The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Horace Greeley High School

Celebrating Greeley’s Senior Class in Style: A Car Parade Filled with Community Love

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Horace Greeley High School Seniors (L-R) Charlotte Templeton, Emma Rosh, Georgia Goldstein

On Friday, June 12,  families, residents and visitors to the town of Chappaqua gathered together to show their love and support for Horace Greeley High School’s 2020 graduating class through an early evening car parade.

While the line of cars made its way down Route 117 and King Street and Greeley Avenue, parents and guardians sat behind the wheel as their seniors stuck their heads out the window or through sunroofs to either wave back at all the well wishers or to simply absorb all of the excitement around them.

Caryn Shapiro, parent of Horace Greeley senior Lily Shapiro, said, “the car parade was a silver lining that came out of this pandemic. It was such an amazing event that brought the whole community together to celebrate our seniors who have lost the fun traditions that make the spring of senior year so special.”

According to Horace Greeley PTA Vice Chair Suzanne Lodge, the Chappaqua PTA worked together with the Chappaqua Central School District and in cooperation with the Town of New Castle and its police department to organize the parade in order to replace the traditional celebrations this year’s graduating class is missing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. This led to the senior class car parade.

“We had seen other districts do the same thing but we also wanted to follow New York State guidelines, so I spoke to the New Castle Police Department and they were super supportive,” said Lodge.

Teachers at Horace Greeley High School waving and cheering for the senior class

Lodge managed the event and worked closely with community members, teachers, parents, seniors and the police department to ensure the car parade was well organized and successful.

Seniors and their families slowly began to roll into the Chappaqua train station parking lot around 5 p.m. Students painted the exteriors of the cars to celebrate their accomplishments.

Senior Charlotte Templeton said the car parade was “a great time and fun way to see classmates while celebrating being a senior.”

As more people filed into the parking spots, the noise level and energy built. Once the police officers leading the parade motioned for everyone to head back into their cars, the honking began.

The parade route started at the train station, weaved through town and ended at Horace Greeley High School. Throughout town, members of the community lined the streets with noise-makers, signs and cameras.

Cheers and shouts from community members combined with cars honking created a symphony that brought smiles to seniors’ faces.

When the seniors pulled into the high school, teachers greeted them by honking their horns right back at them and cheering loudly.

Lodge said the PTA advertised the parade in the town superintendent’s note of the week and in the elementary and middle school newsletters this week. The note encouraged community members to come out and cheer for the seniors while wearing masks and following social distancing guidelines.

Community members in town showing their support for the senior class

Senior Lily Shapiro, daughter of Caryn Shapiro, said, “it was so fun to watch the whole town come together for the first time in a while, socially distanced of course, to celebrate the seniors.”

Lisa Kassin, parent of a Horace Greeley junior and college freshman, lined the parade route with her family to cheer on the seniors.

“My family had so much fun watching on Route 117 and cheering for the entire class of 2020. Seeing the smiles on the seniors’ faces while they stood through the sunroofs of their decked out cars was the best part of the parade,” said Kassin.

Before the parade Lodge said, “we are so excited to finally be celebrating these kids, they’ve worked so hard for so long and we were feeling a little disappointed they would not be having their usual accolades but I think Mother Nature agreed that they need a celebration because today is going to be a beautiful day.”

Although “Honk for Seniors” is traditionally held on the first and last days of school at Horace Greeley, this car parade may become a new way of holding the event and celebrating the seniors in the future.

“I think ‘honk for seniors’ may have been more special than ever before, and I think this would be an awesome tradition to have each year,” said Lily Shapiro.

 

‘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!”

Greeley Principal: A Preview of Plans to Celebrate a “Mature and Community Minded” Class of 2020

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Students conveyed a simple wish: to be together. 

Photo by Donna Mueller

Editor’s Note: Please scroll to the bottom of the story for the district’s graduation plans as they stand now as conveyed by HGHS’s Andrew Corsilia and Lauralyn Stewart in a letter to parents and students. Graduation Day is June 20th, and will be a car-based ceremony, site not yet confirmed, according to the letter which was forwarded to my attention just this morning after I posted the article below.– Grace Bennett 

In a class of 342 graduating seniors, all yearning for a meaningful and memorable graduation, one thing is for certain: there are many, many throughout the school district and community at large who care about the kids deeply and who are rooting for them to experience just that.

That was a primary message gleaned from an interview with Andrew Corsilia, principal of Horace Greeley High School, who commented on the HGHS Class of 2020 at large and the plans being discussed.

