At Reed School And NMS––

Rotary Names Students Of The Month

Newtown Middle School students Dan Murtha (cluster 8-D), Lauren Busser (cluster 7-C); and Reed Intermediate School students Thomas Donnelly (grade 6-H) and Renee Rushefski (grade 6-I) were all honored by Newtown Rotary and named Students of the Month. They were introduced by Rotarian Tony Salvatore, assistant principal at RIS.

Dan Murtha, son of Tom and MaryAnn Murtha, has an enthusiasm for what life holds every moment of his day at Newtown Middle School. From the minute he walks through the door until he leaves he radiates exuberance and shares his good nature with all those around him, peers and adults alike. Active in the school council he has also been involved in religious education and sports programs. He assisted Mr Esposito in coaching the Squirt Hockey team in Danbury this past season. All the while, he has kept academics as a priority while balancing his social and academic lives.

His cluster teachers, Miss Papalia, Mrs Koonce, Mrs Privalsky, and Mr Esposito selected Dan for this personal achievement award.

 Lauren Busser has been selected for the honor by her cluster teachers Mrs Beierie, Mrs Johnson, Ms Mulligan, and Mr Ventresca not only for her achievements academically but for her many other activities with which she goes above and beyond.

Lauren enjoys playing the flute and has been a member of the band since the fifth grade. She participates in the youth group, is homeroom representative for the student council, serves on the Newspaper Club and Literary Magazine. A member of the Girl Scouts, she is currently working on her communications badge.

At the present time she is writing a novel entitled The Light at the End of a Journey, having been inspired by her teachers and friends to do so. It is certainly not surprising to know that Lauren plans on becoming either a writer or lawyer and would like to attend either the University of Michigan or Harvard.

Thomas Donnelly’s teachers describe him as a student who is willingly gives his time and energy to others as a “behind the lines” individual. He spent Earth Day collecting garbage, persuading feral cats that life would be far better at the Donnelly’s home, collecting books for disadvantaged schools in West Virginia, delivering fresh baked cookies to neighbors and others who are ailing, planting trees with his parents, and helping his dad provide free service to the elderly for their needs. Simply put, Tommy commits himself to serving others or as Rotarians say, “Service Above Self.”

In his spare time Tommy enjoys his animals: three cats, a horse named Morgan, and a dog named Wheeler. He continues to work hard for the community. Currently, he is activity fundraising for the Newtown Teen Center and continues to be an active member of the Rotary-sponsored Interact Club.

Renee Rushefski’s teachers call her “an excellent role model for her peers, putting her best effort in everything that she does, sets high expectations for herself, and works diligently to reach her academic goals. Renee is kind and respectful towards her teachers and her peers and is always ready to help out when asked.”

The family moved to Newtown five years ago and Renee immediately became involved in the community. She was a member of the Head O’ Meadow community service club, joined her church and the Knights of Columbus in cooking Christmas Dinner for those in need. This year, as a member of the Reed Student Council, she organized a drive for collecting box tops and motivated her peers to bring in canned food for the Rotary’s Thanksgiving drive. Not only does she enjoy math, but also helps her dad at home with his accounting business.

She loves to play volleyball and especially loves golf and she was the only girl out of 30 summer camp golfers at Canfield Farms, Southbury, last summer.

Renee’s teachers sum her up this way: “Renee is someone whom you can rely on to get a job done and do it right! We are proud to have her as a member of our cluster.”