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Friday, May 29, 2009
The Albany Academies e-newsletter
Week of May 25
ACCOLADES
Girls Varsity Lacrosse Team captures Section II Championship!
Pictured (left to right) are members of the Girls Varsity Lacrosse Team celebrating their victory; members of the Boys Varsity Lacrosse Team; and Coach Greg Giombetti '89 with his daughter receiving a plaque from Director of Athletics Paul Gallucci.
Congratulations go out to the Girls Varsity Lacrosse Team & Coach Greg Giombetti '89 for capturing the Section II Class C Girls Lacrosse Championship with a 12-8 victory over Glens Falls this past Wednesday at the University at Albany.
The team improved its record to an impresssive 17-0 in garnering its second straight title. The girls were featured in a story in the Times Union this past Thursday. A photo of the girls celebrating with Coach Giombetti is featured on the homepage of our Academies website as well.
The girls will play again on Wednesday, June 3 beginning at 3 p.m. at Deitz Stadium in Kingston.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE TIMES UNION ARTICLE.
Meanwhile, the Boys Varsity Lacrosse Team dominated South Glens Fall 11-2 in the Section II Class B Quarterfinals this past Tuesday. The team will now face Niskayuna in the Section II Class B Semifinals today at 4 p.m. at Niskayuna. Good luck to the boys!
In addition, Matt Kandath (Form VI) also won the New York State Varsity Tennis Championship for the third straight year. Matt was also selected as the Times Union Scholar-Athlete Award recipient out of 149 schools.
East Campus Spring Sports Assembly
Pictured (left to right) are Coach Michael MacArthur congratulating the members of the Girls JV Softball Team; Coach Jonathan Catlett with the Girls Varsity Track Team; and Girls Varsity Lacrosse Co-Captains Caroline Gersuk '10 & Madison Daly '10 thanking Coach Giombetti for his leadership and inspiration this season.
The East Campus Spring Sports Assembly was held this past Tuesday in the East Campus Auditorium to recognize our girls spring sports teams. Each coach recognized his/her team members and reflected on this past season.
The following students were also recognized for their athletic efforts:
Caroline Gersuk '10 -- Coach Giombetti Lacrosse Award & Trimester III Female Athlete
Leddy Sullivan '10 -- Most Improved (lacrosse)
Bridget Malicki '11 -- Heart and Soul (lacrosse)
Alexa Kurchner '09 -- Coaches Award (lacrosse)
Rebecca Smith '13 -- Coach McArthur Softball Award
Alexus Gould '12 -- Most Improved (softball)
Emily Bruce '10 -- Most Dedicated (softball)
Gillian Stewart '09 -- Coach Catlett Track Award
Frances Yanover '12 -- Most Improved (track)
Nora Lankhof '11 -- Most Dedicated (track)
END OF YEAR TRADITIONS
Last Chapel
Pictured (left to right) at Last Chapel are the senior boys; Head of School Richard F. Barter with faculty member Martha Houghton; and Andrew Ford (Form VI) with Director of College Counseling Jak Bestle after the dedication of the Cue.
Many of our Upper School boys received honors in academics, athletics, the arts, community service and leadership during Last Chapel this past Wednesday in Caird Chapel on the West Campus.
During the event, Andrew Ford '09 dedicated the Cue to Director of College Counseling Jak Bestle. The Olcott House won the prestigious Meislahn Cup by garnering points through competitions and community service projects.
In addition, Johanna Bouloukos received the Francis Scaramuzzi Award; and Martha Houghton, Bob Neudel & Bob Bischoff received C. Woodrow Rea '66 Teaching Awards.
Final Assembly
Pictured (left to right) at Final Assembly are Emily Ashton '17, Michaela Hoffman '16, Emily Griffen '09 & Christine Barry '11 -- recipients of the Legislative Art Awards (Nathan Wei (Form II) & Justin Hackshaw '18 participated in the same Legislative Art Show); East Campus students preparing for Final Assembly; and faculty members Chris Conway, MaryEllen Tomson, Erica Milliken & Jessica Lawton.
The Final Assembly for Upper School girls was a wonderful celebration for all students and faculty this past Wednesday in the East Campus Auditorium.
