The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Alexa Troob

About Alexa Troob

Alexa Troob, a junior at Horace Greeley High School, lives in Chappaqua with her parents, two sisters, and two dogs. Her hobbies include soccer, tennis, running, traveling, painting, and of course, writing. She writes for the Greeley Tribune and now, Inside Press Magazines, in order to pursue her interest in journalism.

#JUSTBEYOU Builds Awareness of the ‘Inescapable Bullying’ on Social Media Platforms

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Final Stop for the Random Farms Kids’ Theater Production #JUSTBEYOU is November 3 in Armonk

The Challenges of Growing Up in a Digital World Come to Life in the Cautionary Tale of ‘InstaPop’

Armonk, NY — In 2008, Random Farms Kids’ Theater began their Anti-Bullying Tour, visiting hundreds of schools to teach about the importance of being true to yourself and accepting others. The tour ‘s original show was called The New Kid and had been running successfully for 12 years before it got shut down in 2020 due to Covid. When starting the program back up this year, Random Farms decided to produce a new show with a continuing and strong anti-bullying theme reflecting today’s digital realities: #JUSTBEYOU.

As the internet and social media rapidly grow and evolve, bullying transforms right alongside it. Despite the many benefits of living in an interconnected world, this growth of technology comes with many new struggles for adolescents. Eric Webb communication manager at Random Farms and the writer of #JUSTBEYOU, along with composer Stephanie Bianchi, says that in many ways social media can create an inescapable bullying platform: “It used to be like if you got bullied at school, you got bullied at school. You know, it’s like you left school and it was over, but now they have access to you at all times.”  In recognizing this major shift in the avenues for bullying, Random Farms commissioned a new show: #JUSTBEYOU.

Ben Wohl as Jordan in #JUSTBEYOU

The new script is centered around a “geeky”, “unpopular” middle-schooler named Jordan who is part of the Comic Crew. When the new social-media app “InstaPop” comes out, everyone at the school is invited except for Jordan and his friends. “InstaPop”, a make-believe app, is essentially a combination of various social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok; however, this app allows you to like and dislike people, not just posts. Rather than staying true to themself, Jordan sees this as an opportunity to rise in popularity, losing their sense of self along the way and becoming a bully to their own friends. However, in the end, the kids are able to work their way towards realizing the toxicity of this app and the importance of staying true to themselves. 

The part of Jordan is played by eighth-grader Ben Wohl who attends HC Crittenden Middle School and has been acting since he was only four years old. Ben shared that he looks forward to teaching other kids about “the dangers of cyberbullying, social media, and bullying in general.” For elementary and middle schoolers struggling with identity and fitting in, this show will provide valuable lessons as well as a sense of comfort in knowing that they are not alone. “Theater’s a great avenue for a lot of things. It entertains, but it’s a great chance to educate… and give audiences a chance to see themselves on stage in many different ways,” shares Webb.

When kids are taught through theater, it allows them to engage and actually retain what they are learning. Ben discussed how he felt that a play performed by kids was one of the most beneficial ways to teach about such a pressing issue: usually “someone might come to their school who’s older and give a speech for like 30 minutes about bullying, but instead we come as kids their age… and we perform our musical with singing and dancing… so instead of them waiting for the assembly to be over, they don’t want the assembly to end and they also gain something from the experience that hopefully they can keep with them for the rest of their lives.” 

#JustBeYou has already been performed at schools in East Chester, Hastings, and Greenwich, and, as expected, the reception was phenomenal. Webb shared that he “got to go see one that was in East Chester and… kids seemed to really be responding to it.” The tour makes its final stop for the fall at Wampus on Thursday, November 3. After taking a break for the winter season, they will return in the spring to perform four more shows, continuing to spread their impactful message. 

As kids struggle with the difficulties of growing up in a digital world, it is important that they learn at a young age how to be kind to others and embrace each individual’s uniqueness. #JustBeYou is teaching children exactly that in a fun and exciting way.  For more info, please visit https://www.randomfarmsny.org/

“A Playground of Books” at the Ninth Annual Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival

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Save the Date for the 10th Annual Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival:  September 30, 2023

Chappaqua, NY— On Saturday, October 15, over 150 authors and thousands of visitors gathered at the Chappaqua Train Station over a shared love for literature.  And this year, the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival, which took place on a picture-perfect autumn day, may have been the largest one yet.

