An Enchanted Evening Celebrates Community and Support for SFCS
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- Written by: Sharon Higgins
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James Genova.On the evening of Thursday, May 14, Scarsdale Edgemont Family Counseling Service held its annual benefit gala, An Enchanted Evening, at Scarsdale Golf Club. It was a beautiful night with perfect spring weather, as many friends and supporters of SFCS gathered to celebrate and support the meaningful work the organization continues to provide throughout the community. This year’s gala focused not only on fundraising, but also on recognizing the organization’s remarkable 106-year history and the vital support it brings to children, students, parents, and seniors throughout Scarsdale and Edgemont.
Guests enjoyed the gala’s traditional silent auction during cocktail hour, browsing a wide array of offerings while catching up with friends and neighbors. Vicki Tse, President of Scarsdale Friends of Music and Art, also organized several student musical performances throughout the hour. Attendees were especially delighted by the talented student violinists, whose performances added an elegant touch to the event.
As dinner began, returning emcee Lori Rothman welcomed guests and helped set a warm and lively tone for the evening. SFCS Co-Presidents Amy Nadasdi and Wendy Gendel thanked the committee members who worked tirelessly to organize the gala and also acknowledged the many local government officials and representatives from the Scarsdale Public Schools who attended in support of SFCS. Rothman later entertained the crowd with a comedic routine before introducing James Genova, LCSW and Executive Director of SFCS.
Genova reflected on the organization’s history and shared his own personal journey with SFCS, which began more than 25 years ago before becoming Executive Director in 2014. He spoke about the broad reach of SFCS throughout the Scarsdale community, touching the lives of children, parents, and seniors alike. He encouraged attendees to reflect on how SFCS may have impacted them personally, a child, or a parent over the years, and expressed his hope that every interaction with the organization had been both supportive and professional. Genova also emphasized that the organization’s success throughout the decades would not have been possible without the continued support of the community, noting that SFCS is the last nonprofit agency of its kind remaining in Westchester County.
Gala Committee Co-Chairs Kathy Stahler and Rona Montner offered closing remarks before dessert, thanking guests for their generosity and continued support of SFCS.
Amy Nadasdi, Co-President of SFCS, had this to say to sum up the evening,“This year's Gala reminded us of something we already knew but are always grateful to see. That this community shows up for one another. What struck me most wasn't just the generosity, but the unified spirit in the room. People came together around something that reflects the best of who we are, and our shared values. SFCS is truly grateful for that support, and for the recognition that the work we do truly matters to this community.”
The evening highlighted the meaningful impact SFCS continues to have throughout the community and the strong support that allows the organization to continue its important work for families across Scarsdale and Edgemont.
Maroon and White Signing Day
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- Written by: Jeremy Gorrin
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Stella Van Arsdale signing to Rochester.On Wednesday, May 6th, Scarsdale High School held their athlete signing day, for students who are going to continue playing sports for their college. The event started off with acknowledging the athletes who won a section championship during the winter season. Then shifted over to the athletes playing in college. Alex Israel signed to Colgate for rowing. Henry Lamberg signed to St. John’s for baseball. Stella Van Arsdale signed to Rochester for soccer. Emily Baron signed to Mount Saint Mary College for volleyball. Rachel Rakower signed to Caltech for track. Oliver Bandsma signed with the Coast Guard for rowing. Koji Hirata signed to the University of Toronto for baseball. Kieran Lee signed to Williams College for swim and dive.
Alex Israel signing to Colgate.
Henry Lamberg signing to St. John’s.
Emily Baron signing to Mount Saint Mary College.
Rachel Rakower signing to Caltech.
Oliver Bandsma signing with the Coast Guard.
Koji Hirata signing to the University of Toronto.
Kieran Lee signing to Williams College.
Scarsdale Teens in the News
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Board Members of PeaceofCakes: Sofia Polak, Tali Blumenfeld and Tomi Stainfeld, present a $1,550 donation check to Brody Cohen Spencer Perla, Tyler Mitchell and Ryan Goldfarb from the Children’s Hope Chest.Teens are making a difference around town - take a look at their news below:
Student Nonprofit PeaceofCakes Donates $1,550 and Cakes to Support Children in Need
Board Members of PeaceofCakes: Sofia Polak, Tali Blumenfeld and Tomi Stainfeld, present a $1,550 donation check to Brody Cohen Spencer Perla, Tyler Mitchell and Ryan Goldfarb from the Children’s Hope Chest.