During the event, Michelle Bielak '09 & Nia Romain '09 dedicated the Academe to faculty member Elizabeth Koonz.
Several awards were presented to faculty and students, including Dr. Amy Allman & Cathy Teitelbaum '65 receiving Upper School Faculty Enrichment Awards; and Jessica Lawton, Chris Conway, MaryEllen Tomson & Erica Milliken receiving Excellence in Teaching Awards.
We will include a full spread of all student and faculty recognition awards from both Final Chapel and Last Assembly in the fall issue of A2 magazine. We will also be posting photos on Snapfish.com in the coming week.
Undercurrents now available!
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Each Middle School girl on the East Campus was treated to a copy of Undercurrents 2009 at a special launch party held today in the East Campus Activities Room.
The publication -- a tradition among the Middle School girls -- contains a variety of beautiful student artwork along with poems and other written works.
Congratulations to Ms. McNulty-Finn & the girls for their hard work in putting the publication together! |
Famous Women visit the Academies
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Lower School students on the East Campus were delighted to be visited by 18 famous women this week! In what has become a 2nd grade tradition, each of Ms. McGivern's students completed research in library and computer classes, wrote a script and then represented the famous woman at an assembly.
The girls adopted appropriate mannerisms and costumes and shared a wealth of information about a wide variety of female role models. Sacajawea, Florence Nightingale, Mildred "Babe" Didrikson, Susan B. Anthony and Mia Hamm were just a few of the women represented.
At times, it was easy to forget that the "famous women" were really our own 2nd graders! |
Pre-K & Kindergarten authors greet fans
Our Pre-K & Kindergarten authors had a chance to meet with their adoring fans this past Thursday on the East Campus.
The girls shared many of their original and class books that they created during the school year. They also gave out autographs and took part in a meet & greet with excited parents!
Trimester III Honors Assembly
The Trimester III Honors Assembly was held on May 21 in Caird Chapel on the West Campus to recognize student achievements in academics, athletics, the arts and community service activities.
Among the students recognized were Emily Bruce '10 & Alex Zacharczenko (Form V) for academics; Caroline Gersuk '10 & Matt Kandath (Form VI) for athletics; Daniella Zeman '10 & Jake Centofranchi (Form V) for the arts; and Tessa Palladino '12 & Bradan Liberty (Form V) for leadership.
Congratulations to all Upper School students for their impressive efforts this past trimester!
A blast from the past!
Pictured (left to right) at the Renaissance Faire are Sanchi Saitia '15, Cara DePan '15, Victoria Stockman '15 & Sarah Jones '15; Alixandra Rutnik '15 & Brianna Hart '15; and Julia Randall '15, Yasmina Sultan '15, Helene DiStefano '16, Nikki Kura '16 & Molly Sullivan '16.
The annual Renaissance Faire, held on May 22 in the East Campus Courtyard, has become a 6th grade spring tradition for the girls.
The event is an interdisciplinary project that includes History, Language Arts, Dance, Music, Art, and Latin. The students each formally research an important historical figure from the Renaissance; they then write and produce a play featuring a May Day festival and the historically relevant figures from their research.
This year's Renaissance Faire was a grand culmination of their outstanding efforts. Special recognition goes to Ms. Tomson for her dedication and time spent with the girls to make this event so special again this year!
NEW CELEBRATIONS
Spanish National Honor Society Induction Ceremony
Nine Academies students -- Kalyna Apkarian '11, Christine Barry '11, Matthew DeVito (Form IV), Zach Nelson (Form V), Jenny Wicks '10, Livia Rossi '10, Christian Miller (Form IV), Brian Mellin (Form IV) and Dana Gough '11 -- were inducted into the prestigious Spanish National Honor Society at an induction ceremony on May 22 in the East Campus Auditorium.
The organization recognizes high achievement in Spanish to promote continuity of interest in Hispanic Studies. Congratulations to the students for this tremendous honor!
World Language Awards Assembly
Pictured (left to right) at the World Language Awards Assembly are Nora Lankhof '11 & Alexis Russell '11 reading a poem in Chinese; Prosper Mbonguemuna (Form VI) doing a solo performance; and the Upper School Chorus singing "Gloria" in Latin.
