Scarsdale's Most Popular Teacher?
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- Written by Melissa Hellman
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Scarsdale residents might be surprised to learn that one of the most popular teachers in the community is someone whose name is unknown to the Village's school age children. Alfred Hunt has been teaching for the Scarsdale Adult School on and off for the last 15 years. His extremely popular classes always fill-up and often have waiting lists. I observed two of Professor Hunt's classes and can attest that his rapport with the students and his delivery of information (in a charming, slight southern drawl left over from his origins in Memphis, Tennessee) is as impressive as his credentials.
Hunt is a Professor Emeritus of History at SUNY Purchase where he was the Dean of the College of Letters and Sciences from 1989-2000. His specialty there was the American South and his academic degrees are in American Studies from University of Texas at Austin. He was the creator and on-camera host of "Critical Issues," an award-winning SUNY-sponsored cable talk show, and was also the recipient of the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching. He is the author of Haiti's Influence on Antebellum America, and numerous scholarly articles. Hunt has been a Fulbright Scholar in Venice, Italy and Barbados, West Indies, as well as founder, director, and instructor in study abroad programs in Spain and Italy. He started lecturing and teaching adult communities while he was still at SUNY and enjoyed it so much that he decided to stick with it after his retirement in 2007. He humorously commented that his continuing education students are "less sleepy" than his undergraduates and there are "no papers to grade". However, he is often assigned homework as I witnessed many class members stroll in early to ask him if he has read a certain book or article and he noted it all for future reading and discussion.
Hunt has also been a faculty member for several years with the Semester at Sea program that has taken him around the world three times. This program is essentially a different type of abroad experience where students and faculty live on a ship and visit many countries. For example, in Spring 2016 this program is offering "A Voyage Around The World, 101 Days, 15 Cities, 11 Countries" with travel to Africa, Asia and Europe. Not only for college students, adults can travel on these voyages too through the organization's Lifelong Learning Program. Check out their website at www.semesteratsea.org.
One of Hunt's Scarsdale Adult School classes is a series of lectures on world politics and culture. On February 3, 2015 he lectured on China for 90 minutes covering its history, culture, economics, and current challenges such as environmental problems and human rights issues. He was able to supplement his vast knowledge with anecdotes from his personal visits over the years.
Hunt also leads a very much in demand class on current events. I observed a class on which the topic was the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. The discussion might have gotten overly heated and aggressive given the topic, but in fact is it was collegial, serious, and punctuated with humor. Hunt sets the stage so that differences of opinion are encouraged and treated respectfully. Everyone in the class is on a first name basis, Hunt included. He knows every participant's name and does a wonderful job of including all in the discussion without putting anyone on the spot. He provides reading material prior to class, but it is not mandatory. The group is very well informed and often referenced books, articles and lectures recently attended. Class members tend to enroll for multiple terms creating a group of "regulars" however new members and new points of view are most welcome. The class as a whole leans a bit to the left politically, but several students told me how much they missed a former very right leaning member of the group and how much value he added to the discussion. Hunt said he sometimes tries to provoke debate if he sees that everyone is in too much agreement.
After class, I spoke with participants Simon and Nita Jacobson who informed me that they never miss class and get up at midnight when on-line registration opens to make sure they get a spot. This is their fourth time participating in this program and they also audited Hunt's classes when he taught at Purchase.
Hunt has been living in this area for more than 30 years. He currently resides with his family in Carmel, NY and happily makes the trip to Scarsdale several times a week.
In addition to lively discussion, this class provides an opportunity to socialize in a manner similar to a book group. If you want to meet a bunch of smart, friendly people and/or if you are missing that favorite professor from your college days, you should definitely try to experience one of Alfred Hunt's classes. Visit www.scarsdaleadultschool.org for enrollment information.