A group of Scarsdale students is making a meaningful impact in the community—one cake at a time.
PeaceofCakes.org , a youth-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit run by Scarsdale students, recently donated $1,550 to Children’s Hope Chest and provided 40 homemade cakes to the JCCA Pleasantville Cottage School, bringing both financial support and moments of joy to children facing hardship.
Founded and operated entirely by local students, PeaceofCakes bakes and sells cakes with 100% of proceeds benefiting children-focused charities locally and globally. Over the past five years, the organization has baked more than 1,300 cakes and donated over $30,000 to causes supporting children’s wellbeing.
The donation to Children’s Hope Chest will help fund programs for vulnerable children, while the cakes delivered to JCCA Pleasantville Cottage School offered a simple but meaningful gesture of kindness to students in residential care.
On May 5, the group donated 40 cakes to the Scarsdale High School’s Teacher appreciation luncheon.
With their guiding belief that 'bringing peace to others should be a piece of cake,' these Scarsdale students continue to demonstrate the power of youth-led service and community collaboration.
www.peaceofcakes.org, Tomi Stainfeld - [email protected]
Meals on Wheels Scarsdale Junior Board Hosts Inaugural “Spring in Your Step” 5K, Raising Over $12,000 for Homebound 
Seniors
Despite less-than-ideal weather, the Meals on Wheels Scarsdale Junior Board celebrated a triumphant milestone this past month, on April 19th, with the inaugural Spring in Your Step 5K, drawing determined runners and raising over $12,000 for the local Meals on Wheels chapter.
The race, organized by the Junior Board under the leadership of Ethan Grossberg and Becca Friedland, had originally been planned as a Frosty 5K in December, but a snowstorm forced a postponement. Undeterred, the team rescheduled for spring, and while the weather once again refused to fully cooperate, runners persevered in impressive fashion. The strong turnout for a first-year race in challenging conditions speaks volumes about the community’s commitment to this cause.
“We are thrilled to share that together we have raised over $12,000 for the Meals on Wheels chapter here in Scarsdale,” said Junior Board co-leaders Grossberg and Friedland. “The support from our community has been truly overwhelming.”
The funds raised will directly support Meals on Wheels Scarsdale, a local chapter of the national nonprofit dedicated to delivering nutritious meals to homebound seniors who are unable to prepare food for themselves. The Scarsdale chapter serves vulnerable members of the local community, ensuring they receive not only nourishment but also a daily connection to their neighbors.
This event marks another proud achievement for what is believed to be the first-ever junior board established for a Meals on Wheels chapter. Since its founding, the Junior Board has been a driving force of creativity and energy — creating birthday bags for meal recipients, delivering holiday-themed treats, and now organizing this landmark 5K race.
“We are extremely grateful to our sponsors,” the Junior Board noted. “Their generosity made this event, and this mission, possible.”
The Meals on Wheels Scarsdale Junior Board looks forward to continuing to grow its programming and community impact in the year ahead.
For more information about Meals on Wheels Scarsdale or the Junior Board, please contact Ethan Grossberg ([email protected]) or Becca Friedland ([email protected]).
Panther Power Washing, LLC
Noah Nevitt, Connor Jordan, David Rosen
When spring arrives in Scarsdale and Edgemont, homeowners looking to clean up their properties are increasingly calling Panther Power Washing, a business started by Edgemont High School sophomore Noah Nevitt and named for the school’s Panther mascot. Nevitt launched the company three years ago, taking on small jobs in his neighborhood and gradually expanding. Today, he services homes across lower Westchester, handling walkways, patios, siding, and windows, and also offers snow removal for Edgemont residents during the winter months.
