Growing Up Here

By Hannah Beilenson

When people think of Chappaqua, they think of our schools, sports, proximity to New York. Music, however, is also very important to many people in town, as evidenced by the bands and orchestras in all of the schools, Chappaqua Orchestra, and numerous opportunities for private instruction.

But music can be more than just about learning to read notes. Many Chappaqua students, of all ages, are also learning the importance of actually composing the music that they will play.

“Learning classical music is like studying physics at school,” says Danny Golub, a faculty member at Music in Chappaqua, as well as a private instructor of piano, drums, bass, guitar, and songwriting. Golub explained that learning music uses the logical side of your mind, and you have to play it exactly the way it’s written. It explains why many children taught classical music don’t like it; it’s similar to memorizing and studying schoolwork.

According to Golub, however, music composition is more analogous to art class. It acts as a “break” from harsh studying, yet you are still learning. By composing, you learn the theory behind what you are playing, and the rhythm relative to other music. This can actually help you play more naturally. “Writing music is a good form of psychology,” Golub added. It’s not only a way of expressing yourself, but also an outlet for pent up feelings that can keep a musician grounded. And what you write may mean one thing to you, and something completely different to somebody else.

Creative Solutions

The feeling of accomplishment upon a song’s completion is unparalleled. Creativity and success builds self-esteem, important in all facets of life. “Not everything in life is calculated, you need to be able to create solutions,” said Danny. Learning to read and perform music, particularly classical music, is still important; it is beautiful, sharpens the mind, and is expressive in its own right. A balance of both is ideal; classical theory provides tools that can be used to write lyrics and compose music.

“Being able to share a song is priceless,” concluded Golub, noting that there were more opportunities for songwriters in their 20s than those still in high school. Maybe what our town needs is a place for people of all ages to share their music.

So what do you say Chappaqua: ready for an open-mic night?

Hannah Beilenson is now a sophomore at Horace Greeley High School.

By Alyssa Ashley

The teenage years can be a time of extreme stress. Know your teens and their feelings; school work, social life, family life–it adds up and can manifest in physical, mental or emotional ways. Talk to your teen about what is bothering them to help identify stressful sources and reduce anxiety.

Teens often skip classes and homework when they feel overwhelmed by stress, compounded by social life and pressures. “Some students don’t ever show signs of stress, and that can be problematic because they are masking how they really feel,” said Horace Greeley High School English teacher Jacqueline Morelli.

Robin Wald of Chappaqua is no stranger to helping people deal with stress. A mother of three and certified yoga teacher, Wald has been teaching yoga to adults, teens and children for eight years at Club Fit, Westorchard Elementary School, Seven Bridges Middle School, Quest Yoga Arts, West Patent Elementary, Fox Lane Middle School, and Bet Torah Hebrew High School, as well as privately to therapeutically heal anxiety, stress, depression, and physical injuries. Wald discussed stresses specific to modern teenagers and her thoughts, as both mother and yoga teacher, about relieving them:

Q: How does your children’s stress affect you?

A: I want my kids to be happy; I want to help them reduce their stress. As a yoga teacher I know stress is unavoidable, but you can change your perspective of things and do things in a calm manner.

Q: What do you think about counseling at an early age?

A: Anything to help cope or to make a child feel good about their self depends on their attitude towards it. If a child feels negatively about what they are forced to do, it may cause more stress.

Q: Which sex do you think handles stress better?

A: As a mother of two sons and one daughter, it depends on the person. If someone is hard on and competitive with their self, they will have more stress. But if someone is more relaxed they will be less stressed. If a teen is bullied or being excluded they may be more stressed, compared to a teen who is socially accepted.

Q: What would you say are factors contributing to teen stress?

A: There are many expectations our culture has of kids. Competition can make teens feel inadequate, that they must be good at everything to be accepted. There’s a lot of emphasis to get into a good college. Parents are demanding perfection, with happiness determined by how successful you are, rather than how happy you are by your success.

Q: How would you say that teens exhibit stress?

A: Many times with fatigue. Teens in high school are often so tired from having no down time, and are unable to relax, are exhausted and feeling hopeless or overwhelmed.

Q: What would you say are ways to deal with stress?

