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‘Getting to Know’ & Celebrate Some of the Wonderful Seniors in the Horace Greeley Class of 2020

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Just Between Us: In a class of 342 students graduating, as is the case for this year’s soon to be graduating Class of 2020 at Horace Greeley High School, there are that many joy-filled reasons to celebrate.  While conversation of how graduation will play out swirls about, we thought a simple early glimpse of that joy was in order. Fortunately, despite all the challenges of this pandemic, a group of parents took time out to respond to our requests to share a little bit about why they are feeling so proud of their own student. We are thrilled to offer a sampling from this amazing class and have the opportunity to ‘pair’ parent words with beautiful photographs, most of them by Donna Mueller, www.greatkeepsakes.com  I also took time out to discuss the class at large with Horace Greeley High School Principal Andrew Corsilia, who stated that “the whole community wants to celebrate them. We’re just incredibly proud of this class.” My full interview with Mr. Corsilia can be found here https://www.theinsidepress.com/greeley-principal-a-preview-of-plans-to-celebrate-a-mature-and-community-minded-class-of-2020/ In the meantime, read on about the accomplishments and aspirations of each of these soon to be graduates, as described by their respective families. Congrats in advance to the entire Class of 2020 from everyone at The Inside Press.  — Grace Bennett

Emma Cohen

“Emma Cohen is second generation HGHS graduate. Her mom, Eileen Kloper-Cohen is Class of ‘85. Emma has wanted to be a physical therapist since her first dance- related injury. She was/is a ballet dancer and had a stress fractures in her foot ( a common dancer’s injury). She was devastated with her injury and thought she was never going to dance again. With a lot of physical therapy and support she was back on her feet and back on pointe. Her dedication to dance rules her world. She spent many years commuting to New York City after middle school and high school to get to the dance studio on time. She would drive hours each day, training and dancing for hours, and arriving home after 8:30/9 p.m/ each night to just start her homework. It was a huge commitment. In Emma’s junior year, she decided to dance with a local studio & concentrate on her school work and have more personal time with friends and family.”

Nicholas Gonzalez

Nicholas has been involved in scouting since he was in first grade. He has always had a love of nature, and learning new skills. He recently became an Eagle Scout with Chappaqua Troop 2. His involvement in scouting has invoked a strong commitment to helping others through a variety of community service projects. For his Eagle Scout project, he built an Adirondack style lean-to for the Chappaqua Friends Nursery School, of which he is an alum, as a space for outdoor education and dramatic play. His involvement in scouting also peaked his interest in First Aid which led him to join the Chappaqua Volunteer Ambulance Youth Corps. Nick will be attending Bates College in Maine where he will major in History, pursue a pre-med track, and take advantage of all of the wonderful nature Maine has to offer!

Kobe Lane

Photo courtesy of the Lane Family

“Kobe moved to Chappaqua in the middle of his 8th grade year from rural Maine. When he arrived to Chappaqua to be part of a new family and a new life, he was considered two grade levels behind the other kids. It was a real struggle, but he persevered through every challenge or setback. Along the way, there were many teachers who helped my child catch up and guide him to succeed. Kobe’s not an “A” student but he will graduate high school–that alone is an accomplishment. So, thank you to the teachers and guidance counselors at Robert Bell and Horace Greeley. While I am sad that I will likely not see him walk across the stage in a cap and gown, it does not matter. He knows and I know, he made it. Moreover, high school does not determine your destiny. You determine your destiny. Kobe may not have gold stars or AP credits or whatever else shows you were a super star in high school. At age 13, Kobe moved in with complete strangers. He moved 300 miles away from everything he had ever known. He made friends who come from a very different background. He worked to catch up academically and has been successful in managing all those changes. This is an incredible accomplishment and I am amazingly proud of him. Success has many definitions.”

Luke McHugh

“Luke is graduating Horace Greeley High School and will be attending Lehigh University’s School of Engineering. Luke has always loved technology and problem-solving.  Greeley has been a nurturing environment for his interests as the school offers a variety of STEAM classes. Luke’s other passion is swimming; he is a four-year member of the Greeley Swim Team that has won both the Division One and Section One Championships for all four of his years (Go G-Swim!); he is a also a three-year NY State qualifier and team captain. Congratulations to Luke and all the seniors graduating high school in 2020!”