Approximately 60 Upper School students were honored for their language accomplishments at the World Language Awards Assembly on May 14 in Caird Chapel on the West Campus.
The students were recognized for their efforts on the National French and Latin exams as well as high achievement in the Chinese, Spanish, French and Latin classrooms. Various student presentations were intertwined amongst the distribution of awards.
Students read original poems written in Chinese, French and Spanish; sang in French, Spanish and Latin; and performed an original comic skit in Spanish. The event showcased the outstanding activities occurring in world language classrooms at the Academies!
Independent Science Research Fair
The Independent Science Research Fair was held on May 21 in the East Campus Library to present the research that several Academies students have taken part in during the school year.
Three students presented their projects at the event: Katherine Cattini '10 -- "Neurofibromatosos Type I"; Ankur Patel (Form V) -- "Pseudomonas Cell Communication"; and Alydaar Rangwala (Form IV) -- "Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis and Phototherapy."
Other students who participated in the ISR program this year included Madison Daly '10, Jake Gao (Form VI) and Roma Luthra '10. The Independent Science Research program at the Academies -- led by Science Department Chair Bo Buran -- provides students with the opportunity to learn about and engage in original science research.
MAY PROJECTS
Seniors are currently wrapping up their May Projects at a wide variety of business, schools and organizations. This week, we take a look at Drue Sokol '09 as she discusses her placement at the Brighter Choice Charter School in Albany.
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"My time at Brighter Choice Charter School has been an incredible experience. I have gotten to know the students there very well and will miss them very much. My responsibilities range from being a teacher helper (photocopying papers, sharpening pencils, making posters in the shape of volcanoes) to tutoring girls one-on-one in English and Math.
The girls call me "Miss Drue" ("Miss Sokol" makes me feel old!), and we have really bonded during our times together. I recently went on the 1st grade field trip to Washington Park where we played tag, blew bubbles and had a really nice time. My favorite place in the school is the Library, where I catalog books and re-read all my old favorite stories." -- Drue Sokol '09, AAG Student Council President |
OTHER EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
Special Summer Camp 2009 Referral Program
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Summer Camp 2009 at the Academies is filling up quickly, and the end of the school year is right around the corner. LEAP Camp is offering more classes than ever before; new classes such as the Red Cross babysitting course and the SAT Prep Course are being offered this summer; and our Classic Day, Girls & Boys Basketball Camps, Junior Camp and a writing skills course are all a part of this summer's offerings. |
We are also offering a special referral program: if you enroll in our camp and pass along a referral postcard with your name on it (available through Shelly Reid on the West Campus), you'll receive $50 off your camp fee.
For more information, contact Camp Director Brian Fruscio at (518) 429-2313 or frusciob@albanyacademies.org.
Team Billy Ride & Walk for Research raises funds and awareness!
Pictured (left to right) are Jacqueline Bizzarro '11, Paris Naigles '11, Andriana Nazarian '11, Bridget Malicki '11 & Polly Grey '11, Mia Milliken '18, Danielle Lagace, Nicholas Graziano '19 & John Graziano '16; and George Featherstonhaugh (Form V), Kevin Finin (Form V), Eliza Dropkin '09, Adam Miller (Form V), Quadir Phillips (Form V) & Spencer Wilk (Form V).
More than 450 participants and 100 volunteers came together on May 18 for the Team Billy Ride and Walk for Research at the Farmer's Market at High Rock Park in Saratoga Springs.
The goal of the event was to raise $50,000 for The National Brian Tumor Society; the ride is held in honor of Billy Grey, a student at The Albany Academy who passed away from a brain tumor at the age of 13.
Yearbooks available for purchase!
Yearbooks can be still be purchased at a cost of $50 per yearbook. Don't miss out on this special keepsake that captures all of the most memorable moments of the school year.
For more information or to order a yearbook, contact Dean of Students Brian Fruscio at (518) 429-2313 or frusciob@albanyacademies.org.
Upper & Middle School Concerts a hit!
Pictured (left to right) are members of the Grade 5/6 Girls Chorus; Lucas Hass (Form VI), Vincent Birch (Form V), Upper School Director Joseph Jacobs & Meeshan Reid (Form VI); and members of the Grade 7/8 Band.
