Medina Central School District

L to R: MTA President Joe Byrne, Phoenyx Fisher, Miles Yaeger, Link Cook, Danette Oakes of Filomena's Favorites, and Dr. Mark Kruzynski MCSD Superintendent

The Medina Teachers Association, the Medina School District, and the Medina Area Partnership are proud to announce the November selections for Students of the Month.  This award is a combined effort of these organizations to recognize students who go above and beyond to help teachers and fellow students succeed and enjoy school.  

Filomena’s Favorites has graciously sponsored the award for November.  This month, students are being honored with this article and a yard sign from the MTA to celebrate their achievement. The yard sign was presented by Joseph Byrne, President of the Medina Teachers’ Association.  Dr. Kruzynski also presented the winners with a pen and pencil set from the school district.  In addition, Filomena’s Favorites  presented each of this month’s winners with Mark’s Pizza and McDonald's gift cards and drink cups.

Nominated by Eileen Regan and Kelsey Tran at  Oak Orchard Primary School was Miles Yaeger.  Mrs. Regan and Mrs. Tran shared the following about Miles. Miles is an exceptional 1st grade student. Miles is a sweet young man who, this year, has had to step it up as the “big brother” for his sister Millie.  His older brother was in the building last year, and he is now up at Wise, so he has stepped up to the plate, walking her in every day and bringing her to her classroom.  Miles is an exceptionally hard worker and a dedicated friend to all.  He has overcome so many obstacles in his little life so far beyond many adults we know. Miles tries his best in all academic areas and is even willing to help friends with challenging tasks. Miles' handwriting is amazing, and he tells the best stories about his weekend adventures with his family. I had the pleasure of working with Miles last year and again this year.  I feel he has grown so much over the last year, socially, emotionally, and academically. We are super proud of the work he puts in daily and the energy he brings to our classroom.  WAY to Go Miles!!!  

From Clifford Wise Intermediate School,  Leah Gates nominated one of her fifth-grade students, Link Cook. When Ms. Gates indicated her reasons for nominating Link Cook, she shared that he is a focused and determined to learn 5th grader who approaches every task with a positive attitude. Link always comes to class ready to learn.  He stays focused during lessons and works hard to understand new ideas, especially during math.  During our MyPath independent lessons, Link puts in great effort to improve his math skills and is always eager to learn more.  Even when the lessons get challenging, he stays positive and keeps trying until he understands.  Link takes pride in tracking his progress and feels excited when he meets a new goal or masters a skill.  When he reaches a new goal or passes a skill, he proudly shares that accomplishment–it’s wonderful to see how proud he is of his hard work! Through focus, perseverance, and genuine joy in learning, Link sets a wonderful example for others.  Link is determined to grow as a learner and a person every single day. He proves that hard work really pays off and that success feels even better when it’s earned through effort and determination.

From the Medina Jr-Sr High School, Phoenyx Fisher, a 10th grader, was nominated by Mr. Forrestel.  Mr.  Forrestel reports that Phoenyx's transformation as a student over the last couple of years has been remarkable. He has gone from that kid who "hated school"  to a young man who seems to be flourishing. He's happy to be coming to school and becoming noticeably more confident, both socially and academically. Just recently, I crossed paths with him, and I realized it was the middle of October, and I hadn't talked with Phoenyx once since school started. I asked him, "How is school going, Phoenyx?" He replied, " Been here every day! It's going great! My grades are up! I'm making friends!" It was one of those moments that can't help but put a smile on an educator's face! I checked his current grades and compared them to last year's final grades (which had already shown improvement from previous years), and he has raised his core subject averages by a combined 56 percentage points from last year's final grades!!! INCREDIBLE stuff, Phoenyx! Keep it rolling!!!

Congratulations to this month’s winners! The MTA, MCSD, and the MAP will continue the student of the month program throughout the school year. Be on the lookout for the next honorees in the coming months. Look for posters in the windows of Medina businesses identifying them as proud supporters of this program. Who will be the next outstanding Medina student to be honored??? 

L to R: MTA President Joe Byrne, Asia-Lynn Neuhaus, Michael Zelazny CPA, Mirabelle DeGraw, Assistant Superintendent of Special Programs Alexandra DiLaura, and Abigail Sutch

The Medina Teachers Association, the Medina School District, and the Medina Area Partnership are proud to announce the December selections for Students of the Month.  This award is a combined effort of these organizations to recognize students who go above and beyond to help teachers and fellow students succeed and enjoy school.  

Michael Zelazny, CPA, has graciously sponsored the award for December.  This month, students are being honored with this article and a yard sign from the MTA to celebrate their achievement. The yard sign was presented by Joseph Byrne, President of the Medina Teachers’ Association. Assistant Superintendent of Special Programs, Alexandra DiLaura, also presented the winners with a pen and pencil set from the school district.  In addition,  Michael Zelazny presented each of this month’s winners with gift cards to the Author's Note.

