The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

The Inside Press

Behind ‘Team Katz Fights Cancer’

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… and a Goal to Raise $50,000 to Fight Blood Cancers

By Spencer Katz

In 2008, I turned four years old. That was the year I had a Backyardigans-themed birthday party and dressed up like Batman for Halloween. It was also the year that I first hear the word “cancer” because that was the year that my mom was diagnosed with lymphoma, a form of blood cancer. I was only in nursery school and too young to really understand the impact of this diagnosis. But I watched as my mom underwent months of chemotherapy, lost her hair, and fought to survive. Luckily, she did survive. 

 Now that I am 16 and a junior at Horace Greeley High School, I understand the impact of a diagnosis like my mom’s. I have been heartbroken as too many of my friends lost parents to blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, and I have watched many others fight for survival. And blood cancer, specifically leukemia, is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in children and young adults. So I decided to take action to find a cure for blood cancers.

Spencer and his mom, Lisa Katz, a lymphoma survivor

When I was nominated as a candidate in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Students of the Year campaign, I knew that this was the perfect opportunity to raise funds and awareness for the fight against blood cancers. Students of the Year is a seven-week philanthropic competition for high school leaders seeking to make an impact in the fight against cancer. I joined the campaign in honor of my mother and all those who currently are fighting blood cancers, and in memory of those who have lost those battles. 

 This year’s campaign begins on January 21st and ends with a grand finale on March 11th. The funds raised benefit the LLS mission to find a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. And it can help so many others too–many treatments initially developed for blood cancers are now also helping people affected by many different types of cancer. Since the campaign’s inception in 2014, the Students of the Year program has made an incredible impact for cancer research, patient aid, and community outreach programs.

I am so honored to be able to represent Horace Greeley High School and our entire community in this campaign.

 I am aiming high and have set a goal of raising $50,000 to find a cure for blood cancers. Yes, I know that this is an extremely ambitious goal, but I am determined to leave my mark on the fight against cancer to the best of my ability. And I have the legacy of so many loved friends and family as the motivation behind my campaign. My campaign will provide support to the critical work of LLS in hopes that one day no one will have to watch a loved one suffer and fight to survive, or worse, grow up without the ones they love.

 Not only is Students of the Year a great way to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, but it is also a great leadership experience for me. Being part of this campaign means so much to be, and I am proud to help my generation be the last to see cancer. I can’t wait to share the exciting updates of the next seven weeks with you. Stay tuned to see what my team and I can accomplish. 

 If anyone reading this feels as I do, it would mean a lot to me if you would consider becoming part of the cure and making a donation to my campaign. To donate online or for more information, please visit my fundraising campaign website Team Katz Fights Cancer!

 And please email me at TeamKatzFightsCancer@gmail.com to share stories of your loved ones impacted by blood cancer. I would love to add them to the list of those I am fighting for. I truly hope that together we can make a true difference in the lives of cancer patients and their families, not just in our community, but everywhere.

Byram Hills Student Jared Ilan Named Finalist in Regeneron Science Competition

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Byram Hills High School (“BHHS”) senior Jared Ilan has been named a Regeneron Science Talent Search (“Regeneron STS”) finalist. Regeneron STS is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. Only 40 young scientists are selected as finalists.

 Ilan’s project, “Modulus of Elasticity of the Ideal Decellularized Plant Material Scaffold for the Production of Cultured Meat,” focused on a potential, lab-based solution to meet the demand for affordable meat products with fewer environmental impacts than traditional production. Ilan joined BHHS’ three-year Authentic Science Research program as a sophomore with the goal of making an impact on an issue he cares about: climate change.

“After exploring many topics, I discovered that the livestock industry cannot support the world’s growing population and demand for meat, much less without having a detrimental effect on the environment,” explains Ilan. “After conducting an exhaustive search for a research mentor, I connected with a researcher from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (now at Boston College), 

Dr. Glenn R. Gaudette, an expert in the field of tissue engineering, who worked with me in conducting a study focused on improving the process of producing cultured meat, also known as lab-grown meat.”

