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Horace Greeley High Shcool

A Greeley Senior Experience at the Inside Press

June 18, 2019 by Grace Bennett

Julia Bialek

On June 11, Julia Bialek (HGHS, Class of 2019) presented “From Thought to Print,” a review of interning at the Inside Press in May and June, and in Julia’s case, at different times since 2016. It was one of many graduating seniors “Greeley Senior Experience” presentations taking place that day throughout Horace Greeley High School to fellow classmates, teachers, and by invite, to family and other visitors.  I was very touched by this presentation, so I am ‘flipping the script’ now to write about Julia and my impression of Greeley talent.

I’ve worked with many motivated Greeley interns over the years and have been continuously amazed and buoyed by their enthusiasm and professionalism too, whether via the Greeley Senior experience or general interning. Greeley kids, over the years, and students from Pleasantville High School too to date, have been invaluable to the success of my press, and so grateful!  I found Julia bright, introspective, with a kind and respectful disposition from the very start. Beginning as a sophomore at Greeley, Julia delivered essays and articles which showcased a natural writing talent-with some very firm and well articulated political opinions, too. Inside Chappaqua and Inside Armonk editor Stacey Pfeffer, in particular, took her under her wing and showed her the ropes, if you will, of producing an edition of Inside Chappaqua  ‘from start to finish.’ 

“It was a privilege to collaborate with Julia,” said Pfeffer. “She approached each and every assignment with great care and her intelligence and creativity shined through in all her work. I am sure her experience here is just the beginning of many bylines.”

Julia came to a brainstorming meeting. She sat through and absorbed hours of a layout meeting with Inside Press designer Lisa Samkoff, too. She covered the “Art Around Town” event to much acclaim. https://www.theinsidepress.com/celebrating-beauty-and-community-through-art/

We published her exquisite poem, ‘Woman,’  which made the perfect end note for a May edition with a theme about resilience in women. Chappaqua and far beyond approved. https://www.theinsidepress.com/woman/

So when I was invited to Greeley Senior Experience to listen to her presentation about her internship with us, I had a hunch I’d be in for a treat, and Julia delivered just that.

Julia shaped her Greeley Experience presentation in part comparing her experience to working with us to working on the Greeley Tribune, where she is the managing editor. “It was very similar to how we plan for the Greeley Tribune and also use InDesign to layout, although some specifics were different,” she explained, “because we are serving different communities. 

Now that was all plenty interesting, but Julia grabbed my attention when she related “how powerful publishing a story in Inside Chappaqua can be and how much feedback you can receive.”

“I had people not just all over Chappaqua but even in New York City reach out to me thanking me for writing a story.”

She added, reflecting: “The impact of the written word is so powerful; you can use it to unite the community, you can use it for good. It’s such a great force.” 

I anticipate Julia, who is off to begin studying at Yale University in the fall, will continue using her talent for good.

Each year, students who have completed their years in the Chappaqua Central School District are encouraged to embark on a ‘real life” internship experience that taps into their imaginations, and interests, that helps them gain knowledge, perspective or build new skills. The kids convey what they experienced in a multi media presentation followed by a question and answer period. It is a rite of passage for many of our kids as any Chappaqua senior or proud Chappaqua Mom or Dad will tell you, and I am among those who won’t ever forget my own son’s presentation in 2014. I know that the experience shaped who he is today.

On the afternoon Julia presented, I also had a chance and the pleasure to listen to seniors Dean Miller speak about his independent project on finance and stocks; to Nathalie Jamavan who was an intern at the Bell Middle School with a previous French teacher; and to Alexander Travagliato, who spoke about his experience at the Westmoreland Sanctuary.  Ms. Hurgin, Ms. Burger, and Ms. McKenna, the teachers in the room that day, all listened intently and appeared proud of all the students. More about the Greeley Senior Experience (the Inside Press has reported on it before too): https://www.theinsidepress.com/senior-experience-at-horace-greeley-high-school/