“We have essentially a small town,” said Corsilia. “The seniors have grown up with the same families, the same Main streets, with most in the same schools for 13 years, so what it means to be a Senior, what Senior year means to them: those are questions that have really loomed large in their imaginations, and in their expectations. Some of these events that we have planned for them are not just celebrations. They are milestones-with a ritualized way of getting to leave.”

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“The whole community is feeling for these students and wanting to celebrate them,” Corsilia emphasized. While no official plan has of yet been announced (SEE EDITOR’S NOTE ABOVE), a video message to the entire community, shared Corsilia, is planned for release next week. It will contain information about the multiple celebrations which typically place around the traditional ‘Senior Week’–a much celebrated time leading up to the actual graduation.

Corsilia said he had heard from many students and families and by and large, he said, “No one wants a virtual celebration; they made it clear that it would be anticlimactic to be sitting on your couch watching your own graduation; it’s not interactive.”

“They are clear that they want to be together,” he said. “It was a no to individual ceremonies.”

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Corsilia said HGHS was “holding out for a social distancing graduation similar to that held by the U.S. Air Force; we are scouting locations and coming up with back up plans.” 

Nothing is set in stone, given the coronavirus challenges. “We are grappling with a new set of circumstances every week,” as the schools receive news of any updates to rules and regulations from the County and State. “Our first choice if allowed by county and state would be to create something as close to the real thing as we can make it.”

The location of the Greeley graduation has traditionally been under the big white tent on the athletic fields.  “A tent is out this year because it compacts everyone into a very small area,” Corsilia explained, but the the fields and its vast space is the likely choice for any social distancing graduation for the class. (SEE EDITOR’S NOTE ABOVE)

Corsilia emphasized his and the district’s intention to “do right” on behalf of the seniors who he commended.

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“This class is incredibly mature.  They are community minded.  They are a pleasure to work with.  They give off a wonderful positive energy when they are together.  They distinguish themselves academically and creatively.”  He spoke of how they excel in science. He expressed his joy for them that they were able to produce a beloved senior production in the nick of time. This year, it was High School Musical, and “it was a ton of fun,” he said.

In the meantime, he has kept in touch with student progress since the pandemic took hold.  He shared his impressions of the 290 students who are participating in internships and independent projects.  Typically most of the students would be in internships from a workplace supervised in a traditional professional settings and 20-30 percent would be engaging in independent projects.

This year, those figures were ‘flipped,’ he said.

  “70 to 80 percent have had to abandon showing up at a workplace although some of the kids transitioned into a remote internship for these workplaces; the vast majority transitioned to engaging in independent projects, in which “their creativity has really come out!”

They have included: students creating a podcast as to how the pandemic has impacted small businesses in Chappaqua; students designing and producing fashionable masks being sold in Chappaqua; and those “diving into literature” whether by recent Pulitzer Prize winning authors, or classic literature. Others have worked on something deeply personal, whether learning to play guitar or building and creating cookbooks containing traditional family recipes by their parents and grandparents.

The support and warm feelings toward these seniors has been felt throughout the community. “I’ve had older people call me, those who have no students in this school, asking me what they can do for these seniors. They’ve seen the graduation signs around town that the PTA surprised parents with in the middle of the night. Everyone’s feeling for them… We’re just incredibly proud and want to do right by them.”

Is there anything else you would like the class to know, I asked. “They are really an amazing class,” said Corsilia. “We miss them.” 

 

May 28th Letter to the Class of 2020  

Dear Class of 2020,

We hope that you and your families are well.

As we head into June, we are happy to share our plans for a full schedule of senior-week activities, culminating in graduation. We want to thank your class leadership, PTA, administrators, and town, for planning and organizing these senior week events.

Video Message

June 10th – Senior Awards

We will hold a virtual awards ceremony, including a personalized presentation for each senior receiving an award. Those students receiving awards will receive an invitation to the ceremony.

June 11th – Post Greeley 101

Our PTA has organized a series of Zoom seminars about life after Greeley, hosted by returning graduates, parents, school staff, and community members. Historically, our seniors comment on how valuable this experience is, as they prepare to leave Greeley.

June 12th – Honk for Seniors Parade

Our PTA and New Castle Police have organized a driving parade (parent drivers), starting at the train station in the early evening and ending with a drive through the Greeley campus to celebrate the final day of classes for seniors. Expect a more detailed communication from our PTA.

June 15th – Color Wars

Your class leadership is sponsoring a digital version of our traditional color wars, where you will get to show your elementary school pride and compete against your classmates. Let’s see which elementary school wins!