Scarsdale Rotary Club Food and Wine Fundraiser on March 12
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Rotary Club of Scarsdale, NY will host its 6th annual fine Food and Wine Fundraiser event on Thursday, March 12, 2015 from 6pm - 8pm at The Scarsdale Woman's Club located on 37 Drake Rd. The evening will feature dozens of raffle items and a live auction that includes a professional team of chefs to prepare a fine dinner in your home for up to eight guests and a large screen 4K Ultra HD TV system.
Local Scarsdale Rotary members and sponsors will host an evening filled with fine food and wine from local restaurants, including Chat, Moscato's, Lange's Deli, Bistro 808, Meritage, Savona and several others. Tickets for the evening are on sale now at at the Scarsdale Rotary website www.ScarsdaleRotary.org, for $80 each.
Sponsorships are available the $400 or $1000 level (each level includes tickets and other perks). Early bird event sponsors include: The Scarsdale Agency, WMC HOLDINGS, Value Electronics, Houlihan Lawrence, Webster Bank, the Berk Family and Pepe Mercedes.
What will contributions support?
Almost all of the costs of the event were donated to the Rotary, so that sales and sponsorships will go almost entirely to the Rotary Club's charitable work. New this year, the Scarsdale Rotary Club has named 5 local charities as primary beneficiaries of the event --each will receive approximately 12% of the money raised:
Greenburgh Nature Center
A local 22-acre nature preserve with trails, a pond and gardens. The property is a significant wildlife habitat refuge, both for indigenous species and for the hundreds of species of migratory birds that is used in as a resting place on their spring and fall travels. The property includes two wetland sites and a wildflower meadow, which is used as a nesting area for Eastern box turtles.
Lakota Children's Enrichment, Inc.
A for-purpose corporation with headquarters in Scarsdale NY and founded by Scarsdale resident Maggie Dunne. LCE empowers Lakota youth on the Pine Ridge Reservation in SD and amplifies their voices by providing mentorship and opportunities in the arts, education, sports, leadership and community service. Pine Ridge Reservation is located in three of the USA's poorest counties.
Scarsdale & Edgemont Family Counseling Services
A local community organization that strengthens family and community life by providing individual, family and group therapy. SFCS also provides outreach to youth, services to elders, and public programs relating to family life issues. A staple in the community since 1920.
The Scarsdale Foundation
The Foundation supports institutions and individuals that encourage educational and human development as well as mutual understanding and recognizes those in the community who through volunteer service continue to set an example of civic responsibility toward the betterment of the community.
Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps
For over 40 years SVAC has answered the call of residents, workers, and communities in the town of Scarsdale by providing emergency ambulance services to the community. SVAC is staffed by a combination of paid paramedics and volunteer emergency medical technicians, and other appropriately trained volunteers.
The remaining proceeds will fund contributions to Polio Plus, Well Water in Haiti, and the Scarsdale Rotary Club's annual grants disbursed through its grant application process. Recent grant recipients include:
Acceleration Project of Scarsdale, Advance Kids X-Press Enrichment Program, Andrus Children's Center, Afya Foundation, Children's Village, Eagle Scouts of Scarsdale, Girl's Inc. of Westchester, Heartsong Child Therapy Programs, Let's Get Ready, Make-A-Wish of Hudson Valley, My Sister's Place, Midnight Run by the Hitchcock Church, New Seed International, Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Program and West Point Junior Alpine Ski Team.
Mark your calendar for March 12 for an evening of fun, while supporting local charities and beyond.
Scarsdale Data Wrangler Helps Yonkers Students Get College-Ready
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Scarsdale resident Bud Kroll was profiled on the front page of the Journal News on January 6th for education research he recently published for the local non-profit Yonkers Partners in Education (YPIE). Kroll is a retired investment manager who has been focused on inner city public education issues since 2009. A member of YPIE's board, he has been a volunteer teaching assistant in math classrooms in Yonkers, and serves as the organization's pro bono 'data wrangler', collecting and analyzing internal and external data to better evaluate the needs and program results of the group's work. "Yonkers is literally Scarsdale's next door neighbor, yet the challenges that many Yonkers students face are almost incomprehensible to most Scarsdale families," said Kroll.
