Horace Greeley High School

Record Funds Raised as HGSF Honors Key School Leaders

April 19, 2018 by Grace Bennett

The Horace Greeley Scholarship Fund (HGSF) raised a record $186,000 during a March gala at the Mount Kisco Country Club.

PHOTOS BY HANNAH ROSENBERG

HGSF Gala co-chairs Rachel Rader and Cathy Hildenbrand attributed the sum to generous sponsors, donors and to the lively auction. “This year has also brought an increased number of applicants,” they added, “so we still have work to do to meet our needs.”

Brian O’Connor, a 5th grade teacher for the last 12 years at Seven Bridges, received the Ed Habermann Award. The HGSF lauded his interweaving of ‘CNN Heroes’ into his curriculum. His students have studied, connected with (sending out over 4,000 letters to dozens of heroes on five continents), and learned from these inspiring role models during dozens of Skype conversations and several Hero visits to Seven Bridges. Brian’s program was recognized and featured on the 10th Annual CNN Heroes Tribute live television broadcast in December 2016.

O’Connor’s dad, Jim, introduced his son, as “always a great leader, who led by example.” O’Connor, for his part, quipped, “I try not to screw them up in the ten months that I have them.” He described his goal of always working toward helping kids find their passion, “and see how they can use it to help other people.” O’Connor also enjoys time with his wife, Tara, and their three children–Alix, Jenna, and James. He loves coaching youth soccer, basketball, and baseball in their hometown of Montgomery, New York.

Ellen Miller, a passionate advocate of childhood nutrition, received the HGSF “Award of Distinction.” At Grafflin, Ellen chaired the Grapevine newsletter, Griffin magazine and the Health & Safety Committee. As part of a joint elementary school committee, she was a key architect of Grafflin’s “Eat a Rainbow” program which helped students select balanced lunches.

She chaired Nutrition Committees at Grafflin, Bell, and Greeley. In 2006, Ellen joined the Superintendent’s Wellness Advisory Committee, helping to create the district’s wellness policy and food guidelines. She spearheaded the initiative to have recess before lunch, helped refine food service offerings and pricing, enhanced the district’s “farm to table” focus and established healthier food and beverage choices. Ellenalso joined the Chappaqua School Foundation board in 2006. She worked on the Grants Committee for the majority of her nine-year tenure.

Ellen Miller’s two sons Harris and Trevor poked fun at their mom’s limits on both junk food and her allowance of twice a week red meat dinners. They said they admired her for ‘burning the candle on both ends” as she worked toward a Master’s degree in Food Studies at NYU.

(L-R): Ilene Weinberg, Samantha Potack, Amanda Goodstadt, Tamara Brolin, Robyn Lavender

Wendi Silverman (left), Ellen Miller, Laura Medway

Miller said she encourages kids to “dream big… and change the world.” She said she supports HGSF goals “because it’s heartbreaking when a child’s dream can’t be realized. “ “A child’s dream can be broken in the blink of an eye… Thanks for helping me make their dreams a reality.” — Grace Bennett

Horace Greeley High School Class of 2018 presents DISASTER: Save Yourself.

March 15, 2018 by Inside Press

Performances Thursday, March 22^nd at 7 p.m., Friday, March 23^rd at 8 p.m. and Saturday, March 24^th at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The year is 1979 and the hippest floating discotheque and casino is about to open. It’s not too late to get on board. But be careful, because earthquakes, tidal waves and burning infernos await. You might have to help save a reporter and her long-lost boyfriend, a nightclub singer and her young twins, a greedy businessman, a nun with a secret, a singer that’s hit the skids and a scientist that just might be able to rescue us all. Plus, there’s romance, intrigue, sharks, rats and more than a hundred other guests on board.

This is “DISASTER” a hilarious homage to the 70’s complete with bell bottoms, feathered hair and the music of a generation. You’ll be dancing in the aisles to classics like “Knock on Wood,” “I Will Survive,” “I Am Woman” and “Never Can Say Goodbye.” Director Lee Kasper tells us “I love all of the music in Disaster! Moment to moment, each song is one that the audience will love to hear and will be excited to learn how it has been contextualized for the show.”

Cast member Katie Katz tells us “We are all so excited to be a part of this and the audience will love to hear these classic songs delivered in a whole new way.” Violet Gautreau portrays Jackie the nightclub singer and told us “She loves the opportunity to do something she loves with the entire class.” And John Admunsen, who portrays Chad added “it’s great to part of this community and it has been a joy to spend time with the senior class throughout the rehearsal process.”

