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Frank Shiner

The San Miguel Academy: Why Many Residents Rally Behind This Independent & Successful School for Boys in Newburgh

May 31, 2019 by Amy Kelley

Vanessa Williams and Frank Shiner
Photo by Simon Feldman

It’s an alliance that makes sense: residents of Chappaqua, a town known for the excellence of its school system, support a small independent school called San Miguel Academy, about an hour away in Newburgh, NY. The academy aims to help boys in Newburgh– a city with an average annual income of about $33,000 compared to upwards of $105,000 in Chappaqua– “break the cycle of poverty through education.”

“We’re so lucky to have the support system we do in the Chappaqua area,” said Melissa Paul, Senior Development Officer at the academy. “They play a major role in our existence and in our ability to continue to exist.”

She attributes the connection to Father Mark Connell, a Roman Catholic priest who worked for a time at the Church of St. John and St. Mary in Chappaqua. Connell taught for many years at John F. Kennedy High School in Somers (now known as Kennedy Catholic), but he was eventually transferred to Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh. Still, he came down on Sundays to celebrate Mass in Chappaqua.

“That was my first exposure to Newburgh and I got to see the depth of the poverty,” Connell said. “I would tell stories about it from the pulpit, and people at Mass would ask, ‘What can we do to help?’” “He gave his community a call to action,” Paul said.

Creating the School

“We all know that education can snap the back of poverty,” Connell recalled telling the congregation in Chappaqua. “The response after Mass was immediate.” A dinner followed; the beginnings of a board resulted; a fundraising dinner on the heels of that raised $1 million.

Connell started a boys’ middle school after learning that research showed intervention in middle school is much more effective than in high school. (He had intended to start a co-ed school, but a group of nuns already had a vision for an all-girls school, Connell said.) Significant financial support from Chappaqua residents continues to this day. “We don’t receive any money from the archdiocese or the government,” Paul noted.

Additional PHOTOS BY GRACE BENNETT

ChappPAC Concert with Frank Shiner & Vanessa Williams: A Fundraising Hit

Last December, Chappaqua residents Frank Shiner and Vanessa Williams performed a fundraising concert for the school, and filled every seat in the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, Shiner said. “It was so much fun; we had a blast,” Shiner said, adding that a tongue-in-cheek duet of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” was a big hit. “We came together and rallied the troops and the community stepped up.”

San Miguel Academy opened in 2006 with a fifth-grade class, adding another every year until the school stabilized at providing an education to boys in grades five through eight. Boys attend the school at no cost.

Once A San Miguel Boy, Always a San Miguel Boy

Either way, the graduates of San Miguel do not leave the school community behind after graduation. “We say you’re a San Miguel boy forever,’” Paul said. “We have a 12-year commitment to our boys.” This means that well after graduation, graduates get help securing internships, looking for jobs, or help with family support.

“When we take them in fifth grade, we make a pledge that we will take them as far in their education as they want to go,” Connell said. After graduation, most of the youngsters go on to attend high school at private day schools or boarding schools. A small percentage attend the local public schools.

As for the application process, “it’s kind of word of mouth,” Paul said. “We do prefer families that meet the criteria to qualify for free lunch.” San Miguel students stay at school until 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the school’s Step-Up After School Enrichment Program, and they attend school in the summer as well. The Summer Scholars Program is a six-week program during July and August designed to prevent San Miguel students from suffering what Paul referred to as the “summer slide.”

It’s a faith-based school, not a Catholic school, Connell said, with a focus on values and character education. “We really try to get across that we’re a human services center that offers middle school, a summer program, family support services” and more, Paul said, adding that the school has paid doctor’s bills for the boys, helped with special needs therapy costs, arranged for transportation to high school and more. “There are a lot of things that we cover.”

Program Breeds Success

Last year, some of the first 5th graders to enter San Miguel graduated college. “All of our boys graduate high school and 86 percent go on to college, trade school, or the military,” Paul said. One of the young men now manages a minor league baseball team. Another is an accountant at a local firm. Others are finishing up college. “We’re so proud of our boys and what they have been able to accomplish,” Paul said.

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Frank Shiner, Newburgh, San Miguel Academy, School for Boys, Vanessa Williams

Frank Shiner Finds Home, Again, In Music, Acting

June 3, 2017 by Brian Donnelly

Shiner with his daughter Lindsay at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center
PHOTO BY Carolyn Simpson/Doublevision Photographers

 

Frank Shiner and his wife, Suzanne, have restored two 100-year-old homes since moving to Westchester. The first was in New Rochelle–built in 1906 –and the second in Chappaqua–built around 1912–which he and his wife have called home since 2003. The couple has three children: Matthew, 28; Jeremey, 26; and Lindsay, 17.

Since moving in, they have restored or replaced lighting fixtures with period pieces, resurfaced the wood–while preserving a “historic patina,” and, of course, restored the original pool.