Members of the Academies family were recently treated to outstanding performances during the Upper & Middle School Concerts held in Caird Chapel on the West Campus.
The Middle School Concert included selections from theGrade 5/6 Boys Chorus, Grade 5/6 Girls Chorus, Grade 5/6 Band,Grade 7/8 String Ensemble, Grade 7/8 Chorus and Grade 7/8 Band.
Meanwhile, the Upper School Concert was a delightful event with an original composition from the music theory class, a percussion ensemble piece performed on buckets and four works from the Upper School Band.
This was Mr. Jacobs first time conducting the Upper School ensemble as the new Upper School Band Director. Congratulations to Mr. Jacobs & the students for their impressive performances!
Academies Libraries launch new online catalog!
The East & West Campus Libraries are delighted to announce the launch of their new online catalog -- Follett Destiny. This web-based library automation system can be accessed from any Internet connection to search for books, audiovisual resources, online databases and e-books in the school’s collection, in addition to a wealth of teacher-selected Web pages.
Title Peek offers visual images of book covers along with book reviews and summaries, and Destiny Quest is an interactive interface that allows users to create lists, submit reviews and view new additions to the collection.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE BETA VERSION OF FOLLETT DESTINY.
Laser technology scientist visits the Academies
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Dr. Marshall Jones, a scientist from GE Global Research in Niskayuna who specializes in laser technology, spoke to Middle School students on May 20 in Caird Chapel about lasers and their usage.
He began his presentation by telling the students about his childhood, including repeating the 4th grade, and subsequently completing his graduate studies, including a Ph.D. in engineering. He has developed numerous patents.
Dr. Jones has a genuine interest in encouraging children to learn more about lasers, especially in every day applications. He demonstrated several aspects of laser technology during his presentation, including a miniature laser show on the ceiling of Caird Chapel. |
Court is in session...
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The Honorable Judge Vito Caruso, a New York State Supreme Court judge, held a special court debriefing for 3rd grade girls and 4th grade boys & girls on May 11 in McNamee Library on the West Campus.
The Honorable Judge spoke about the judicial system and explained the steps required to become a judge; he kept order in the room with a giant gavel that he brought with him.
Special thanks to Joanne Haelen P'17 for arranging the visit. |
UPCOMING EVENTS
May 30 -- Script-to-Screen Film Festival, 7 p.m., Caird Chapel, West Campus
June 1 -- West Campus Lower School Field Day
June 2 -- East Campus Lower School Field Day
June 2 -- Senior & Faculty Barbeque, 5:30 p.m., Quad, West Campus
June 3 -- May Project Reception (light fare), 5:30 p.m., East Campus Cafeteria (PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A CHANGE IN LOCATION)
June 3 -- May Project Fair, 6 p.m., East Campus Lower School Gym (PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A CHANGE IN LOCATION)
June 4 -- West Campus Middle School Moving Up Ceremony, 8:30 a.m., Caird Chapel, West Campus
June 4 -- East Campus Middle School Moving Up Ceremony, 10:30 a.m., East Campus Auditorium
June 4 -- Commencement Dance, 7 p.m., Jack's Oyster House, Albany
June 5 -- West Campus Lower School Closing Ceremony, 8:30 a.m., Caird Chapel, West Campus
June 5 -- East Campus Lower School Closing Ceremony, 10:30 a.m., East Campus Auditorium
June 5 -- Senior Girls Tea, 3 p.m., Courtyard, East Campus
June 8 -- AAG Commencement Ceremony, 10 a.m.
June 9 -- AA Commencement Ceremony, 10 a.m.
The Albany Academies is committed to developing the potential of the whole individual by building a community that fosters scholarship, leadership, character, service, and creativity. Our Compass of Core Values includes responsibility, self-discipline, compassion, ingenuity, respect, service, integrity and perseverance.
If you have any questions or comments about this electronic newsletter, please contact Ann Wendth, Director of External Affairs, at (518) 429-2385 or wendtha@albanyacademies.org, or Adam Doling, Communications Associate, at (518) 429-2344 or dolinga@albanyacademies.org.
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2010-2011 ACADEMIC CALENDAR
SPRING/SUMMER 2010 ISSUE OF A2 ACADEMIES MAGAZINE
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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