The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Stacey Pfeffer

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.

Human Rights Conference Teaches Middle Schoolers: How to Become an Upstander

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Students from the Paideia School 15 in Yonkers with Sheila Arnold PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIELLE MCCAFFREY
Students from the Paideia School 15 in Yonkers with Sheila Arnold PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIELLE MCCAFFREY

“Betsy Costner” sings a spiritual hymn about freedom as she walks out into the audience of seventh grade students from all corners of Westchester in the auditorium of the Yonkers Riverfront Public Library. Dressed in slave garb, Sheila Arnold who plays “Betsy Costner” a slave from Gastonia, North Carolina, recounts her story working on tobacco and cotton plantations.

Although her story is full of heartbreaking pain, she is able to capture the audience’s attention immediately and relate it to discrimination or struggles that these students might be facing today. Her story kicks off the Second Annual Human Rights Institute for Middle School Student Leaders, which students from 19 public and private middle school students attended earlier this month.

The conference is organized by the White Plains-based Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center (HHREC). The conference’s central themes are respecting the individual and how to be an upstander.
humanrights_2The conference for middle school students was conceptualized after the HHREC noticed that their high school conferences were very well-received, and they felt there was a need to target a younger population. In its inaugural year in 2015, the conference was attended by ten middle schools and 100 students. This year the conference had more than doubled to 200 students participating.

In an election year when racial tensions were at an all time high, a conference like this seems like it should be a mandatory requirement for all students. Millie Jasper, the Executive Director of the HHREC explains the genesis of the conference:

“Why run a day of human rights workshops for middle school students? We feel that students imitate prejudiced and bigoted behavior, and often do not recognize this behavior in themselves. If they see an injustice, they often don’t want to speak up. The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center wants to lay the foundation for encouraging students to be upstanders rather than bystanders.”

Steve Goldberg, HHREC Co-Director of Education and the Social Studies Chairman in the New Rochelle School District, helped tailor the program to a younger audience; he hopes the conference will help students be “catalysts in their school buildings,” and learn to be upstanders when they see injustice rather than passive bystanders.

After the presentation by Arnold, students broke out into small-group workshops which were designed to open conversation regarding the themes, “Respecting the Individual and How to Be an Upstander.” The workshops are facilitated by middle school teachers and high school juniors and seniors who were past participants in the HHREC Human Rights Institute for High School Leaders. The conference for the high school leaders is now in its 15th year.

Sami Davidson, a facilitator who is a junior at Somers High School felt it was an honor to be chosen as a facilitator by HHREC. Davidson attended a day-long training session at HHREC and worked on a lesson plan for her workshop which focused on civil rights with a social studies teacher. Davidson “hopes to show kids that there is more than one side to each story and that they need to think of things in a historical context.” At the conference’s conclusion, the students regroup and develop action plans to address injustices.  For example, some schools have started Amnesty International chapters or created anti-bullying programs.

Students at Seven Bridges Middle School in Chappaqua also got to see Arnold perform at their school earlier. Arnold has been performing in Chappaqua schools for the past five years and will be at Bell this spring. She said she considers herself a “hors d’oeuvres” that helps to get kids interested in history and humanize it for them.“If I’ve done my job right, there are kids that will leave my performances and start talking and want more information. They will never be able to look at a textbook the same way again because they are now seeing history through a person’s perspective.”  For more information about the HHREC and membership, please visit www.hhrecyny.org

Stacey Pfeffer lives with her husband and three young children in Chappaqua. She has written for New York Family Magazine, Westchester Parent, Westchester Family Magazine, Kveller.com and Inside Armonk.

Plastic Surgeon & Chappaqua Native Dr. Elan Singer Heals Soldiers and Helps Beautify New Yorkers

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dr_s_headshotListening to Dr. Elan Singer reminisce about his childhood growing up in Chappaqua, it is easy to appreciate how idyllic this town is. There were soccer games, bike rides into town to visit his mother’s store ICD Contemporary Jewelry and practices with the Greeley ski team. But more than anything he credits his time volunteering during his teenage years with the Chappaqua Volunteer Ambulance Corps (CVAC) as setting him on his chosen career path as a preeminent plastic surgeon with an office in Manhattan and a recently opened practice at Radiance MedSpa on North Bedford Road in Mount Kisco.

Dr. Singer, a 1990 Greeley graduate joined CVAC as part of the youth corps when he was 16 and became an EMT when he was 17. “I carried a beeper around high school and my experience at CVAC was integral in helping me choose medicine as a career.”

A medical officer in the Navy Reserves, Dr. Singer spends one weekend a month at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, which is the largest American military hospital in the world. It treats all branches of the US military. “My reserve unit is actually very special because we are the only unit that does surgeries at Walter Reed on the weekends there.” During the month, Dr. Singer communicates with the active duty surgeons at Walter Reed about cases and when he goes down there, Dr. Singer helps offload some of the backload of cases that the active duty plastic surgeons aren’t able to get to.  “It’s mostly elective surgeries now, so breast reduction or reconstruction but in years past, we had a lot of wounded warriors.”