Nominated by Andrea Busch and Allison Harmon at  Oak Orchard School was Mirabelle DeGraw.  Mrs. Busch shared the following about Mirabelle. Mirabelle is a gifted 2nd grader at Oak Orchard Primary School who always goes above and beyond in the music room. She is a talented young musician who has been taking piano lessons for the last 2 years. She regularly performs her piano pieces for the class, which has inspired some of her classmates to become interested in learning how to play the piano as well. During music class, she is the first one to lend a hand. She can often be found setting up materials, helping a friend understand concepts, picking up and organizing instruments, giving compliments to others, and demonstrating kindness to those around her.  In addition, Mirabelle is also a proud member of the Oak Orchard Glee Club. She is a leader in the ensemble and continually demonstrates outstanding musicianship skills. Her music is always prepared, she sings with confidence, and models appropriate performance etiquette for her peers at all times. Mirabelle is always seeking out new opportunities and often talks about how excited she is to join the Mustang Marching Band when she gets older. She is an incredible kid and will no doubt be a lifelong participant and supporter of the Medina Music Program. I am honored to be her music teacher, and I wish I could instill her pride and passion into all of my students. Mrs. Harmon also shared that Mirabelle is a second-grade student in Mrs. VanDeGenachte's class.  She is my right hand during dismissal time.  She helps the pre-K students to their seats, collects the table signs, and starts Miss Flugel's line.  She runs things to the office and helps me locate students.  I couldn't imagine dismissal time without her.

From Wise Intermediate School,  Melissa Wroblewski nominated one of her sixth -grade students, Abigail Sutch. When Mrs. Wroblewski indicated her reasons for nominating Abigail, she shared that she is a member of the safety patrol. I have observed her assisting students and directing them. Students seek her out for assistance and direction, whether in the classroom or the hallways. Abby requested laptop access during lunch so she could connect with a student who does not speak English, as she felt it was wrong that he was excluded from their conversations. She recently achieved her Jr. Black Belt and is a truly remarkable child. She is also active in her church and the Junior Court system outside of school. She consistently impresses me, and her dedication deserves recognition. As a 6th grader, she manages a lot and excels both inside and outside the classroom. Abby's academic performance is also exceptional at all levels; she is a fantastic young Medina resident.

From the Jr-Sr High School,  Asia-Lynn Neuhaus, an eighth grader, was nominated by  Kayla Rosenbeck, Joe Byrne, and Jessica Catalano-McCloskey.  Mrs.  Rosenbeck reports that Asia consistently demonstrates a level of responsibility and maturity well beyond what we typically see with eighth graders. Whether in the classroom, during group work, or on independent assignments, she approaches every task with care, diligence, and a genuine desire to do her best. She asks questions and advocates for herself when she doesn't understand something. Asia- Lynn's work ethic is exceptional—she stays organized, meets deadlines without reminders, and takes initiative when she sees something that needs to be done. Beyond academics, she brings kindness into every interaction that she has, including ones with her teachers. She treats her peers with respect, supports classmates who may be struggling, and contributes to a positive classroom environment simply by being thoughtful and dependable. Her leadership, character, and consistent effort make her truly deserving of this recognition.  

Mr. Byrne indicated that Asia-Lynn is a very conscientious student who consistently puts great care into her work and academic success. Recently, our class created note cards on famous inventors and their inventions. Asia-Lynn shared with me that, to study effectively, she entered all the names and inventions into ChatGPT to generate multiple self-quizzes. I was genuinely impressed to see a student using AI appropriately and responsibly to enhance her learning—especially at a time when many students struggle to use such technology ethically. Her hard work paid off, as she earned a 100% on the quiz.  Additionally, Asia-Lynn plays an active role in our classroom community. She participates regularly, contributes thoughtful insights, and isn’t afraid to share her opinions in a constructive and meaningful way.

I would also like to highlight her compassion and empathy toward her peers. One day, when a classmate was absent, I noticed Asia-Lynn carrying a printed copy of her notes. Since we primarily use Chromebooks, I asked why she needed a paper version. She explained that she had printed the digital notes for the absent student so they could easily copy from hers. This small but powerful act of kindness truly moved me.  Asia-Lynn strives for academic success, but also has so much compassion for others, which makes her a perfect candidate to be considered for Student of the Month. Even though Asia-Lynn has only been in our district for a few years, I truly believe she embodies the qualities we all try to cultivate in our students and serves as a wonderful example of our motto, “Exceeding Excellence in Education.”

In addition, Mrs. Catalano McCloskey shared, Asia consistently models the qualities we value in Medina Schools. She treats staff and classmates with kindness and respect. She takes her learning very seriously and pushes herself to be her best. Reading has not been easy for Asia. I have worked with her in reading class last school year and this year. She has been determined to make as many gains as possible in reading by listening, asking questions, and trying new strategies. She also does extra reading tasks and is reading a book at home to get in more reading practice.  It is paying off in her work, not just in my class, but she has shared that she uses her new strategies in other classes too and is finding more success. It is so nice to see a self-motivated student with a great work ethic. Not only is Asia working very hard in school, but she also pushes herself after school by participating in sports, marching band, and jazz band. She put forth a great effort this fall playing varsity soccer as an 8th grader, which is a wonderful accomplishment, but she also fought through a knee injury trying to play as much as she could. When she could not play, she was there providing praise and encouragement to her teammates, just like she encourages her fellow students in class. This winter, she decided to try modified basketball as well. Asia is a well-rounded student with so many good qualities that make her an excellent Student of the Month

Congratulations to this month’s winners! The MTA, MCSD, and the MAP will continue the student of the month program throughout the school year. Be on the lookout for the next honorees in the coming months. Look for posters in the windows of Medina businesses identifying them as proud supporters of this program. Who will be the next outstanding Medina student to be honored???