The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

high school

Three Sure Fire Ways to Succeed at High School

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Irene Byrne playing varsity lacrosse

Hey everyone! My name is Irene and I graduated from Byram Hills High School this past June. My sophomore year, just as everything was going right, Covid hit. As an extroverted and awkward 15 year old girl (I REALLY wanted to be a woman at that point) who was finally coming out of her shell, this was the worst case scenario. How did I manage to turn my junior and senior year into the greatest years of my life so far? Here are some of my tips:

Get a job. 

Getting a job, for me, was a non negotiable from my parents. At the time I was resistant, but I learned three key lessons that improved my life as a student and a person. The first lesson: good customer service is critical. With the rise of self check-outs and automated messages, having good customer service (the ability to talk on the phone, send emails and conduct conversations) can really set you apart from your counterparts. I found my confidence in the classroom immensely improved as well. I could vouch for myself significantly more because of my work experience. The second lesson I learned was to find your strengths and use them. An individual’s strengths are what make you an asset, so if you want to become invaluable, you need to learn how to use them in life and in your career. I tried several different jobs. I learned that I was great at working with children and not so great at wrapping gifts. The final lesson I learned was you have to finish your jobs. This wasn’t school anymore. I couldn’t procrastinate on my responsibilities and somehow pull off an A. The faster I learned this the more efficient I became in school. I was handing in assignments earlier, and I became much more proactive when asking for help. 

Get involved

Okay, so I was the captain of three varsity sports my senior year. Naturally, I encourage athletic activity to everyone. Sports helped me learn to work with others, taught me how to play fair and fostered healthy habits in my lifestyle. I can’t even begin to describe the countless friendships I formed from playing on teams in school as well. Now, for my unathletic readers/friends you can still get involved through clubs or community service! I had a lot of fun in the band, and my friends in theater are always looking forward to the next show (I can proudly say I never missed a winter show). There is no downside to putting yourself out there. You might just discover what you’re truly capable of.

Take Risks

And lastly, coupled with putting yourself out there, is to take risks. This can include talking to someone new, raising your hand in the classroom or even sticking up for someone against a bully. If you make mistakes, who cares? That’s how you learn. The biggest risk I am taking is attending college in Ireland. I knew how much I would have regretted not applying, and if I crash and burn- so be it. Taking a risk to achieve a goal requires courage to face the fear of uncertainty. No matter the outcome, either way, I will grow through the process and become more resilient and confident.

 

Good luck in High School!! Don’t blink. 

 

Local High School and Middle School Students Respond to the Impact of a Pandemic

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On January 20th, the first case of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new strain of coronavirus, was reported in the United States. Ever since then, reports of cases continue to grow exponentially with states all around the country shutting down schools and workplaces.  Hospitals throughout the County in hard hit New York are preparing for an onslaught of cases as virus testing ramps-up and have begun to repurpose their facilities to treat coronavirus patients. On March 18th, President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act which expanded access to testing, food and medical aid.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person or from contact with contaminated surfaces. Due to this, both secondary schools and higher education institutions all around New York have been shuttered and are being replaced by remote or distance learning. The CDC has also introduced the concept of social distancing and self-quarantine within towns and communities in order to prevent the spread of the disease. At the individual level, this means maintaining a personal distance of six-to-ten feet while in a public space. At the community level, it means banning large gatherings in places of worship, restaurants, sporting events and gyms to mention a few.

Social distancing is widely supported and is quickly becoming the norm in many households. However, many people are experiencing feelings of isolation in their homes.

Caroline Gershman, a junior at Horace Greeley High School is one of them. While being self-quarantined in her house, she realizes that there are restrictions from many of the daily activities she used to partake in.

“Quarantine wasn’t so bad at first because it just felt like a long vacation. Now, I feel a little trapped because I’ve barely seen my friends or done any of the normal activities that I would’ve done to pass the time,” Gershman asserts. “The worst part is probably knowing that this could go on for an undetermined amount of time.”

However some others are not experiencing the feelings of confinement that Gershman is describing as internet use explodes. For that reason alone, Ethan Wecksell, a sixth grader at Bell Middle School, hasn’t felt the effects of self-quarantining. “On the weekdays I use Zoom to talk to my friends and teachers. I don’t feel the need to cope with quarantining yet. Because I’m talking to my friends over Zoom, my life hasn’t really changed.” With the increased amount of time students are spending at home, it is worth questioning whether they are spending more time with family members. “The ratio of time I spend with my family members to time on screens is 7 to 3, but there is also a gray zone where I am on the screens with my family members.”

