On the Avenue: Adelphi students travel to D.C. for leadership retreat

These young leaders get an A for effort — a “Capitol” A, that is!

More than two dozen Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn students joined select staff and parents for a weekend trip to Washington, D.C. as part of the historic Bay Ridge academy’s Annual Spring Student Leadership Retreat on May 2-4. As part of the unique and informative experience, Adelphians enjoyed a private tour of the U.S. Capitol building, plus a visit to The People’s House — an interactive museum devoted to the White House and its inhabitants throughout the course of history.

At The People’s House, students especially enjoyed sitting behind the president’s desk — part of a life-sized replica of the Oval Office. They also explored tons of interactive digital exhibits that allowed them to learn more about objects on display at the White House by simply touching them on the wall.

Of course, they also visited the many monuments and memorials on display throughout our nation’s capital that pay homage to America’s most extraordinary leaders and military heroes.

“The Annual Spring Student Leadership Retreat was an incredible experience for all those who attended,” Adelphi Head of School Iphigenia Romanos said. “At Adelphi, we proudly focus on educating the ‘total child’ through hands-on, interactive learning, and the leadership retreats we offer provide the perfect opportunity to not just learn about our history, but to experience it first-hand.”

The retreat involved detailed evening discussions and reflections pertaining to what the students had seen during each action-packed day, as well as an assignment that is designed to allow them to be creative and portray their experience on the trip through writing, art and photography, according to Romanos.

“Adelphi is fortunate to have so many talented student writers, photographers and artists within its ranks that it made sense to tap into their unique abilities in order to create something special specifically pertaining to this experience,” Romanos said. “As young leaders, I look forward to seeing them share their finished work with their fellow Adelphians and teachers at a special assembly.”

Director of Academy Operations & Advancement Albert C. Corhan, Sr. also attended and led many of the evening discussions.

“This retreat is special because it allows students to see staff in a different light as they share a powerful and inspiring experience together outside the classroom,” Corhan said. “That’s a big part of the Adelphi Plan and helps to create well-rounded leaders who are better prepared for the next phase of their academic career once they graduate.”

As they walked through the bustling streets of D.C., Middle and Upper School students stopped “on the avenue” to admire the White House itself, located at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Perhaps one day one of them may reside there in service to our nation!

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And the winner is …

The inaugural “Pizza Wars” event hosted by the Merchants of Third Avenue (MoTA) in partnership with the Bay Ridge Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) and 86th Street BID drew hundreds of people who came to enjoy the intergalactic … errr, inter-avenue … pizza tour and “Star Wars” costume contest on May 4, aka “Star Wars Day.”

Brooklyn Firefly, 7003 Third Ave., was the final stop on the tour and hosted the official after-party, with music and drink specials galore. It was there that the votes were tabulated and the winner was announced.

After this incredible “duel of the plates” that saw literally thousands of slices served to costume-clad crowds all day long, MoTA President James Vavas announced that Elegante Pizzeria, 6922 Fifth Ave., had been voted the winner, offering the best slice “on the avenue” and beyond.

Stay tuned for more from this special event in next week’s edition!

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Forward, march!

The annual 17th of May Parade marking Norway’s independence takes place May 18 “on the avenue,” beginning at 1:30 p.m. The parade route runs from 85th Street and Third Avenue to 75th Street, then up 75th Street to Fifth Avenue to 67th Street and into Leif Ericson Park, where the reviewing grandstand will be located.

You can bet there will be hundreds of participants and spectators dressed in traditional Scandinavian garb — and many sporting Viking helmets. Vintage Viking ships and other historical floats are a highlight of this beloved Bay Ridge tradition each year.

The theme of the parade is “Celebrating Norwegian Immigration 1825-2025,” organizers said.

Next up “on the avenue,” hundreds of local veterans and supporters will take part in the 158th Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade, which takes place on Memorial Day itself, May 26.

The patriotic march steps off from 78th Street and Third Avenue at 11 a.m. and proceeds to Marine Avenue, up to Fourth Avenue and over to John Paul Jones Park for a memorial service that includes bagpipes, a flag raising ceremony, a wreath laying by veteran service organizations, a 21-gun salute by the Veteran Corps of Artillery, and the playing of Taps, organizers said.

The 2025 grand marshal is Major General Kris A. Belanger, General, 99th Readiness Division. Deputy grand marshals are John Callaghan, FDNY, USMC; and the Merchants of Third Avenue Civic Improvement Association, Inc.

Let’s turn the avenue into a sea of red, white and blue this Memorial Day!

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If you’re doing something noteworthy “on the avenue,” reach out to me directly at [email protected]!