“Cultured meat has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate food insecurity by providing an alternate and affordable source of meat, and limit animal cruelty practices,” says Ilan. “The process of growing cultured meat is not yet scalable or cost-effective enough to affordably sell at a commercial level. This is largely due to the currently ineffective and expensive artificial scaffolds, or structures, on which the meat is grown. The idea to use decellularized plant materials, or plants with all their cells removed, as scaffolds, was first proposed by my mentor, Dr. Gaudette, as a scaffold for growing heart transplants due to their low cost, widespread availability, high biocompatibility, and strong vascular system. These characteristics are likewise suited for the large-scale production of cultured meat, and therefore my study was focused on identifying which decellularized plant type was most suited for the growth of cultured meat.”

Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic halted Ilan’s plans to conduct research in his mentor’s university lab this past summer. Ilan showed great resilience in adapting and completing his study in his garage at home. His use of common household goods, namely dish soap, plastic bags, and chopsticks, instead of professional lab equipment, required much improvisation and engineering to execute a valid study.

“Science research was the most meaningful experience of my high school career,” says Ilan. “While incredibly rigorous, the program is one of Byram Hill’s crowning jewels. I was inspired by my older sister’s science research journey where she was able to conduct groundbreaking lymphatic research. I’m glad that I did it and I’m very grateful for the support of my science research teachers, my mentor Dr. Gaudette, and my family.”

Ilan is co-president of BHHS’ “eNable” club, where he designs and builds assistive devices for children with disabilities. He is also co-captain of the varsity cross-country team and plays varsity lacrosse. In his free time, he loves to ski. He plans to attend Cornell University in the fall.

The Regeneron STS Finals Week, where finalists will present their research to judging panels and participate in exclusive programming with distinguished scientists, will take place virtually from March 10 – 17, 2021. Finalists are awarded $25,000 and have the opportunity to win additional prizes of up to $250,000.

To read more about the talent search, go to www.societyforscience.org/press-release/finalists-in-regeneron-science-talent-search-2021

16 Byram Hills SENIORS HONORED

The following 16 Byram Hills seniors received special recognition at the 58th Annual Junior Science and Humanities Symposium on January 30, 2021. JSHS is designed to challenge and engage students (Grades 9-12) in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics by presenting their original research before a panel of judges and an audience of their peers. Regional presenters will participate at the 2021 Upstate New York JSHS and compete for a spot in the national symposium. Congratulations to the following Byram Hills students.

REGIONAL PRESENTERS

1st place

Kristen Eickelbeck – Physical Science | Olivia Canter – Biological Sciences 

2nd place

Luke Briody – Neurology/Genetics  | Mia Dittrich – Neurology/Genetics | Ali Hafez – Engineering & Technology

3rd place

 Lily Deitelzweig – Neurology/Genetics

5th place

Raquel Kanner – Behavior | Lizzie Manowitz – Behavior | BaileyGoldstein – Biological Sciences

 LOCAL

1st place

Jared Ilan – Math, Engineering & Technology | Chloe Weissman – Behavior | Gabriella Ripka – Behavio | Tessa Schwartz – Math, Engineering & Tech | Alexa Jindal – Medicine & Health

2nd place

Griffen Nenner – Biological Science | Sophie Stumacher – Behavior

Michael Gyory Named New Chairperson of the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center

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The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center  (HHREC) announced their board of directors elected Michael Gyory to the position of Board Chairperson. Gyory, a real estate entrepreneur, began a three-year term on January 18th, 2021.  He has been serving as a board member since 2019, and succeeds Joseph Kaidanow, who served as board chairperson since 2018. Kaidanow will continue to serve as a member of the HHREC Board of Directors.

“It has been a tremendous privilege to be Chairperson of the Holocaust & Human Rights Education center” said Kaidanow. “As the son of two Survivors, honoring those who have perished or endured the trauma of the Holocaust is a personal obligation for me. I also believe  it is equally important to teach the lessons of the Holocaust to prevent humankind’s darker nature from prevailing in the future, and to advocate for the right of all people to live in peace and with dignity, and  our education programs that help us achieve these goals. I wish my successor, Michael Gyory, who is also the son of two Survivors, much success in continuing our mission, and look forward to working with him as an active Board member and support him in any way I can.”

“I am deeply honored to be elected as the new board chair and look forward to working with my board colleagues to move HHREC’s mission forward,” said Gyory. “I want to thank the HHREC board of directors for its confidence in me to serve as board chair, and I especially thank Joseph Kaidanow for his years of leadership. Together with our board of directors, staff, and stakeholders, we are making a positive difference and continue to work towards our vision to enhance the teaching and learning of the lessons of the Holocaust and the right of all people to be treated with dignity and respect, and encourage students to speak up and act against all forms of bigotry and prejudice.”