All reservists are eligible to be mobilized to war-torn areas such as Iraq or Afghanistan. Most are mobilized for eight months. Some of his medical colleagues in the Reserves have been mobilized but Dr. Singer notes that other specialties such as orthopedics, anesthesia and neurosurgery are in higher demand overseas. “In plastic surgery, most of the work we do is highly specialized and needs a lot of infrastructure so that tends to take place here in the United States. We are dealing a lot with reconstruction so we see the same patients repeatedly for multiple surgeries.”

Dr. Singer likes the large complex surgeries that he performs on Reserve duty. But he’s equally skilled at performing elective cosmetic surgeries such as liposuction, skin rejuvenation services, facelifts and body contouring procedures on his patients in Manhattan and Westchester. He enjoys the diversity of surgeries that he gets to perform at Walter Reed and in his private practice.

Dr. Singer with his wife Dana and son Yonatan at Fleet Week
Dr. Singer with his wife Dana and son Yonatan at Fleet Week

As a Reservist, Dr. Singer is required to spend two weeks a year performing plastic surgery as part of his commitment. His last two weeks of service was on the USNS Mercy, a large naval ship that went on a humanitarian mission to Asia in July where he performed several surgeries on Vietnamese civilians. He’s also served as a physician on the ships that station in NY Harbor during Fleet Week as part of his two-week commitment on Reserve duty.

In addition to the humanitarian mission that he did with the Reserves, Dr. Singer has also gone on civilian humanitarian missions to Haiti after the earthquake to perform pro-bono plastic surgery. As a chief resident at Mount Sinai Medical Center, he flew to Southern Nigeria to work on burn reconstruction patients.  “Each one of these humanitarian medical missions “was unique and very eye-opening to me as a young surgeon.”

Dr. Elan Singer on a Humanitarian Medical Mission in Vietnam Pictured in the “N” Cap
Dr. Elan Singer on a Humanitarian Medical Mission in Vietnam Pictured in the “N” Cap

Dr. Singer’s family connection to the military is quite extensive. His father was in the Navy as a doctor in the submarine service in the late 1960s. His mother was in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as a spokeswoman for the IDF to the foreign press, providing them with details at media briefings during the Six Day War.  His grandfather was a physician in the army in France during WWII and landed six days after D-Day. “So I’m actually the third generation in the US Military as a physician in my family.”

Dr. Singer is looking forward to building his new practice in Mount Kisco. Although he currently resides in Manhattan with his wife and three young children, he enjoys coming up to his hometown to spend time with his parents and his children enjoy spending time outdoors in their grandparent’s backyard just as he did as a young boy.

Stacey Pfeffer lives with her husband and three young children in Chappaqua. She has written for New York Family Magazine, Westchester Parent, Westchester Family Magazine, Kveller.com and Inside Armonk.

Nine Ways Chappaqua Might Change as a Two-President Town

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After casting their vote at Grafflin during New York’s primary day in April. Grace Bennett Photo
After casting their vote at Grafflin during New York’s primary day in April. Grace Bennett Photo

The excitement in Chappaqua has been building for months ever since one of our most famous residents, Hillary Rodham Clinton, announced her candidacy for President. No matter how you cast your vote this November, it is undeniable that our small town’s larger than life profile throughout the U.S. and beyond will simply continue to expand. Although it is impossible to predict the election’s exact impact on our town, here are an array of predictions of what may be in store should Chappaqua become a two-president town:

1. An even higher profile for our town–as if that were even possible. “The Clintons helped put Chappaqua on the national map when they moved here in 1999,“ said State Assemblyman David Buchwald (D-Mount Kisco), and a member of Hillary for New York Leadership Council. Echoing Assemblyman Buchwald’s sentiments, Grace Bennett, publisher/editor of Inside Chappaqua noted that “in truth, Chappaqua has been on the world stage for many years now; I’ve tried to convey a sense of their influence here since launching Inside Chappaqua in 2003, shortly after the Clintons arrived. The powerful presence of this world famous couple has become part and parcel of our town’s identity, and I think that phenomenon will only be enhanced and solidified if Hillary Clinton becomes the nation’s first woman president.”

2. Cultivating a culture of concerned citizens in Chappaqua across all generations. Hometown advocacy groups for Hillary were established even prior to her official announcement to run for President. These Hillary supporters from groups such as Chappaqua Friends of Hill (and Tim) have local members that span across all age groups and are involved in activities such as canvassing and voter registration near and far. Many of these supporters have never been involved before in political advocacy but felt inspired by her. Chappaqua 4 Clinton/Kaine NOW offers a steady stream of campaign news on Facebook and Twitter.

