butler, who wrote, “Jennifer Blanc was chosen as Student of the Month in world civilizations because she has consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic, integrity and a positive attitude. Showing maturity beyond her years, Jennifer has been able to balance the demands of all her classes and her extracurricular activities. Not only is she a great student, but she is incredibly honest and dependable. It is a delight to have Jennifer in my class and a privilege to honor her.”
* Amelia Duplantier, nominated by science teacher Andan Bailey, who wrote, “Amelia is an excellent student in my physics class. She is a quiet student and, as a result, doesn’t get the recognition that she deserves. She constantly excels academically. One of the things I appreciate is that I can rely on her to be a leader in group settings such as labs or problem-solving groups. She doesn’t try to lead by being the loudest but rather by being right; in other words, knowing the material or how to approach the problem or knowing when help is truly needed.
“Rather than being annoyed by students who don’t understand information, she is willing to help them. Amelia truly deserves this award.”
* Alexis Gilbert, nominated by Da Vinci Spanish teacher Norma Ramirez, who wrote, “It is a pleasure having Alexis in Spanish I class. Every day she greets me with ‘Hola, maestra.’ That always makes my day. In the semester that I have had the privilege to teach Alexis, I have learned she is a quick learner, respectful toward others, organized, responsible, reliable and super-excited every day to learn Spanish. She makes my job very enjoyable and fifth period a great class to teach.
“Even though Alexis might get nervous for quizzes or presentations in Spanish, she has learned so much. I hope she continues to be successful and continues to enjoy Spanish class as much as I enjoy having her as a student.”
* Julia Gladding, nominated by math teacher Jana Henry, who wrote, “Julia Gladding is a terrific student! She always comes to algebra 2/trig with a smile and a readiness to learn. She is thoughtful and considerate to her classmates and is always willing to help them out when they ask her for help. She is the kind of student we teachers love to teach! She makes my job all the more enjoyable and I am honored to be her teacher.”
* Francesca Hovagimian, nominated by music teacher Fred Lange, who wrote, “Frenchy is a junior at DHS and participates in the Jazz and Symphonic bands. The first time I really noticed her was the second day of classes in 2010. There was a Pep Band rehearsal scheduled that evening and there was a great deal of equipment to set up on the IPAB stage. Instead of standing around being told what to do, Frenchy jumped into action, moving music stands and chairs and setting up the band while others stood around and watched! That night I dubbed her ‘Queen of the Music Stands!’ (an honorary title).
“This year, she has continued in Symphonic and Jazz bands. She has worked hard to do her best musically and is a continued source of help to the band and me personally. I know that this leadership ability will serve her well in her further studies, wherever they may lead her. I am pleased to have her as a friend and am pleased to call her our Student of the Month.”
* Austin Leck, nominated by social studies teacher Chris Lee, who wrote, “From the first day of school, it was clear that Austin Leck was going to be one of the most positive and enthusiastic students in my race and social justice class. He is always actively engaged in our class discussions, asking questions and truly thinking about what is being discussed.
“His strong insight and analysis are major contributions to our understandings of the issues being covered. Austin is the student who truly immerses himself in his education. It is a pleasure to work with students like him who learn not just for a grade, but for the sake of learning.”
* Kenny Melville, nominated by English teacher Gwyneth Bruch, who wrote, “Kenny inspires me with his consistent effort and affirmative spirit. He is currently taking two senior English classes — a daunting load for a young man who does not consider either literature or writing among his favorite subjects. And yet he perseveres — working really, really diligently, investing his whole heart into his efforts. I am very proud of Kenny’s success.”
* Vikram Prathap, nominated by Spanish teacher Krista Halderman-Bermudez, who wrote, “Vikram Prathap is the first person I think of when it comes to consistency in my Spanish 3 class. Not only is he a high-achieving student on a regular basis, but he can be counted on to show respect, be polite to others, focus on the task at hand, give it his best try and act responsibly. I appreciate all of the effort this talented young man puts into my class, and am glad to know someone as constantly awesome as he is.”
* Ioana Seritan, nominated by dance teacher Pamela Trokanski, who wrote, “Ioana Seritan is a student in my intermediate/advanced dance class. In addition to consistently meeting my requirements for being on time, prepared, actively participating and being responsible to the process, Ioana has demonstrated an outstanding ability to take on leadership roles.
“She teaches and reviews choreography with other students without being asked, she has excellent time management skills and the ability to ask questions that are both thoughtful and on point. Ioana articulates key concepts using academic-content language. In addition, she collaborates extremely well, able to move from leadership to peer roles fluidly, respectful of the contributions of others.”
* Samantha Simes, nominated by Da Vinci office staff Adela Johnson, Debbie Martin, Marguerite Fleming, Vickie Carr and Principal Rody Boonchouy, who wrote, “Affectionately known as Sam, she is one of our third-period assistants in the Da Vinci office. She is someone we genuinely appreciate. Every third period, Sam arrives ready to be part of the team. Whether it’s making copies, delivering messages through extreme weather conditions, helping fellow students with homework, or organizing the Leonardo da Vinci closet, she is someone we can count on to get the job done.
“She demonstrates initiative and makes suggestions to her fellow peers when they encounter challenges during projects. Sam is kind, dependable, and a true professional. Sam is a friend to all. We are going to miss her when she graduates this June.”
There are three Rotary Clubs in Davis, which meet at noon Mondays, 6 p.m. Wednesdays and 7 a.m. Fridays. Members provide service to their community and internationally. For more information about Rotary, contact Samer Alassaad of the Noon Club at [email protected], Steve Boschken of the Evening Club at [email protected] or Dennis Lindsay of the Morning Club at [email protected]
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