The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Inside Press

Eight Byram Hills High School Seniors Named National Merit Finalists

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All eight of Byram Hills High School’s National Merit semifinalists have advanced to the next round of the 62nd annual academic competition and are now finalists, the school has announced.

The finalists are William Amorosana, Isabelle Chong, Thomas Daillak, Indra Dan, Timothy Eng, Noah Jacobs, Sabrina You and Juliana Zepf. They comprise roughly 4 percent of the school’s senior class of 207 students.

National Merit finalists (L-R): William Amorosana, Noah Jacobs, Timothy Eng, Indra Dan, Sabrina You, Thomas Daillak, Juliana Zepf, and Isabelle Chong

“We are extremely proud of these exceptional students for their hard work and for their achievements,” said Byram Hills High School Principal Christopher Walsh. “Being named a National Merit finalist is a great accomplishment, and the fact that eight of our seniors have reached that level is testament to the incredible student body here at Byram Hills High School.”

The seniors were named semifinalists in September by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. That achievement was based on their PSAT scores. They are now among the 15,000 students nationwide to be named finalists, for which they were required to show consistently high academic achievement throughout all four years of high school and in any college coursework.

The designation allows them to compete for about 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth $33 million that will be offered in the spring.

“Our National Merit finalists are pursuing a wide range of interests in the sciences and humanities, and we know that they are going to excel in whatever they choose to do in the future,” said Mr. Walsh.

 

How to Choose a Reliable and Cost-Effective Heat & Air Service!

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Wondering how to choose a reliable and cost effective Heating and Air Conditioning Service, and what cost increasing mistakes you should avoid at home?  We asked Anthony Marmo, owner of Clover Comfort, a 31-year-old, family run business in Sleepy Hollow, NY, about what can make the difference between SUPERIOR SERVICE or an average or downright bad service, and about the common errors homeowners make that drive up their heating bills.  — Grace Bennett

Manny, a 25-year employee at Clover Comfort in Sleepy Hollow, New York

What to Consider in Choosing a Service:

  • Easy access to the owner. Can you speak to who is in charge easily? 
  • 24-hour service. An emergency needs to be addressed right away.
  • Proper licensing, certifications and accreditation.In Westchester County, for HVAC companies, there is a Westchester Home Improvement license; any service you choose should be licensed through the county for home improvement and also licensed in plumbing. Many heating systems are fired by natural gas and do require a licensed plumber to work on them.

Mistakes that Drive up your Bill:

  • Purchasing a new Energy Star refrigerator and moving the old one to the basement or garage (and plugging it in to store the extra food for a party) will effectively double your utility costs, especially those old avocado or mustard colored ones we grew up with in our parents’ house! “Get rid of it,” advises Marmo, “and purchase a smaller compact Energy Star labeled refrigerator and plug it in as needed. “
  • There are several building construction design/installation faults that cause “Heat Bleed” and these can have a negative effect on home or commercial business heating & cooling utility costs. Most buildings have connections to unconditioned space, for example: roof-ceiling combinations, such as cathedral ceilings, finished dormered attics, cantilevered space or bonus rooms. Also, dropped ceilings, ventilated attics, basements and crawl spaces are a big connection to the outdoors.

Have any more questions about your home’s heating or air needs? To learn more or receive testimonials about Clover Comfort’s service, please visit 914 631-6744 or drop a line with Anthony, amarmo@clovercool.com

 

 

March 5: Think Fit for Kids Returns to Club Fit to Fight Pediatric Brain Cancer

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Briarcliff Manor— Brain tumors don’t take a winter break, and neither will Think Fit for Kids. On Sunday, March 5th, from 2 – 4 p.m., Think Fit For Kids will return to Club Fit for the 7th Annual event to raise funds and awareness about the #1 cause of cancer-related death in children. Changing the outcome for pediatric brain cancer patients by funding research for more effective treatments is the priority of this family fun afternoon. And this year, all event expenses are covered by a generous benefactor so that 100% of participant raised funds will go directly to research.

