3M6AY 29 - JUNE 4, 2014 • BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP • APRIL 24 - APRIL 30, 204145 BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP NOVEMBER 25 - DECEMBER 1, 2016 19 Sponsored by Roosevelt Savings Bank A Division of New York Community Bank • Member FDIC From Brooklyn to Burma, Saint Saviour Young vocalist is set to take on the music world by storm with both talent and resilience Fontbonne student and aspiring journalist a Rising Star student takes trip of a lifetime Smart Student BANKING1 Smart Open your Student Student Checking2 Account BANKING1 today and enjoy: • NO MINIMUM BALANCE FEE • NO PER-CHECK FEE • NO MONTHLY SERVICE FEE Free ▪ Unlimited transactions at NYCB ATMs ▪ Visa® check card ▪ Direct Deposit Online Banking and Bill Pay3 with e-Statements Convenience ▪ Over 175 locations in NY and NJ ▪ Extended branch banking hours ▪ 24-hour bank by phone ▪ 7 day-a-week banking at many locations Open your Student Checking2 Account and/or Savings Account and enjoy: ▪ No Minimum Balance Fee ▪ No Per-Check Fee ▪ No Monthly Service Fee ▪ Unlimited Transactions at NYCB ATMs ▪ Free Visa® debit card ▪ Free Direct Deposit ▪ Free e-Statements ▪ Free NYCB Online Banking with Bill Pay3 Be sure to ask about our Smart Student Savings Account too! (877) 786-6560 • myNYCB.com (877) 786-6560 • myNYCB.com 1Student Banking is available for personal accounts only and is free of maintenance and activity fees. 2Student Checking Accounts with a Visa® check card are automatically enrolled in the Even >more Rewards Program. For complete terms and conditions speak with a branch representative. Restrictions apply. 3No monthly service charges apply. A separate fee applies to optional services such as Money HQ®. Please talk to a branch representative or ask for our fee schedule for more details. 1Student Banking is available for personal accounts only and is free of maintenance and activity fees. 2Student Checking Accounts with a Visa® debit card are automatically enrolled in the Even >more Rewards Program. For complete terms and conditions speak with a branch representative. Restrictions apply. 3No monthly service charges apply. Fees may apply for optional services. Please talk to a branch representative or ask for our fee schedule for more details. Bank is not responsible for typographical errors. 1Student Banking is available for personal accounts only and is free of maintenance and activity fees. 2Student Checking Accounts with a Visa® check card are automatically enrolled in the Even >more Rewards Program. For complete terms and conditions speak with a branch representative. Restrictions apply. 3No monthly service charges apply. A separate fee applies to optional services such as Money HQ®. Please talk to a branch representative or ask for our fee schedule for more details. Bank is not responsible for typographical errors. © New York Community Bank- Member FDIC Equal Opportunity Lender Adelphi undergrad helps donate school supplies for young students BY JAIME DEJESUS [email protected] A driven Brooklynite understands the importance of education and is showing it by her actions. Undergrad student at Adelphi University Olivia Di Giulio, born and raised in Gravesend, played an integral role in hosting an event that helped raise money for school supplies for families in need. Di Giulio, president of the school’s Phi Sigma Sigma sorority, and nearly 50 sisters of the organization participated in the fundraiser for the second consecutive year on Friday, November 11. “The event was called Do it for the Kids,” she said. “It is dedicated to the Kids in Need Foundation, which is an organization that gives all new school supplies to children in underprivileged areas. The items collected will be directly benefiting a school in Hempstead, the David Patterson School.” According to Di Giulio, the school has a significant student population that doesn’t have proper school supplies or funds, so helping those students made a significant impact. “Our organization is very passionate about this cause in particular because it directly deals with children and their education,” she said. “It’s been scientifically proven when children have the tools they need for school, they will do better. On tests, they will have better performance overall because they have that kind of confidence they didn’t have before.” The event was a major success in comparison to last year. “We had roughly close to 300 guests and we collected almost $3,300 in total,” Di Giulio said. “We were very pleased. This year, we tripled the money we made