 

 

Ryan Raicht

“Ryan is an incredible brother, son, and friend. He has worked hard and consistently in every aspect of his life. Since he was in elementary school, Ryan has been committed to playing baseball competitively. He will be pitching for Washington & Lee next spring. Ryan altered much of his life to become a competitive player; he gave up summer activities, committed to a workout and nutritional plan, and was solely focused on baseball, academics, and family. Fully understanding that very few people can participate in athletics beyond high school and even fewer can pitch at college, he remained focused and disciplined. As the youngest player on almost every one of his teams, Ryan rose to the occasion. He has matured into a positive, thoughtful young man. And, we are most proud of the person whom he has become.”

Emma Rosh

“Emma is joy – her sharp sense of humor is always appreciated and even more so during this challenging time. We are incredibly proud of her impressive accomplishments but even more proud that she is kind, thoughtful & compassionate. Wishing Emma and everyone in the Class of 2020 heartfelt congratulations and all the best, always!”

New Castle’s Memorial Day Parade, Then and Now: A Fond Remembrance and Reflection

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My family has been going to the Memorial Day parade before I could even pronounce the word Memorial or register that there even was a parade. I was three weeks old when our tradition began. After some growing up and a few trial and errors, we finally designated our spot at one of the many benches along the route, and soon our friends and family would too.

Alexis and Megan Klein before the parade in 2008.

This year instead of arriving early at the green bench to claim our spot for us and our friends, the four of us and our dog (it was her first time attending) gathered on our white couch in the basement to watch the Memorial Day Virtual Ceremony just minutes before it began. 

The 24-minute video began with Captain Peter Gaudet giving some thanks to those who put this together, those who have fought or currently fight for our country, as well as some reminders to hold on tight to your loved ones and that we as a nation are stronger than we think in relation to the current pandemic.

“We will survive. We will thrive. We are Americans. We are not American-nots.”

My family enjoyed that line. Very clever.

The usual happenings of the parade and ceremony occurred in this shortened video. The National Anthem was sung by Jordana Lichtenthal, the names of New Castle residents whose lives were lost throughout the wars and operations were read off and the story of a WWII veteran who can usually be seen waving and riding down South Greeley Avenue in an army vehicle was told.

Normally, our town “celebrities”, The Clintons, Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mr. Lange (Yes. Mr. Lange is a celebrity in my book), can be seen walking in the parade, waving and smiling.

This year, the Clintons gave short messages. President Clinton started off the remarks while sporting an oh so patriotic navy blue sweater with an American flag in the middle. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wanted to reassure everyone that, despite the circumstances, they’re still here for us.

“And although we will miss marching with everyone to pay tribute to our veterans on Memorial Day, our hearts will be with all of you,” Hillary Clinton stated.

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, State Senator Peter Harckham and New York State Assemblyman David Buchwald spoke, as well as prominent Chappaqua Central School District figures, including the President of the Board of Education Jane Shepardson, annd CCSD School Superintendent Christine Ackerman. The New Castle Police Department offered a few words too. Each of the members of the New Castle Town Board spoke, beginning with Town Supervisor Ivy Pool and followed by Deputy Supervisor Jeremy Saland, and Lisa Katz, Jason Lichtenthal and Laura Levin, and County Legislator Vedat Gashi.

What was my favorite cameo? The Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts representatives. It immediately brought me back to my younger years when I was a part of the laying of the wreath ceremony before the parade started and when I was chosen, along with my sister, Alexis, to carry one of the flags (see above!). I also would like to give a shout out to my sister who I made carry the flag for the majority of the time despite her having to wear an Aircast for a fractured ankle. What a champ!

Now, even though I only did Girl Scouts for four or five years, I still appreciate everything that being part of a troop stands for. Was I in it for the cookies? Maybe. But did I learn a lot and make great memories that I still remember like it was yesterday? Yes. In fact, to this day, I can still recite the Honor Code.

Alexis and Megan Klein holding the flag together, despite Alexis having to wear an Aircast in 2006!

Being able to march through town, holding up your banner and having everyone wave and cheer for you was such a cool thing to experience as a young kid. That goes for those who march with their AYSO teams and other organizations as well. I think that is the one thing that is the biggest loss from not having the parade.

When I was 10, I was smart enough to realize that snacks would make the parade that much better. So, a system was made where I would go to Dunkin Donuts and get Coolattas and a friend would go to Rite Aid and get candy. Now that those two places are gone, I’ve been making it through the parade snackless–hard, I know. But I’m a grown up now and can do it.

