Four SHS Students Win Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
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- Written by: Wendy MacMillan
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What do four talented Scarsdale High School students have in common with renowned artists like Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Robert Redford, Andy Warhol, Joyce Carol Oates, Lena Dunham, and Amanda Gorman? In addition to their gifts of creativity, they also have all earned top recognition from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
On Wednesday, June 11, 2025, Mia Bornstein, Audrey Li, PJ Rosenthal, and Eric Kwon were among the other National Medalists and their educators who were honored with a star-studded ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
According to their website, “the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, were founded in 1923 and, for more than a century, have inspired bold ideas in creative teens throughout the country.” This year, nearly 110,000 students participated in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards with entries coming from all over the U.S. and Canada.
The Scholastic website also explains that all entries for the Scholastic Awards are” first considered regionally for Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention awards. Entries that win a Gold Key are automatically considered for National Awards, including Gold Medal, Silver Medal, and scholarship awards.”
Both PJ Rosenthal and Eric Kwon were awarded silver medals at the national level while Audrey Li and Mia 
Bornstein had their pieces recognized with a gold medal. What's More, Mia Bornstein’s submission not only won a gold medal but also earned her the additional honor of an American Voices Medal! This prestigious recognition is only bestowed to one, gold-key winning, nominee from each region and Bornstein’s “Portrait of Pluto” beautifully displays all the qualities of originality, skill, and the emergence of a personal voice, that jurors were looking for.
In her award-winning essay, Bornstein artfully explores the constructs of identity and belonging through a haunting reflection of Pluto as a “counterfeit planet” and the subjective, societal norms that dictate what “matters”. She superbly weaves together words which evoke profound ideas, vivid imagery, and heartfelt emotions. While impossible to do her essay justice by trying to describe it here, it is easy to understand why “Portrait of Pluto” was selected for such an elite recognition.
In addition to the celebration at Carnegie Hall, selections of the national winners are showcased in exhibitions and publications throughout the year. To learn more about the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, see here.
And to read Bornstein’s resonant and award-winning essay, see this link to “Portrait of Pluto” click here.
Quaker Ridge Says Farewell to Fifth Grade
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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The air was filled with excitement and a touch of bittersweet emotion as 78 students, their families, teachers and staff gathered for the Quaker Ridge Elementary School annual 5th Grade Moving Up Ceremony on Friday, June 13th, 2025. The event marked a meaningful milestone as the Class of 2025 prepared to leave the comfort of QRS and take their next big step towards middle school.
The celebration began in the hallways of Quaker Ridge with a full school participation clap out as 5th graders made their way to the auditorium. School principal, Felix Gil, kicked off the ceremony with an opening address that praised the students’ hard work, growth and resilience throughout their elementary journey which began the Fall of 2019.
The ceremony included both a fun and beautiful performance by the 5th grade chorus and heartfelt speeches from student representatives. 5th Grade Teachers: Suzanne Burns, Amysue Kenney, Kerri Gega and Joanny Marty took turns recognizing each student with a certificate of completion. In continuation, this year's outgoing PTA President, Lindsay Forschner recited legacy names of those families whose youngest child(ren) would be moving on from Quaker Ridge.
The event ended with an original song “Farewell to Fifth Grade” written by all 5th Grade teachers complete with hand movements and strong, exciting energy. As the ceremony ended, families gathered outside for photos and congratulations, the energy was hopeful and bright.
Congratulations to the Quaker Ridge Class of 2025- we can’t wait to see all you’ll accomplish next!
Scarsdale's Flag Football Team Wins State Championship
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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Scarsdale High School Girls Flag Football Team completed an undefeated season with a win at the state championships at Cortland High School on Sunday June 8, 2025. The team scored a 22-6 win over Half Hollow Hills in the Class A championship game.
It’s an amazing run for a team that is only three years old, with Flag Football first launched at SHS when the Section 1 League began in 2022.
Commenting on the team’s season, Scarsdale High School Athletic Director Cindy Parrott said, “As far as Flag, they played three intense postseason games that were won by making big plays on both offense and defense. They are a well-coached, smart, athletic team that put together a season to remember, finishing 22-0. I am thrilled for the coaches, players, parents, and the larger Scarsdale community for the excitement this team created throughout the season. It was an amazing experience to be part of such a special accomplishment.”
And Superintendent Drew Patrick said, "I want to congratulate the Scarsdale High School Girls Flag Football Team on winning state championship with a 22 and zero record. They defeated Fayetteville-Manlius on Saturday and Half Hollow Hills on Sunday to win that title in Cortland. Thank you to our coaches, Tom Newkirk and Mindy Genovese and to Scarsdale Police Department for the championship escort they provided to our returning athletes as they came to their supporting family and friends down Post Road and to SHS."
Class of 2025 Shows Its True Colors at SHS Prom
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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Though the skies were threatening before the Scarsdale High School Prom on May 29, nothing could dampen the spirits of the Class of 2025 who turned out in a resplendent display for the red carpet event.
