On October 14, supporters of street artist Michael Bailey gathered to enjoy a delicious lunch and meet Michael (aka ‘Zebra’) at Tesoro D’Italia in Pleasantville. Michael paints prints of sports figures and sells them outside of Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. The event was helped to (successfully!) raise money for a new scooter for Michael, who is disabled. Each donation of $25 was earmarked toward its purchase. At the same time, those gathered enjoyed an afternoon of good food and good company. Original paintings by Michael were also available for viewing and/or for purchase. The event was supported by Roslyn Costabile, Dr. J. Loren Russell, Jeff Gilbert and John Sabaljia, and the many Rotary Clubs under the guidance of Rev. Dr. J. Loren Russell.
Happenings
Byram Hills and King School Student Honors
Five Byram Hills High School Seniors Are National Merit Semifinalists
Five Byram Hills High School seniors have been chosen as semifinalists in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship competition.
The students are Samara Brown, Aaron Lestz, Daniel Ndocaj, Alexander Woodworth and Yicheng Yang. They can compete for 7,140 scholarships worth nearly $28 million.
More than 1.3 million high school juniors entered the scholarship competition last year by taking the Preliminary SAT, which serves as an initial screening. The Byram Hills students are among more than 16,000 semifinalists, academically talented students who represent less than 1% of high school seniors nationwide.
School leaders congratulated the semifinalists and wished them luck in the scholarship contest.
“We are so proud of the achievements of our outstanding National Merit semifinalists,” Principal Christopher Walsh said. “It is terrific to see their hard work and dedication recognized.”
Guidance Chairperson Kristina Wilson added: “Their achievement is not just a reflection of individual excellence but also a reflection of the outstanding education they have received from our dedicated teachers, staff, and the support of their families. We are immensely proud of these students and cannot wait to see the incredible contributions they will make to our community and the world beyond.”
To become a finalist, students must submit a detailed application that includes information about their academic record, participation in school and community activities, leadership abilities, work, honors and awards. They must be recommended by a high school official, write an essay and achieve SAT or ACT scores that confirm their PSAT performance. The finalists will be announced in February.
About 95% of semifinalists are expected to become finalists, and about half of the finalists will win a scholarship and the Merit Scholar title. Merit scholars are chosen for their skills, accomplishments and potential to succeed in a rigorous college program.
The winners will be announced in the spring and summer.
Three Byram Hills High School Student Musicians Earn Prestigious All-State Honors
Three seniors from Byram Hills High School have received prestigious All-State honors from the New York State School Music Association, selected from thousands of students who auditioned in the spring at music festivals throughout the state.
Trombonist Aaron Lestz was selected for the All-State Symphonic Band and will perform at the NYSSMA All-State Conference in Rochester, New York, this fall. Alto Morgan Hecht and Valentina Marino, a soprano, were selected as alternates for the All-State Mixed Chorus.
The All-State NYSSMA performances will be held on Dec. 3 at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre of the University of Rochester.
Photo and Text of Above Stories courtesy of the Byram Hills Central School District
King School’s Jack Zipper Named National Merit Semifinalist
The National Merit Scholarship Program announced in September that Jack Zipper of Armonk was named a semifinalist for its 69th annual competition. According to the announcement, being named a semifinalist puts Zipper, a student at King School in Stamford, in a pool of less than 1% of high school seniors. Over 1.3 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test as an initial screen of program entrants.
“I am so proud of Jack,” said Director of College Counseling Jessica Landis. “Based upon his outstanding academic and co-curricular achievements, he will be a strong contender for the finalist stage.” Next, Zipper must meet several requirements, including submitting a detailed application, writing an essay, maintaining an outstanding academic record, and contributing to the community.
The nonprofit said only 7,140 scholarships will be given next spring.
Photo and Text courtesy of King Street School
Westchester Great Books Council Announces “A Book Discussion to End all Book Discussions” at Briarcliff High School on January 27
The Westchester Great Books Council’s announced that two classic WW1 novels will be the focus of intensive discussion on Saturday Saturday January 27, 2024, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at Briarcliff High School. Trained leaders will help you gain new insights through open ended questions using the “shared inquiry” style for discussion that encourages dialogue and respectful debate relying entirely on the text as the source for point and counterpoint.
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
Written when Ernest Hemingway was 30 years old and lauded as the best American novel to emerge from World War I, A Farewell to Arms is the unforgettable story of an American ambulance driver on the Italian front and his passion for a beautiful English nurse. Set against the horrors of the battlefield — weary, demoralized men marching in the rain during the German attack on Caporetto; the profound struggle between loyalty and desertion — this gripping, semiautobiographical work captures the harsh realities of war and the pain of lovers caught in its inexorable sweep.
Regeneration by Pat Barker
Pat Barker’s Booker Prize nominated historical anti-war novel explores the experience of World War I British army officers being treated for shell shock at an Edinburgh war hospital. It draws extensively on first person narratives from the period, using characters based on individuals present at the hospital including poets and patients and psychiatrist W. H. R. Rivers, who pioneered treatments of post-traumatic stress disorder during and after World War I. The novel is thematically complex, exploring the effect of the War on identity, masculinity, and social structure.
The event will include a light breakfast with beverages and a BYO lunch with beverages and dessert provided.
