Nota Bene Holds First-Ever Award Ceremony

By Nick LaPlaca

John Lennon wrote, “A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.” That was the theme for Nota Bene, sharing the dreams of RVCC students with their community.

Nota Bene, which means “noteworthy” in Latin, was launched in 1985 to recognize the best work of RVCC students across the curriculum. Over the years it evolved from a black-and-white booklet to an online collection of written work, student art, videos of theatre, dance and musical performances and original videos.

On Dec. 4, RVCC hosted the very first Nota Bene awards ceremony, held in the Grand Conference Room. The event unfolded in extravagant style, celebrating the imagination and work of a few dozen exceptional RVCC students.

The evening was planned and orchestrated by students in Professor Christy Lamagna’s Events Planning and Meeting Management class. Just as they would for a corporate client’s event, they designed the invitation, welcomed guests, decorated the room, created media packets to promote the event, produced and served the food and arranged for musicians to entertain guests as they entered the room.

A showcase of student work nominated by their professors and selected by judges filled the conference room. The works on display included ceramic sculpture, porcelain dinner sets, essays, graphic designs, pastels and oils on canvas. Computers enabled people to view dance productions, jazz ensembles, and even an original play. Videos played on a large screen at one end of the room.

Speakers took the stage at about 7 p.m. to trace the history of Nota Bene and to offer a glimpse into its future. Then Communications Professor Bick Treut called up each of the students individually to receive a personalized certificate of achievement as well as a gift bag.

After the last name was called and a final standing ovation was delivered, there was cake and the opportunity to talk to the students about their work.

Humility was a common factor among the winners of the awards ceremony. Luke Davis, an art student nominated for two of his pieces, said, “I’ve always tried to be humble with my artwork, but it’s cool to be recognized.”