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Byram Hills

Byram Hills Authentic Science Research Program First Time Virtual Symposium is June 3

May 11, 2020 by Inside Press

Editor’s Note: Meeting current day challenges head on, a virtual presentation is planned that will offer the Byram Hills community or anyone interested in a chance to discover and enjoy the work of 102 BHHS students’ who have engaged in ‘Authentic Science Research.’  The presentation is themed ‘Forces of Nature’ so do SAVE THE DATE, June 3rd, to help support this popular annual event.  

Each year, the Byram Hills School District hosts a symposium in which students have the opportunity to present their work to the community. Despite current challenging circumstances, the program will be hosting its very first virtual symposium!  Event details:        

What: Byram Hills High School in Armonk, NY, will be hosting the 31st Annual Dr. Robert Pavlica Authentic Science Research Symposium. The Authentic Science Research Program is a three-year course that encourages students to pursue excellence in areas of original research. In times like these, the producers of this event explain that “it is imperative that we celebrate our future generation of scientists and promote scientific literacy in our community.”

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The program will begin with a livestream event featuring remarks from BHHS principal Mr. Christopher Walsh, and senior speaker Owen Skriloff, as well as ceremonies for senior graduation and program-wide awards. The livestream portion will conclude with an explanation of the symposium website’s “Virtual Presentation Hall.”

Within this hall, you will find Virtual Rooms with recorded presentations of Senior PowerPoints, as well as Sophomore and Junior posters. The producers invite you to watch the district’s livestream event “and then visit the Presentation Hall to learn more about the amazing work of our 102 dedicated student researchers.”

When: June 3rd, 2020 at 7 p.m.

Where: Byram Hills Authentic Science Research Symposium Website https://www.byramhills.org/academics/academic-departments/science/science-research

 

Filed Under: Stay Connected Tagged With: Armonk, Authentic Science Research, Byram Hills, Byram Hills School District, Dr. Robert Pavilica, Forces of Nature, Science, Science literacy, Virtual Presentation Hall

The Byram Hills Virtual Choir Stands Together

May 6, 2020 by The Inside Press

Byram Hills District choral teachers met with the Director of Fine Arts, Mr. Deepak Marwah, on ways to connect with the community through music during the pandemic.  “Students had recently performed in the District Choral Festival with great spirit and success, therefore, we decided to coordinate a similar all-inclusive choral virtual performance,” said Mr. Marwah.

The student response was overwhelmingly high. Fifth-grader Brett Kaplan said, “This project was special to me because it felt like we were all together again, singing the song that everyone loved and practiced for so long.”

The project was compiled and edited by Brian Melso of the District’s Media Center and featured 44 individual videos submitted by students that delivered an inspiring and timely message.

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“We chose the song ‘Stand Together’ by Jim Papoulis for its message of unity,” said Dana Celestino, Wampus chorus teacher.

“We had no idea it would become an anthem for our community during COVID-19,” said Jonah Piali, Byram Hills High School Choir Director.  “The text expresses the powerful belief that when we are united together with one voice, our potential for greatness is stronger than when we stand alone.”

High school senior Alex Dempsey shared, “Being able to sing about the power of community and togetherness, while also being present with my own community, helped me feel optimistic.”

“Nothing feeds the soul like the joy of making music,” said Kate Smith, H.C. Crittenden chorus teacher.  “We continue to find ways to support one another to make beautiful music, and look forward to the days when we can be together again.”

Links to Video:

Youtube Link

Facebook Post

Filed Under: Stay Connected Tagged With: Byram Hills, Choir, Choral, Choral Teachers, community, music

Byram Hills Teacher Travels to Japan on Study Tour and Incorporates Highlights into Curriculum

August 29, 2018 by Ella Ilan

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARTIN GILBERT

Byram Hills High School teacher Martin Gilbert, who teaches both global history and economics recently traveled to Japan on a two week immersion experience for history teachers sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute and the Center for East Asian Studies. The study tour took the twenty participating American teachers, chosen through a selective application process, to various sites in Tokyo and the northern island of Hokkaido handpicked for their cultural, political and economic significance.

