Richard Altieri Wins Thomas J. Watson Fellowship
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Scarsdale's Richard Atieri has been awarded a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship to explore how other cultures deal with laughter. Now a senior at Amherst College, Altieri '15 will spend 2015–2016 abroad, learning about world styles of standup comedy.
Altieri, who grew up in Scarsdale and attended Scarsdale Schools and Regis High School, majors in philosophy and is fluent in Chinese and Spanish. During his Fellowship year, he will challenge the idea that jokes don't translate.
"As a cross-cultural humorist, I intend to re-conceive comedic forms and bring people together through laughter," he wrote in his Watson application. He plans to pursue an advanced degree in philosophy of humor, and eventually build a career as a writer, performer and teacher.
For his Watson year, Altieri intends to immerse himself in the comedic traditions of four cities: Santiago de Chile, Taipei, Singapore and London. He plans to attend stand-up comedy open-mics and other shows, while staying with a host family to "see what makes a family laugh at the dinner table." Then he will take to the microphone himself, with local comedians as guides. The intended result is to "reinterpret regional styles and reimagine American forms of comedy," said Altieri, currently a member of Mr. Gad's House of Improv, a student improv comedy troupe at Amherst.
The Thomas J. Watson Foundation was created in 1961 in honor of the founder of International Business Machines (IBM). Each Watson Fellow receives $25,000 for 12 months of travel, college loan assistance as needed and an insurance allowance.
This year, close to 700 candidates at select private liberal arts colleges and universities submitted proposals for Watson Fellowships. Of that number, 150 finalists were nominated to compete on the national level. Altieri was among 50 fellows selected from 19 states and eight countries.
Amherst has had 89 Watson Fellows during the program's history.
Leading Ladies Opt Out
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Two celebrity speakers, scheduled to appear in Scarsdale have both opted out. Chancellor Merryl Tisch of the NYS Regents was scheduled to appear on a panel about the Common Core with Scarsdale Schools Superintendent Thomas Hagerman and State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin on Thursday April 30th at Scarsdale Library. After the furor about the recent state tests, Governor Cuomo's mandate to evaluate teachers based on student test results and calls for Tisch to step down, she has decided not to appear in Scarsdale this week. Instead, she will send newly appointed Regent Judith Johnson. However Tisch says she will be in the audience and will presumable be available to answer questions.
Johnson is a former superintendent of the Peekskill and Mt. Vernon schools and also worked in the federal department of elementary and secondary education as acting assistant secretary. In 2008 she was named Superintendent of the Year by the State Council of School Superintendents. She has a reputation for being outspoken and asking tough questions.
When the Scarsdale Forum, who organized the panel, learned that representatives from other districts planned to attend – and perhaps protest - the panel discussion was moved to a larger venue with a bigger parking lot. The discussion will now take place in the Scarsdale High School auditorium at 7:30 pm and the community is invited to attend what promises to be a very lively conversation.
Kerry Kennedy, who was billed as the speaker for the annual luncheon for the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale has also changed her plans. Siting a family commitment, she cancelled her appearance on Friday May 8th. Instead, the League has invited Elisabeth Bumiller, the Washington Editor of The New York Times. A leading journalist and author and frequent commentator on politics and government policy, Ms. Bumiller will speak about Women in Politics.
Previously, Ms. Bumiller was the deputy Washington Bureau Chief for the Times, where she oversaw White House and domestic policy reporting. She was a Pentagon correspondent from 2008 to early 2013, a position through which she traveled frequently with the Secretary of Defense and embedded with the American military in Afghanistan. In 2008, she covered the presidential campaign of Senator John McCain. She was a White House correspondent from September 2001 to 2006 and also wrote a weekly column, White House Letter, about the people and behind-the-scenes events of the presidency.
Ms. Bumiller has also served as the Times City Hall Bureau chief responsible for covering Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and his Senate race against Hillary Rodham Clinton, and was a general assignment reporter on the Times' Metropolitan staff.
Ms. Bumiller is the author of three books: Condoleezza Rice: An American Life; May You Be the Mother of a 
Hundred Sons: A Journey Among the Women of India; and The Secrets of Mariko: A Year in the Life of a Japanese Woman and Her Family.
Ms. Bumiller graduated from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University. She was a Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center and a Transatlantic Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.
