The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Stacey Pfeffer

One Stop Shopping for your Next Party

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Claire Gilvar (left) and Meryl Lefkowitz
PHOTO BY PRETTY PICTURES PHOTOGRAPHY & MARKETING
If you’ve visited Bookedparties.com, you already know how easy it is to find that perfect venue or vendor that’s sure to make your child’s birthday party the talk of the town.

Now with the newly launched Booked Marketplace, one-stop shopping for party favors, unique gifts and party décor is right at your fingertips. Booked Marketplace features locally owned businesses selling everything from jewelry to custom cakes and everything in between.

Chappaqua’s own Claire Gilvar and Meryl Lefkowitz launched in August of 2015. Many of the featured merchants offer services such as free local delivery or pick up, gift-wrapping or personalization to help make gift giving or party planning effortless. Booked Marketplace also offers an opportunity to add a philanthropic twist to celebrations.

The Shop for a Cause storefront donates a portion of each sale to local charities supported by Booked Parties. “We know that celebrations are a luxury and it’s important to us to raise awareness and support local organizations whose mission it is to provide resources and help to children in need,” said Gilvar.

– Stacey Pfeffer

Two Greeley Seniors Win Prestigious Gold Congressional Awards

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Greeley senior Fiona Dubrosa
In addition to commencement activities and prom, two graduating Greeley seniors Fiona Dubrosa and Will Gregson will also make a trip to Washington DC this coming June to win the prestigious Gold Medal Congressional Award.

The non-partisan, voluntary award created in 1979 is Congress’ highest honor for young Americans. Currently there are more than 50,000 young people across the United States working to obtain Congressional awards. This year, only seven students from across New York State earned the coveted Gold Medal.

In order to obtain the Gold Medal, both Dubrosa and Gregson had to complete several hundred hours in four distinct program areas: 1) voluntary service 2) personal development 3) physical fitness and 4) exploration/expedition.

Cumulatively, each recipient had to complete 800 hours for the first three program components and spend a minimum of five days/four nights on an expedition or exploratory trip. Both Gregson and Dubrosa have participated in the program since they were 13 and have won Congressional certificates and medals in past years but the Gold Medal program is the most time-consuming and rigorous.

Rep. Nita Lowey with Greeley senior Will Gregson
Dubrosa has spent numerous hours volunteering for Manhattan-based Legal Momentum, an organization that is dedicated to improving the lives of women through law and policy. She also has helped out various local organizations including the Chappaqua Library, the Westchester Food Bank, Greeley’s Relay for Life program and has tutored students at Mount Kisco elementary school.

Gregson initially began volunteering at Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Goldsmith Center, a residential treatment center for children ages 8-18 as part of a Bar Mitzvah project through UJA-Federation with his friends. A former junior varsity and varsity Greeley basketball player, he would shoot hoops with the children there and help celebrate their birthdays.

“We were nervous at first because these kids came from very rough backgrounds. The children were there because their parents couldn’t take care of them usually because of drug abuse. We thought it was important for these kids to trust people again and build a sense of community for them,” said Gregson, who worked with these children for many years and developed personal relationships with them. He now acts as a speaker on behalf of the program to motivate other Westchester teens to become involved with the center.

In terms of the personal development component for the award, Dubrosa and Gregson took very different paths to complete the required hours.  Dubrosa focused on her leadership and acting skills. She participated in the Hugh O’Brien Youth (HOBY) Leadership program and was thrilled to meet other teenagers from as far away as Turkey and France at the HOBY World Congress who “all have a desire to improve the world.”

A budding actress, Dubrosa took drama classes at the renowned Lee Strasberg Institute, the Neighborhood Playhouse and A Class Act, all in Manhattan. Gregson took a different approach to personal development by improving his basketball skills and starting his own business called Home Alone Management Services, LLC which provides home management support when people are away from home. As the consummate entrepreneur, he also offers basketball training to local children as a second business.

Dubrosa, who trains with the O’Sullivan School for Irish Dancing in Brewster, enjoyed completing the physical fitness component. She regularly competes in regional, national and world championships for Irish dancing.