A: Teens have to step back and acknowledge that they are stressed. It is important that kids be exposed to tools and resources they can use to reduce stress and help them feel good about themselves, their bodies and their lives. Yoga, breathing, meditation, and fun, non-competitive exercise and sports are some healthy ways for kids to take a break from the cultural pressure to achieve, compete and succeed. Yoga teaches teens to practice relaxing, regenerating, and feeling calm, so they can call upon these skills when they most need them in stressful academic, social or family-related situations.

Q: What advice would you give parents dealing with teen stress?

A: Be patient, and not react in a stressful way to your teen. Stay calm and have a wider perspective of the situation. If parents get involved in the drama it is hard to change the situation.

So stressed teens and parents take note: recognize anxiety levels and stress triggers, and explore ways to reduce and avoid them. With recognition and action, teens’ stress levels can drop, making the teens, and those around them, happier.

Alyssa Ashley is now a sophomore at Horace Greeley High School.

By Ashley Grund

I can still remember the day as if it were yesterday, my mom and dad gathering us in the living room, telling my brother and I that we were moving to a small town called Chappaqua, and leaving the only place I had ever known. The last thing I was feeling was excitement or happiness about living among brand new people and going to a new school. But if the same thing were to happen today, and my parents told me that we were leaving Chappaqua, I would do anything to make them understand that there were making the absolute WRONG decision.

Throughout my eight years living here in Chappaqua, everything this town has to offer has created a positive environment for me: friends, community and school. Going through Westorchard Elementary School, Seven Bridges Middle School and now Greeley has made me reflect on my life here, and all of the lessons I’ve learned from everything and everyone around me; saying that Chappaqua changed who I am would be an understatement. Growing up here has taught me the importance of community, education, and a place where someday I would want to raise my own children.

Every year, Chappaqua’s “Community Day,” “Family Fun Day” at Westorchard and the Ragamuffin Parade would be among the most exciting weekends in town. Just walking my dog in Gedney Park allowed me to meet some nice, friendly people who were always willing to talk. Recreation sports in Chappaqua have also been enjoyable, and each year I looked forward to playing AYSO soccer with all of my friends. The community in Chappaqua is very warm and loving, which is one reason that growing up here has been such a privilege.

When looking back on my years in school, I see so many positive things, including amazing friends and an education that taught me the importance of learning. Westorchard and Seven Bridges were good, fun learning experiences, and now Greeley is an exciting and challenging roller coaster. Although school might not be a barrel of laughs every day, friends and kind teachers make it something to enjoy.

Everything about spending my childhood and teenage years in Chappaqua has made me a very grateful, optimistic person who will always remember that the one decision my parents made to move didn’t turn out to be such a bad one after all.

Ashley Grund is now a sophomore at Horace Greeley High School.

By Lindsay Hand

In 1996, I received my Hebrew name on the bimah of Bet Torah Synagogue in Mt. Kisco; 13 years later, I became a Bat Mitzvah in that very same synagogue.

Throughout those intervening years, I learned the importance of learning, community, friends and religion. This began at Bet Torah Nursery School, though of course at the time I didn’t know it; I was too young to understand. Preschool might seem to be about ABCs and 1-2-3s, but it also provided the foundation for my connection to my religion. Attending my synagogue’s preschool and Hebrew School helped me feel a part of everything at a young age; the synagogue’s pride in its young members created an atmosphere of inclusion for everyone.

Though long ago, preschool is a memory that lives on for me today in the form of some of my closest friends. I remember random snippets of my days at Bet Torah Nursery School: riding tricycles, playing dress-up, singing “Build Me Up Buttercup” into magic markers, and lighting candles (and having grape juice and challah!) every Friday. Those early years together created an extremely strong bond that has continued; we’ve always been there for each other, remembering those favorite moments at Bet Torah, the place where our friendship began.

When I “graduated” to Hebrew school, excited to continue with my preschool friends, what was fun at first became, for me and probably every other child who attends religious school of any kind, just more time in a classroom. I have a distinct memory of dreading the lessons about Israel – every detail about its history, geography, and the like. I thought it was boring; as much as I looked forward to someday traveling to Israel, I figured I’d learn about it then. It just seemed far away, and I was too young to appreciate the depth of knowledge I was being offered. Now having been fortunate to have visited the country, however, I regret not paying more attention to those Hebrew school lessons. In Israel, I felt a connection to my religion wherever we went. As interesting as it was to learn new things there, the trip would have been further enriched had I recalled more of those “boring” details.