As I got older, I started to recognize the same faces every year sitting in their lawn chairs in front of different stores. It was fun for me to also spot my friends who were marching with their instruments. It was like Where’s Waldo, only harder because they were walking.

Some of my friends from high school would go and maybe we would see them at one point, but to me this has always been a family thing. Rain or shine, we are there. Standing or sitting at our spot.

The parade after my freshman year of college was more meaningful because I was now seeing people that I hadn’t seen in a long time and after many changes throughout the year it was comforting to come back home and have something traditional and constant to look forward to going to. I felt safe to be back in my bubble.

Talk about a bubble–what could be more safe than your own home? Although it was an unorthodox way for us to spend the morning, there was something warm and comforting to be felt while listening to Taps being played in my basement surrounded by just my family.

Captain Gaudet had said, “With crisis always comes much confusion, but also in crisis, there are moments of great clarity…”

For me, the clarity in this situation is how lucky I am to have had something that has created so many memories over the years, and that although this year was like no other, it will just make the next parade that much more special.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In New Castle: A Virtual Ceremony Captures the Spirit of Gratitude & American Resilience

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Every year on the last Monday of May, the streets of downtown Chappaqua are filled with children and adults all ready to honor those who have served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice. The Memorial Day parade has always represented one of the hallmarks of our town, bringing together the community in a way unlike any other. However, the town of New Castle did not let the current situation dissuade from the spirit of this holiday. Working with the Memorial Day Committee and the New Castle Community Media Center, a virtual Memorial Day parade ceremony was born which compiled images of the parade from past years, too.

U.S. Army Captain Peter Gaudet

U.S. Army Captain Peter Gaudet opened the ceremony and set the tone for the 2020 virtual New Castle Memorial Day Parade. He acknowledged that “while we’d all prefer to be together, we will do what Americans always do so very well: we will adapt and overcome… and go virtual.” He thanked the New Castle town board and town supervisor Ivy Pool, elected officials along with Captain James McCauley (the decades long Marshall of the Parade), David Egerton, Jill Shapiro and Carrie Krams, and all those “whose hard work and dedication make Memorial Day so special in our great town, in our great country, every year.”

Memorial Day Clarity

“With crisis always comes much confusion, but also in crisis, there are moments of great clarity,” he continued, “clarity in principles, clarity in purpose, clarity in commitment and service, clarity in resilience… Memorial Day provides clarity as to the true purpose of this holiday, for all of us to remember and reflect on those who made the ultimate sacrifice in fighting for and giving their lives for our country and our freedom.” 

Captain Gaudet offered words of encouragement regarding the challenges presented by the coronavirus crisis, calling it “just another enemy that our country will defeat.. Let’s take counsel of our courage; let’s not take counsel of our fears. We will survive. We will thrive. We are Americans. We are not American-nots.”

“As we virtually gather to remember those who have died in service of the United States of America, may we be mindful that the sacrifices made by these brave women and men continue to this day,” Reverend Dr. Martha Jacobs of the First Congregational Church passionately explained. “They remind us that America is a great country, but we cannot take that for granted. We need to be willing to place personal needs aside in order to promote a greater good for all, just as those who have fought and died for our country showed us through their ultimate sacrifice.”

Following Reverend Dr. Martha Jacobs’ prayer was Jordana Lichtenthal singing the national anthem with videos of past Memorial Day parades playing. This year, World War II veteran Ronald A. Freeman was honored. Training as a radio officer, Mr. Freeman served in France and Italy, eventually earning the American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal.

The names of fallen U.S. veterans over the years were read by Captain James McCauley. Frank Huber of the Chappaqua Orchestra then played “Taps” to honor the military service men and women who have fought for our country.

President Bill Clinton and Secretary Hillary Clinton each praised the soldiers and community during this tumultuous time. “This Memorial Day is unlike any other, but in many ways it makes it even more important for us to thank those who have served our country in the past,” stated President Clinton, who have put their lives at risk to ensure our freedom…” Secretary Clinton continued, exclaiming, “Although we will miss marching with everyone to pay tribute to our veterans on Memorial Day, our hearts will be with all of you and we also want to extend our gratitude to everyone serving now throughout the world.”

Senator Charles Schumer also made an appearance, praising the active soldiers and veterans of our country. “It has been a difficult few months for all of us, but today I draw strength from all of you – all of you who have sacrificed for our nation so we can enjoy the blessings of liberty. I promise that as we fight back against this disease that you are safe and you are cared for, just as you have cared for us.”

