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Seventh-graders – who have been reading “Homeless Bird” by Gloria Whelan in Jenny Theall’s English classes – welcomed library clerk Shailaja Vangala as a special guest in their classes to discuss the concepts in the book.

Referencing “Homeless Bird,” a fictional story that takes place in rural India, Vangala shared insights about her Indian culture and customs and the places depicted in the book. She shared photographs from her own travels to the capital of New Delhi, the Taj Mahal in Agra, as well as India’s sacred Ganges River, where prayer offerings take place every evening. She also showed them how to wear a sari, which is a garment traditionally worn in India, and discussed various examples of embroidery. 

“The novel’s protagonist, Koly, is in an arranged marriage and becomes a widow as a child,” Theall said. “She is abandoned in the City of Widows, deals with poverty, violence and starvation – a far cry from Rye Neck in many, many aspects. So, Mrs. Vangala helped this realistic fiction novel come to life.” 

During her presentation, Vangala explained that although child marriages and the tradition of dowry still happen in villages and small towns, they are illegal. In addition, for the most part, widow houses in Vrindavan give shelter to older women who are abandoned by their children and family. She also discussed that arranged marriages remain common in India, but dating and live-in relationships have become more common in Indian cities and many Bollywood films revolve around these themes. 

“I wanted to give students a current perspective to these places and traditions,” Vangala said. “I hope they understand that younger people in India focus on reaching their passions and dreams and do not always live in an archaic bubble. As an Indian-American, I always wish people knew more about how alike the two countries are – both are democracies, secular and open economies, even though India still has its own issues."

Sixteen members of the Rye Neck Middle School Science Olympiad Club competed in the annual Lower Hudson Regional Science Olympiad on March 2 at Scarsdale Middle School. The competition brought together students from 35 area schools and allowed them to demonstrate their skills in various scientific and mathematical disciplines.

Seventh-grader Derek Ryan and eighth-grader Katie Sykes won second place in the Heredity category, which tested their knowledge of biology, heredity, genetics and DNA. Eighth-grader Nicholas Boron and seventh-grader Alex Harris won fourth place in the Roller Coaster category, where they had to build a device to maneuver a rolling marble for a designated time frame. The club also won the Spirit Award based on the team’s sportsmanship, attitude and enthusiasm.

“We are so proud of our students and the team’s hard work and energy,” said seventh-grade science teacher Lauren Zeoli, who co-advises the club with eighth-grade science teacher Jessie Vega. “It was so much fun working with them and watching them grow over the year. We are already looking forward to next year’s events.”

Members of the Science Olympiad team are Ella Aulfinger, Nicholas Boron, Mateo Casciano, Valentine Casciano, Johnny DeToro, Charlotte Geary, Alex Harris, Alex Hull, Lily Kapustin, Hiroto Plugh, Matthew Rubin, Derek Ryan, Kyle Ryan, Katie Sykes, Julie van Roijen and Maya Wintermantel.

Rye Neck Middle School students Ensar Burrja, Margaux Duchanaud and Ethan Felenstein were recognized for their accomplishments and honored with Student of the Month awards for the month of January. 

Burrja, a sixth-grader, earned the recognition for being polite and conscientious. According to his teachers, he is hardworking and enjoys helping others in class. He is also a leader in small groups, takes feedback and is able to make changes to his work to improve it when asked. Outside of the classroom, he likes to play basketball and soccer.

Duchanaud, a seventh-grader, is a high-achieving, kind, respectful and caring student who is concerned with the well-being of others. According to her teacher Trisha Appel, she is motivated and dedicated to being successful in all of her art projects and always tries to be creative with her ideas. In addition, Duchanaud always has a smile on her face and says hello to others. 

Felenstein, an eighth-grader, is a trustworthy, compassionate, approachable, hardworking, polite and well-mannered student. According to his teachers, he puts forth excellent effort on a daily basis, both in and out of class. Outside of school, Felenstein enjoys music, videogames and volunteering with his synagogue youth program.  

Rye Neck Middle School students Blathnaid Grenouillon and Shelby Preisser were recently recognized for their accomplishments and honored with Student of the Month awards.

Grenouillon, a seventh-grader, is an eager, attentive student. According to her teacher Jenny Theall, she has one of the highest GPAs in her class and willingly helps others. Outside of school, Grenouillon participates in gymnastics and basketball. In addition, she volunteers at a food pantry in Port Chester and is in the Girl Scouts, where she has earned a certificate in archery.

Preisser, a sixth-grader, is an enthusiastic and conscientious student who always puts forth her best effort. According to her teachers, she earned the recognition for preparing well for her classes, having a great sense of humor and interacting well with students and teachers. In addition, her teachers described her as a great leader in and out of the classroom. Preisser enjoys reading, playing tennis, softball and diving, and also plans to volunteer at a soup kitchen in the near future.

Rye Neck Middle School eighth-graders and staff members faced off during a friendly volleyball game, held at the gymnasium on Feb. 15. The game was designed to bring together the school community and promote school spirit.

“It allowed all eighth-graders to participate, if they wanted to,” Principal Eric Lutinski said. “It was available to all regardless of ability, but there was no grade or penalty for watching from the stands. It helped to humanize the staff and let the students see us having a good time.”