by Tom Kane
BROOKLYN - On Tuesday night, March 4, members of the sixth-grade class of IS 259/McKinley Junior High squared off with members of Engine 284, the Castle on the Hill, from Dyker Heights.
The students, McKinley's Smartest, were Team Captain Alex Mendez, Jordan Crespo, Giuliana Farrell, Katie Mullen, Enisa Nikovic, Betty Rabah and John Stasiak. The firefighters, New York's Bravest, were Team Captain Dave Fogelstrom, Glen Ahlquist, Steven Ganbino, Reno Genovese, Robert Mazzola, Claudio Papalia and Paul Maguire.
The night began with the singing of our national anthem by seventh grader Alfred Mendez. This kid's got some voice. Lizz Madonia, McKinley's guidance counselor for the sixth and seventh grades and the reason this event became a reality, explained the rules for the evening.
"Each team is composed of seven members, and to gain control of the board, both team captains will fight it out to answer the first question quickly and correctly," Madonia told the sold-out crowd. The question was asked, student captain Mendez hit the bell first and answered correctly. The game was under way.
The spectators, mostly parents and fellow firefighters, were cheering for every correct answer.
Laurie Windsor, the president of the Community Education Council, was there with her husband, Andrew, the vice president of the Bay Ridge Community Council, and their family, and said "What a great night." McKinley Principal Janice Geary agreed with Windsor and added, "Thank you" to Lizz Madonia, her "I Love Me" campaign, and of course, the firefighters.
The I Love Me campaign was started three years ago by Madonia. Being a guidance counselor, she noticed that one of the major issues that came up with her students was how they felt about themselves. She wanted to implement a program that would enable her students to feel that they could make a difference and at the same time, change the negative thinking within themselves. So the I Love Me campaign was born.
"This event came about because of the firefighter's willingness to help the children of our community that are in need of blood donations, such as Rachel Rodin and Jack Rubin," said Madonia. Both young Rachel and even younger Jack, had blood drives in their name this past January.
The night was a huge success. It not only raised money, but also awareness. Thanks to the I Love Me group, the school was able to raise more than $2,500, which will all be donated to children's charities, one of them being the Rachel Rodin Fund.
The questions were arranged in five different categories, English, math, science, social studies and pop culture questions. How did you prepare for this event, I asked the Bravest team captain, Fogelstrom. "We played Trivial Pursuit for weeks," he said as the Jeopardy song played in the background of the school auditorium.
What about you guys, I asked student AnnaTeresa Morales, who is a seventh grader and was one of the Student Experts. She answered, "We didn't have to prepare, we live this everyday!" Good answer. Each question was a multiple choice, and there were four possible answers. The contestants could answer, or if unsure, they had three options: They could use a Teacher Expert, a Student Expert (like Morales) or they could poll the audience. The entire evening was fun right from the start.
So, you're thinking, who won? Well, I can tell you this, everyone was a winner that night. Thank you to Lizz, McKinley, the students, the teachers, the firefighters and all the parents, grandparents and friends that showed up to make this event a real Bay Ridge "happening." McKinley's Smartest edged out the New York's Bravest, congratulations to both teams!
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