At a school where praise and distinction typically goes to those who excel in music, Noelle McManus also is being recognized for her academic achievements.
The 10th grader at Girard Academic Music Program, 2136 W. Ritner St., has a full slate of in-school awards to match her extracurricular activities, but the 16-year-old’s most impressive honors are the words that her peers and elders share about her.
“In the year that I have known Noelle there hasn’t been a day that has passed when I haven’t been impressed with Noelle as both a student and as a person,” her ninth and 10th-grade science teacher Jared Ruddick said. “She is intelligent, caring and remains one of the strongest presences in her class.”
The resident of the 2700 block of Plover St. in Southwest Philly excels in science, math and history, and has piled up awards for her scholastic dedication receiving a Presidential Award for Academic Excellence every year from first through eighth grades. Last year, Noelle made honors as well as winning a science, English and good citizenship award.
“Noelle has a thirst for knowledge and she demonstrates that every day no matter what the subject,” Ruddick said.
Noelle is musically inclined, like all of her GAMP classmates, and she also participates in art and dance-related hobbies after school. In addition to playing the French horn, she has participated in school musicals in the chorus and on the costume crew, and had taken tap, jazz and hip-hop dance classes until she was 12.
Noelle credits her mother, Paula Pace-McManus as a role model, as well as her grandparents on her mother’s side.
“[My grandfather Anthony F. Pace] is my role model because he is always there for me, and he has succeeded so much in his life that it inspires me to succeed in mine,” Noelle said.
In the future, Noelle wants to go to the best university she can, with her sights set on Princeton, to earn a degree in the medical field and work as a radiologist, psychiatrist or anesthesiologist, but she’s also looking into chemical engineering. With high goals and an impressive résumé, Noelle McManus has quite a bright future.
“She has been one of my best students since I started teaching and I feel that no one else deserves these accolades more than Noelle McManus,” Ruddick said.
Noelle McManus will receive a $150 savings bond. If you are a teacher or full-time educator and would like to nominate a student (first through 12th grades), call 215-336-2500 ext. 117 or e-mail editor@southphillyreview.com.
To see more outstanding youngsters, visit the Youth Appreciation Award photo gallery.
At the early age of 10, fourth-grader Jordan Cerone refuses to limit herself to just one talent. The precocious student at St. Monica, 1720 W. Ritner St., applies herself to excelling in every field: Academically, artistically and athletically.
Both in and out of the classroom, 13-year-old Marcquise Kennedy-Best treats others with kindness and courtesy, and it has earned him the respect of his peers. The eighth grader at Norris S. Barratt School, 1599 Wharton St., has a discipline and humility that will surely lead to future successes.
Friendly, helpful, hard working, caring and loving are just a handful of adjectives that have been used to describe 10-year-old Jaclyn Fantom. The student at Epiphany of Our Lord School, 1248 Jackson St., is noted as a student who spreads joy and happiness in the classroom.
At Sacred Heart of Jesus School, 1329 E. Moyamensing Ave., eighth-grader Anthony Nguyen is a model of leadership both in and outside of the classroom. An extremely hard worker, Anthony is the school’s Student Council president and dedicates himself to the Sacred Heart Youth Ministry after school.
It’s not often that one uses the word “masterpiece” when referring to the artistic productions of a 10-year-old child. Yet St. Monica teacher Alexis Ferraiolo’s former student Emmi Huynh proves herself worthy of this epithet.
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1. South Philly Mike said... on Apr 1, 2011 at 03:27PM
“This is terrific! Good for you,Noelle!
PS Where is Sneaker Pete Thompson these days?”