Cost: $15 Registration | Deadline:January 20, 2024
Make checks payable to Westchester Great Books Council and send to: Westchester Great Books Council, P.O. Box 233, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510
For online registration and payment information via PayPal, write to westchestergreatbooks@gmail.com (please include your email and phone number).
Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester Marlins Swim Coaches Earn Top Honors for Excellence from the Metropolitan Club
The Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester‘s Swim Team Head Coach Zac Hojnacki and Assistant Coach Connor White got a surprise parade from children at the club congratulating them on being honored by Metropolitan Swimming.
The governing body for competitive swimming in the NY Metro area, named Hojnacki Senior Coach of the Year and White was named “Must Watch Age Group Coach.”
They were selected from among more than 500 coaches in 75 swim clubs in the metro area. The two coaches also received a proclamation from Westchester County Legislator Erika Pierce. The Marlins are no stranger to accolades. The team was awarded Bronze level recognition from USA Swimming in 2021-22 and has routinely finished in the top 100 nationally in USA Swimming VCC. The coaches also received a proclamation from Westchester County Legislator Erika Pierce.
“Working with Zac ,Connor and all the swim team coaches is an inspiring experience,’’ said Alyzza Ozer, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Northern Westchester. “Together we inspire and enable all young people to realize their full potential and productive responsible caring citizens.”
Hojnacki began his sixth year as Marlins Head Coach. He arrived the fall of 2018 from Tucson, Arizona, where he served as a coach for Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics since 2012, including three years as Head Age Group Coach. When he’s not coaching, Hojnacki teaches Child Psychology and Adolescent Psychology at Iona University in New Rochelle.
White has been working with the Marlins since 2015, after swimming as a Marlin for 13 years. As a Marlin swimmer, Connor was a multi-event Junior National qualifier, HS Section 1 Champion in the 100 Fly & 100 Back, and was a NY State top 8 finalist. He graduated from Ithaca College in 2014 with a B.S. in Health Science, with an emphasis in Exercise Science & Physiology.
News Courtesy of Boys and Girls Club of Northern Westchester
Storytellers Unite: Meet the Authors of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival
By Mollie Roth
The upcoming Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival will be an opportunity for young readers and their parents to connect with the authors who make reading hour and bedtime come alive. Local librarians, educators, and volunteers have planned a fantastic event where children can come together with the authors that spark their imaginations.
Headlining the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival is Mary Pope Osborne, author of the beloved Magic Tree House series. Young and old, fans of Jack and Annie’s time-traveling and global-trotting adventures will have the opportunity to speak to Osborne about all their favorite stories, as well as learn about her newest books. Meeting authors like Osborne is an opportunity for children to form personal connections to books new or beloved. Chappaqua Librarian Theresa Bueti looks forward to seeing young people engage with books in a brand new way. When young patrons attend the festival, “they realize that people write books,” says Bueti, turning the solitary act of reading “real, vivid, and approachable.”
The students at Douglas Grafflin Elementary School are particularly excited to meet author Josh Funk. His book My Pet Feet won the 2023 Official March Book Madness Picture Book Bracket after being voted in by the Grafflin community and their nation-wide peers. Kaitlyn Lester, a library media specialist at Grafflin Elementary, says, “students are excited to meet [Funk], tell him how much we love My Pet Feet, and explore his other books that we are sure to love!”
Keep an eye out for Lauren Tarshis, author of the New York Times Bestselling series I Survived. Roaring Brook Elementary School’s Suzanne Stolzenberg and Andrea Schaber from West Orchard Elementary School say their students are very excited to meet the author of this disaster themed collection about children who survive a thrilling historical event. Coming to the festival shows children that “if they have something they want to say, they could write a book about it,” claims Bueti. In the aftermath of a global pandemic, perhaps Tarshis’ work will prove inspiration to young readers.
Many illustrators will also be in attendance at this year’s book festival. Head of children’s services at Chappaqua Library Robbin Friedman is particularly excited to meet Ruth Chan. “Her animal faces are so goofy, adorable, and expressive,” notes Friedman. “Everything about [Chan’s work] is weird and wonderful and exactly the right way.” Chan has a long career as an illustrator, as well as being the sole creator of books like Thank You, Neighbor! For children interested in creating and expressing themselves through art, meeting the illustrators at the festival should be a galvanizing and memorable experience.
There are seven scheduled readings throughout the festival day, where attendees can hear stories read by their authors. This is a wonderful chance for children to connect with their peers and the adults in their lives as they all encounter the same story at the same time. Author Raj Halder will be reading This Book is Banned, a picture book grappling with censorship in a delightfully silly and meaningful manner. However, the experience of being told a story is not limited to our yearly festival. Through the Chappaqua Library, anyone can rent the audiobooks of many books found at the festival. Many children’s authors read their books themselves, so children can have a little slice of the festival all year round.
The books mentioned are available for purchase at the festival, along with many other fascinating reads. However, finding new books does not have to be a once-a-year event. Stoever encourages “every child [to] find the librarians from the children’s room at the Chappaqua Public Library and speak to them.” The librarians are thrilled for this opportunity to further engage with the community, and recommend the book clubs and reading groups for anyone motivated by this year’s festival.
The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival will take place on Saturday, September 30, 2023 at the Chappaqua Train Station, from 10am to 4pm. Along with the author and illustrators, there will be food trucks and a family fun zone. Admission is free, and livestream coverage of the event. For regular updates, visit www.ccbfestival.org
Inside Press Story Presented in Partnership with the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival.