The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Stacey Pfeffer

Furry Friends and SPCA Supporters Step Out in Style for Top Hat & Cocktails Annual Gala

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Kim Charlton (left) and Stephen Meringoff (right) the event honorees
PHOTO BY GEOFF TISCHMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Canine companions and pet owners were out in full force last month at the 15th annual Top Hat & Cocktails annual gala for the SPCA of Westchester. More than 300 guests and 50 furry friends were in attendance with several dogs up for adoption onsite at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in White Plains. The event honorees Kim Charlton formerly of Bedford and Stephen Meringoff of New York City underwrote the entire event, helping all proceeds from the event directly benefit the SPCA.

The annual gala was conceptualized by John W. Beach, a former Mount Kisco and Bedford Hills resident and was originally called Top Hat and Tails. Each year the gala’s honorees receive the John W. Beach Memorial Award to outstanding individual (s) for their humanitarian work. Charlton and Meringoff , who recently married and own two dogs, developed a successful SPCA program called “Critter Credit”.  The program identifies shelter animals who may have difficulty getting adopted such as animals with medical conditions, are excessively shy or require more training. Through the program, individuals or families who adopt these pets receive a $250 credit, which can be applied to a trainer or to supplies at Petco or Petsmart. The program has successfully helped 190 dogs and cats find their “forever homes” since its inception.

Conar, a 2-year-old Irish terrier in attendance from Chappaqua
PHOTO BY LARRY PFEFFER

This year the shelter has also taken in 23 cats and kittens from storm-ravaged places such as Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico. The shelter is a no-kill, not-for-profit animal welfare organization dedicated to saving homeless, abused and abandoned animals. They also protect animals from cruelty and neglect through education and enforcement of humane laws.

After the awards ceremony, a lively and entertaining auction took place with auctioneer Joe Di Mauro, the owner and operator of Mount Kisco Seafood. The auction at times was punctuated by laughs and “woofs” and took in $70,000 for the SPCA. Several of the dogs in attendance were decked out in costumes in honor of Halloween and many dined on canine ice cream courtesy of Briarcliff Manor-based Pets a Go Go.

Armonk resident Irma Jansen and her dog Trooper
PHOTO BY LARRY PFEFFER

Irma Jansen, an Armonk resident in attendance with her beagle Trooper has been involved with the organization since 2013. She spends many weekends driving dogs to help them get successfully transported to the shelter. Some dogs may have three legs of a trip and these transports are vital so that the dogs can take a break in between a long ride. She finds the work “rewarding” and thoroughly enjoys it.

Ossining resident Mary Dusenberry founded the SPCA in 1883 after she observed horses being whipped and beaten as they trudged up nearby hills to deliver heavy loads of coal. Together with her friends, she obtained land on which to build the Society’s first home and established a fund to be used to prevent cruelty to animals. The SPCA is still located on the same spot, making it one of the oldest landholders in Briarcliff Manor.

Trooper, again!
PHOTO BY LARRY PFEFFER

The SPCA: Helping Furry Friends Find Forever Homes

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The SPCA is a “no kill shelter.’ Regardless of how long it may take, they are committed to caring for all adoptable animals until a loving, new home can be found. Last year, 619 animals were rescued by the SPCA from high-kill shelters and transported to the SPCA to find new homes. They also helped 1,338 animals (dogs and cats) find their forever homes. This year the shelter has made an extraordinary effort at rescuing animals from hurricane-ravaged areas.

As of press time, the following dogs were available for adoption at the SPCA, according to Lisa Bonnano-Spence, the Director of Events & Communications:

The two puppies (both female) are named Anya and Aleeza. They’re about ten weeks old and are Weimaraner/Chocolate Labrador Retriever mixes. They are part of a litter of ten! It was an unexpected/unplanned litter and sadly, they were all turned into an overcrowded shelter down south with very limited time to get adopted so we quickly rescued them and got them safely up to the SPCA! They’ll be great additions to an active family and would love nice, big yards to play in.

Nelly is a Yorkshire Terrier. She is about 9-years-old and was abandoned on the streets in Westchester. She is quiet and can be shy with new people. She is very docile and sweet so she’d love a more quiet home.

Marble is a 4-month-old shepherd mix puppy. He was brought to a high-kill shelter down south when no owner could be located. We transported him up to the SPCA to get a second chance! He is a little shy at first but warms up quickly. He loves other dogs and would be happiest in a home with a canine buddy.

