The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Armonk Cover Stories

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.

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.

Weaving Together: Armonk Knitting Circle Inspires Women

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Members of the Knitting Circle
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NORTH CASTLE LIBRARY
Camaraderie and creativity are the cornerstones of the Armonk Knitting Circle, a group of like-minded women who bond over a love of fiber arts. “Knitting is meditative, therapeutic. We’ve built friendships with people who share at least one thing in common with us,” says Suzanne Percello, circulation clerk at the North Castle Public Library who helps organize the Knitting Circle.

The group welcomes any age at any skill level. All that’s required is an interest in some form of needlework, such as knitting, quilting, crocheting, and weaving. The Knitting Circle began six years ago when a Westchester County resident posted a thread on Ravelry, a popular social media site for crafters, seeking fellow knitters interested in forming a group near Pleasantville. What began as a handful of women meeting at a local coffee shop now averages 60 members, ranging in ages from 20 to over 45. They meet every Wednesday at the Pleasantville Library in Pleasantville and every Monday and Thursday at the North Castle Public Library in Armonk. Suzanne credits Linda Hellisum, a charter member, for keeping the group flourishing. “She spent many Wednesday afternoons knitting by herself at the Black Cow in Pleasantville. It took several months for people to make the commitment to the group, but once that happened, we quickly outgrew the coffee shop. We went from meeting twice per month to weekly meetings, and have been meeting three times per week for the past two years,” explains Suzanne.     

Art brings people together, and The Knitting Circle is a gathering where members feel comfortable being themselves while  sharing ideas and exploring new techniques. “We keep the conversation light and pleasant.  Knitting in a group allows us to work on our own knitting and offer inspiration for each other.  We teach each other what we know,” she says. “For a beginner, this is a terrific way to build skills and get inspiration in a more personal and intimate way than watching YouTube videos or reading craft blogs. For the person teaching the skill, it’s empowering to see someone benefit from sharing the skills that you have to offer.”      

Janet Eiger, of Pleasantville, has been a member since its beginning when she wanted to refresh her fiber arts skills and expand her knowledge base in spinning. “I knew a lot about knitting but I never knew anyone who could spin so I learned about the different twists of the yarn and how it affected the finished knitting project. This helped inform my yarn choices from the ready-made yarns available. We all learned from someone,” says Janet, appreciating how the women inspire each other.

“When you sit around the table and see what others are turning out it’s easy to tackle a skill you don’t have experience with. If you get stuck there are people to help. People who did that last week and it came out great. Or, you can teach someone who just decided to learn to try a simple cable or more complex stitch and watch the sense of accomplishment when they create something they thought was way beyond their ability,” she says.

“No pressure, no judgments.” Janet appreciates the Zen of knitting. “You can lose yourself in the complexity of it for a while and take a break from whatever you need a break from,” she explains. “It’s an interesting collection of women who have interesting conversations, sometimes about knitting sometimes about anything or everything else.”

Field trips to local events in the Hudson Valley are an added bonus. The group recently attended the Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, New York and six knitters are planning a trip to the Shetland Islands. During the summer, Suzanne organized six Yarn Crawls to over 25 local yarn shops in CT, NJ, and the Hudson Valley. “They’re meant to be fun and educational,” she says. Additionally, some of the members contribute their knitted projects to charitable organizations such as Project Linus.          

Crafting is a fulfilling endeavor. “Women bond with knitting. People enjoy knitting/crocheting because it’s a creative outlet that’s enjoyed individually, yet it unites you to a community,” says Felicia Lonigro, owner of Pick Up Every Stitch, a knitting shop in Mt. Kisco, New York. “The social aspect of group knitting is definitely appealing.  Creativity is nurtured and enhanced and ideas and techniques are naturally shared among knitting groups. Every project is a new adventure and it’s wonderful when the adventure is shared!”

Felicia mentions the popular trends are embellished yarns in addition to hand-dyed and speckled yarns used for ponchos, ruanas, shawls, and cowl head scarves. She notes knitters are moving away from basic scarves and blankets. “They’re working with various stitches on shawls, ponchos, and loose-fitting sweaters in luxurious fibers,” says Felicia. “If they’re knitting a blanket, it’s not ordinary. They’re working in multi-colors, stripes or working with exaggerated super chunky yarn.”     

Knitting offers immeasurable benefits to its paticipants. “It’s an affordable hobby that builds self-esteem. Improved health, social inclusion, networking, and friendship are just some of the reasons we get together as often as we do,” says Suzanne. “I really value the friendships I’ve made because of these knitting groups.”

The Armonk Knitting Circle meets every Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Pleasantville Library in Pleasantville and every Monday and Thursday 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the North Castle Public Library in Armonk. For more information, visit ravelry.com/groups/armonk-knitting-circle and ravelry.com/groups/ply.