Cast member Ashleigh Wachtfogel said, “Disaster is fun and upbeat, and everyone will really get into the music, especially our parents.” And nightclub owner Chase Sullivan says, “The show is crazy, unexpected entertainment.” Get ready to bring back all those 70’s dance moves as well. Choreographer Jesse Pellegrino tells us, “he loves the 70’s vibe and teaching the kids to embrace the style of dance, which was new to all of them, was a blast.”

Over 150 students are participating as cast members, crew, pit band, assistant directors, choreographers, make-up artists and costume designers.

Since auditions the cast and crew of this show have had to deal with many real Disasters such as nor’easters, canceled rehearsals, no power, closed roads and St. Patrick’s Day. But we survived. Will you?

Don’t wait because tickets are going fast.

www.sellingticket.com/greeleyseniormusical

All Seats $20.

Thursday, March 22^nd at 7 p.m.

Friday, March 23^rd at 8 p.m.

Saturday, March 24^th at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Horace Greeley High School Auditorium

How the Walkout Supported An Informed Teenage Citizenry

March 15, 2018 by Julia Bialek

March 14, 2018, Chappaqua, NY — It’s been a month since the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. And as is the paradigm, as the days since the tragedy have passed, so has the coverage of it. However, after the slaughter of 17 innocent lives in a school building, our country has refused to remain silent. We have refused to allow this horrific event to become just another headline, we have refused to allow the victims to become just other statistics. Today specifically, the students of our nation refused to stay silent. Today we walked out.

I could describe how it felt to have my phone alarm ring at 10 a.m. and watch nearly every student rise out of their seats to walk out of school, communicating with their actions that something must change. I could describe the goosebumps I received as a result of seeing the 17 empty desks displayed outside, a tribute to the 17 innocent lives taken. I could describe the sea of orange outside of our school’s doors, or the gut-wrenching speech given by two students affected by the tragedy. I could describe it all, but it wouldn’t do it justice, because today was bigger than just an isolated protest for gun-safety.

Today we united as a student body (and with student bodies across the country) to take a definitive stand against gun violence and prove that this issue will not just disappear without a fight. We walked out of school with the names of the victims on our tongues, and the prospect of change in our hearts. Too many communities are forever haunted by these harrowing events, too many hallways are stained with blood, too many innocent humans have become victims.

The overwhelming participation this event received at Horace Greeley, as well as at schools across the country, shows how vehemently our country’s youth will fight to change the policies surrounding guns. Even further, today’s walkout showed how passionately my generation will fight to change any policy that ails our country, rather than aids it. Although the point of today’s walkout was to communicate our feelings on gun-safety, a larger idea was communicated: our generation will not be silenced. Today the world witnessed our battle cry.

I take pride in participating in today’s walkout; it will be an experience I will forever value. This experience gave me an opportunity to stand up for what I believe in and stand in solidarity with the victims of the Parkland shooting. But I will also never forget this experience for another reason. By participating in this student-organized, student-led walkout, young people across the country showed that the ability to raise our voices and fight for what we believe is an aspect of our nation that we hold sacred. We expressed our desire to be informed citizens who participate in peaceful protests, a hallmark of our democracy, in order to affect change. We formed a united front in order to confront an issue plaguing our society, and we continued our vow to take action.

Through our actions today, we demonstrated that we are committed to bettering our country, and truthfully, I have never been more proud to be an American teenager. My generation, the so-called “leaders of tomorrow,” is taking action today. And that makes me feel immensely hopeful.

Moreover, today’s walkout made me feel grateful to live in a community like Chappaqua. Instead of worrying about the consequences of participating in the walkout (expulsion, suspension, etc), I walked out of the school building knowing that I had a community that supported my decision to take action against injustice. Youth participation in our democracy flourished in Chappaqua today, because an environment of safety was fostered, and the expression of opinions was welcomed. Instead of condemning the walkout, instead of merely tolerating the walkout, my community supported this event, which is truly empowering.

I am so incredibly lucky to live in a town where my ability to speak out is encouraged; in fact, if every community encouraged youth participation in democracy like Chappaqua did today, the world would change for the better. We are the fuel for that change.

