February Students Of The Month Honored By Newtown Rotary Honor

The Newtown Rotary Club recently recognized Newtown’s outstanding students for the month of February. This award recognizes those students who have distinguished themselves through their significant efforts related to community service, citizenship, resiliency, positive attitude, and self-directed learning.

Kate Skalkos was the fifth grade Rotary Student of the Month from Reed Intermediate School. Kate can often be found studying or reading in class with great enthusiasm. Because she is such a serious student, her academics are of excellent caliber. Her writing skills are quite distinguished, and she consistently produces quality pieces every parent and teacher would be proud to read.

Brenden Peterson was the sixth grade Rotary Student of the Month from Reed Intermediate School. Brenden is a dedicated and creative student who always takes pride in his work and always goes that extra centimeter to make his work the best. He is respected by his peers for his level-headed thinking. Brenden demonstrates a positive learning attitude through example; he works extremely well in a group or by himself, and he recently received another honor in being selected to travel to Stratford for a band exchange program with the Reed Band.

Colby Chilson is the seventh grade Rotary Student of the Month from Newtown Middle School. She is a student in the Blue Cluster. Colby resides in Newtown with her parents, Jeffrey and Lorraine, and brother Connor, a sophomore at NHS.

Her teachers commented, “Colby cooperates well with others and is respected by her peers. [She] is a responsible student by fulfilling her academic obligations in a timely manner.”

Colby is a talented gymnast, and her favorite event is the floor competition. For the past four years she has taken lessons at Gymnastic Revolution in vault, uneven bars, and beam as well. Colby is also involved in her middle school Youth Group at church. She has volunteered her time at an annual fair, assisting with the tag sale and jewelry booths. Her Youth Group has also delivered food to the less fortunate at Thanksgiving time.

Eni Musaka is the eighth grade Rotary Student of the Month from Newtown Middle School. She resides in Newtown with her parents, Alfred and Zhaneta, brother Enea, a fifth grader at RIS, and her grandparents.

Eni, who is a student in Cluster 8 Blue, has received the Rotary Award two other times, once in fifth grade and last year as a seventh grader student. Her teachers this year — Ms Kachevsky, Ms Sinal, Mr Poulter and Mr Cruz — recognize Eni once again, stating: “Eni is an exceptional youngster in many ways. She is a bright, highly motivated student, and, as a result, earns outstanding grades. She is a youngster who shows leadership daily while in school. She is respectful to adults and peers and works hard to always do her best.”

Eni is her homeroom’s Student Council representative. She is also a member of the NMS Interact Club, which recently held a valentine fundraiser to benefit the Newtown Dog Pound. Eni was also a part of the crew for the NMS March drama production of Beauty and the Beast. In her spare time, Eni enjoys reading and writing.

Erin Begg, an eighth grader at St Rose, was also honored with a Newtown Rotary Student of the Month Award. Erin is very active within the Newtown community. She tutors younger children after school at least once a week. She volunteers in a hospital often. She raked leaves with her youth group as a service project in the fall and she plays softball in Newtown.

She is also an outstanding student at St Rose: she is s on the High Honor Roll each quarter and is a member of the National Junior Honor Society.

Diana Curcuruto is the Student of the Month from Newtown High School. Diana is a senior and a member of the National Honor Society. She is very active in the choral program at Newtown High School, and performed in the NHS production of Into the Woods and Hello Dolly. She is a member of the NHS Singers choir and will be traveling to a competition in Orlando in April. She has also been a member of the All State Chorus.