When asked to compare CCBF with other book festivals, author Valerie Bolling shared that “this is definitely the largest; they’re all wonderful, but this is definitely the premiere event.” Similarly, author Sheetal Sheth shared admiration for the festival’s environment and size, saying that CCBF was definitely “at the top.”

This year’s theme was “A Walk Through the Woods” inspired by Hudson Talbott’s poster art. The festival fostered a charming environment filled with gourmet food trucks, food from the Chappaqua Farmers Market, themed tables, and of course an abundance of kids eager to read their newly purchased books. 

Some acclaimed authors in attendance included Victoria Kann of the Pinkalicious series and Dan Gutman of The Genius File series, to name a couple. Authors were thrilled to showcase their work to encourage their love for reading.

Sheth’s highlight of the festival was “meeting kids who are like ‘That book is in my school!’ or ‘I read that in my class!’”

Similarly, author Kip Wilson shared that “just meeting teenagers who like historical fiction is really awesome.”

The authors at the event expressed their gratitude for people who approached them to show interest in their work. And this interaction was not only meaningful for the authors, but even more so for the kids as they were able to put a face to the name on the front cover of a book that they love. As a current high-school student, I remember how much I looked forward to a visiting author in middle and elementary school who talked about their books; I always rushed straight home to read their work. And for kids at the book festival, this magic was multiplied as they got to meet and converse with not just one author, but up to 150. 

This excitement amongst children at the book festival encourages them to value books and reading. A third-grade girl who attended the festival with her sister and mother said that she “like[s] walking around to see all of the books and then read them later.” Her mother shared that their family had been attending the festival ever since they moved to Chappaqua, returning each year because of all it offers. Getting kids excited about reading is vital, especially at a young age, and the book festival did exactly that.

 The CCBF offered a vast array of children and young adult books that spanned numerous genres, allowing everyone there to explore and discover. Sheth captured the event perfectly, calling it a “playground of books.” 

The ninth annual Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival was a soaring success. Amidst the sunny weather, delicious food, and diversity of books, everyone could be seen with a smile on their face, appreciating the strong sense of community and connectedness the event fostered. 

Editor’s Note:  The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival is lead by its founder & executive director Dawn Evans Greenberg and her all volunteer team.  The Inside Press is proud to be an official sponsor of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival.  Chappaqua and beyond are eagerly anticipating a milestone 10th year festival, set to take place on September 30, 2023!  – Grace

Dawn Evans Greenberg          Photo by Donna Mueller
 The 2023 Chappaqua Children’s Book festival art and save the date art are by Mark Teague, illustrator of How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight and dozens of other popular kids’ books.

 

 

Chappaqua Library Centennial Celebration Emphasized Symbols for Growth and Endurance

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At a June 4, 2022 Chappaqua Library 100 Year Centennial Celebration.                 Photos by Grace Bennett and Alexa Troob for the Inside Press 

 

On Saturday, June 4, members of the Chappaqua community gathered in town to honor the beloved Chappaqua Library as it marked its 100 year anniversary. Library Director, Andrew Farber and Board President, Elizabeth Farkas Haymson began the Centennial Ceremony by welcoming the crowd and starting the celebration. “We have come from humble beginnings, but through the support of our local community, we have grown into the center of Chappaqua. Today we will honor the library’s achievements: where we started, and where we hope to find ourselves in the future,” said Andrew Farber.

Lisa Katz, Town Supervisor, then gave a proclamation, acknowledging the library as “a pillarstone of our community” and appreciating all that it offers. She shared the substantial impact that the library had on her own children’s love for reading and learning. 

Town historian Gray Williams shared a brief history of the library and the people who were particularly important in founding it in 1922 (a more in depth history of the library was later on display). While hearing about and celebrating the past of the library, it became clear that values such as education and making contributions to better the community have remained at the core of the library’s, and all of Chappaqua’s, foundation. 