— Grace

Alexander Travagliato
Nathalie Jamavan
Dean Miller

Filed Under: Just Between Us Tagged With: Chappaqua, feedback, Greeley Senior Experience, Horace Greeley High Shcool, impact, Inside Press, internship, Magazines, Print, writing

Friends of Foster Care Greeley Group Helps Children in Need

March 8, 2018 by Ella Smith

On a frigid December day, 28 Greeley students and three chaperones loaded onto a bright yellow school bus en route to HeartShare St. Vincent’s Services (HSVS) in Brooklyn. The high-spirited group was going to help spread holiday cheer to foster children. These students were part of a club called Friends of Foster Care (FFC) that launched this past fall at Greeley. It is a club that undertakes various forms of volunteer work for the Foster Children of New York, partnered with HSVS, a foster care organization in Brooklyn, New York.

I decided to create this club, after going on a service trip to Peru this past summer, visiting a number of orphanages over several weeks. The orphanages specialized in caring for the mentally and physically disabled ranging in age from infants to teens. After working with orphans there, I thought, “why does this only have to be a short-term project only done internationally and open to a small audience?” I reached out to many foster care organizations in the area. HSVS was the most suitable organization for FFC.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ELLA SMITH

After speaking with HSVS’ senior director of education Lauren Lee Pettiette Schwel, and Greeley’s Vice Principal Kyle Hosier, Friends of Foster Care was in motion. Greeley Sophomore Anna Kovalskaya says, “They are exceptionally caring for the kids, and are always striving to fulfill the needs of the foster children.” FFC quickly developed into the club it is today due to overwhelming support from Greeley’s student body, faculty, and HSVS’ staff. Each and every club member is an integral part in helping these children in need and the future of FFC looks bright.

FFC recently volunteered with HSVS for a holiday event being held for the foster children. The event provided gifts for the children and lots of fun activities. However, the main purpose of the event was to give the foster children time with their birth parents, who unfortunately cannot care for them. The members of FFC wrapped gifts, ran activity booths for the children such as face-painting and arts and crafts and took photos with the children at the photo booth. FFC’s advisor Samantha FortierVieni, a teacher at Greeley commented that “I couldn’t have asked for a better group of students. Watching them all take on different roles at HeartShare reinforced the importance of community service in me.” Kovalskaya adds that “being able to make the kids smile, especially since many may have been going through tough times is what made this experience so rewarding.”

HeartShare’s cause has not always been apparent to New Castle’s community, but FFC is hoping to change that. “I have seen firsthand how the foster care system can help a child succeed and prosper when given the right environment so when I had the opportunity to advise this group, I was truly excited to continue raising awareness about this issue,” said FortierVieni.  Even those who have not been able to see the foster care system first hand are getting involved. One of FFC’s executives, junior Alan Gu adds, “I saw a group of people addressing issues that were not necessarily thoroughly addressed. These students were truly trying to make a difference.”

However FFC’s mission did not stop at the holiday event. During club time, FFC embarks in ways to help those at HSVS directly from the Greeley classrooms. FFC members will soon begin to tutor foster children over Skype and create care packages for the students that HSVS is putting through college (through their “American Dream” Program). Much club time is spent planning volunteer trips and events as well. FFC’s next project will be this spring, running a carnival in the Bronx, to celebrate HeartShare’s opening of a shelter for homeless women and their children, created to prevent these children from having to fall under the foster care system. As Gu remarks, “to go to HeartShare and see the smiles on their faces, that is an unparalleled feeling of joy.”

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: children, foster care, heartshare, Horace Greeley High Shcool

Two Greeley Seniors Win Prestigious Gold Congressional Awards

April 24, 2017 by Stacey Pfeffer

Greeley senior Fiona Dubrosa
In addition to commencement activities and prom, two graduating Greeley seniors Fiona Dubrosa and Will Gregson will also make a trip to Washington DC this coming June to win the prestigious Gold Medal Congressional Award.