and doubled the school supplies.” Phi Sigma Sigma, an important part of Di Giulio’s life as president, played a major role in the event. “If it wasn’t for every single effort of every single person in my sorority, we would have never gotten as much publicity for the event,” said the 21-year-old. “People tend to think that all sororities and fraternities do is party, and that’s definitely not the case. As a sorority woman, it's great to defy the odds and expectations.” Di Giulio also credits her growth to her hometown of Gravesend. “I grew up fairly middle class and my whole family lives around the same block," she said. "The neighborhood changed me because it is very diverse. I grew up with a lot of people that didn’t look like me or speak the same language and I think I directly benefited from that as far as my acceptance and tolerance for others." She attended St. Edmund Preparatory High School, which helped Di Giulio choose Adelphi as her undergraduate school. "It was a great experience and a small school," she said. "I had friends. The teachers knew my name and that helped a lot and I chose Adelphi because it was also a very small school and I have that same comfort here." The sky's the limit for this senior. Once Di Giulio graduates, she plans to attend law school as she is a political science major. "I feel like through a career in law, I could somehow help people," she said. "Someday, I want to get into family law which directly deals with children." No matter what the future holds for Di Giulio, she will always remember her experience with her sorority. "I can help others through my involvement with the sorority," she said, "If I can help them grow and reach their potential, that’s all I could ask for." Photo courtesy of Adelphi University Olivia Di Giulio, right, at the event. 1 SBmAaNrt KStIuNdeGnt OPEN YOUR STUDENT CHECKING2 ACCOUNT AND/OR SAVINGS ACCOUNT AND ENJOY: • NO MINIM UM BALANCE FEE • NO PER-CHECK FEE • NO MONTHLY SERVICE FEE Free ▪ Unlimited transactions at NYCB ATMs ▪ Visa® check card ▪ Direct Deposit ▪ Online Banking and Bill Pay3 with e-Statements Convenience ▪ Over 175 locations in NY and NJ ▪ Extended branch banking hours ▪ 24-hour bank by phone ▪ 7 day-a-week banking at many locations For more information call 877-786-6560 or visit myNYCB.com ©2014 New York Community Bank - Member FDIC Equal Opportunity Lender BY JAIME DEJESUS [email protected] For some individuals, it takes years to find their passion, if ever. For Saint Saviour student Chelsea Miller, now in her senior year, her commitment to women’s rights came early and often. “I think it happened at a young age. Coming from an all-girls school fostered my desire,” said Miller. “I’ve been around women my whole life. I was raised with four sisters.” This past December, Miller was chosen to attend the Women’s Forum Conference in Burma, organized by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi. Only 300 women around the world attended and Miller received an all-expense paid trip to the conference, which was designed to strengthen women’s contributions in the business sector. Miller was both excited and shocked to hear the news that she had been chosen to attend the conference. “We didn’t find out until a week before the trip,” she recalled. Miller wrote an essay regarding how the trip would help her and the leadership back at home. Her essay’s strength, along with her work in the ANNpower Vital Voices Leadership Forum, won her a spot on the trip. “It was a 22-hour plane ride,” recalled Miller, who had never traveled that far prior to visiting Burma. “It was complete culture shock to the extreme.” Once settled, Miller learned a lot from the speakers during the conference, who included Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi. “I just realize how much we have in common, especially empowerment, though we’re so different. It was interesting to hear leaders,” she said. During the first day of the conference, Miller learned about the death of Nelson Mandela. “That moment resonated, to find out this amazing leader perished,” she recalled. “We didn’t have wi-fi so we didn’t find out until the conference.” Her travels included some of the poorer areas in Burma, which shifted Miller’s perspective on life. “There was so much poverty, like no running water,” she said. “You wake up and realize that you are not entitled to everything you have. There are clearly other people that don’t have those things.” Miler doesn’t yet know which college she will be attending this fall, (Brown and Georgetown are two of her top picks) yet she has great ambitions for the future.