Loreli, our cover girl, is a Black Labrador Retriever. She is about ten months old and was turned into a high-kill shelter down south with her two siblings, who we also rescued. She is a happy, goofy dog that is perfect for a family.

Johnny is a 2-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier. He was rescued from a cruelty situation in Westchester and his owner was arrested. He is an approved pet therapy dog now and visits local nursing homes through the SPCA’s Golden Outreach Pet Therapy Program. He’d love a home where someone is home more often to hang out with him. He is real gentleman.

Additional pets can be found at www.spca914.org. All photos courtesy of Geoffrey Tischman at Tischman Pet Photography (www.tischmanpets.com). Shot on location at the SPCA located at 590 North State Road, Briarcliff Manor.

Byrams Hills Student Chosen as Siemens Semi-Finalist

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Ali at the Rubin Laboratory at Harvard University

While many high school students spent the summer working typical seasonal jobs as lifeguards or camp counselors, Byram Hills High School senior Alexandra Brocato spent hers researching Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) at the Rubin Laboratory in Harvard University’s Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology. Ali, as she is referred to at school, studied SMA, a leading genetic cause of infant mortality.

And her time in the lab paid off when she was named a Semi-Finalist in the prestigious National Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology for her extensive multi-year research project last month. She is part of the Dr. Robert Pavlica Authentic Science Research Program at the high school and was one of only eight high school students in Westchester County to be honored in the competition. Ali joined the Byram Hills science research program when she was a sophomore. The program now has 84 students with 31 seniors participating under the directorship of Mrs. Stephanie Greenwald.

SMA is a hereditary condition that causes spinal nerve cells to die. Symptoms may include diminished muscle tone, muscle weakness, respiratory problems, pneumonia, and swallowing and feeding difficulties. Ali’s research focused on identifying significant symptoms of the disease, in order to create a disease trajectory. By understanding the disease’s progression, doctors can introduce drug therapies at an earlier stage to prevent the disease from taking over a child’s body.

Ali with Mrs. Stephanie Greenwald, director of the Dr. Robert Pavlica Authentic Science Research Program at Byram Hills High School
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BARBARA NACKMAN, BOCES

Ali, originally was studying another neurogenerative disease, multiple sclerosis (MS) with a mentor at the New York Stem Cell Foundation but when the mentor was unable to offer her a summer position in the lab due to her status as a minor, Ali was undeterred. She contacted more than 50 professors to see if she could pursue research at a university level and eventually was permitted to at the Rubin Lab at Harvard University as the only high school student. The researchers at the lab were studying SMA.

Her first task at the Rubin Lab was learning R, a statistical programming software. She analyzed over 600,000 fields of data to understand the prevalence of SMA’s symptoms and create a timeline of the disease’s trajectory. Much of the research focus on SMA has examined the molecular side of the disease rather than how the disease progresses. Ali’s research will be helpful in the drug development process because it will hopefully allow doctors to intervene earlier before an individual’s symptoms actually worsen.

Next up, Ali will present her research at a stem cell conference and plans on submitting her project to the Regeneron Science Talent Search in mid-November. In terms of career aspirations Ali is considering studying computational biology or bioengineering in college. “I saw firsthand the power of programming and science research and the impact this can have in saving lives. This is what motivates me and excites me more than anything–using technology to combat disease and prolong and improve an individual’s quality of life,” she explained.

A true Renaissance woman, Ali plays competitive club soccer and Varisty soccer and competed in the World Maccabiah Games in Israel, where her team won a Gold Medal. She is also the co-editor-in-chief of The Oracle, the Byram Hills school newspaper.

Grace Bennett and Paul Elliot Honored at HHREC Gala

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(Left to right): HHREC chair Valerie O’Keeffe; Kevin Plunkett, Deputy County Executive; HHREC honoree Paul Elliot; Mitch Ostrove; Grace; County Legislator Mike Kaplowitz; and HHREC Executive Director Millie Jasper

The White Plains-based Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center (HHREC) held their annual gala on October 26th. The room at the Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club was packed with supporters dedicated to the HHREC’s mission of “learning from the past, protecting the future.” Grace Bennett, publisher of both Inside Chappaqua and Inside Armonk magazines and Paul Elliot, the Founder & CEO of ELCO Management, a portfolio management company were the evening’s honorees. Also in attendance at the event were Congresswoman Nita Lowey, Westchester County Legislator Michael B. Kaplowitz, Deputy County Executive Kevin J. Plunkett, County Clerk Tim Idoni and New Castle Town Supervisor Rob Greenstein.