The public is invited to the Scarsdale League's annual spring luncheon at the Scarsdale Golf Club on May 8, 2015, at 11:45AM. Admission is $40 ($45 at the door), High School and college students discounted to $20. Please RSVP by May 5 to: Anne Lyons, 82 Greenacres Avenue, Scarsdale, NY 10583 or online here. Questions: please contact Anne Lyons, aulyons@gmail.com.
NY Times Journalist Elisabeth Bumiller to Speak at the LWVS Luncheon
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Elisabeth Bumiller, the Washington Editor of The New York Times, will speak at the Scarsdale League of Women Voters Annual Spring Luncheon on May 8th. Kerry Kennedy, originally scheduled to speak, cancelled due to a family commitment.
A leading journalist and author and frequent commentator on politics and government policy, Ms. Bumiller will speak about Women in Politics.
Previously, Ms. Bumiller was the deputy Washington Bureau Chief for the Times, where she oversaw White House and domestic policy reporting. She was a Pentagon correspondent from 2008 to early 2013, a position through which she traveled frequently with the Secretary of Defense and embedded with the American military in Afghanistan. In 2008, she covered the presidential campaign of Senator John McCain. She was a White House correspondent from September 2001 to 2006 and also wrote a weekly column, White House Letter, about the people and behind-the-scenes events of the presidency.
Ms. Bumiller has also served as the Times City Hall Bureau chief responsible for covering Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and his Senate race against Hillary Rodham Clinton, and was a general assignment reporter on the Times' Metropolitan staff.
Ms. Bumiller is the author of three books: Condoleezza Rice: An American Life; May You Be the Mother of a Hundred Sons: A Journey Among the Women of India; and The Secrets of Mariko: A Year in the Life of a Japanese Woman and Her Family.
Ms. Bumiller graduated from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University. She was a Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center and a Transatlantic Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.
The public is invited to the Scarsdale League's annual spring luncheon.
The luncheon, which will follow the League's annual meeting, will be held at the Scarsdale Golf Club on May 8, 2015, at 11:45AM. Admission is $40 ($45 at the door), High School and college students discounted to $20. Please RSVP by May 5 to: Anne Lyons, 82 Greenacres Avenue, Scarsdale, NY 10583 or online at lwvs.org., Event Tickets. Questions: please contact Anne Lyons, aulyons@gmail.com.
Former STEP Student Keith Martinez honored with Truman Scholarship
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Villanova University Junior Keith Martinez, a Gates Millennium and Presidential Scholar from the Oglala Lakota Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, was one of 58 students from across the nation named as a recipient of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship. Former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, President of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, announced the names of the 2015 Scholars – from 50 U.S. colleges and universities. The Truman Scholarship Foundation recognizes college juniors with exceptional leadership potential who are committed to making a difference through public service.
About Keith
Keith grew up on and off the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and is an enrolled member of the Oglala Lakota Sioux tribe. Keith is a graduate of Scarsdale High School in NY, where he spent his last two years in the STEP program, an intensive college preparatory program for talented youth. Keith spent his first two years of High School at the Little Wound School in Kyle, SD. Keith is a junior at Villanova University.
Keith is Chair of the Youth Advisory Board for Lakota Children's Enrichment, a nonprofit that empowers youth in his home community on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Keith has received numerous awards for his service with LCE: he was named South Dakota's National Child Awareness Month Service Ambassador by Youth Service of America (2013-14); a Champion for Change by the Center for Native American Youth at the Aspen Institute (2014-15); and he is the recipient of a scholarship to the PPIA Summer Institute at Princeton University (2015). Keith frequently speaks about the power of education, seeking help and perseverance, and made his international speaking debut in the summer of 2014 at the Nexus Global Youth Summit at the United Nations.
Keith said of the appointment: "I am officially a 2015 Truman Scholar representing Villanova, my family, and the Native American youth out there who have a dream. Everyday I remind myself why I do what I do. That is, to make the future brighter for the youth that I know can reach their potential. I want to take this time to say that I am extremely grateful for this opportunity, it has been quite the journey to get to where I am today -- but my journey is not over, I look forward to the next chapter. I am glad to be in such amazing company at the Truman Foundation. I also want to take this time to say how extremely thankful I am for all those who support me and stand by my side everyday through the good times and the bad times. I want you all to know that this wouldn't be possible without you and that words alone can not describe how truly grateful I am."
