Newtown Rotary Honors

Students Of The Month For January

Newtown Rotary recently honored five students as Students of the Month. In 1996, Newtown Rotary saw the need of publicly honoring those many students that were doing well not only scholastically but also who were giving back to their community by performing community service.

Grade 5 —

Rebecca Greenawalt

Rebecca Greenawalt moved to Newtown from Fairfield in the summer of 2003. She is an avid reader who especially enjoys the Harry Potter series and related topics. She and her friends are currently working on creating a virtual Hogwarts as part of their Harry Potter’s Club. She is currently reading about herbology and is planning to put together a herbology club/business with a friend. She is a strong student and competent writer.

Rebecca is required to do chores every week in order to earn an allowance. Her allowance is then divided into thirds. One third goes toward her college savings, one third is her spending money, and one third is put toward a charity. This past fall, Rebecca donated more than $100 worth of food toward the town’s Thanksgiving Food Drive with the money she saved.

Rebecca is also interested in the environment and preserving natural resources.

She enjoys helping her neighbor in the summer by being a mother’s helper. In her spare time, she takes gymnastics once a week, plays clarinet, swims on the Dolphin Swim Team, and cares for her pet hamster, Maraca.

Grade 6 —

Bianca LeBlanc

According to her teachers, Bianca “continues to make remarkable personal achievements in her life that positively affect her academic, physical, emotional, and social achievement.”

Every day, Bianca demonstrates new ways to rise above her hardships and find meaning and joy in her life after the loss of her father last year. Bianca is a role model for her peers, both academically and socially, and leads every day by showing what a self-directed learner she is. 

In her spare time, Bianca plays soccer, basketball and the violin.

Grade 7 —

Bianca Crudo

Canadian-born Bianca Crudo is described by her teachers as a kind, inquisitive, and compassionate person. She is an excellent A-average student, is always willing to go out of her way to help others, and is a good role model and leader to all students. She has a positive outlook and a bubbly personality.

A young actress, Bianca has appeared in several Canadian television sports and also appeared in the film Jules Walking Home. She is also active in Newtown Middle School and Newtown High School theater productions.

Bianca takes voice, ballet, and piano lessons. In addition, she is an active community volunteer.

As her acting experience may allude, Bianca dreams of being a Broadway star!

Grade 8 —

Jensine Eckwall

Jensine Eckwall, an honor roll student, is recognized by her teachers as a “unique individual — her own person, who sets her goals and works to achieve them.”

Jensine lived in England for more than two years, during which she traveled to France, Spain, Belgium, Wales, Scotland, and the Canary Islands. While in England, she developed a love for pigeons. This young lady also loves reading and drawing. She is a member of the NMS award-winning Literary Magazine and also volunteers at Sandy Hook School at various school functions.

Outside of school, Jensine takes yoga, art, and piano lessons. Jensine created a cookbook as a “tribute to different cultures and traditions of her family” on the occasion of her Bat Mitzvah. All profits from the sale of the cookbooks are being donated to the Seeds of Peace organization. Thus far, she has sold more than 100 copies!

Grade 8 —

Christine D’Alessandro

Christine is a true “student of academia.”

She has been an active member and leader of the National Junior Honor Society since she was in sixth grade. She is also an active member of the St Rose Student Council and a girl scout. Teachers recognize her for always volunteering in the community through school and church. 

She also is a strong role model for her younger sister, Catherine. Her teachers wish her all the luck in the years ahead as she continues her journey in school and beyond.