New Day Academy Snags Vocabulary Trophy
This year's first-place trophy for the "Read, Baby, Read" Vocabulary Competition was awarded to the 5th grade class at New Day Academy (NDA), thanks, in part, to Shamon Walker, the class representative. The annual competition, sponsored by The Cultural Exchange, took place across 20 schools throughout the Cleveland area all who had hopes of winning the esteemed Andrew A. Venible trophy, named after the former Director of Cleveland Public Library. This year's competition was held on May 28th in the auditorium of Nottingham Library to a cheering crowd of students and faculty.
The recognition provides testimony to NDA’s motto: "All children are entitled to a world-class education." Standing firm in this belief is the proud faculty member who guided her 5th grade class to victory, Nicola Zammit. “Shamon and students from 20 other schools around the Cleveland area competed in the vocabulary challenge…and Shamon won it all!” she said.
New Day Academy, a K-12 school located in Euclid, was founded in 2004 by Terrance Walton. Walton, former Principal of Hope Academy, founded NDA on the premise that all children should be afforded the sort of esteemed, college preparatory education that was once reserved for the affluent few. Integrating rigorous academics with a nurturing character-development curriculum, New Day Academy inspires and empowers its students to discover their potential in 4 key areas: Leadership, Service to Community, Character Development, and Multiculturalism.
It was NDA’s dedication to its students' success that spurred its partnership with the "Read, Baby, Read" program last March. Integrating multicultural literature with the visual and performing arts, "Read, Baby, Read" exists to acquaint children of color with their heritage, enhance their self-esteem and self-worth, and create opportunities and experiences which enrich the cultural development of ALL children, their families and the community through literature, the arts and cultural exchange.
Given the faithful calling of each organization, their partnership seemed a natural and seamless integration. And, it’s definitely a partnership that has paid off. Just ask Shamon Walker and the entire 5th grade class. The trophy is now proudly displayed in the main office at New Day Academy where it will stay for 1 year…until competition begins again in 2014. Yet, that is a long way away. For now, the students at New Day Academy will simply bask in a victory well earned.
Sandra Ferrara
.... not Liz