3. Increased media presence. Last month, when Hillary Clinton abruptly left a September 11th ceremony, it was later announced that she had pneumonia. For several days, several TV crews were camped outside Walgreen’s on King Street and her Old House Lane residence hoping to catch a glimpse of her.  There’s no doubt the media will be back in town on Election Day to secure footage of her and former President Bill Clinton voting at their polling place, Grafflin Elementary School. The good news is that most likely the media presence will be short-lived and will only be palpable when she is in town.

4. Enhanced notice of our downtown merchants. There’s a definite “up side” to all the media exposure. “Seeing Chappaqua’s store fronts on a national TV newscast or in a top daily newspaper is not only thrilling for all of us who live and work here, but it serves as a very effective means for promoting our town and its businesses,” noted Dawn Dankner Rosen, president of the Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce.

“I can say that this continuous media interest and focus on the Clintons in our town’s shops and restaurants couldn’t be better for our branding and for creating awareness of Chappaqua as a destination town for shopping and dining. These  opportunities for national (and global!) exposure can only increase exponentially once we become–historically and uniquely–home to two U.S. Presidents! That’s an extremely special identification for any town/community to have!”

5. Warm welcomes from the community when they are back at home. “When Hillary becomes president, I’m sure the duties of her office will keep her in Washington and abroad even more than before. And when the Clintons find themselves back in Chappaqua, they will be warmly welcomed, as they are now,” said Robert Greenstein, Town Supervisor.

Gray Williams the town historian agreed, noting that “the Presidency is an ephemeral thing” lasting eight years at most and that the couple’s White House duties will keep them traveling a lot.

But there’s little doubt that the Clintons will continue to visit and keep annual traditions such as marching in the town’s Memorial Day parade or shopping in town.  “Since moving here both Bill and Hillary Clinton have been wonderful, loyal supporters of our business community and frequent shoppers and diners in town,” added Dankner Rosen. “No matter how many sightings or selfies we’ve all taken, their unexpected shopping trips are always met with unprecedented enthusiasm and excitement throughout the community.”

With Varda Singer, owner, ICD Contemporary Jewelry, during an impromptu party at Crabtree’s Kittle House to celebrate Hillary Clinton’s historic nomination.
With Varda Singer, owner, ICD Contemporary Jewelry, during an impromptu party at Crabtree’s Kittle House to celebrate Hillary Clinton’s historic nomination.

6. Occasional traffic issues/road closures. When Bill Clinton was President, he occasionally used the Westchester Airport. As a security measure, the roads were closed so that his motorcade could pass through.   Chief Ferry of the New Castle Police noted hat the department would help with “traffic flow” and residents can expect that from time to time Hillary may also use the airport.

The police department has put additional funding in the budget for additional officers for next year to help assist with this and Ferry noted that when Bill was President much of this funding was actually reimbursed by the Federal Government. Additionally the police department recently changed Old House Lane and neighboring Green Lane to “local traffic only” streets as a security precaution.

7. A huge impression on our younger residents. The cover story essays in this very edition offer a sense of how Hillary’s “first woman nominee” status has impacted the imagination of younger residents, especially girls,” noted Bennett. “Her influences on all our childrens’ futures is absolutely phenomenal to consider, too. You can never underestimate the ripple effects of a broken glass ceiling!

The Clintons have helped build awareness about national and international issues right in our backyard, among young and old alike. Hillary, in her campaign, is inspiring activism both on her behalf and on a multitude of issues. We might otherwise just be a sleepy suburb in northern Westchester!”

8. A sense of permanence. The recent purchase of the house next door to the Clinton’s current property is ample evidence of a commitment to Chappaqua from the Clintons for the foreseeable future.

News outlets have already speculated that the property will be used as a weekend retreat by Chelsea Clinton and her family.

Memorial Day Parade 2015, Grace Bennett Photo
Memorial Day Parade 2015
Grace Bennett Photo

9. Creating a legacy in our town for years to come. Williams noted that Chappaqua may well be the only town in the US that boasts two Presidents and a third Presidential candidate (Greeley).  Although it is impossible to tell if the Clinton’s home will one day be a museum or if a statue of Hillary will be erected in downtown, “the bottom line for me is that, every bit as much as Horace Greeley became the signature historical hero of our town, I believe the Clintons are forever part of our past, present and future folklore, too. And in the best possible way, summed up Bennett.

Commenting on the possibility of a statue of Hillary, Director of the Chappaqua Library Pamela Thornton said, “I don’t think they  [The Clintons] are the kind who want a statue. I think they’d rather see a community center or teen center named after them as their legacy.”

Williams agreed stating with a chuckle, “I don’t expect a ten-foot statue of Hillary.  I’m not sure exactly where we’d put it.”

Stacey Pfeffer lives with her husband and three young children in Chappaqua. She has written for New York Family Magazine, Kveller.com, Westchester Parents and Inside Armonk.