The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

The Inside Press

Byram Hills and King School Student Honors

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Five Byram Hills High School Seniors Are National Merit Semifinalists

L-R: Samara Brown, Aaron Lestz, Daniel Ndocaj, Alexander Woodworth and Yicheng Yang

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

L-R: Aaron Lestz, Valentina Marino, and
Morgan Hecht

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

 

On the Occasion of 30 Years of World Cup: An Open Letter from Owner John Sabalja

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To Our Wonderful Community,

It is with great pleasure that World Cup Nursery School & Kindergarten and World Cup Gymnastics celebrate 30 years of serving our wonderful community. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to provide exceptional early childhood education and athletic training to children in the area.  We never would have endured without our supportive families and this wonderful community.

Our bright and welcoming facilities, along with our brilliant staff, teachers and coaches, have allowed us to achieve great successes, including the production of gymnastics champions and many successful graduates who have gone on to excel in elementary school and beyond. We firmly believe that the core of our success lies in our love of children and the joy they bring us every day. We are motivated by the desire to make a positive difference in each child’s life, and it is truly an honor to be able to do so.

Over three decades ago, our founders had a vision to build a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to child development, and we have continued to honor that vision every day since. What began as a modest gymnastics program with two preschool classrooms has grown into a highly regarded gymnastics complex, hosting a large boys and girls recreational program along with competitive teams that produce state, regional, national and Olympic champions. Our preschool program has also flourished, outgrowing its two classrooms and now housed in two buildings offering a renowned early childhood education program with 12 classrooms, indoor gyms, bicycle tracks, and two outdoor playgrounds.

We recognize the important role we play in the lives of the children we serve and are dedicated to providing a creative learning environment that is safe, inclusive, and supportive for all children. As part of our commitment to child development, we are constantly adapting to changes in the learning process and seeking professional development opportunities to ensure that our programs remain at the forefront of child development.  We also understand the importance of investing in our facilities and structures to support a viable future for our programs.  Our team is passionate about providing the best possible education and care for children and look forward to continuing to serve our children with excellence for many years to come.

We want to take this opportunity to wish Inside Press a happy 20th anniversary and thank them for helping us to spread the word about our wonderful programs through their local magazines and digital platforms. Once again, thank you to our Westchester communities for allowing us to be a part of your lives and for your continued support. We are grateful to have you part of our journey!

John Sabalja
Owner
World Cup Gymnastics & World Cup Nursery School & Kindergarten

Westchester Great Books Council Announces “A Book Discussion to End all Book Discussions” at Briarcliff High School on January 27

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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).

Save the Date! October 26 Annual Gala of the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center

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The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center (HHREC) will hold their annual Benefit on Thursday evening, October 26th starting at 6:30pm at the Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York. This year HHREC will honor Sam Rosmarin and Kathy Zaltas, and will feature a live theatrical performance of the award-winning Letters from Anne and Martin, a unique production that combines the iconic voices of Anne Frank and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Kathy Grosz-Zaltas is a daughter of Holocaust survivors and serves on the HHREC Advisory Board. She is also an active member of the Center’s GenerationsForward group of 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation descendants who are committed to keeping their family’s Holocaust story relevant. Kathy is the owner and president of Zaltas Gallery of Fine Jewelry located in Mamaroneck.

Sam Rosmarin is the son of two Holocaust Survivors, and is a member of the HHREC GenerationsForward group and co-host of the HHREC Memory Keeper Story Hour. Sam has enjoyed a stellar multi-decade career as a catastrophic personal injury litigator who currently devotes himself to the art and science of mediation and arbitration

The program will also include the annual presentation of the HHREC Eugene M. & Emily Grant Spirit of Humanity Awards. To register for this event, or for more information including sponsorship opportunities visit hhrecny.org email benefit@hhrecny.org or call 914-696-0738.

Korth & Shannahan: A Dynamic Family-Owned House Painting Business

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Will Korth, owner and founder of Korth & Shannahan Painting and Carpentry, started his career in the painting industry at the young age of 14. As a teenager, Will painted houses during his summer breaks from Horace Greeley High School. He started from the bottom of the ladder (literally) and climbed his way to the top of the company. Today, Will is the leader of a 40-person team of professional painters and carpenters that are dedicated to making Westchester a more beautiful place to live.

Founded in Family, Rooted in Westchester

For 44 years, the core values of Korth & Shannahan Painting have been founded in family. Today, owner Will is joined by his daughter Olivia Korth as she steps into the family business. Olivia is putting her Business Administration degree to use in her new role as the Director of Marketing & Recruitment for Korth Painting. Now the second generation to join her family business, Olivia finds her now role to be both challenging and exciting. This father-daughter team is tackling Westchester’s house painting industry head on.

Working with family surely comes with its benefits and challenges for this father-daughter duo. Will and Olivia both love working together every day and have become even closer than they were before Olivia came into the business. The pair certainly had to learn how to balance life and work as they navigate this new dynamic. In Olivia’s words, “We try not to ‘talk shop’ at home, or ‘talk family’ at the office. It’s all about balance.”

The perks of trusting a local and family-owned business are clear to Korth’s new and returning customers. When you call Korth & Shannahan to set up an estimate, Olivia is the one to pick up the phone. From there, she’ll send Will over to your home to provide an estimate for your project. There’s nothing better than working with a local family business.

Industry Leaders

Will Korth and his daughter Olivia Korth

Over their 44 years in the House Painting industry, Korth Painting has adapted to become the industry leader in the Westchester area, all the while keeping their roots firmly grounded in their local history.

Will Korth and his team are deeply committed to providing the highest quality workmanship for their customers. As Will says: “Customer service drives the bus.” Their outstanding service and attention to detail results in many repeat customers and long-lasting client relationships. One of Will’s favorite parts of the job is seeing the long-time customers that he painted for when he was a teenager. More than 40 years later, his customers still trust him to handle their home’s painting and carpentry needs.

Some of the notable customers the Korth team paints for include the Clintons, Clive Davis, and the Zabar family. Will is also proud of the work he’s done for local organizations such as the New Castle Historical Society and the Bedford Presbyterian Church. “Painting the Horace Greeley House was certainly a feather in our cap,” notes Will, who’s painted some of Westchester’s most notable historical buildings over the years.

A family owned and operated business like Korth & Shannahan Painting understands what it means to be dynamic. They’ve pivoted through five decades of change and survived a global Pandemic, using every challenge they’ve faced as an opportunity to learn and change with the times.

“Our customers will always get a team I know and trained, which ultimately results in consistently happy customers” says Korth. From their original service area of Chappaqua, Korth has expanded his base to now serve Northern and Southern Westchester as well. Armonk, Bedford, Pound Ridge, Mount Kisco, Chappaqua, Scarsdale and Rye are where Korth sees many of his customers. Will also provides a four-year warranty on every job he completes, which is double the industry standard. The team at Korth Painting works hard to stay ahead of new color trends, provide in-person color consultations, train their painters on new paint products, and find the best methods of paint application – all in the name of phenomenal customer service.    

To start your next project with Korth & Shannahan Painting, call 914-238-5388 or visit korthpainting.com.