June 15th – Athletic Awards

Mr. Semo and Greeley Sports Boosters have organized a virtual ceremony to honor our senior athletes. Students will receive commemorative booklets prior to the virtual event which will begin at 7:00 p.m.

June 17th – Cap and Gown Drop Off

We will deliver to your home, via school bus, a care package, including your cap and gown and Senior Beach Day towel.

June 18th – Senior Montage

Our PTA will release the senior montage video to commemorate your senior year.

Prom

Your class leadership and PTA have reserved Trump National Golf Course and are working to schedule your prom at a future date, when it is safe to do so.

Yearbooks

Your yearbooks are looking great, but due to printing delays, they will not be available until August, at which time, we will schedule a process for picking up your yearbook.

June 20th – Graduation

We have heard from our students and our community that you want to be together for graduation, and we know that your first choice would be to have an in-person, socially-distanced graduation on our fields. The New York State Executive Orders, at this time, do not permit such a ceremony. Unless these guidelines change, we will hold a car-based graduation on June 20th in Chappaqua. We are currently confirming the site, and you will hear additional details about location and logistics, as we move closer to the date. In this way, we can keep our original date, bring the class together, and send you off to an amazing summer.

As we move closer to these dates, you will receive additional communication, specific to each event.

Class of 2020, we look forward to celebrating you in style.

Best, Mr. Corsilia and Ms. Stewart

 

Lifelong Learning Through Chappaqua’s Continuing Education Program

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For more than 40 years, Chappaqua Continuing Education has created a unique community for ongoing learning. As one of the only community-sponsored, school district run programs in Westchester County, Chappaqua’s Continuing Education program invites Chappaqua residents to come together and take enriching classes on the campus of Horace Greeley High School.

Every year, about 1,200 people take classes through the Chappaqua Continuing Education program, which is a nonprofit organization run in conjunction with the Chappaqua Central School District. “Originally, the program was designed to be a give back to the community and a thank you to empty nesters for sticking around. Their children graduated, but they still lived here, and we wanted to keep them involved in the community,” states the Director of Continuing Education, Maura Marcon. The program evolved into a community-oriented opportunity that spans all ages and crosses over to people in nearby communities who do not have access to this type of programming.

An Array of Options

“The Chappaqua program is unique because it’s community based and supportive, providing a wide range of classes for just about everything,” notes Katie Goldberg who has taught art and Mahjong classes through Chappaqua Continuing Education for the past 25 years. Goldberg is right about the range of classes. This fall, Chappaqua Continuing Education will offer 90 classes in everything from art, cooking, and dance to gardening, exercise classes, finance, and foreign languages.

According to Marcon, the 10-week Spanish, French, and Italian language classes are extremely well-attended. Many people who take Spanish joined the class as beginners and have taken all four levels of Spanish together, developing friendships with one another and with the instructors. “They even socialize outside the class, going out for drinks or dinner with the instructor.”

The most social classes, the games classes, which include Canasta and Mahjong, often bring groups of friends together who want to learn something new. And the finance classes, covering topics from retirement planning and Medicare to understanding estate taxes and financial planning for women, are particularly popular with empty-nesters.

Empty-nesters and people in their late 50’s and 60’s are the most frequent participants in the program. Senior citizens from Chappaqua can receive up to a 50 percent discount on certain classes, and Chappaqua Continuing Education even offers some free classes. The single session, 90-minute classes are favorites of many 30- and 40-something residents, who take advantage of these $30 classes as a plan for an entertaining, educational night out.

Artist and art teacher Quincy Egginton isn’t only a teacher in Chappaqua’s Continuing Education program, she is a 35-year resident who raised her two daughters here. “It feels like home when I go to Greeley to teach,” says Egginton, who enjoys running into her daughters’ teachers and credits the Greeley custodial staff with supporting the work of the program.

Egginton, whose favorite class to teach is watercolor painting, is one of several local residents who teaches in this program. Even the Chappaqua Volunteer Ambulance Corps runs a class on American Heart Association Family and Friends CPR. Marcon encourages any interested residents to submit proposals for classes, as she encourages the community to get involved in any way possible and is always open to new ideas and creative classes.

Making Lifelong Learning Accessible and Fun

“I love the positive feedback that I get from people about our teachers, classes and wide array of class offerings,” says Marcon, who loves her creative, people-oriented position. Goldberg and Egginton agree that their students are extremely positive about their experiences. “Many of my students have told me that I’ve made complicated, intimidating subjects easy and fun by breaking things down into enjoyable ‘bite-sized nuggets,’” said Goldberg.