YPIE's Program Director, Ellen Cutler-Levy, is an Edgemont resident.
"YPIE College Centers in six Yonkers high schools logged over 29,000 student visits in 2013-14 with 95% of Yonkers seniors using the centers in their schools. 135 YPIE Scholars are mentored weekly by 65 volunteer coaches, several from Scarsdale over their four years in high school. And that is just part of the work we are doing," said Cutler-Levy.
Kroll's recent paper, College and Career Readiness in the New York State Public Schools, came out of work he was doing for YPIE to evaluate and quantify the need for the organization to expand its focus to include student college and career readiness, in addition to the work YPIE was already doing in college awareness and access.
"The relationship between educational outcomes and poverty has been well documented for years, but this new framework allowed us to quantitatively derive a "handicap" for this highly correlated variable that enabled us to identify how well districts and individual schools were doing net of poverty. No longer can districts 'blame' their results on poverty, we can now clearly see those districts and individual schools who are doing better, and worse, than 'expected' given student poverty levels. This allows us to focus resources and attention on districts and schools that are underperforming net of poverty, and learn best practices from net outperforming schools."
YPIE is using Kroll's findings to shape its program offerings. Several Scarsdale and Edgemont residents volunteer at YPIE's College and Career Centers and its YPIE Scholars mentoring program. YPIE is expanding its programs and is looking for more volunteers. Information about opportunities to get involved or help financially are on the YPIE website.
Pepe Auto Group to Sponsor Two Charitable Events
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Pepe Auto Group has signed on as the Official Luxury Auto Group for the Westchester Knicks in their inaugural season at the Westchester County Center. In addition, the Pepe Infiniti Dealership in White Plains will be the setting for the Junior League of Central Westchester's BIG NIGHT OUT: Big Night, Big Causes, Big Impact on Friday, March 27, 2015. Pepe Auto Group represents all five dealerships: Mercedes Benz of White Plains, Mercedes Benz of New Rochelle, Porsche of Larchmont, Pepe Infiniti, and Pepe Cadillac.
As a sponsor for the Westchester Knicks event, Pepe Auto Group chose My Sisters' Place, a White Plains based organization that provides education, awareness, and legal services to those suffering from, or at risk of domestic violence to benefit from exposure and outreach at the event.
Pepe Auto Group has supported hundreds of local organizations through various philanthropic efforts over the years. My Sisters' Place, though, has developed an excellent partnership specifically with Mercedes Benz of White Plains.
"We're proud to be a sponsor of the Westchester Knicks, and even prouder to be able to bring in an organization close to our hearts, that has such a great impact in the sports community and our greater community at large," says Gary Turco, General Manager of Mercedes Benz of White Plains. "We love working with My Sisters' Place, and we do what we can to always support them."
Nearly 2,500 are expected to attend their dedicated game on Friday, February 6. The Knicks will play in a purple uniform branded with the My Sisters' Place logo. In a special pre-game ceremony, the Knicks will present Karen Cheeks-Lomax, Executive Director of My Sisters' Place, and Gary with a commemorative team jersey. During half time, the Knicks will show a recorded interview with Mr. Turco and Ms. Cheeks-Lomax.
There will also be a silent auction featuring three signed Knicks jerseys and an informational table about programs and services from My Sisters' Place. Proceeds from both the game and silent auction will go to My Sisters' Place.
My Sisters' Place will be selling raffle tickets for a two year lease on a Mercedes-Benz CLA250, donated by Mercedes Benz of White Plains. Raffles will be sold through July, and the winner will be announced at the Annual Savor & Support Event, hosted by Mercedes Benz of White Plains. For more information on raffle sales, please call 914.683.1333 ext. 142. To purchase tickets, please visit ticketmaster.com.