For 17 minutes today, our generation provided a glimpse into a time in the future when we will be tasked with the responsibility of leading. And we take that responsibility seriously. If today is any indication, when we inherit this country, it will be in many capable hands.

As long as young people keep deciding that our voices will be heard, as long as my generation yearns to affect change, as long as this moment transforms into a movement, I am certain that we have better days ahead of us. So let’s find our passions and fight for them; let’s raise our voices and refuse to be ignored; let’s educate ourselves and learn from others; let’s care about the future that will one day become our reality.

There’s no reason to become the leaders of tomorrow when we can claim those positions today.

Why I Walked Out

March 14, 2018 by Inside Press

Before the walkout, 17 desks had been placed around the parking lot in honor of those who were killed in the Parkland shooting.

Story by Ari Silver Photos by Hannah Rosenberg

Chappaqua, NY, March 14, 2018 — My decision to walk out today was a simple one. I chose to speak and stand up for those who unfortunately no longer have the ability to. Though the walkout drew criticism from a handful of students who claimed that the event was a call to push a “liberal agenda,” this had no effect on my decision, or the choice to participate for the majority of Greeley students.

This issue of gun violence is much larger than politics, and it is not an issue that belongs to Democrats or Republicans. We all need to find a solution to the epidemic of gun massacres that are taking place far too frequently in our nation’s schools.

The walkout began promptly at 10 a.m., as directed by the student organizers. Students calmly filled the visitors parking lot and very quickly began to quiet down.

Before the walkout, 17 desks had been placed around the parking lot in honor of those who were killed in the Parkland shooting.

The event began with a few brief speeches from a class president and two siblings who had recently moved from Parkland.

Hannah Fenlon (right), the student-body president, along with Sasha and Brandon Litwin, freshmen who moved from Parkland, Florida in 2015, shared stories from a victim of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, and discussed what this walkout signified. Photo by Hannah Rosenberg

‘The students spoke of positivity, the call to action and the remembrance of the lives that were lost on February 14th. The students then walked a planned route, with some students shouting, “What do we want, Action, When do we want it, Now!” Several students held hand-made signs that had different political and non-political messages.

Administrators and teachers surrounded the school to witness the march and to ensure students were safe. Since the event had drawn some security concerns, the district had assigned increased security personnel and members of the New Castle Police Department to the site. The walkout concluded inside the cafeteria, where students wrote messages on pieces of paper, each assigned containing the name of a victim of the Parkland shooting.

Overall, this was a very meaningful experience for Horace Greeley students. For myself and many others, emotions ran high. For me, the walkout comes two weeks after I had the opportunity to meet with Representative Nita Lowey and law enforcement officials in White Plains to discuss school safety. I feel that this walkout shows that my generation is beginning to become more involved, and my peers are starting to understand the powers that they possess to create change.

Ari Silver is a junior at Horace Greeley High School and a new writing intern for the Inside Press. Ari’s article about a Temple Beth El/Antioch Baptist Church civil rights trip for students appears in the current edition.

Hannah Rosenberg, also a junior at Greeley, is a Photo Intern for The Inside Press. Hannah photographed the ‘A New Beginning’ cover story of the current edition.

A Greeley Team Boost for ‘Swim Team the Film’

March 8, 2018 by The Inside Press

In celebration of community and National Inclusive Schools Week, the Greeley Boys Swim & Dive Team in conjunction with the Greeley PTA Special Ed Committee and the Chappaqua PTA Special Ed Committee presented the documentary Swim Team the Film, with a panel discussion and Q&A following the screening. The Boys & Girls Swim & Dive Team coordinated a preshow bake sale. All proceeds from the bake sale and voluntary donations for admission to the screening were donated to YAI, an organization that helps people of all ages with disabilities.

The post film discussion was moderated by Rev. Martha Jacobs and included Lara Stolman, the film’s producer/director, Kathy Schiavi, YAI’s director, Jason Gold, Clinical Psychologist & Psychoanlyst, and Mike DeBellis, Greeley Teacher and Coach of the inclusive boys wrestling team. The Swim Team presented Kathy Schiavi a check for $600 which they raised for YAI.

Swim Team the Film will be shown at the Chappaqua Library on Friday, April 20th at 7 p.m. with a Q&A following the screening by producer/director Lara Stolman. There will be no admission charge. For more information, please contact Denise Hanchet at hanchet@verizon.net.