We noted a few trends this year:
First, blue is the new black. Girls wore all shades of navy, aqua, sky and teal, some in shimmering silk and others adorned in sequins. We saw one young lady with locks of blue hair and noted that many of the young men had traded traditional black tuxedos for navy suits.
Cultural or traditional gowns were in. This year, a number of young women wore saris and we spotted others in Asian silks as well.
Gowns in solid jewel tones remained popular this year. Monochrome gowns in reds, blues, greens and purples ruled the runway.
Also new this year was a colorful fan step and repeat backdrop for photos – it made a great background for vibrant photos of the Class of 2025.
Teachers, administrators, parents, coaches and community members lined the path of the red carpet to cheer the class as they paraded to the coach buses to convey them to the prom at Glen Island in New Rochelle.
Prom Co-Chairs Karen Hogan and Jocelyn Gibian said, "This event couldn't happen without the joint efforts of the administration, the custodians, and the PTA. It was a joy to see the seniors all decked out in their gowns and tuxedos. And we were so glad the weather cooperated!" They thanked Andrea O'Gorman, Ben Sawyer and Luis Magalhaes for their help.
We did our best to capture as many class members as we could – but if you have photos to add to the gallery, please email them to scarsdalecomments@gmail.com.
Kerry Hayes and Katie Rich designed the fan step and repeat. Pictured here with Prom Co-Chairs Karen Hogan and Jocelyn Gibian.
A 78.55% Approval for the 2025-26 Scarsdale School Budget
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Board President Suzie Hahn and Superintendent Andrew PatrickThe 2025-26 school budget sailed through with a 78.55% approval rate on Tuesday May 20, 2025. With little controversy and no organized resistance, the $191.5mm budget passed with 586 yes votes, vs. 160 no votes. The vote count was similar to prior years when the budget increase did not exceed the tax cap, but in a community of more than 17,000 residents, with 4,700 students in the schools, voter representation for the most important contest of the year was somewhat anemic.
Also on the ballot were three school board members. Current Board President Suzie Hahn was re-elected to serve another three-year term with 634 votes. Colleen Brown, also up for a second term, was elected with 602 votes, and Laura Liu, who was nominated for her first term received 615 votes.
During budget discussions the Board confronted many challenges. First, increased costs have required them to drain reserves over the past few years as they are unable to increase taxes to balance the budget due to the NYS tax cap. The decrease in reserves may make next year’s budget even more difficult to balance. In addition, a rising number of students in the Special Education Program has resulted in the need to hire more staff and fund services. Costs for the district’s self-insured health plan have exceeded budget estimates and it is difficult to predict expenses year over year.
Board Members Jim Dugan, Leah Dembitzer, Laura Liu (Elected to serve July 2026) Suzie Hahn, Colleen Brown, Amber Yusuf
The Board also received feedback from some parents who said their children were struggling with a new 
Board Members Leah Dembitzer, Amber Yusuf and Colleen Brown with newly elected Board Member Laura Liuelementary school math curriculum called Reveal Math. And some parents and students at the high school objected to a change in the grading policy called the “Rolling Gradebook.”
However despite the challenges, the Board and Administration managed to come to consensus on a budget that increases the tax rate for Scarsdale residents by 1.77% and stays under the tax cap. It maintains elementary school classes sizes, allows for the construction of playgrounds and a turf practice field at the high school and funds the acquisition of three electric buses and the installation of the necessary infrastructure to power them.
Commenting on the outcome, Superintendent Patrick said, "This year’s budget process was a challenging one. We are grateful to our community for their input during the process, and strong community support of our students through the adoption of this budget. This budget will allow our schools to continue to reach the high standards we expect for our students while staying within the tax cap. We look forward to continuing to provide an exceptional educational experience for our students in keeping with our strategic plan priorities, Learning, Living, Leading.”
Suzie Hahn, President of the Scarsdale Board of Education said, “On behalf of the Board, thank you to the community for your support of our schools and our students. I would also like to thank District Clerk Honore Adams, Chair Meg Simon, all of the poll workers who volunteered their time, and the Scarsdale Middle School staff for ensuring everything ran smoothly. Congratulations to Colleen on her re-election and Laura on her election to the School Board. I look forward to serving with them and the rest of the Board in the coming year.”
Scarsdale High School also held an election today for two Ex Officio student seats on the Board of Education. In accordance with a recently enacted law, the Scarsdale Board of Education developed a policy and process to guide the selection of student members. Four candidates for each of two positions were on today’s ballot. Anish Mehta will represent the Class of 2026, and Lucy Eisenberg, will represent the Class of 2027.
On Tuesday night, a small group of school administrators, members of the Board of Education and District Clerk Honoree Adams gathered in the gym of the middle school after the vote closed at 9 pm and cheered when they learned of the almost 80% approval rate from Meg Simon who served as Chair of the Vote.
Meghan Troy, Andrew Lennon, Eric Rauschenbach and Drew Patrick
A happy night for the Scarsdale Schools.