“My dream job is to travel the world and travel for women’s rights, using my talents to make a greater impact,” said Miller. Some of the places she’d like to visit include Southeast Asia and Australia. Although she’s looking forward to a bright future that includes helping women, Miller will always remember the invaluable lessons and experiences at St. Saviour. “It has been amazing,” she said. “I love the teachers and the environment. I learned to be empowered. It’s so diverse as well. It’s given me perspective.” Born and raised in Brooklyn, Miller attributes her motivation to her mother. “She’s been such a strong influence on my life, what she’s been through.” When she’s relaxing, Miller enjoys hanging out with family and friends as well as singing and dancing. However, her passion for women’s rights is always a part of her days. Her favorite subject is 20th Century Women’s Politics. Some young people may not realize the positive impact they can have on society. Miller has some advice to those individuals. “I would just encourage other teenagers to take advantage of opportunities. You can make a difference,” she said. “Being able to help is such an amazing feeling.” Photo courtesy of St. Saviour High School Chelsea Miller. BY JAIME DEJESUS [email protected] A bright young girl with a golden voice has great ambitions and is at the cusp of seeing those goals coming to fruition. Gravesend resident Diana Marie Paunetto may only be celebrating her 10th birthday this May, but this well-spoken vocalist has already accomplished a lot. Not only did she come close to landing roles in Broadway’s classic musical, “Les Miserables,” but also last year’s widely popular “Sound of Music” remake starring Carrie Underwood, which aired on NBC. “She’s got quite a gift,” said Diana’s proud mother, Anna Marie Paunetto. “She can hit notes that are incredibly wonderful. She has such great range.” Diana recently auditioned for a chance to sing the National Anthem for one of the Brooklyn Nets upcoming NBA Playoff games. Although she hasn’t found out if she landed the role, Diana’s audition was featured on both CBS 2 New and 1010 Wins. She’s also hoping to land a role for an upcoming Broadway promotional date organized by the Brooklyn Cyclones, Coney Island’s minor league baseball club. Although she has attended several auditions, the aspiring singer isn’t simply waiting on their replies. She has already performed in several productions, including local musicals and performances. “If the roles come back, it’s great. If not, it’s on to the next part,” said Anna. And Diana has had her fair share of parts, including a role in “Miracle on 34th Street” with Brooklyn’s The Heights Players and her favorite experience, playing Tiny Tim in “A Christmas Carol” produced by the Narrows Community Theater. “It was really my fi rst acting lead. I was pretty excited even though it’s lots of hard work,” the young performer said. “I got to meet lots of great new friends. My brother was in it too.” In addition, she is also slated to star in her school talent show (she currently attends P.S. 95, The Gravesend School) in “High School Musical 2.” What may be most impressive about the young singer besides her wide range is her resilience when it comes to not initially landing desirable parts, something vital to anyone who wants a career in show business. Most adults never develop that tough skin, but Diana Marie, who has been singing since she was six years old, seems to have done so at an early age. “She has handled rejection better than me,” said Anna Marie. “She loves Carrie Underwood and to know she was one round off meeting and working with her, she handled it like a trouper.” With all the pressure to perform in front of judges and peers, Diana states she doesn’t feel the nerves one would expect. “I don’t really get nervous. I believe that I can do anything,” she said. Although she can fi t many styles, Diana has a sense of what her favorite type of music is. “I like country music most of the time. I also like opera music because it fi ts my voice. Usually, I sing high. I don’t go really low,” she explained. Diana’s gift doesn’t come without working countless hours to improve herself. She has four vocal coaches who help her hone her voice. “They help me a lot with my singing and management,” Diana said, whose role models in the music fi eld include Idina Menzel and Jackie Evancho. “They express themselves like I would express myself. They’re just awesome.” Although a large portion of her time is focused on