Bennett first became involved with HHREC after writing about her father, Jacob Breitstein, a Holocaust survivor in her “Just Between Us” editor’s column in Inside Chappaqua. A reader of the magazine introduced her to the non-profit and she has been an active leader in the organization ever since.

Grace received the Bernard J. Rosenshein Courage to Care Award. She joined HHREC’s Advisory Board in 2004. For the past 13 years, she has made innumerable contributions in her roles on the Board of Directors, the Advisory Board and GenerationsForward.  As the daughter of two Holocaust survivors, Grace has a passion for Holocaust remembrance and has been instrumental in guiding our educational programs,” noted Millie Jasper, HHREC’s Executive Director. She has frequently profiled and highlighted HHREC’s achievements and programming through her magazines and via social media.

Elliot, who is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) has used his business acumen to help several non-profits including the Rabbinical Pension Fund, the Community Synagogue in Rye and the Neuberger Museum of Art in Purchase. He joined the Board of HHREC almost two decades ago.

“Paul was awarded the Eugene M. & Emily Grant Spirit of Humanity Award. He has been an active member of the Board of Directors for 19 years and has shown unwavering support for our programs and events. Most recently he spearheaded the creation of the Endowment Fund, which has seen considerable growth since its inception,” commented Japser.

The HHREC offers several workshops, traveling exhibits and subsidized trips for educators. The Holocaust Survivor Legacy Education Project, an interactive database of the oral history of Westchester survivors is used by teachers to educate their students about the Holocaust. The organization also created a Human Rights Institute (involving approximately 30 schools each year), which helps shape student leaders to fight hate and bigotry in all its forms by introducing the concept of being an ‘upstander’. In addition, the HHREC’s Speakers Bureau helps put a human face on the Holocaust by having survivors and/or liberators tell their stories. Each year the speakers reach more than 25,000 students and adults.

The evening concluded with a moving speech by Ellen Kaidanow, a GenerationsForward member who told the story of her mother-in-law also named Ellen Kaidanow, who was only 5-years-old when her mother, father and two sisters were all forced to move from their beautiful home in the Ukraine to a walled Jewish ghetto. Ellen tells the story of her mother-in-law’s life as a young girl in the ghetto and her miraculous tale of becoming the sole survivor of her family at age six. The GenerationsForward program consists of children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors recounting their family’s stories as the number of Holocaust survivors is dwindling every day.

Grace with her father Jacob Breitstein
PHOTO BY WILLIAM LANDIN
Ellen Kaidanow, keynote speaker with Ellen Kaidanow, her mother-in-law.
PHOTO BY WILLIAM LANDIN
Chris Lane, Jacob Breitstein (Grace’s dad) and Anna Bennett (Grace’s daughter)
PHOTO BY WILLIAM LANDIN
Grace and HHREC Executive Director Millie Jasper
PHOTO BY WILLIAM LANDIN
HHREC honoree Lee Katz and Chair Valerie O’Keeffe
PHOTO BY WILLIAM LANDIN
Hal Levine, Nancy Huehnergarth, Jodi Levine, Grace, Dawn Dankner Rosen, New Castle Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein and Suzanna Hyler
PHOTO BY JANINE CROWLEY HAYNES

Grace and Congresswoman Nita Lowey

Byram Hills Superintendent Jen Lamia Focuses on Leadership & Collaboration

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With nearly three decades of experience in the Byram Hills School District, Jen Lamia has seen educational trends come and go but in her new role as Superintendent, Lamia knows firsthand that the collaborative culture is paramount to the district’s success and goal of “creating leaders of the next generation.” The Inside Press had the opportunity to sit down with her and hear how she plans to continue keeping the district nationally ranked for its excellent reputation.

A New City resident, Lamia recalls playing school with her friends as a little girl and hearing stories about her father’s job as a principal in a New York City high school. In college she majored in English literature and initially planned to work in journalism but when she took her education classes for her minor, she knew it was the right career choice for her. Lamia has two sons, J.P, 17, and Michael, 16 and credits them for giving her a “real sense of what it is like” for high school students and their parents today.

Creating Leaders for the Next Generation

Since assuming the role of Superintendent on July 1, Lamia and the administration hit the ground running with some “lofty initiatives” in a two-day goal making retreat for 23 district administrators. Under the umbrella of creating leaders of the next generation, the faculty discussed the concept of leadership and what that means for students. Lamia feels that in order for students to become leaders they need to “identify who they are, assess what their needs are and what resources are available and figure out who can help them on their journey.”