During my years of Hebrew school, I thought, like most of my Jewish friends, that I would be “done” after my Bat Mitzvah. But when that time came, I made a decision: I did not want to let go of Bet Torah or my religion outside of the high holidays and Passover seders. I continue to attend services occasionally with my family, and have become a Torah reader, including every Yom Kippur and my sister’s upcoming Bat Mitzvah.

This past year I discovered a strong passion for language, studying Spanish and adding Chinese in school. Neither, however, beats my desire to become fluent in Hebrew, a fascinating, beautiful and expressive language. I didn’t know it then, but those “conversational Hebrew” lessons in Hebrew school were a lot more important to me than I realized.

Between my roots at Bet Torah and my recent trip to Israel, I feel a deep connection with my religion and culture unlike anything I could imagine. It wasn’t necessarily due to specific beliefs or prayers; rather, it’s the complicated history, importance of learning, and passion for community that drew me in.

I didn’t realize it then, but my years at Bet Torah have helped me grow as a person and make me who I am today.

Inside Chappaqua Guest Editor Lindsay Hand, a past contributor to the magazine, is now a sophomore at Horace Greeley High School.

By Sarah Jane Weill

I love the rush of a game, the desire to always play your best, the constant practice to improve. I even love the sore muscles after a long tournament. The only difference between many other Chappaqua athletes and me is that I play field hockey, not a “traditional” town sport.

Soccer, Football: What Else Is New?

Field hockey (you might know it as the sport with the funny “J”-shaped stick) is only one sport that flies under Chappaqua’s radar. Chappaqua’s most popular sports mirror the nation’s, and because of that popularity and recognition the sports are started at very young ages. This kind of exposure causes a common trend in Chappaqua’s athletics. The most valued athletes in our town usually play soccer, football, lacrosse, baseball (and its variations) and basketball.

With youth development programs, those sports cultivate single-minded interest early on. It’s clear that Chappaqua’s most commonly played sport–starting at age five–is soccer. The early start is great, but the emphasis on only one sport that young narrows the opportunities for other sports in our town to grow and thrive. Since so many children have played soccer for so many years, many Greeley soccer players are quite good. But athletes who play other sports work just as hard.

Chappaqua youth are fortunate to have development opportunities that foster athletic connections between the Recreation Department and school programs, but widening the range of sports offered early on would benefit everyone. As an athletic and involved community, we can obviously influence intense passions surrounding certain sports, but equal opportunity support is crucial.

Our Athletic Diversity

Chappaqua schools are filled with those who play volleyball, tennis, hockey and golf. Our town is also populated by swimmers, runners, wrestlers, skiers and bowlers. This list doesn’t even include athletes who do not participate on high school teams, such as ice skaters, dancers and horseback riders.

Many of these athletes get little attention outside of their own families. Sure, they are respected, but as unique kids who play “interesting sports” and who are admired for going against the grain. However, these athletes work hard every day in sports about which they are truly and deeply passionate. They contribute to our town’s athletic success, but their efforts and successes are not generally recognized town-wide.

Go Team!

As an athlete, I think everyone can agree that it would be nice to have fans come watch games and cheer teams on, no matter what the sport. When people actively care about a sport, it gains visibility, respect, and ultimately more interest and players. Fans are a hugely important aspect in sports. Think about the thousands of loyal Yankee fans and what they mean to the team. The energy at a Yankee game–and possibly the efforts of the players–would be completely different without those screaming fans in the stands.

While a thousand fans at any Chappaqua game is obviously unrealistic, players involved in lower-profile sports would find it amazing to have people other than their families watch their games and show they care. Every athlete in our town deserves have people come watch them play and support them, because that would make them feel valued as athletes–vital to their success.

A Step In The Right Direction

I am thrilled that the New Castle Parks and Recreation Department will now be offering a development program in my sport, field hockey, prior to the seventh grade modified program offered in the middle schools. The more sports that are incorporated into our town in ways like this, the closer our town and community will become. Sports can bring people together, creating common bonds, social opportunities and long-lasting friendships based on shared interests.

Sports are a huge part of town life; we must start appreciating every sport and every athlete. Broad-based support will open up more sports to more children, ultimately making us stronger as a community.

Sarah Jane Weill is now a sophomore at Horace Greeley High School.