“This Memorial Day looks a little different. We aren’t able to stand together for our ceremony in New Castle, but it remains our solemn duty to honor our fallen heroes and mark this moment despite the uncertainty of this time,” asserted Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey. “Today we pay tribute to those who have demonstrated the highest form of selflessness remembering those who have served our country around the world and honoring the families and communities they left behind.”

New York State Assemblyman David Buchwald also celebrated those who have sacrificed themselves in service to our country. “This Memorial Day is unlike any in history, but if there is something we need to hold onto is those things that make life truly precious and those who have given themselves so that the rest of us might be free are deserving of tremendous gratitude. Please reach out to their families and convey your appreciation.”

New York State Senator Peter Harckham also joined in on those commending the servicemen and women of our country. “This Memorial Day, it is important that all Americans pause to honor the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedoms. Normally this takes the form of parades and large civic gatherings to honor their sacrifice. This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, that’s not possible. I’m urging all New Yorkers to take a moment to honor our fallen heroes in their own way. It’s so important that we not take our freedoms for granted and we remember all of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.”

“The COVID-19 virus has cost us many familiar events over the course of the spring – opening day for the Little League, celebration of Easter, Passover, Ramadan, Cinco De Mayo and in certain ways, Mother’s Day, but New Castle never forgets its veterans,” Westchester County Executive George Latimer declared. “Memorial Day is not one day a year – it is everyday in our hearts and those men and women who went off to war and those who didn’t come back will never be forgotten for the great sacrifice they made. We thank the New Castle community, Chappaqua, Millwood and all of us for making sure this Memorial Day, although different, is still special.”

Westchester County Legislator, Vedat Gashi added:“Right now we are celebrating our holidays differently, but the meaning behind our celebrations are more important than ever. Memorial Day remains a time to remember the heroes whose sacrifices made these moments possible. Every single one of us owes our fallen heroes a profound debt of gratitude.

The New Castle Town Board, comprised of Town Supervisor Ivy Pool, Deputy Town Supervisor Jeremy Saland, Town Board Member Lauren Levin, Town Council Member Jason Lichtenthal and Town Council Member Lisa Katz, also delivered heartening messages for the veterans of our country and to praise the enduring spirit of the community. 

Jane Shepardson, President of the Board of Education, and Christine Ackerman, Superintendent of the Chappaqua Central School District each applauded the community and the soldiers of our country for their sacrifice and service. The Seven Bridges Middle School Morning Crew then expressed their sincere gratitude to the past and active veterans, as well as to the town of Chappaqua. Troop 1 of the Boy Scouts of America saluted those who gave their life and fought for our freedoms.

The ceremony concluded in song with narration by Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe of Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester who expressed gratitude to those fallen, to health care heroes, to first responders and more–and also with a blessing to the entire community.

The full 2020 New Castle Memorial Day Ceremony may be viewed on:

 

Memorial Day 2020: a Virtual Ceremony & Inside Press Coverage, 2017-2020

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Just Between Us: The Inside Press and its various contributors over the years have rarely missed covering the Town of New Castle’s always moving and most memorable Memorial Day parades, so we were heartened to learn there will be at least a virtual commemoration working with the New Castle Community Media Center. Here’s the town’s news of what’s planned; what follows are just the past three years of Inside Press coverage, which I hope offers a small glimpse into what a future parade might look like here again, once we are on the other side of the coronavirus crisis.  To all who have served our country: eternal gratitude from everyone at the Inside Press, too. — Grace Bennett

The Town of New Castle has announced in its Community e-letter “that due to the current health crisis, it will be unable to hold the town’s traditional Memorial Day parade. “However, working with the Memorial Day Committee and New Castle Community Media Center, we have planned a virtual Memorial Day celebration that will honor the soldiers from New Castle who lost their lives in service to their country and celebrate our community and its enduring spirit. On Monday, May 25th at 11AM, please join honorable local veterans, your friends and neighbors, and some special guests for a one-of-a-kind virtual commemoration and celebration.”

Available on: 

 

To further relay the beauty of the day and to honor those who served the country,  we revisit a past few years of Inside Press coverage in New Castle. 