Regardless of the dramatic changes to their daily lives, people are discovering how their daily routines have changed during this unprecedented period.

Town resident, Cat Wecksell describes how being at home all day made her reflect on how she lived her life.

“Things are less rushed around the house and I do feel like we have had a moment to exhale. Even just reading some of my activity cancellations makes me realize how much I was running around and taking them places, and how hectic that was.” She also describes how being in quarantine at home impacts her familial relationships. “I really try to strike a balance for family time. There are times we all are together, but also time to be apart which I think is very important, especially under these conditions. Also, we are having dinner together every night – actually almost every meal together. Before we would try to have dinner a few times a week together but sometimes people had activities and we had to be divided at dinner time.”

Zain Jafar furthers his passion for golfing during the school shutdown. Photo Credit: Zain Jafar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, both school closures and social distancing are creating feelings of disappointment among high school seniors looking forward to graduation and prom. Zain Jafar, a senior at Horace Greeley, explains how social distancing has impacted him. “I think I speak for any senior currently when I say this entire situation has really brought an abrupt stop to our senior year. For many of us, the next few months were supposed to be a euphoric stream of lasting memories. There was so much to look forward to.” However, he also sees the silver lining: “One advantage of the quarantine is that I’ve been able to be in the company of my family, without the normal distractions. It’s really nostalgic: I feel like a little kid again, happily watching movies and playing board games with my parents and my siblings. Something about that feels right just before I leave for college.”

The COVID-19 virus and its impacts on broad swaths of society is unprecedented in modern times. The responses and actions not only as a local community, but as a nation during this period will allow us to reflect on the lessons that can be learned in order that we can all be better prepared for possible future occurrences.

Seven Byram Hills Seniors Named National Merit Semifinalists

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Seven Byram Hills High School seniors have been named National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalists. Front Row (L-R): Nicole Tissot, Emma Lucchino and Elyse Kanner. Back Row (L-R): Alan Chang, Jonah Schwam, David McDaniels and Joshua Freedman.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BYRAM HILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT

The school year at Byram Hills High School started off with good news. Seven seniors at the high school were named semifinalists in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program.

The students were Alan Chang, Joshua Freedman, Elyse Kanner, Emma Lucchino, David McDaniels, Jonah Schwam and Nicole Tissot.

“We are very proud of these students for this accomplishment,” Principal Christopher Walsh said. “It’s always great to have our students highlighted on a national level, and to have seven of our students ranked nationally speaks to the tremendous quality of education and support that we have here at Byram Hills.”

The Byram Hills students are among approximately 16,000 semifinalists, academically talented students who represent less than 1 percent of all high school seniors in the country and include the highest-scoring entrants from each state, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation said in a release.

They were chosen from more than 1.6 million high school juniors in about 22,000 schools across the country who took the 2017 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

More than 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to earn finalist standing, and about half of those will win a scholarship and the Merit Scholar title. The students are competing for 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $31 million, awards that will be announced in the spring and summer.

Horace Greeley’s Athletic Teams on November 5: Making a Difference off the Field, too

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Millennials have been called many things, but they aren’t often acknowledged for their consistent and generous support for charities. In fact, 85% of millennial workers made a charitable donation last year, higher than any other demographic group. These young men and women aren’t just donating online, they are also getting personally engaged to support activities in their own communities. This passion to give back is exemplified in the upcoming 4th Annual Greeley All-Athlete Walkathon.

More than a dozen local Horace Greeley athletic teams are coming together to support Pediatric/Adolescent cancer research and programs that assist these children and their families. Now in its 4th year, this grassroots event was started in memory of Gardner Marks (Greeley Class of ’08). Gardner lost his life due to complications from cancer. This year, the walk also honors Horace Greeley student Casey Taub, who bravely fought brain cancer over the past two years but succumbed to it this past summer. Brain and spinal cord tumors are the most common cause of childhood deaths among any specific illnesses and no community is immune.

On November 5th, hundreds of student athletes will walk together on the competition field at Horace Greeley High School. The event will raise awareness and funds for Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors affecting kids and young adults. The Greeley Sports Boosters is sponsoring the Walk and are helping to promote the cause.