If you have participated in this event in the past, you know first-hand what an incredible day of fun and hope this event provides for the entire community.  A perfect way to spend a cold Sunday afternoon for family members of ALL AGES, Think Fit For Kids is open to the public.  (Please see the invitation below for schedule details.)

Pediatric brain cancer is the #1 cause of cancer-related death in children, but research to find more effective treatments continues to receive little funding through government agencies. 

Since its inception in 2011, Think Fit For Kids has raised OVER $1.3 MILLION and has funded two state-of-the-art research projects including a promising epigenetic study at Massachusetts General Hospital, as well as a Phase 1 Immunotherapy Clinical Trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.  Because of the generous support of donors, corporations, local merchants, and an entire community that comes together for a common goal: to eradicate brain tumors in children, Think Fit For Kids 2017 stands to raise $250,000 to fund another clinical trial later this spring. According to event chairperson, Kim Gilman,

“Falling short of this fundraising goal is simply unacceptable as pediatric brain cancer research funding has fallen behind so many other disease types on the National Institutes of Health’s radar. Without support from groups like A Kids’ Brain Tumor Cure, the outcome for children battling brain cancer is bleak.”

With Club Fit’s generous donation of the venue, as well as numerous local merchants providing food and entertainment, the afternoon is slated for fun-fit activities and delicious snacks, along with a stocked silent auction and musical entertainment.  Bring family, friends, and colleagues to celebrate the success of the first 6 years and help ensure that the 7th Annual event raises the bar on fun and FUNdraising!  Please visit thinkfitforkids.org and register/donate today.  Because all children should have the opportunity to fight for their dreams not for their lives.

The LEGO® Batman™ Movie: Exclusive Movie Days through February 19

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LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Westchester Celebrates The LEGO® Batman™ Movie

Super Hero. Crime-fighter. Master Builder. LEGO® Batman™ is all of those and so much more. With the scene-stealing star of The LEGO Movie returning in his very own, highly anticipated big-screen adventure, The LEGO Batman Movie, from Warner Bros. Pictures and LEGO System A/S, LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester will join LEGOLAND® Parks and LEGOLAND® Discovery Centers around the world to celebrate the Caped Crusader with The LEGO® Batman™ Movie Days, held at the Ridge Hill attraction through February 19.

Developed with The LEGO Group and Warner Bros. Consumer Products, The LEGO® Batman™ Movie Days promise epic fun for kids and families, with everything centered on the beloved crime- fighter who claims he “only works in black. And sometimes, very, very dark gray.”
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester is located at Ridge Hill, 39 Fitzgerald Street in Yonkers. They can be reached at 866-243-0770 or by visiting www.LEGOLANDDiscoveryCenter.com/Westchester. For the latest news and updates, follow @LDCWestchester on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

February 8, 2017: The New York Rangers and Garden of Dreams Foundation partner up to bring kids to the Legoland Discovery Center in Yonkers, NY. Current NY Rangers players Dan Girardi and Marc Staal join in on the fun with the kids.

Rep. Lowey Denounces DeVos Appointment, Citing Disqualifying Factors

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Washington, DC – Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on the Senate’s confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education:

“Unfortunately, today Betsy DeVos was confirmed by the Senate by the closest margin ever for a cabinet nominee. Our children deserve an Education Secretary who does her homework and aces the test, not one who passes only after being graded on a curve.

“I join New York families, educators, and a bipartisan group of 50 senators in voicing my deep concern about Devos’ ability to adequately do the job.  Her lack of knowledge on education policy and the federal role in promoting the education of students with disabilities, in addition to her extreme desire to gut our nation’s public education system, should have disqualified her from confirmation.

“As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will oversee the Department’s activities and hold Secretary DeVos accountable for providing our students with the education they deserve and our schools with the resources to succeed.”