“Every day was a highlight,” says Mr. Gilbert. He particularly enjoyed interacting with the diverse mix of young teachers on his trip. As the oldest teacher on the tour, he filled the role of a mentor to them. Some of his favorite experiences included attending a very lively baseball game, traveling around Hokkaido and soaking in its natural beauty, visiting a school and working in small groups with students learning English, visiting the site of the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, and riding the high speed bullet train, the Shinkansen. He really enjoyed visiting the “onsens,” Japanese hot springs, and partaking in the public bath ritual.  Mr. Gilbert was pleasantly surprised to discover that the hotel owned a “yukata,” traditional bathrobe for the onsen, that fit his tall 6-foot-7-inch frame.

Other highlights of the trip included visiting and spending time with staff at the United States Embassy and meeting a Japanese diplomat at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who was an expert on Chinese-Japanese relations. The diplomat discussed the tension over islands in the South China Sea.

“For me, as someone who is very interested in current affairs, it was fascinating to hear about trade relations between China and Japan, the second and third largest economies in the world.” Mr. Gilbert said. “I like to discuss current events in my classes. This year I will certainly talk more about Japan and the United States and the current trade war.”

Visiting the Shrines

Mr. Gilbert has always longed to visit Japan since the country holds special meaning for him. He has told many Byram Hills students this story when talking about shrines in eastern religions in his global history class.  When he and his wife were newlyweds, she traveled to Japan on a fellowship. While there, she prayed for a baby at a shrine.  After returning from her trip, she was soon pregnant with the couple’s first son. Ever since then, Mr. Gilbert wanted to travel there.

In his class, Mr. Gilbert teaches about Shintoism and Buddhism. After visiting many shrines in Japan, he can now relay his first hand experiences to his students. Like his wife, Mr. Gilbert had his own opportunity to pray for a wish at a Shinto shrine. The process involved buying a small thin wooden plaque for the equivalent of ten dollars, writing your wish on the plaque, and hanging it on the rack of wishes in the hope that the deity housed at that shrine will make your wish a reality. He took pictures of the plaques that he plans to share with his students to allow them to visualize this ritual that they may have only read about in a textbook. His personal experience gave him perspective to share with students who might be familiar with the custom of placing prayer notes in the Wailing Wall in Israel.

Incorporating the Trip into Classroom Lessons

Between his first hand account of customs observed and the videos he recorded of his experiences that he will incorporate into his curriculum, he will be able to offer a glimpse into Japanese culture to his students.  Visiting in person allowed Mr. Gilbert to gain deeper insight into customs he may never have read about in a textbook. He learned that people are prohibited from walking through the center of a “torii” gate into a shrine because the center is reserved for the gods. He learned that people entering a shrine must follow a purification ritual with very specific steps with regard to washing your hands and face.

Even after teaching at Byram Hills for twenty-seven years, Mr. Gilbert is continually seeking educational and cultural enrichment for himself and his students. This was his fourth trip to Asia. On previous study tours, Mr. Gilbert has traveled to Korea twice and China once. He has also been to Israel on a Fulbright Scholarship and to Nicaragua through the Byram Hills Education Foundation.

“I really want to give back to the kids by sharing my experiences. I hang pictures of my trips up in the classroom and I let my students know that there is a world outside Armonk. I hope that some of my students get the travel bug,” says Mr. Gilbert. Opening himself up to new learning experiences as a teacher, he is a great example to his students of how one can always continue to learn in life.

Filed Under: Armonk Cover Stories Tagged With: Byram Hills, Customs, Hokkaido, japan, Shrines, teaching, Travel, trip, yukata

Get Ready, Get Set, Graduate! Byram Hills Graduation Prep by the Numbers

June 1, 2018 by Amy Kelley

In one sense, it’s been a lifetime coming. The young students at Byram Hills High School in Armonk have been preparing for their high school graduation not just for four years but far longer than that, growing and changing and expanding intellectually. Now, though, parents, loved ones, faculty, staff and other officials will gather to recognize their hard work as they leave behind what the Byram Hills school system had to offer and embark on their adult lives. Inside Armonk spoke to officials to get a better sense of what goes into preparing for the big day.

19 of June is when the seniors at Byram Hills High School will graduate, indoors at SUNY Purchase, a location Byram Hills Principal Chris Walsh said is “beautiful even in the worst weather.”

205 newly-minted high school graduates will take on the world. Declining enrollment is causing the population at many local high schools including Byram Hills to get slightly smaller.