Both Dubrosa and Gregson also completed difficult expeditions to achieve their hours in this area. Dubrosa participated in a one week Outward Bound kayaking trip on the Chesapeake Bay where she averaged 10-15 miles of kayaking per day. Gregson chose to go on a camping trip with his friends from Greeley to Bryce Canyon in Utah. He found the trip fun but especially challenging when his tent became sopping wet during a terrible storm. He had to re-pitch his tent with his friends at 3 a.m., but ultimately decided that it was “a really good bonding experience because you learn how to deal with each other in stressful situations.”

Both students credit their parents as strong mentors. Dubrosa also has an older sister, Maddie, who won the Gold Congressional Award previously. Dubrosa commented that several Greeley teachers have been instrumental in motivating her including Mr. Wong (mathematics), Mrs. Mosca (social studies) and Ms. Towle (biology).

Dubrosa and Gregson are looking forward to visiting the nation’s capital and meeting other Congressional gold medalists. “By incorporating all four aspects of the Congressional award into your life, you become a better person out of it,” summed up Gregson. Dubrosa will attend Carnegie Mellon University and Gregson will start a dual-degree program at Syracuse University this fall.

Greeley Theater Company: Growing a New Generation of Thespians and Fans

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The Horace Greeley Theater Company under the direction of Mr. Jonathan Gellert has had an incredible 2016-2017 season and shows no signs of slowing down. The musical Into the Woods kicked off the season this fall and this past month the students performed the play, The Laramie Project. The senior musical Grease performed the last week in March had a record breaking 200+ seniors participating in the show. In total, the theater program will put on a total of six productions for the school year!

Gellert admits that it is “an ambitious high school program and I see no reason of changing that.” In the spring of 2018, he hopes to include a second musical–a children’s show geared to a younger audience to bring in the community and also gives students the opportunity to participate more.

“We want kids in the community to be really excited about Greeley theater,” said Gellert. He also hopes to offer some plays by Shakespeare and more mentoring to students who show promise as directors next season.

The Laramie Project, a play which addresses the brutal murder of openly gay teenager Matthew Shepard in the small town of Laramie, Wyoming, sparked national debate in the late 1990s. Gellert chose the show because it could “maximize student potential and growth. It provides many opportunities for student exploration of character and place. It is about the celebration of what makes us all human and what happens when an event causes us to reflect as a community, and personally of who we are and what we are. This is the very nature of all drama.”

The performance was sold-out and extremely well received by the audience. Grace Bennett, Publisher and Editor of the Inside Press, who attended, stated: “Bravo to the entire cast! Through powerful, passionate performances, anyone watching could see that the kids understood so many nuances of human behavior and were deeply empathetic to the heart wrenching subject matter.”

Violet Gautreau, a junior who played several roles in The Laramie Project enjoyed working with a smaller cast because it “allowed us to really forge bonds and make deeper emotional connections with each other, which came through onstage. I’ve never had such an emotional experience onstage before. It was incredibly rewarding to be in such an important show about human rights.”

Gellert’s goal of the theater program is to “offer a variety of productions and classes that serve all kids who want to explore and express themselves in theatre work during their times here at Greeley.

That includes both students who want to get on stage for the first time and feel more comfortable doing so, along with those who strongly desire an additional four years of pre-college or career training so that they can be competitive and continue to grow as they pursue the theater.”

Gellert also takes pride in offering stagecraft classes and opportunities for students who wish to work in set design and building. Jake O’Donovan, a junior who has worked on set design for several shows enjoys the fact that “Mr. Gellert gives myself and the crew a lot of independence on how we organize ourselves and work.”

The senior musical Grease funded by the Chappaqua PTA was directed by a former student of Gellert’s, Lee Kasper, who most recently served as an associate director for the Broadway revival of You Can’t Take it with You.The senior musical has been a yearly tradition at Greeley and proceeds from the show benefit the Horace Greeley Scholarship Fund.

Ilene Benjamin, an audience member at Grease, commented on Chappaqua Moms that “we do not have a senior in it, but we do have a strong sense of community spirit to keep the arts going in our schools. These students, all talented in their own right, worked very hard and the audience gave back the love with loud cheering and a standing ovation… Go ahead, the world is really your stage!”

