Rye Lions Club Names Rachael Adelson Athlete of the Month for February

By Mitch Silver

 

More than a decade ago, the Rye City Lions Club got together with the Rye High Athletic Department to choose a Garnet senior as Athlete of the Month. The program identifies and honors those teenagers whose lives embody the Lions Club International mission of service to the community.

 

Of course, athletic ability is the entry point. But equally important are academic achievement, participation in school extra-curricular activities, and, naturally, community service. The Lions must have been thinking of Rachael Adelson when they came up with the award.

 

The young Ms. Adelson checks every box. Sports first: She’s been a varsity lacrosse player, a Rye High soccer captain, and a Garnet track star both indoors and out. Here’s what her coach, John McGee, has to say about her:

 

“Rachael’s work ethic and attitude are incredible. As our captain and team leader, she’s always willing to run what is needed to help the team. She set the school record this year in the 600 (1:36.48), was a county champ in the two-mile relay, helped break long-standing school records in the 4×800-meter and the distance medley relays, and was league champ in three events — the 300, 600, and mile relay. The best part is, she’s a great kid.”

 

Among Rachael’s tasks as captain this year was to help her team get through the mid-season death of their beloved coach, Jim Yedowitz. Blair Moynihan stepped in as a coach, and was also effusive in his praise, saying, “Rachael is the perfect model of student-athlete who leads by example, both in the classroom and on the track.”

 

Since Coach Moynihan mentioned the classroom, let’s look at Rachael’s record: She has a GPA of 101. Her combined SAT scores are over 1,500, with perfect 800s on both the Biology and Math 2 SATs. If you can think of an Advanced Placement STEM course, she’s excelled in it, along with History, Government, and Spanish.

 

Given the above, you won’t be surprised to learn Rachael’s a member of the National Honor Society and the National Music Honor Society (violin), and is a National Merit Scholar Commended Student, and a West Point Book Award recipient. She’s deciding between Cornell and M.I T. and pursuing a career in either engineering or an allied science.

 

You want extra-curriculars? Rachael has served as a math tutor, a member of the Spanish Club, and belongs to Varsity Athletes Against Substance Abuse. What’s more, she was a nationally-ranked fencer as a pre-teen.

 

Rachael has logged over 250 hours of community service, both as a Rye Youth Soccer coach and volunteer and a Madricha-in-Training, or youth leader, teaching the Hebrew language, prayers, and Jewish culture at Rye Community Synagogue. Last summer she shadowed a surgeon and observed pre- and post-operative procedures (repairing an abdominal aortic aneurism) at the Vascular Institute of the Rockies in Denver.

 

The Lions Club honor qualifies Rachael to join the other monthly winners in the race for Athlete of the Year, an honor that will be announced in June at the Club’s dinner at The Osborn. As Coach Moynihan said, “Rachael Adelson is the perfect candidate for this award.”