singing, she has other skills as well. She plays the violin, speaks Italian and Mandarin, and her favorite subject in school is reading. “I have so many books at home,” she explained. “Reading is great for the mind and helps in life.” Diana’s future is a bright one, not only because of her singing ability, but because of her motivation. She clearly knows what she wants and is willing to work to achieve it. “My favorite thing is to express my personality and make people happy,” she said. “I want to become an entertainer or a pop star.” Her mother has faith in her. “She’s a great kid,” said Anna. “I really give her so much credit. It’s diffi cult even for adults to audition with press taking lots of photos at times. She’s got a great mindset.” Photo courtesy of Anna Marie Paunetto Diana Marie Paunetto at the Barclays audition. BY JAIME DEJESUS [email protected] A bright future awaits aspiring journalist, Fontbonne Hall Academy student Emily Thomas. Since she was a child, she’s possessed the gift of creativity. “I’ve had a passion for writing and creative writing since elementary,” she said. Thomas is currently in her junior year at the Bay Ridge high school, an often stressful year for students as many are planning their collegiate futures. Although some of her peers may be daunted by the challenges of SATs, college applications and deciding on a career, Thomas welcomes it with open arms. At 17 years old, Thomas aims to use her love of writing to help people. She’s recently taken a forensics and criminal justice class. The lessons learned from that experience has been so infl uential that she decided she wanted to work in both fi elds. “I’ve always been someone who likes journalism so with taking forensics criminal justice, it feels like a great way to combine the two,” she said. Recently, Thomas was one of a select few students from various schools chosen to visit 26 Federal Plaza for a teen reporter workshop that focused on how the FBI interacts with the media. “We learned about the Offi ce of Public Affairs, which handles what information the FBI releases and the accuracy of information the outside media releases to the public,” she recalled. The day furthered her interest in journalism and the amount of possibilities the career has to offer, despite the notion some have that print media are dying. “It’s still really important to pick up a newspaper and read what’s going on in community. It’s the heart of journalism,” she said. “The media brings awareness to the people. Without it, we wouldn’t know what’s going on.” Attending Fontbonne has taught Thomas she could achieve any dream she has, thanks to a caring faculty and student body. “I feel because it’s such a small school, I can bond with my teachers and talk about careers,” Thomas said. “It’s great to have that connection with them.” Looking ahead to college, Thomas is considering many possibilities. One school that has caught her eye is SUNY Plattsburgh due to its well known and exceptional journalism program. Despite potentially missing her home and family (in particular her three-year-old brother) she looks forward to the challenge. “I’ve never really been out of Brooklyn by myself,“ noted Thomas. “I’m looking forward to living in a more quiet and suburban area. I’m willing to take on a new experience.” She plans to visit the school this summer. But her time at Fontbonne isn’t over quite yet. Next year, she plans to be the editor at FOLIO, the school newspaper. “I’m really excited about it. I’ve learned so many things. We write about stories in the community and at Fontbonne. It’s great for us to come together and write what’s going on.” Other than forensics, her favorite class is AP English. Among her greatest infl uences and role models is her father, an NYPD offi cer who was diagnosed with cancer a couple of years ago. “He’s really strong,” she said. “He felt awful, but he pushed through it, and he’s doing great now.” Thomas’ father was the fi rst to tell his daughter that she could combine her two passions into a career. Thomas also understands the pressure that her peers face every day in attempting to fi gure out what career suits them best. “During their junior year, people are freaking out because they can’t fi nd out what they want to do. But there are lots of careers of there for everyone and ones that maybe we didn’t know exist,” she said. “We just have to fi nd them.” Photo courtesy of Fontbonne Hall Academy Emily Thomas. ©2014 New York Community Bank- Member FDIC Equal Opportunity Lender
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