February
Congratulations to Marissa Dery, who was selected as the Rotary Student of the Month for February. Marissa is an honors student at Suffield High School and is in her senior year.
Marissa was chosen by her peers and coaches to be the captain for the 2020 swim season. She has been on the swim team for all four years of her high school career. Marissa played on the Girls’ Lacrosse team during her freshman and sophomore years. She is an active member of the Wildcat Advisory Group (WAG), where she helps out with 9th Grade Orientation Day and helps incoming 9th graders have a smooth transition into high school. WAG members also help out at Open House and Parent Teacher Conferences to guide parents around the high school. Marissa is an Executive Board Member of the Interact Club, a Junior Rotary Club group which supports local community service projects. She was also part of the Student Athletic Advisory Council, which is a student-run club that focuses on community services through athletics. In addition, she has been a volunteer with Sacred Heart Religious Education Program since 2017. She teaches and prepares lessons to help educate young children about their faith. In this capacity, she also collaborates with parents and other volunteers to organize events for the students.
Marissa has received Awards of Excellence in Early Childhood Education and in chemistry. She has worked at Morning Munchkins/Kids Korner Camp as a Counselor since 2017, where she helps to plan and oversee campers and camp activities. She supervises campers to ensure safety, guides and teaches games and activities, and helps campers interact with other kids in making friends and improving skills. Marissa is currently employed at Suffield Pizza, where she helps with take-out orders and assisting the chefs to help the restaurant run smoothly.
Marissa will attend college in the fall and will major in Early Childhood Education.
March
Congratulations to Abby Halasi-Kun, who has been chosen as the Rotary Student of the Month for March. Abby is a senior at Suffield High School and treasurer of our National Honor Society and also the World Language Honor Society. Abby is a member of WAG (Wildcat Advisory Group), where she has helped to organize and decorate the school for various events, as well as giving tours to upcoming freshmen and their families. Abby has been involved in both Drama and Unified Theater at Suffield High School. She has had both supporting roles and a lead role in the drama/musical productions at SHS. She received the SHS Drama STAR Award for exemplary effort. She has been a member of student government for the past four years, where she has helped to organize Suffield on the Green and Spirit Night for her class. She was Class Council secretary in her junior year and is Senior Class Council vice president this year. Abby was chosen to receive the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) Award in 2019.
Abby has been a competitive gymnast for eleven years and competes at local, state and regional levels. She earned the honor of State Champion during her gymnastics career. She was the Junior Olympic Gymnastics girls’ team captain. Abby started playing piano in 6th grade and continues to take lessons to this day. She enjoys contemporary music and singing and writing music.
Abby has received the Bronze President’s Volunteer Service Award for completing over 100 hours of community service within one year. During COVID-19, while Abby was at home, she started her own business called, “Daisy & Thread.” She used her business to spread awareness on the importance of wearing a mask. For every mask Abby makes, she donates a mask to essential workers and those in need. Abby will continue sewing masks until there is no longer a need for them.
Abby is a confirmed member of First Church of Christ in Suffield. She has also volunteered at Vacation Bible School as a dance and song leader at a local church. Abby has volunteered at Suffield Gymnastics Academy, has been a gymnastics meet assistant and has been an assistant coach for Suffield Middle School intramural gymnastics.
Abby has received several Awards of Excellence at Suffield High School in AP US history, chemistry, pre-calculus, English, art, science, social studies, math and world language.
In her spare time, Abby works at the Suffield Gymnastics Academy and helps to run birthday parties. She is an office assistant at the Gymnastics Academy.
In the fall, Abby will be attending the Air Force Academy!