“We bought dilapidated places and brought them back to what they were originally,” said Shiner, who is involved in the New Castle Historical Society.

In front of their home was a live-in cottage, which Frank has converted into a garage and his own rehearsal space. The award-winning singer and recording artist practices there before shows, where he performs some of his favorite songs. But, he is quick to point out, “I don’t do covers.” “I put another spin on it, or make people think about it a different way,” he said.

Randy Radic, who reviews music for Huffpost.com, agrees. In addition to declaring, “the man can sing,” Radic says, “you’d be hard pressed to say who did the original. And who cares anyway, because Shiner’s rendition is so darn good.”

His recent shows, which included one at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center April 22, featured songs from his new album, Lonely Town, Lonely Street.

The 12-track album dropped May 19 and features his reimagined versions of R&B, jazz and blues classics popularized by artists like Elton John, The Rascals and Donny Hathaway. The Doc Pomus song “There Is Always One More Time” is both the last song on the album and at shows because, he says, it drives home the message that it’s never too late.

“People walk out of there feeling like anything’s possible,” the “Blue-Eyed Soul” singer said.

Originally, Frank was an up-and-coming actor in New York City, earning roles in soap operas and theater. He was doing well, but not making enough to support his wife and son. When his second son, Jeremy, was born, he decided to give it all up and take a sales job.

“I was like, ‘OK, I’ve got a baby, one on the way, a mortgage. I can’t be this selfish and do this any longer,’” he said.

In 1995 he started his own business managing payments for doctor’s offices, which today has 130 employees nation wide. He never thought he would perform again, until one night in 2011 when the couple stopped in for a bite at the since closed 353 Restaurant in Bedford. “They had an open mic night,” Frank said. “I hadn’t sung in front of people in 12, 15 years, and Suzanne said, ‘get up and sing me a song.’”

Frank tried to say no. But, Suzanne, who was going through chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer, “literally cried and pulled her wig back and showed me the bald head,” Frank said. “She played me pretty good.”

He then got up and sang and, “had a little bit of fun.”

The bandleader asked him to sing another song, and then a third. After that, Frank ran out of songs he knew well enough, which he said was the only reason he got off stage.

“It meant a lot to me, because I felt like he wasn’t himself for so long for us, to give us this amazing life,” Suzanne said, looking up with her glassy blue eyes as if watching Frank take the stage all over again. “It was like it never left him.”

Afterward, the bandleader running the open mic asked him to join his orchestra. For the second time that night, Frank unsuccessfully declined an offer.

“I didn’t want to do it, he said. “I just wanted to be with [Suzanne] and support her through the illness. She insisted.”

Suzanne’s battle with breast cancer spanned what Frank calls “five years of hell” and multiple complications. She had 12 surgeries all together. Today she is cancer free.

“Anything I have ever done she has inspired,” Frank said, calling the dancer from Arkansas “the best woman I know.”

From there the businessman made music his career–while keeping his day job. He performed with the orchestra, and everywhere else he could until he caught the eye of his now manager, Ken Levy. “It was like, ‘Bam,’ we went right into production,” Frank said.

His first album, appropriately titled “The Real Me,” was released in 2014 and picked up by Universal Records. Through songs by Van Morrison, Randy Newman and Elvis Costello, he told the story of putting his dreams on hold to raise his family, and then coming back to it.

Lonely Town, Lonely Street is Frank Shiner’s sophomore album. PHOTO BY BRIAN DONNELLY

“The message was, ‘who is the real you?’” he said.

On his new album, every song is about love, which Frank said he didn’t notice until he started recording.

“I don’t believe in coincidence,” Frank said. “Something happened at that open mic night… It was almost like the world or god was saying, ‘job well done, and now you guys need some healing.”

After a deep breathe to exhale the emotion, the Blue-Eyed Soul singer picked his head back up, locked eyes with his blue-eyed bride, and continued.

“Music has been so healing, I cannot tell you. It’s totally changed our lives.”

And with another change coming–their youngest, Lindsay, going to college in the fall–the soon-to-be empty nesters are looking forward to the next chapter. Suzanne wants to take tap dance and yoga classes, and both want to travel. Frank may even try to perform while abroad. The resurgent singer also wants to, like his home, return to what he was originally. “I want to do Broadway musicals,” he said.

Frank Shiner met his wife, Suzanne, in an acting class in Manhattan. When he first talked to her she tried selling him clothes from the store she worked at. Offended, he didn’t speak to her for the duration of the class. Luckily, they had another class together. PHOTO BY BRIAN DONNELLY

And Frank is taking steps toward picking up where he left off nearly 30 years ago, when he was cast in a “Broadway-bound” musical scored by country music superstar Garth Brooks–support fell through for it when Brooks dropped out. Frank has tasked his agent with starting the process of getting him in front of agents, and he said he may just sing some Broadway songs at his upcoming show at Feinstein’s 54 Below in Manhattan, scheduled for July 8.

