(Tennis) Parent of the Year in Rockville Centre

Melanie Rubin, a Special Education teacher at Covert Elementary School, will be honored by the U.S. Tennis Association’s Eastern Section with the 2011 Ron Smyth Parent of the Year Award. She will be recognized on Jan. 21 at the group’s Awards Luncheon in The Renaissance Hotel in White Plains.

Melanie was selected for the award for continuing to work to promote the game of tennis, not only for her own children, but for all children. The award is named after Ron Smyth, who was an exceptional parent and a respected man. It was established by friends and family in his memory, and is given annually to a parent who demonstrates the selfless qualities that Smyth exemplified.

Melanie’s son, Noah Rubin took top honors earlier this month at the Copa del Café, a Junior International Tennis Federation tournament in Costa Rica. The 15-year-old Rubin, who had attended Kennedy High School in Bellmore and is now home-schooled so he can pursue his tennis career, bested players two and three years his senior from Portugal, Great Britain, Russia, Argentina and Greece to reach the finals. Rubin faced 17-year-old Connor Farren in the title match, defeating the Californian 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. Rubin was off to Colombia last week for another JITF tournament.

Melanie’s daughter, Jessie, graduated from Kennedy High School and is now a starter for the Binghamton University Bearcats, a Division I tennis team. Jessie, a junior who is majoring in English, made the 2011 American East Academic Honor Roll.