Chappaqua Continuing Education offers classes from September through December, January through February, and March through June. Classes meet Monday through Thursday evenings for one to two hours. For more information about Chappaqua Continuing Education, visit their website, ccsd.ws/district/departments/chappaqua-continuing-education, or check out one of the seasonal catalogs that are regularly distributed throughout Chappaqua, Millwood, Armonk, Bedford, Briarcliff, Mount Kisco, and Pleasantville.

The All-Inclusive Quakers!

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The Award-Winning Wrestling Team with Compassion

Competing in wrestling meets across the region, the composition of Horace Greeley’s team is like no other.

For the last four years, the Greeley wrestling team has been inclusive where the Quakers have students with special needs practicing and competing with the team. The three students this year aren’t just managers simply helping out, but athletes that put the same work and dedication into their craft just like every other wrestler on the team. Their addition has been both incredibly rare among local wrestling circles and undeniably beneficial.

“I think it changed the culture of our team in a positive way,” head coach Mike DeBellis said. “It seemed like the kids had more compassion for each other and tried to help each other more.” DeBellis has been coaching wrestling in the district for the past 16 years and currently teaches Introduction to Engineering, Robotics and Technology, and Design Integration classes at Greeley. He was this year’s recipient of the Ed Habermann Award from the Horace Greeley Scholarship Fund’s annual gala last month for being an exemplary role model for students in the district.

Awards Abound for the Quakers

While more compassion seems to be counterintuitive in a sport where a moment of mercy could spell disaster, the results for Greeley can’t be questioned. The past two seasons, senior Nicholas Ng, junior Ho Jin Lee, and sophomore Brady McCarthy, who all are special needs students, have been part of a team that has finished in the top ten both years in all of New York State.

Captain and senior Aaron Wolk was crowned state champion for his weight class at 172 pounds. He is the third Greeley wrestler to win the state championship. Previous state championship titles by a Greeley wrestler were won in 1978 and 1995. Wolk will continue wrestling next year at Brown University. Captain and senior Matt Schreiber took fifth overall for his weight class and captain and sophomore Isabella Garcia finished second in the New York girls state championship this year.

Lee, who has Down syndrome, joined the team four years ago. McCarthy, who also has Down syndrome and Ng, who is autistic, both joined the team two years ago. The three students are able to participate because assistant coach Anthony Tortora is certified to instruct students with disabilities. (He works as a physical education teacher in the Bronx with special needs students.)

The three boys are at practice daily, going through the same grind as everyone else and occasionally compete at meets in exhibitions matches against grapplers from other schools. All three boys are also certified to wrestle.

Brady’s father, Kevin, said wrestling has given Brady a boost in confidence and allowed him to meet more classmates he wouldn’t normally get to know. When Brady performed in a school play this year, many of his teammates attended the show.

Physically, it’s been great for him, and allowed him to be part of something bigger than himself. While Brady has played other sports, a certain temperament is needed to wrestle.

“He likes competing,” Kevin said of his son. “It made him a more complete person.”

DeBellis has made it clear anyone that wants to join the team is more than welcome. DeBellis has been known to recruit students in the hallway to join the team.

“Wrestling is a unique sport in that when you do it, you’re a wrestler for the rest of your life,” DeBellis said. “No matter what happens, you’re a wrestler and it’s a totally different sport than any other sport out there.”

“Wrestling really is the only sport where it is all-inclusive,” he added.

Trio Serves as Role Models for the Team

Tortora said the inclusion of McCarthy, Lee and Ng in the program lights up the day for every other wrestler in the room.

McCarthy has even become known for his pep talks at meets and being the most passionate person cheering for teammates. He’ll sit right next to the coaches while a teammate is on the mat and repeatedly tell him, “You can do it, you can do it.” His father encourages his son to, “be there, be vocal.”

And it certainty doesn’t go unnoticed. His teammates love watching him wrestle because there’s no denying how passionate he is. When Brady gets the opportunity to shine, he puts all his effort into it.

Schreiber said he’s learned to be more patient and pay attention to every minute aspect during practice. Wrestling can be a very detailed oriented sport, he noted, which requires his three disabled teammates to focus intensely. Garcia added while wrestling can be incredibly arduous, anyone with the right mindset and desire, like McCarthy, Lee and Ng, can participate. And Wolk said he’s learned to never give up. While it might take his three disabled teammates more time to grasp a new wrestling move, their attitude is only positive and optimistic.

There are no excuses for another wrestler who’s been given the gift of able body and mind to get frustrated or complain when there are three teammates with disabilities who refuse to settle. “They always have so much energy at every practice and it is great to see,” Wolk said. “It shows the rest of the team, don’t give up.”