Byram Hills High School Theater Program Celebrates its Golden Anniversary with New ‘Theater Honors Wall’

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The entire cast of Les Misérables at Byram Hills High School
PRESTIGE PORTRAITS BY LIFETOUCH

 

For the past five decades, Byram Hills Theater Program has been churning out an impressive array of students who have eventually pursued successful careers in movies, television and stage productions.

Alumni of the program were honored this past March and were invited to partake in an unveiling ceremony of a new Theater Honors Wall displayed outside the high school’s theater.

The ceremony took place before the current theater group’s matinee production of Les Misérables which several of the honorees attended.

Faculty and current members of the theater group recognized 26 honorees–24 alumni plus two former directors of the program and included actor Eddie Cahill of the shows CSI: NY and Friends; Bryce Dallas Howard, one of the leads in the 2015 blockbuster Jurassic World; and David Harbour, who played Police Chief Jim Hopper in the Netflix hit Stranger Things.

They also include producers, lighting designers, composers, arts educators and people involved in regional theater across the U.S. Each year the wall will have additional alumni added to it.

Many of the alumni credit the strong theater program with helping propel them towards a career in the arts. Grant Sturiale (Class of 1975) who attended the ceremony and is now a Broadway conductor and composer reminisced about how he participated in Byram Hills productions every year while in high school under the direction of theater teacher Gene Bissell. Commented Sturiale: “Bissell was a life force in the theater. He directed shows like we were opening at the Winter Garden Theater on Broadway. It imbued on all of us this tremendous sense of responsibility. He was a dynamic man and teacher.”

Byram Hills Theater Honorees stand by the new ‘Theater Honors Walls.’ Alumni (L-R): Grant Sturiale, Christopher Cummings, Michael Cummings, Sobha Kavanakudiyil and Stephanie Failing Saletan with her son
PHOTO BY PUTNAM-NORTHERN WESTCHESTER BOCES

 

Another alumni Christopher Cummings (Class of 1995) who is now an exhibit designer for museums, visitor centers and aquariums loved working under the tutelage of director Joy Varley. “Byram Hills had such strong theater productions and all the shows were top-notch. That feeling of the show must go on and the stress and anticipation of everyone working together left an impression on me.”

Stellar theater productions continue to live on at Byram Hills. The latest show, Les Misérables, under the direction of John Lopez, received thunderous applause and a nightly standing ovation by the audience including, the alumni honorees in attendance.

Inside Press Editor Grace Bennett, who attended opening night, stated effusively, “I’ve seen Les Misérables on Brodaway, and believe it or not, I found this production every bit as enjoyable. Kudos to all the kids, Mr. Lopez and all involved in bringing Les Misérables to Byram Hills.”

She added that “the high caliber show showcases incredible high school acting and singing talent that is so obviously being nurtured at Byram Hills. It was a thoroughly professional, impressive and ultimately, moving evening of theater! I think there were not too many dry eyes. Also, the joy at the cast party immediately following the production was palpable!”

At an opening night party (L-R): ‘Marius’ (Michael Ramsey, ‘17) Eponine (Dominique Karanfilian, ‘18) Javert’ (Shae Gordon, ‘19) Valjean’ (Charles Winston, ‘17)
PHOTO BY GRACE BENNETT

Charlie Winston, a senior who played lead Jean Valjean and who plans to study acting in college noted that “one day he hopes to be on the honor wall like the alumni.” With a little luck and successes like this one, that just might happen.

First LEGO League Event in Chappaqua Inspires Tomorrow’s Innovators

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Story and Photos by Stacey Pfeffer

The Robert E. Bell Middle School was buzzing with young scientists and computer coders from throughout the county tinkering with their Lego robots and presenting their science experiments before a judging panel. The elementary and middle school students were participating in an international competition called the First Lego League (FLL), which took place for the first time here in Chappaqua in late January.

The event here was one of the preliminary events for FLL and consisted of both junior FLL teams (with participants ranging in age from 6-9 years old) and FLL teams with children ranging in age from 9-14 years old. There are 32,000 FLL teams competing in 88 countries in more than 1,400 events.

John Houston, Co-Director of the Hudson Valley FLL based in Poughkeepsie, estimates that there are about 1,000 students from throughout the Hudson Valley participating in FLL events this year.