LCE President Maggie Dunne, 24, who founded LCE when she was a student at Scarsdale High School said: "We are so proud of Keith for continuing to support his community, while also pursuing higher education at Villanova University. I founded Lakota Children's Enrichment to elevate the voices of Native Youth, to encourage talented future leaders like Keith Martinez to set big goals, and to help open doors to make those dreams come true. Keith was LCE's first youth advisor, and went on to Co-Found and Chair LCE's Youth Advisory Board, a group that helps LCE shape its programs on the Reservation. The growing successes of the Youth Board members rising behind Keith are a testimony to the success of LCE's collaborative approach working with the community to help youth reach their goals, and to the critical role that Keith serves by demonstrating by example that with hard work and focus, dreams can come true."
About Lakota Children's Enrichment
Lakota Children's Enrichment is a for-purpose nonprofit that provides leadership and mentorship opportunities to youth from the Pine Ridge Reservation in SD. LCE works collaboratively with community groups and a Youth Board to create and produce opportunities for community service, arts, literacy, leadership and mentorship. LCE's premiere programs include: an annual Writing and Art Challenge, which has the support of renowned panel of judges; Youth Summits that provide opportunities for expression in the arts, education, mentorship, leadership and always incorporate community service; and a Youth Advisory Board from across the Reservation, who help create new programs. LCE further provides essential support and services to help community members implement programs benefitting Native Youth, and educates people about the obstacles facing America's first peoples today.
About the Scarsdale STEP Program
The Scarsdale Transfer Education Program ("STEP") is a two year college preparatory program for promising students of color (including those of Native American heritage) who may benefit from Scarsdale's challenging academic environment. STEP prepares these students for positions of leadership and responsibility in their college years and beyond. Keith Martinez was the first representative from the Oglala Lakota on Pine Ridge Reservation to participate in the program. In the Fall of 2015, STEP will welcome LCE Youth Board Vice Chair Summer Montileaux to the program!
About the Truman Scholarship
The Truman Scholars were chosen by 17 independent selection panels on the basis of their academic and leadership accomplishments and their likelihood of becoming public service leaders. Selection panels met across the U.S. and included distinguished leaders, university presidents, elected officials, federal judges, prominent public servants, and past Truman Scholarship winners. The 2015 Truman Scholars will assemble in May for a leadership development program at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, and receive their awards in a special ceremony at the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri.
Each new Truman Scholar receives up to $30,000 for graduate study. Scholars also receive priority admission and supplemental financial aid at some premier graduate institutions, leadership training, career and graduate school counseling, and special internship opportunities within the federal government. Recipients must be U.S. citizens, have outstanding leadership potential and communication skills, be in the top quarter of their class, and be committed to careers in government or the non-profit sector.
The Truman Scholarship Foundation was established by Congress in 1975 as the federal memorial to the thirty-third President, Harry S. Truman. The Foundation awards scholarships for college students to attend graduate school in preparation for careers in government or elsewhere in public service. The activities of the Foundation are supported by a special trust fund in the US Treasury.
Rabbi Blake Discusses Keys to a Happy Marriage
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Senior Rabbi Jonathan Blake of Westchester Reform Temple has another movie role – this one in the film 112 Weddings which will be shown at the Jacob Burns Jewish Film Festival. The movie, by Doug Block who also made 51 Birch Street, chronicles the lives of couples that the filmmaker met when he filmed wedding over the course of 20 years. Block wondered what had become of the happy couples he filmed. Is married life what they thought it would be? In this charming, poignant film, he interviews some of the more memorable brides and grooms, juxtaposing wedding-day flashbacks with present-day reality and asking them what advice they'd give a young couple soon to be married. He also speaks to Rabbi Blake who shares his thoughts on marriage and happiness. Blake will appear on a panel at the film center after the film is shown on Sunday April 26 at 5 pm.
We watched the movie – which is worth seeing – and then posed some questions to Rabbi Blake:
About how many couples have you married?
Well, I've been a congregational rabbi for 15 years, and I usually officiate at somewhere between 7 and 15 weddings a year, so, let's say that it's over a hundred at this point.