The non-partisan, voluntary award created in 1979 is Congress’ highest honor for young Americans. Currently there are more than 50,000 young people across the United States working to obtain Congressional awards. This year, only seven students from across New York State earned the coveted Gold Medal.

In order to obtain the Gold Medal, both Dubrosa and Gregson had to complete several hundred hours in four distinct program areas: 1) voluntary service 2) personal development 3) physical fitness and 4) exploration/expedition.

Cumulatively, each recipient had to complete 800 hours for the first three program components and spend a minimum of five days/four nights on an expedition or exploratory trip. Both Gregson and Dubrosa have participated in the program since they were 13 and have won Congressional certificates and medals in past years but the Gold Medal program is the most time-consuming and rigorous.

Rep. Nita Lowey with Greeley senior Will Gregson
Dubrosa has spent numerous hours volunteering for Manhattan-based Legal Momentum, an organization that is dedicated to improving the lives of women through law and policy. She also has helped out various local organizations including the Chappaqua Library, the Westchester Food Bank, Greeley’s Relay for Life program and has tutored students at Mount Kisco elementary school.

Gregson initially began volunteering at Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Goldsmith Center, a residential treatment center for children ages 8-18 as part of a Bar Mitzvah project through UJA-Federation with his friends. A former junior varsity and varsity Greeley basketball player, he would shoot hoops with the children there and help celebrate their birthdays.

“We were nervous at first because these kids came from very rough backgrounds. The children were there because their parents couldn’t take care of them usually because of drug abuse. We thought it was important for these kids to trust people again and build a sense of community for them,” said Gregson, who worked with these children for many years and developed personal relationships with them. He now acts as a speaker on behalf of the program to motivate other Westchester teens to become involved with the center.

In terms of the personal development component for the award, Dubrosa and Gregson took very different paths to complete the required hours.  Dubrosa focused on her leadership and acting skills. She participated in the Hugh O’Brien Youth (HOBY) Leadership program and was thrilled to meet other teenagers from as far away as Turkey and France at the HOBY World Congress who “all have a desire to improve the world.”

A budding actress, Dubrosa took drama classes at the renowned Lee Strasberg Institute, the Neighborhood Playhouse and A Class Act, all in Manhattan. Gregson took a different approach to personal development by improving his basketball skills and starting his own business called Home Alone Management Services, LLC which provides home management support when people are away from home. As the consummate entrepreneur, he also offers basketball training to local children as a second business.

Dubrosa, who trains with the O’Sullivan School for Irish Dancing in Brewster, enjoyed completing the physical fitness component. She regularly competes in regional, national and world championships for Irish dancing.

Both Dubrosa and Gregson also completed difficult expeditions to achieve their hours in this area. Dubrosa participated in a one week Outward Bound kayaking trip on the Chesapeake Bay where she averaged 10-15 miles of kayaking per day. Gregson chose to go on a camping trip with his friends from Greeley to Bryce Canyon in Utah. He found the trip fun but especially challenging when his tent became sopping wet during a terrible storm. He had to re-pitch his tent with his friends at 3 a.m., but ultimately decided that it was “a really good bonding experience because you learn how to deal with each other in stressful situations.”

Both students credit their parents as strong mentors. Dubrosa also has an older sister, Maddie, who won the Gold Congressional Award previously. Dubrosa commented that several Greeley teachers have been instrumental in motivating her including Mr. Wong (mathematics), Mrs. Mosca (social studies) and Ms. Towle (biology).

Dubrosa and Gregson are looking forward to visiting the nation’s capital and meeting other Congressional gold medalists. “By incorporating all four aspects of the Congressional award into your life, you become a better person out of it,” summed up Gregson. Dubrosa will attend Carnegie Mellon University and Gregson will start a dual-degree program at Syracuse University this fall.

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: award, Fiona Dubrosa, Gold Congressional Awards, Gold Medal Congressional Awards, Horace Greeley High Shcool, prestigious, Will Gregson

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