At the Bell event, there were 12 FLL teams vying for the championship with towns such as Ossining, Briarcliff Manor, Larchmont and Scarsdale represented along with several teams from Chappaqua.

FLL teams are judged by a panel and participate in the event by programming an autonomous robot to score points on a themed playing field (known as the robot game) and developing a solution to a problem they have identified (called the project), all guided by FLL core values such as teamwork, friendly competition and finding solutions. All FLL teams are mentored by a coach (usually a parent) but the robot and project components are done exclusively by the children.

Team Supernova from Chappaqua gets ready to present their model

Animal Allies: The FLL Theme This Year

This year’s FLL theme for the project component was called Animal Allies, which explored how humans and animals can interact better. Team Gryffindor, a team with participants from Chappaqua and Ardsley chose “ How do we reduce avian fatalities due to human obstacles?” as their project.

The middle school students were pleased to speak with leading experts in the field such as ornithologists, bird enthusiasts and Audubon Society representatives.

The team eventually won the robotic design component and placed second overall this year, advancing to the regional semi-final tournament in Poughkeepsie this February. The team also participated last year in FLL and advanced to the world competition.

“I think that curiosity, enthusiasm and team spirit are the key attributes that differentiate Team Gryffindor. They have come together as a team, complement each others skills and they learn from each other. Curiosity leads them to dig deeper into problems, helping them come out with innovative solutions,’ said Ardsley-based co-coach and parent Rajat Goel. His daughter, Khushi loved being in FLL because “we [Team Gryffindor] get to work together, learn many different life skills, such as programming, research and presentation. All this is done while having fun. This also gives us an opportunity to look at some of the world’s biggest problems and try to solve them.”

There were also several junior teams who participated in the event. Augie DeRose, a third grader at Roaring Brook Elementary School with his team the Chappaqua Minecrafters worked on a project called Stop the Mite. Augie said he enjoyed building the Lego model and working with his team every week led by co-coaches and Chappaqua parents, Rosemary Chi and Gene DeRose. Brenda Kavner DeRose, Augie’s mother commented that “the big lesson was working as a group, incorporating everyone’s ideas and learning how to present it.”

“Kids in the FLL program, do well because they are very motivated, and want to make a difference in the world. For most, it is the first time that they work on a long-term project where they can have an impact.

The robotic part of the competition is also a popular draw. FLL also places a considerable emphasis on collaborative skills, like gracious professionalism, and cooperation/competition, which are some of the most important work skills kids may have,” noted the event’s organizer Alexandre Eichenberger, a Chappaqua father, IBM employee and past FLL team coach and judge.

Following the Robotic design competition at FLL–Team Gryffindor showcases their experiment

Town & PTA Lend Support for FLL Event

Eichenberger noted that the FLL event was a collaborative effort with help from the PTA and the PTA STEM committee, in particular.

The Chappaqua School District also supported the event in terms of logistical help and encouraging students to participate in the competition. Joshua Block, the District’s Director of Mathematics, was instrumental in the success of the event and liaising with the District. Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein and Eric Byrne, the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, both spoke at the event.

Block, who served as a judge at the event noted that, “Besides the valuable skills the students learn from FLL, I admire how persistent they were to overcome challenging obstacles in solving the problems, and produce working robots. That is probably the most important thing any kid can learn, and will help them succeed not only in school, but their careers.”

Currently the district is in the middle of developing K-12 STEAM skills and curriculum and looking to involve the entire school community in their efforts. “The PTA STEM committee has been a huge help in this, especially with their STEM fest that they are hosting on April 29th,”added Block.

“If you have a chance to attend a FLL competition, you will see numerous examples of teams helping each other, from lending each other missing parts, giving each other tips on how to build or program better robots, and generally just helping out.

The goal of FLL is to make a sporting event for children engaged in STEM- related activities and make it fun and encouraging,” said Eichenberger. For more information about FLL, please visit www.firstlegoleague.org.

Stacey Pfeffer lives in Chappaqua with her three children and husband. A frequent Inside Press contributor, her articles have appeared in NY Family Magazine, Westchester Family Magazine, Westchester Parent, and Kveller.com.