During our hour-long conversation with much of it focused on leadership, Lamia references Simon Sinek, the popular TED speaker and leadership expert who believes that all leaders must start with the question “why?” “The administrators were asked why are they doing what they are doing? What are the outcomes for students and as an educator how are we going to get them there? The administrators worked on these answers collaboratively this summer,” explains Lamia. When asked why prospective buyers should move to the Byram Hills school district, Lamia’s answer is at the ready. She pulls out a binder that sits on her desk and answers succinctly on how the district is focused on creating leaders of the next generation. It’s a document that she and her administrators “live and breathe everyday.”

Research Underpins Decisions in the District

The district has several research initiatives underway in partnerships with leading universities and institutions. This fall, two administrators were sent to the top three universities accepting Byram Hills High School graduates with the goal of assessing whether their offerings in STEAM education were aligned with what higher educations expectations were. “There’s all this push for STEAM and the next generation standards of science but we wanted to interview our students and ask if they feel prepared.”

Similarly, when the district was choosing a new math program for K-5, the district evaluated seven programs and piloted two. Acknowledging that changes needed to be made, Lamia is quick to explain that they don’t make decisions in haste. The district’s decisions are based on careful research.

Student Wellness: A Key Focus

Lamia believes that students can’t learn until they are emotionally ready to. In order to support student readiness, the district in collaboration with BOCES has a partnership with the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. Teachers are being trained in the whole growth mindset and mood meters. The district is also working with Stanford University to survey 6-12 grade students on stress, anxiety, support, social pressures and homework. “It is the first time we are getting a snapshot of what’s going on in the district with data. We hear anecdotally that some kids are getting too much homework and others too little but anecdotes don’t give you the big picture,” noted Lamia. “We want to hear their [student] voices and experiences.

Not every child is articulating how they feel and many kids go about their day seemingly enjoy themselves but they may be struggling.”

The district is also working with the University of Michigan and training several educators, guidance counselors and school psychologists on cognitive-based therapy to help struggling students. They also held a panel discussion for parents and addressed questions such as when to get help for a struggling student, where to get help and how long should that help last which offered parents a lot of good guidance.

Collaborative Culture

Lamia enjoys the collaborative culture of the district and feels that it is a hallmark of the district’s success. “The vision of the district and the vision of the community are aligned which doesn’t always happen elsewhere. We have incredibly knowledgeable people on our district’s board of education that bring a unique skill set and care about every kid in the community. Will there be times that people complain? Absolutely but you have to listen because there may be a nugget in there that is very valuable.”

Celebrating Individuality

Lamia notes that the Byram Hills mission statement is ‘do what you like, be who you are’. “There are kids who excel at athletics, poetry and as scientists and their talents run the gamut. When I was growing up every piece of knowledge was taught to me. Today your knowledge comes from experiences and its more critical than ever to help students determine what they like and figure out who they are.” One way the students are figuring out their passion is through the eighth grade capstone project. Students undertake a yearlong research project and it can be as diverse as studying ways to increase fundraising for their baseball team to clean water solutions in Nicaragua. Lamia believes projects like these are critical for student growth and development and to help them discover their passions.

A Lifelong Educator

Currently a doctoral candidate with Johns Hopkins University, Lamia is focusing on teacher mentoring through an online course of study. She anticipates completion of her doctorate by May and is in the process of developing an e-mentoring platform that supports pedagogical content knowledge. “The standard for pedagogy has changed. It’s not enough for teachers to read off a PowerPoint. They need to have the students engaged.” Acknowledging that professional development for teachers is often a time constraint especially when they are out of the classroom, Lamia hopes that her platform will make it more convenient for teachers to advance their skills.

Since 1990 Lamia has been with the district holding various titles such as English department curriculum chairwoman, assistant principal, assistant to the Superintendent and an assistant Superintendent for human resources. But it’s clear that she is not the type of administrator to rest on her laurels and sit behind her desk. As the interview concludes, she excuses herself as the Byram Hills Bobcats are playing a home game and she wants to catch some of it. When we get to the field, the Bobcats are winning. “That’s great,” she exclaims. Lamia wants every child in the district to succeed whether it be in the classroom or on the field. With her at the district’s helm, the chances are certainly that much greater.