The next guest speaker was David Vinjumari, author, NYU Professor, and Library Space Planner, who spoke about the importance of libraries. He classified the importance of libraries not only as a means of accessing books and information, but even as a matter of life or death. While this may seem like an exaggeration, it was actually proven by one of Vinjumari’s colleagues at NYU, Eric Klinenberg, as he studied a heat wave that swept through Chicago in 1995. More specifically, he studied why different neighborhoods that looked identical to each other in terms of race, income, and living conditions had drastically different death rates. Why did many fewer people, specifically the elderly, die in some neighborhoods compared to others? What he found was that the neighborhoods with lower death rates were the ones with more public institutions such as parks and community and senior centers, but most importantly, libraries. Public libraries were what helped keep people alive in times of extreme distress and “social connection was actually the difference between people living and dying,” shared Vinjumari. 

“During the pandemic especially, I think we as a community were also able to realize our need for togetherness and connection that we were robbed of for so long, creating only a deeper appreciation for public libraries. While a library is definitely about lending books, promoting reading, and helping people access information, it is also so much more. It holds the power to connect, making sure nobody in a community feels like they are alone.”

Vinjumari continued by noting the role that The Chappaqua Library plays in making sure all people feel welcomed and supported, specifically those that are either underserved or less able to take care of themselves than most of the fortunate citizens in Chappaqua. There are programs that help adults with disabilities, programs intended to appreciate different cultures, programs that deliver books to those unable to leave their houses, and so many more that are vital to our community. 

Bell Middle School Student Violet Clinton spoke about the impact that The Chappaqua Library has had on her young life. “I want to thank the children’s librarians for helping make the library a special place for me and for all the kids growing up here. The Chappaqua Library helped begin my love of reading and I will cherish it for a lifetime,” she shared. 

A TIME CAPSULE and A RED MAPLE TREE

The ceremony came to a close with the burying of a time capsule in the courtyard and a tree dedication. “The new tree will mark time moving forward, and in a short while we will bury a time capsule that will preserve the past,” said Elizabeth Farkas Haymson. The time capsule consisted of meaningful things from the library’s past for future generations to hopefully discover some day. Its contents included, but were not limited to, a history of the library, photos of the library from both the past and present, the first Chappaqua Library’s Writer’s Contest, library cards from 1987 to today, homemade COVID masks, a letter written by Bill Clinton appreciating all that the library provides, several Inside Chappaqua magazine articles regarding the library, including a cover article on the future of libraries by past Library Board President Ronni Diamondstein, and more. 

Next, the tree dedication took place, signifying time moving forward. The Town of New Castle donated the Red Maple Tree that was dedicated as a symbol of growth and endurance for the library for the next 100 years. The Library’s Centennial Ceremony was a great way to celebrate the past, and give hope for the future of the library. 

 

 

 

Behind the Launch of MyConnect

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Caroline Balil and her son

Living in such a digitally advanced world, you would think you can google the answers to just about anything. But when Caroline Bilal’s son was diagnosed with Syngap1, a rare genetic disease, and she was looking for answers and resources, the internet was not as helpful as she expected. She found herself spending hours on end navigating the difficulties of accessing information that she thought would have been readily available.

With the advanced state of today’s technology, it is both shocking and disappointing that this information is not easily accessible. Bilal was surprised that a platform that aided people in identifying resources for children with special needs didn’t already exist.

“I found it odd from the get-go that there isn’t a technology platform… that helps to connect parents and families to information, and also more systematically to other parents who have kids with similar profiles,” said Caroline Bilal. While Facebook groups can be helpful, there is no emphasis on the quality of information. And while word of mouth is another effective strategy, what works for one family often does not work for another. And so, with no existing efficient solution, Bilal set out to create one herself.

With the help of countless dedicated volunteers, Bilal and her co-founder, Faradjine Laurore, launched MyConnect on March 2, 2022. The website contains both a private social network, or a community feature, and a directory that provides well-researched special needs programs, providers, and resources in Westchester County. 

The directory provides an efficient approach to finding resources and shares the quality thereof. If you were to google “special needs schools and educational programs in Westchester,” you would obtain approximately five results.

MyConnect co-founder Faradjine Laurore

However, in reality, there are over 50 private schools and out of district schools for special needs students in Westchester. MyConnect provides an easy and free way for parents to access the information needed to best care for their children and to connect with other parents going through the same situation. “We want all parents to have access to this information and access to one another always,” shared Bilal. The platform provides a “one-stop” method with various helpful resources that would otherwise take a tremendous amount of time and effort to collect from countless different sites.

