Brooklyn Education: Fontbonne selects MSJF Scholars

Each year, the top tier of applicants to Fontbonne Hall Academy who list Fontbonne as a first or second choice are named Mother Saint John Fontbonne Scholars.These students have achieved excellent scores on the TACHS exam and have outstanding sixthto eighthgrade academic records including standardized test scores.They are eligible for scholarships and incentive awards if Fontbonne is their first choice.

MSJF Scholars are ready for advanced work. They will take honors courses in several subjects and participate in accelerated programs. Congratulations to the young women who were accepted into this prestigious program!

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On January 31, the Parent Teacher Association of David A. Boody I.S. 228 held its First Annual Art Auction Fundraiser and raised over $5,600.00 fora new art studio.

Under the direction of Ms. Lisa Banker, art magnet teacher at I.S. 228, talented students created over 200 pieces of artwork that were auctioned off to benefit the school’s art program.In addition to student pieces, teachers’ artwork and artwork from The Barsky Gallery in Hoboken, New Jersey, were donated and auctioned off at the event. The I.S. 228 instrumental music students entertained the guests.

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Seven Xaverian students from the junior and senior classes traveled to Camden, N.J. to participate in the Romero Center’s Urban Challenge Program, a service-learning, immersion retreat experience, from January 31 to February 3.

Wiktor Rzeszutko ’14, Andrew Schillaci ’13, Justin Chung ’14, Kyle O’Halloran ’13, Jacob Loff ’14, Raj Patel ’13 and Massimo Ferrigno ’14, along with Director of Campus Ministry Mr. John Dormer and Religion Department Curriculum Specialist Mr. Brendan Moloney, stayed for three nights at the Romero Center.

They participated in various service projects with young children, the elderly, and individuals infected with HIV/AIDS at the MLK Jr. Developmental Center, Abigail House, and St. Francis House.In addition to offering the ministry of presence to those in need, the group spent one day living on $3 per person in order to learn how the poorest residents in the state of New Jersey feed themselves and their families.

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On January 31, Chrissauna Vigilance, Nia Usher, Raven DeLeon and Yanitza Cruz, students from St. Saviour‘s linguistics class, attended the North American Computational Linguistics Olympiad (NACLO) at Columbia University with their teacher, Mrs. Nancy Hilbert.

Some of the puzzles the four students were required to interpret were in Quechua, hieroglyphics and Braille. St. Saviour High School’s Linguistics classes have been participating in the Olympiad since 2009.