1372 is the number of seats available in the hall at SUNY Purchase. The graduates, of course, will be seated on the stage. Custodians will work hard the day before and the day of the graduation in order to transport and set up risers, banners, diploma covers, and much more, according to Deepak Marwah, fine arts director at the school. Marwah helps manage logistics for the graduation. “There are a lot of moving parts,” he said.

5 is a big number for this long-awaited event; 5 speakers will address the crowd at the Byram Hills High School graduation: a valedictorian, a salutatorian, Walsh, Superintendent Jen Lamia and the president of the board of education,Robin Glat. The valedictorian and salutatorian will be determined late May, when final grades are released. “That gives them time to work on their addresses,” Walsh said. The ceremony is at 5 p.m.–and each family automatically gets 5 tickets to the event.

1 or 2 extra tickets may be had, though, depending on availability and how many requests for extra tickets come in, Walsh said. Many families have grandparents and other loved ones in town to celebrate.

97 percent and more of Byram Hills students will continue on to college – Walsh expects this year’s numbers to be close to 98 percent, but an exact number wasn’t available at press time.

4 years of fundraising by these seniors, who’ve helped with prom and graduation expenses and more, and now it’s time to present a class gift with the money they have remaining. “Last year it was a sign for our new Coffee Cafe,” Walsh said. “The year before, the class donated informational monitors for the hallway.” What’s coming from the Class of 2018? It’ll be a surprise, announced during the ceremony.

0 Regents diplomas will be awarded by Byram Hills. “We do what’s called a local diploma,” Walsh explained. “We feel like what we do is more advanced and more rigorous than a Regents diploma, but all of our students take all the Regents classes and go beyond that.”

23 AP classes are available at the alma mater of this year’s graduates, and other high-level learning opportunities such as a science research program, and in addition, a class called Perspectives in Literature, which is a two-period class that’s considered honors level.

11 months in advance, district residents are alerted of the next spring’s graduation dates when the district calendar is finalized and mailed.

45 sports teams of various levels and seasons are available at Byram Hills High School.

90 minutes or a bit more is the projected length of the graduation ceremony, with a lot packed in: besides the speeches and awarding of diplomas, there will be several pieces of music performed by the band and chorus, and the class gift presentation.

“We really take it seriously and we really think it’s important to present an event that represents all the hard work the students have put in over four years,” Walsh said.

Filed Under: Armonk Cover Stories Tagged With: Byram Hills, Byram Hills High School, graduation, Graduation Statistics, seniors, Students

Byram Students Shine in Music & Art

October 22, 2017 by The Inside Press

The Byram Hills school district has many good reasons to tout the accomplishments of its music and art students.


BHHS senior John Skiera was recently invited to play the cello as a member of the All-National Symphony Orchestra.

“It is an honor to be selected for this group and I understand it is somewhat rare. I am looking forward to playing in the orchestra and with other students from around the country. It will be quite an experience,” he said recently.

This year’s students (L-R) are Shea Gordon (Mixed Chorus), Dominique Karanfilian (Treble Chorus), and Brent Perlman (Symphonic Band).

The All-National Honor Ensembles performers represent collaboration and creativity in its highest musical form. The All-National Honor Ensembles consist of a concert band, symphony orchestra, mixed choir and jazz ensem-ble. Students were chosen through an audition process.

Three BHHS students have also been selected to participate in New York State School Music Association All-State Ensembles. They will perform in concerts to be held at the Eastman Theatre in Rochester, New York and work with renowned conductors and educators during the annual Winter Conference of the NYSSMA to be held from December 1-4. Students were selected based on their All-State solo performances which were adjudicated by music professionals from throughout New York State.

Some of the selected art students are shown above

Finally, adjudicators from the Armonk Outdoor Art Show, a juried show of artists, selected 22 BHHS students to display their artwork at the popular annual event, which was held Sept. 23 & 24 in

All of the students selected by the AOASH are listed here: Abby Kaiser, Angelique Sarro, Kyra Aronne, Gillian Banaszek, Ben Matza, Cameron Bremner, Carley Hershaft, Chloe Perline, Sofia Corpina, Farran Horowitz, Taylor Kirkwood, Jason Knoop, Lily Moss, Michaela Milano, Olivia Johnson, Jason Roden, Rachel Ruscigno, Sarah Huang, Dina Sokol, Danielle Stein, Sydney Chilewich, Danielle Fliegel.

Filed Under: Gotta Have Arts Tagged With: Byram Hills, music, Student Artists, Student Excellence, Student Musicians, Students, talent

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