If you are interested in fighting Pediatric/Adolescent cancer, please join us on November 5th, from 11am-1pm, at the Horace Greeley High School Competition Field. This year’s slogan, “One Team – One Dream” focuses on the power that individuals can have by working together as part of a universal team. You can also donate to specific athletic teams and the cause at www.makingheadway.org/greeley/.

Proceeds from this event will be split evenly to support two local Chappaqua-based non-profit organizations. The Gardner Marks Foundation is devoted to raising money toward helping families in need of financial support, logistics, and mental health. Now in its 21st year of operation, The Making Headway Foundation provides care and comfort for kids with brain and spinal cord tumors while funding medical research geared toward better treatments and a cure. 100% of donations will go directly to pediatric cancer research or services.

Am I Giving My Kids an Edge?

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JanineBy Janine Marino

When Grace asked me to guest edit this issue, slated to focus on some of the many exceptional children we had in the area, I thought, ”exceptional,” that’s one of the descriptors that sold me on Chappaqua in the first place.

I’ll never forget my first day at the bus stop seven years ago. I ran down in sweats, no bra, yesterday’s mascara and some serious bed head. Before me stood a perfectly put-together woman, right down to the Gucci shoes.  There were other women in various degrees of “fabulous” and yeah, I was not one of them.  I thought to myself, well at least I wasn’t wearing my PJs like I did in my old town! (And I won Best Dressed at that bus stop.) Everyone was pretty nice, but, regardless, I just couldn’t break into a conversation. They had obviously known each other for a long time and I was the new girl. I wondered how my kids would fare.

Janine and her kids Steven, Michaela and Alex at Michaela's Sweet Sixteen last year. Note: older son Steven now towers over Janine. Rising Star Photography
Janine and her kids Steven, Michaela and Alex at Michaela’s Sweet Sixteen last year. Note: older son Steven now towers over Janine. Rising Star Photography

I’d quickly come to learn that Chappaqua had a large chunk of type A people. Me, I teeter between B + and A -. Before I even moved here, a friend of mine had signed me up for two PTA committees at Roaring Brook. Uh…thanks? I was thrust right into the thick of it. I enjoyed the exuberant involvement these parents had. They seemed to know everything about anything that had to do with the school and the town. I also enjoyed the first back to school night…sushi and Starbucks…a far cry from the two boxes of Entenmann’s at my last school. I quickly learned that my kids were behind the curve, not having private pitching lessons or voice lessons in second and fourth grades. I was also concerned that maybe my then three-year-old would not be able to color in the lines because I hadn’t sent him to the double-the-price preschool that many seemed to be raving about. But still, I liked that everyone had a definite opinion…let’s call it “passion” for…you name it!

One thing I cannot deny here in Chappaqua is the real sense of community. People want the best for the town, their kids, the schools, everything. There are so many helpful, charitable people. Someone will bring you soup when you’re sick or pick up your kids when you are stuck. Sure, there are plenty of entitled folks too, but I’m quick to point out to my kids the good eggs and try to nip in the bud any spoiled behavior. No, I will not bring Frappuccinos to my 16-yr-old and her friends at Greeley in the middle of a school day. (And yes, I was asked.)

With two in high school now, I’m really starting to feel the pressures that go along with this great town. Kids are thinking about college in 9th grade. My son Steven at 14 already knows exactly what he needs to get into Syracuse. And, of course, every kid is “expected” to take multiple AP classes and have private tutoring (because, you know, a B is failing).

Seems everyone has to have “an edge.” You need to apply for early action to college. If you don’t, your kids will feel “left out.” Juniors are already posting their college visits on Facebook and Instagram. My 11th grader, Michaela, hasn’t been anywhere yet. Perhaps it’s because I’ve downgraded my type A-/B+ personality to a B- to counterbalance. I’m not sure. But I promise, we will get there soon, and my first will be off and running.

There’s no doubt there’s a lot of keeping up and aiming high that comes along with living in Chappaqua. However, I think my kids will come out feeling very lucky to be part of this exceptionally beautiful and spirited town. And maybe, just maybe….they’ll have an edge.

Janine Marino is a freelance copywriter and creative marketing consultant as well as the Marketing/Creative Director for the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival. She’s an avid tennis player, makeup junkie and according to her kids, a “weird but, 
fun” mom.