Junior League Big Night Out
The Junior League of Central Westchester (JLCW) will host BIG NIGHT OUT: Big Night, Big Causes, Big Impact, on Friday, March 27, 2015 at Pepe Infiniti in White Plains. The evening festivities will include a cocktail reception, dinner, silent auction and musical entertainment. As one of the JLCW's primary fundraisers, BIG NIGHT OUT will provide essential financial support for the JLCW's educational and charitable projects. Over the past 67 years, the JLCW has been committed to promoting volunteerism; developing the potential of women; and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.
Big Night Out will celebrate the launch and success of the JLCW Westchester County Diaper Bank, an effort in conjunction with the Westchester County Government to end the silent epidemic of diaper deprivation. "Diapers are a basic need for children – as essential as food and shelter," said County Executive Robert P. Astorino. "I want to thank the Junior League of Central Westchester for this tremendous partnership. Along with the county's Department of Social Services (DSS), together we are working to keep babies clean, safe and healthy."
Big Night Out will honor The Acceleration Project (TAP) and its co-founders, Lisa Tretler (a JLCW sustainer member) and Jane Veron for sharing in its commitment to tapping the potential of women. Their impact in the local community is evident through their recent "Buy Local Campaign" in conjunction with the Scarsdale Chamber of Commerce. "TAP and the JLCW care greatly about tapping the potential of women and directing their talents for the betterment of the community," said TAP co-founders Tretler and Veron. "We are thrilled to be honored by an organization so closely aligned with our mission and values."
Big Night Out is open to the public and will be attended by JLCW members and other prominent members of the community. The evening will include cocktails, dinner and a silent auction, including exciting one-of-a-kind items like vacation getaways, tickets to sporting events and Broadway shows. All proceeds from the event will support the JLCW's initiatives and the Westchester County Diaper Bank.
"We are so thrilled to celebrate the success of the JLCW Westchester County Diaper Bank at Big Night Out," said Nikki Hahn, President of the Junior League of Central Westchester. "We also couldn't be happier to be honoring TAP and its co-founders Lisa Tretler and Jane Veron, both of whom share in the JLCW's commitment to helping improve the local community as well as developing the potential of women. Funds raised at Big Night Out will help further many of these important causes."
For more information on Big Night Out, becoming a sponsor, advertising in the journal, or donating to the silent auction, please contact the JLCW office at (914) 723-6130, email jlcw@verizon.net or click here:
Scarsdale Troop 2 Life Scouts Complete Environmental Training
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Scarsdale Life Scout Aidan Connolly, along with adult leader Mark Schivley, both from the Immaculate Heart of Mary-sponsored Troop 2 of Scarsdale, were among 25 scouts and scout leaders who attended the Leave No Trace/Tread Lightly trainer course last month at the Agatha A. Durland Scout Reservation in Putnam Valley.
The 16-hour experiential learning course presented the seven principles of Leave No Trace, a program designed by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, which is a non-profit organization that provides a framework for outdoor recreation decision making.
The purpose of the training was to teach the ethical decision making skills required to promote conservation while involved in non-motorized outdoor recreation. The principles of Leave No Trace are dedicated to protecting the great outdoors, and teaching participants about the innovative and practical methods of maintaining the outdoors for further generations.
Discussing the event, Scoutmaster Ed Gruber explained that, "The Leave No Trace/Tread Lightly training initiative incorporates much of what the Boys Scouts of America believes in, which is to instill values in young people and prepare them to make moral and ethical choices throughout their lives."
Aidan, 14, a Yonkers resident, and Schivley, from Eastchester, spent two days immersed in the Leave No Trace and Tread Lightly workshops so that they were equipped to train others in their troop. Both participants made presentations based on their personal views of how to camp and hike in ways that were respectful to the outdoors, and were awarded the Black Oval Leave No Trace trainer patch as well as the Tread Lightly pin.