More Than A Parade

Reflecting on Chappaqua’s 2018 Memorial Day Parade…

In Two Key Ceremonies, Vets Honored During Chappaqua’s Memorial Day Parade

The Importance of the U.S. Post Office

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My name is Maddie Stone. I am 13-years-old. As a kid, I know how special it feels to open the mailbox and discover a birthday card, party invitation, or a note of some kind. In fact, this spring, my English teacher at Fox Lane Middle School posted an optional word game assignment on our online learning platform. It was a lazy Friday, so I decided to play for fun. I did really well, and earned the highest score. It was cool, but I didn’t think much of it. A few days later, I opened my mailbox to a surprise. It was a letter from my English teacher. I tore open the envelope and found the nicest note congratulating me on my score (even better, there was a lollipop attached!). During a time of substantial stress and worry, it was truly nice to receive something so kind. But here is my point: this note would not have been nearly as special over email.

“We deliver packages, we deliver prescriptions, we deliver, for example, masks, which we need to cope with the pandemic, and we also are a way of communicating,” commented Millwood Post Office Postmaster General Susan Scholl. “Someone can communicate with a family member or a loved one being that we are under the strict guidelines to be quarantined.”

Unfortunately, too many of us take the U.S. Post Office for granted even though so much we should appreciate arrives in the mail–life-saving medical equipment, critical paychecks, letters from far away relatives, and so much more. Almost everything we need can be mailed to us in an envelope or a cardboard box. This is especially important to poor and elderly communities that may not have access to technology millions of other Americans enjoy without much consideration. The fact of the matter is the post office provides us with many services we may not be sufficiently thankful for, and it’s up to us to advocate for its continued support as the agency faces threat. A large part of this threat is that many people have found technological substitutes for tasks they may have once completed over mail, but it does not help that politicians are constantly belittling the post office. President Donald Trump told reporters in April the post office is “a joke.” He has also threatened to block the Postal Service from COVID-19 relief funds unless it begins charging large customers a whopping four times as much as current package rates. Needless to say, blocking the funds would be catastrophic.

“It is always the case that reaching voters by mail is essential even more so now when greeting voters at their doors or at train stations is inadvisable, but also the mail right now plays an exceedingly important role in running our elections for this upcoming primary,” observed David Buchwald, 93rd district state assemblyman, who together with candidates Asha Castleberry, David Carlucci, Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Allison Fine, Adam Schleifer, Mondaire Jones and Catherine Parker are the Democrat candidates vying for Congresswoman Nita Lowey’s 17th District chair. According to the League of Women Voters of New Castle, (LWVNC) there are also two candidates in the Republican Primary for the 17th–Yehudis Gottesfeld and Maureen McArdle Schulman. Specifics for candidate events as well as links to voting information, she added, can be found on the LWVNC website:  http://www.lwvnewcastle.org

There are so many reasons to save the post office beyond enabling us to vote in November, as critically important as the voting reason most definitely is. For one, about 470,000 people are career employees at the U.S.P.S. These are people’s jobs we are talking about. Also, perhaps the most obvious reason: we still need the Postal Service! People argue all companies are going entirely digital, but this simply is not true. Many companies, including large corporations we have grown to rely on such as Amazon, still depend on the post office; and by extension, so do we, the customers.

In thinking about which local business owner to interview for this piece, I realized I couldn’t think of an area entrepreneur who banks on mail service more heavily or for a more vital product than the woman who published the very article you’re currently reading.

“Basically, if the U.S Post Office closed,” said Grace Bennett, publisher/editor of The Inside Press, “it could mean the end of at least the print end of my business.” The magazines have always been a huge ‘selling point,’ in their ability to reach its audience by mail, and at a reduced shipping cost,” explained Bennett.

In addition, direct mail catalogues and flyers on everything and everyone from dry cleaning to jewelers would impact business strategies perhaps to such a degree where  the business owner may worry they may not adapt their business model adequately or in enough time if the agency were to close or shrink to an unrecognizably small size.

“The lives of the American people have changed dramatically over the last two months,” said Northeast Area U.S. Postal Service Spokesperson George B. Flood. “In the midst of the constant upheaval, one constant has been our employees’ commitment to fulfilling the vital public service mission of the Postal Service. Whether it be the letters or packages containing much needed medicine, goods, benefit checks, test kits, or important information, postal employees continued to deliver every day for the American people.”

Hopefully these inspirational words from Flood will motivate people to support the Postal Service, and, along with it, every business, organization and individual that relies on such a critical agency.