The ultimate goal is to make the research process as easy for parents of children with special needs as possible, so that they can focus on supporting their child and optimizing their potential. Parents and families should be able to focus on doing what is best for their child without being burdened by a time-consuming, inefficient, and sometimes expensive process.

“It is my deep belief that parents, regardless of their socio-economic status, have free access to the information that enables more successful advocacy for their special children. While I was fortunate enough to have the skillset, the time, the financial resources, and the endurance to pursue the research that ultimately helped my son… all parents should be given the tools that affords them this chance,” said Caroline Bilal.

Bilal expects to continue to grow MyConnect and reach the families and parents that need assistance. With roughly 28,000 families in Westchester having kids with special needs or disabilities, it is clear that there are an abundance of families who would benefit from resources and assistance. Fortunately, MyConnect is now here to provide that assistance to any families in need.

For more info, please visit MyConnectUSA.com

As the Pandemic Slogs On, Teens Hit Hard

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Our Writer Finds Out How She & Her Peers Can Stay Strong

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I never thought that of all the worries that come along with being a teenager, being able to see friends, eating inside at restaurants, and going to school would make it to the top of my list. But when the pandemic hit, these things I took for granted were abruptly taken away. Each phase of the pandemic brought a new worry. I don’t know which was worse: the beginning when everyone was in strict isolation, or the period when things slowly started to re-open and everyone held different definitions of what the “right” or “safe” thing to do was. 

Either way, we were faced with issues that were definitely not the normal stresses that come along with being a teenager. Amidst the lack of social interactions and the scares that came when waking up with a sore throat, many faced new or aggravated mental health struggles. On top of normal worries about Covid, we had to miss out on monumental moments of our social so many lives, education, and just simply growing up. 

Once reality settled in during the initial lockdown, any feelings of excitement about a two week break from school quickly died down. “The beginning of online school was kind of exciting, but as it went on it was like… how much longer is this gonna go on for? Where are my friends? Where are any other people besides my family?” said one Horace Greeley high school student. 

Loneliness began to creep up on people. “Being inside and alone for so long definitely did not help my mental health,” said another Greeley student. These feelings of loneliness and anxiety were, and still are, completely normal. Humans have never been creatures that deal particularly well with change, and with a change as big as a global pandemic, we need to cut ourselves some slack.

During this first wave many were unsure of how to cope and what to do with their time. “I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t do much during the lockdown. I didn’t really find anything that helped me,” said a Greeley student. Another said “I sat in my room all day which definitely did not help my mental health.” Teens being in isolation during some of the most vital years of their development was difficult to say the least.

In a CNN segment, Michael Smerconish said that he’s “worried about kids being educated remotely and losing out on a whole host of social dynamics. What you can’t get in the remote world are the life lessons, the human interactions, the forging of relationships.”

However, things started to look up as people were getting vaccinated, returning to school in person, and finally spending time together. Even though I am a sophomore, returning to school this year full time in person felt like my first real year of high school. The level of focus and material I’m learning has improved drastically. I even had a teacher thank a kid for talking and laughing over them because they missed that realness after a year of silence and stiffness on Zoom. 

Another Greeley student said that “it is good to get to see people and actually learn.” For most, it seemed the only thing that kept them sane was getting back to in-person schooling and seeing their friends. Smerconish shared that he felt it was unfair that kids are “bearing the brunt of Covid even though most infected children are at much less risk of becoming severely ill,” and therefore, “anytime society is contemplating a response to Covid, their needs need to be prioritized.” While maintaining safety throughout Covid is extremely important, it is also important to prioritize kids’ mental health.  

Horace Greeley psychologist Dr. McAuliffe shared insightful advice to help students remain hopeful. “In general, choosing to have an optimistic attitude, to believe things will work out helps. Believing in your ability to handle hard situations also contributes to an attitude where students can engage in managing their challenges rather than overly worrying about things. The truth is, we all will get through this and overly worrying robs people of the ability to solve problems.”

While many aspects of teens’ mental health have been hurt due to the pandemic, I also think that after going through this experience, teens came out more resilient than ever. Aside from learning about masks, social distancing, and quarantining, we also learned to adjust, grow, and deal with change. 

“I continue to be amazed how well kids cope with this in general, despite the fact that this is a really hard situation,” said Dr. McAuliffe.  I’m optimistic that we can use the strength we have gained, remain hopeful, and, as said by Dr. McAuliffe, “persist, persist, persist.”