What advice do you give to couples who ask you to perform their marriage?
The important thing is for me to get to know each couple as deeply as possible (given our three or four sessions before the big day) by listening carefully to "what makes them tick." Whatever counsel I have to offer emerges from a confidential and intimate conversation with the couple. I use a wonderful assessment tool in getting to know the couples; it's an online survey developed by Life Innovations, Inc., called "Prepare-Enrich." You can learn more about it at www.prepare-enrich.com. Some wisdom that I picked up a number of years ago turns out to be true: that the areas with which couples seem to struggle the most have to do with money, sex, and time (meaning, how they balance home, work, life, family, couple time, etc.). Among my most frequently given pieces of advice are to seek outside help in the form of a couples therapist, individual therapy, and a good accountant and/or financial planner. I also find myself constantly reminding couples that many couples have problems with no "solutions," but that successful couples are able to develop strategies for understanding and managing their problems so that they feel surmountable.
In the film you say, "We have no idea what we're getting into when we get married." Please expand on that thought.
You know, marriage is really the only project we undertake in our lives that we anticipate to sustain for five,
six, seven decades without interruption or major modification. No career choice, no major life decision, not even parenting, carries the same expectations. But does anyone really know what will befall us--as individuals or couples--over the course of fifty years or more? A wise friend of mine once advised, "We should get re-married to our spouses every ten years, because, by then, you're married to a different person."
What are some of your observations about happily-married couples? What do they do right and what can we learn from them?
I think my comment (above) about developing "management strategies" for problems or issues as opposed to seeking "solutions" is applicable here. I also have seen that most happily married couples acknowledge that paying attention--to each other, to the marriage--on a day-to-day basis is far more important than a big anniversary gift or a grand gesture only periodically. Simple, sustained acts of kindness, without prompting and without hope or expectation of reciprocal reward, seem to promote deeper satisfaction and generate love and compassion within marriage.
You also say, "if we took away the struggle/challenge of marriage there would be no mountain to scale" –please explain.
That's probably true of any enterprise we undertake in our lives. Surmounting challenges yields deeper perspective, empathy, and mutual understanding. Most worthwhile projects require sacrifices of time, energy, and a measure of our sanity. But without sacrifice and struggle, life can feel flat and dull.
How do you counsel couples who are struggling to keep their marriage together?
Therapy, therapy, therapy. I am a strong proponent of therapy both for individuals and couples, and I have a small but carefully curated list of trusted professionals whom I refer to congregants struggling in marriage. But the key is to acknowledge when we need help and not to allow preconceived notions about therapy or our unrealistic expectations of marriage get in the way of asking for help. As a spiritual leader I meet with struggling individuals or couples frequently; but usually after a couple of sessions the most helpful thing I can do is to refer them to a skilled professional in this area. By the way, therapy can be a great tool for maintenance or improvement of a relationship in which the couple is not struggling but would like to think about long-term issues or would simply like to experience growth.
In the movie you say, "The wedding is day one, and it's the easiest day to make happy. You've just thrown a ton of money at it, and liquor. A marriage is hard to make happy because when you throw a ton of money and liquor at it, it often makes things worse." Why does money make marriage difficult?
Money is the number one cause of friction in marriages. Often, individuals who have become accustomed to managing their finances on their own are unprepared to join their financial picture with another person. Often it creates an imbalance of power, which can lead to behaviors such as secrecy or dishonesty. Sometimes, for example, a bride or groom enters marriage not fully realizing that his/her partner is carrying substantial debt; in other cases, couples have different priorities about spending and saving; and because money is often a source of stress for individuals, it can amplify the general stress on the marriage. Successful management of this component requires transparency and regular communication not only about bank accounts, but about priorities. I once heard it said that "the most important book in your house is your checkbook." How true! Most people don't realize this, but it contains a written record of your priorities, so problems that couples experience with money often reveal deeper incompatibilities about life priorities.
Do you see more/less confidence in the institution of marriage than you did ten years ago?
I think that marriage continues to be a fundamental institution in American life; however, sociological studies are showing that fewer people are choosing to marry than ever before in America, and those who are marrying tend to get married later in life. This is leading to a shift in norms for career, gender roles, and parenting. It's all fascinating to observe.
See what's on the screen at the Jacob Burns Jewish Film Festival here.