Michael Gyory is the son of Hungarian Holocaust survivors. During World War II, his parents, as  teenagers, were sent to concentration camps and slave labor camps. After surviving the horrors and torture of the war, they returned to Budapest to find that they were all alone. They managed to fall in love, marry, emigrate to America and have three children. Michael grew up in the seclusion of Northern Westchester county, and now lives in the Rivertowns. His son is currently attending  college. Gyory holds a Master’s degree in Communication from the Annenberg School at the University of Pennsylvania. After a brief time in the corporate world, he has been a real estate entrepreneur, building houses, renovating and developing self-storage facilities. He is a graduate of Safekeeping Stories and as a memorist, has told of his family’s experiences in many schools and civic venues.  He will be a speaker at the 2021 International Jewish Genealogical Conference and at the Irvington, NY Town Hall Theatre, and  has published a story about his father’s home which can be found on the World Jewish Restitution Organization’s website.  He is a graduate of the Leadership Conference of the Westchester Jewish Council.

For more information about the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center, visit www.hhrecny.org</a

A Ribbon Cutting to Celebrate the New Rebecca and Arthur Samberg Building at the Ossining Children’s Center

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PHOTOS BY GRACE BENNETT

Editor’s Note: ‘Home for the Holidays’ does not get more poignant than contemplating the possibilities for children at the all new Rebecca and Arthur Samberg Building during a ribbon cutting ceremony under a beautiful fall sky at the Ossining Children’s Center. Dozens of supporters and many Westchester County officials turned up to share kind words and a whole lot of‘oohs and ahhs’ upon viewing the gorgeous 2700-square-foot facility, located at 32 State Street in Ossining. – Grace Bennett

The bright and modern new space, a news release from the Center noted, will bring the Center’s programs under one roof while meeting the growing need for infant, toddler, preschool and before and after-school care in the greater Ossining community. More info from the Center:

Rebecca Samberg, of Ossining, cut the ribbon for the new building named for her and her late husband Arthur Samberg. “Art and I have always felt strongly that every child should be able to have the kinds of experiences that our children and grandchildren have had,” said Mrs. Samberg. In the new space, 60 additional children can gain the skills necessary to thrive and succeed. The large state-of-the art classrooms, indoor gymnasium, large indoor common area, and multiple outdoor recreation areas provide ample space for children to learn, grow and play while staying healthy and safe. “Though welcoming children back during a pandemic is challenging,” said Assistant Executive Director Claudia Weger, “our flexible spaces, along with outside entrances for every classroom, allow for social distancing without compromising the integrity of our programs.”

OCC has been a fixture in Ossining for 125 years, helping families thrive, while maintaining partnerships with a range of community and cultural organizations. “The ceremony today is a testament to the interconnectedness and strength of our community,” said Executive Director Howard Milbert. The project was awarded grants from New York State through the auspices of Assembly member Sandra Galef and State Senator David Carlucci. OCC’s $17.8 million capital campaign to support the project has raised more than $15 million to date. The campaign also includes an expansion of OCC’s scholarship program to enable additional working families to enroll their children at the Center. For more information, visit

www.ossiningchildrenscenter.org

Honoring State Champions

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The Byram Hills 2007 soccer and 2015 baseball state championship teams were honored in mid-October at a sign unveiling near downtown Armonk. Alumni, community members, the Board of Education, and members of the North Castle Town Board attended.

“Our children going to school right now need role models to know what success and achievement look like,” said Dr. Jen Lamia, Byram Hills Superintendent. “Every day that they drive into this town, they can see what you have done and aspire to achieve. When you come home, you can see that your town and your school district stand behind you and take intense pride in you.”

Michael Schiliro, North Castle Town Supervisor, was pleased to see the students get the recognition they deserve. “This sign will be here forever to show your families that you were state champs,” said Mr. Schiliro. “We can’t wait to add more teams to the sign.”

Ira Schulman, Byram Hills Board of Education President, addressed the crowd and said, “The most important message I’d like to convey is that we are not training athletes to be students but student-athletes.  At Byram Hills, academics will always come first.”

Rob Castagna, Byram Hills Athletic Director, thanked the parents for their trust and support and congratulated the athletes and coaches. “It is such an honor to work with Coach Allen and Coach Saunders,” Mr. Castagna said. “What they bring to the athletic program is off the charts and hard to measure.”