Press release:
Students at Byron-Bergen Elementary School gathered on Nov. 27 to honor the school’s Students of the Month and to learn about giving back and making a difference.
Guest speaker Holly Paramjit Sembhi, a 2014 Byron-Bergen graduate, joined in with her personal story of how one person, who was just like each of them, has found the power to help change the world.
Sembhi, now in her final year of working toward a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science from RIT, began her education and her love for helping people in kindergarten at Byron-Bergen Elementary. She currently works part time at Rochester General Hospital and plans to get her master’s degree as a Physician’s Assistant in Neurosurgery. She also volunteers with Global Brigades, a medical relief organization operating in Honduras.
She urged students to believe that they can each make the world more awesome, starting right now.
“It is exciting for me to come back to a place I love,” she said. “I hope that I can inspire these kids, to make them really want to help others. Maybe they will look back someday and remember this moment. I’d like to think that this might start them on their own paths to making the world a better place.”
The monthly Character Assembly also included musical numbers performed by talented students and staff members, and a discussion of what students can do in the community, from supporting homeless children and families to remembering our seniors and the elderly. Throughout the month of December, classes will participate in a range of service-learning projects that will have an impact our local and global communities.
The Students of the Month were: Peyton Alejandro, Jake Carlson, Tyler Chapman, Kendall Chase, Leah Cramer, Daniels Dawson, Robert Dix, Nixon-Riley Eichenberger, Chesney Fregoe, Harlow Galves, Lila Graff, Stella Hassett, Hunter Jarosinki, Carter Kuipers, James Lamb, Taylor Lundfelt, Amelia Meier, Parker Moore, Bradley Pocock, Colin Rea, Ava Smith, James Starowtiz, Travis Thomas, Mariah Williams and Rena Wilson.
Top photo: Principal Brian Meister congratulates one of the Students of the Month, kindergartener Nixon-Riley Eichenberger.
Visiting speaker Holly Paramjit Sembhi (2014 Byron-Bergen graduate) tells students that they don’t need to wait until they are older—every one of them can do awesome things right now.