“We’re just going to do a lot of things we haven’t been able to do for a long time–find ourselves again,” Suzanne said.

Find out more about Frank Shiner at www.frankshiner.com.

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Blue-Eyed Soul, Changed Life, Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, Chappaqua Singer, Frank Shiner, Lonely Street, Lonely Town, music, Musician

A Community Delights in Frank Shiner & in the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center

April 23, 2017 by Inside Press

By Grace Bennett

Frank Shiner tells his audiences that “Love,” in all its permutations (the agony and the ecstasy), serves as the theme for his musical selections. By every indication last night: love and a palpable excitement permeated the air as the audience rose for a standing ovation for Shiner–cheering for the exuberant and talented singer but also for the future of the all new Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. 

Frank Shiner   PHOTO BY Carolyn Simpson, Doublevision Photographers

It was just emotion taking him over at first when Shiner took the stage, looking out into the packed room, and a little choked up, he said, “Thank you, Chappaqua.”

And then he proceeded to engage a hometown audience with a thoughtful selection of blues/soul songs including stirring titles from Amy Winehouse (“Love is a Losing Game”): and The Young Rascals (“How Can I be Sure?”), backed up by a group of mega talented musicians who have worked with celebrity performers. They were:

 

Jon Cobert, keyboard – Lennon, Springstein

 

Sherrod Barnes, guitar- Whitney, Roberta Flack, Earth Wind Fire

 

Jay Rodriguez sax,flute- Prince, Patty Labelle, Elvis Cost Miles Davis                    

 

Chris Anderson Bass, toured with A Great Big Wold and Rachel Platten and has a band with his wife. 

 

Dan Weiner drummer – Amer. Got talent house, Woo Tang Clan

 

(L-R) Joining Frank Shiner on stage with stellar performances of their own too: (L-R) Jon Cobert, Sherrod Barnes, Dan Weiner, Chris Anderson and Jay Rodriguez PHOTO BY Carolyn Simpson, Doublevision Photographers
Frank Shiner with cast members from Greeley’s production of Grease. PHOTO BY Grace Bennett, Inside Press

 

Shiner and his daughter Lindsay  PHOTO BY Carolyn Simpson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                    Frank also announced the debut of his daughter Lindsay Shiner, a Greeley senior who was just accepted to the BFA Program at Baldwin Wallace University, singing as backup and in a duet with her father (“When Something is Wrong with my Baby” with the lyrics changed slightly to reflect a father/daughter relationship!).  Toward the end of the show,  members of Greeley’s cast of Grease, the senior musical, joined Frank on stage as well to perform “We Go Together.”

David Restivo, executive director of the Chappaqua Orchestra and on the Town’s Arts and Culture committee, volunteered with sound, together with John Flanagan, who ran the lights too. Area restaurants including Le Jardin du roi and Quaker Hill Tavern in Chappaqua offered donations before and after the show with tie ins on their menus. Shiner himself donated $5K in proceeds from the show to the newly formed Friends of the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. Shiner’s upcoming album, Lonely Town, Lonely Street will be available May 19th on RED/SONY with his single On a Rainy Night in Georgia.

Most of all, it was a warm and enthusiastic community gathering signifying the continuing aspirations for the evolving venue. Prior to Frank taking the stage, the audience heard Town Councilwoman Lisa Katz, who conceived the Center working with the town’s Arts and Culture committee, describe an array of plans by the Town of New Castle–including a town theater camp for kids this summer and a special art show in September–to ultimately position the site of the old Readers Digest Wallace Auditorium as a key cultural destination in Northern Westchester, and for the county, as well.

John Fanelli, director of the Lighthouse Youth Theater in Armonk, with a years-long track record of directing shows in the county, has been brought in as theater manager to help produce an array of musicals and shows to the venue.  He expressed his enthusiasm about the venue and told the audience that he is open to receiving ideas for productions from the community, too.

Chappaqua’s Michele Gregson and Tracy Stein are heading the new Friends of the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center and have plans to raise an initial $50,000 for program development at the Center.

A website is under construction and a calendar of events is being created soon too. 

Next up: an all new Storybook Family Concert by the Chappaqua Orchestra on April 29th directed by Maestro Michael Shapiro. Shiner graciously encouraged everyone attending to purchase tickets for the show which he described as a high caliber event and “not just for kids.” Visit www.chappaquaorchestra.org for tickets and more information.

No doubt about it… Chappaqua’s Got Arts.

Grace Bennett, Publisher and Editor of the Inside Press, is excited about the future of the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center.

Filed Under: Gotta Have Arts, New Castle News Tagged With: Arts and Culture Committee, Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, Frank Shiner, Friends of the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, Grease, Horace Greeley High School, Lisa Katz, Town of New Castle

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