Nevitt runs the business while balancing school and playing lacrosse, often scheduling jobs after classes and on weekends. As demand has grown, so has his operation: he employs teams of local students, typically 3 to 5 for power washing jobs, with snow removal crews expanding to as many as 15 during the winter season. He has also spent significant time researching proper cleaning solutions and techniques to ensure professional-quality results across different surfaces, and uses digital tools to plan and manage jobs efficiently.
In addition to customer referrals, he promotes the business through lawn signs, door hangers, local sponsorships, and Facebook, along with a professional website that has helped streamline customer inquiries and scheduling—efforts that have made the Panther name increasingly visible throughout the community. Recommendations from satisfied customers remain his most reliable source of new business, reflecting a focus on consistent, high-quality service. As the season gets underway, Panther Power Washing continues to grow as a well-established local business built on initiative, organization, and strong community demand.
Students Design Solutions with Compassion at SHS Pitch Night
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Like Scarsdale High School’s very own Shark Tank but with a meaningful civic twist, students, teachers, parents, and friends gathered in the SHS auditorium on the evening of Wednesday, April 22, to hear 18 product and concept pitches. More than 55 STEM students from four sections of the AT Entrepreneurship class presented their ideas, each rooted not only in innovation and sound business practices, but also in a shared mission, to support individuals with disabilities and improve the broader community.
The students’ creativity and dedication were evident throughout the evening, both in their polished, enthusiastic presentations and in the interactive demonstrations that followed in the lobby. It was an impressive, successful, and genuinely uplifting event. SHS STEAM teachers Brian McDonald and Tabitha Sasso kicked off the evening and set the stage for the presentations.
McDonald had this to say about the night: “In our ninth year of doing this, I’m still surprised by what students bring to the table. They only have five minutes to share a years-long project, that could easily take another year or two to fully realize. Even so, I always enjoy seeing just how much progress they make in such a short time.
The goal of the course, and the broader program, is to give students the confidence, agency, and empathy to go into the world and focus on things that genuinely make a difference in people’s lives, especially for those who need it most. Once our students graduate, they go on to a wide range of careers. But our hope is that this experience exposes them to perspectives and problems they may not have otherwise encountered.
This course means many different things for individual students. For some, we hope when they see someone with disabilities, they no longer see someone as “other,” but as a person who is more like them, but has to adapt creatively to a world that isn't inclusively designed for them. Some students enter the program thinking engineering isn’t for them, or unsure if they’re capable of improving someone else’s life. Through hard work and creativity, they begin to realize that meaningful change starts small, and scales. And that they can be part of it.
And other students leave with the confidence to put something into the world even if it isn’t perfect. They come to understand that the process isn’t about perfection, but about learning from each iteration and using those insights to make something better.
Since the program began, students have created over 100 projects aimed at improving our community. More importantly, we hope we’ve played a small part in helping each student become a more empathetic and confident changemaker.”
The range of ideas presented was both wide-ranging and thoughtful. Projects included tools to support elementary reading comprehension (Engravinator), adaptive wheelchair designs for flag football (Flag Fit), and devices for retrieving balls and playing lawn games (Reach Play and Parity Play). Students also developed ergonomic grips for those with hand arthritis (TrueGrip), leadership certification programs for student-athletes (Aspace), and sustainable fashion initiatives focused on upcycling and recycling (Cut & Construct and Circulate). Other concepts included smart recycling systems (Walden) and a database connecting local volunteer opportunities with community members (Case Connect).|
Several projects focused on supporting individuals on the autism spectrum, including story preparation tools (StoryPrep) and resources 
to help autistic athletes build relationships with coaches (Vof). Additional innovations included accessible video game controllers for those with motor disabilities (Gridless), educational board games that promote cultural awareness (Culture Connect), assistive furniture designed to help users transition from sitting to standing (Fit to Stand), modular play surfaces made from recycled materials (Terra Tiles), and adaptive cooking tools for the visually impaired (Clear Cook).
SHS senior Ian Rozens of the Walden team had this to say about the evening: “The class AT entrepreneurship allowed us to learn about engineering, business and presentational skills that enabled us to produce a product we are very proud of. Mr. McDonald and Mrs. Sasso were extremely encouraging and they provided us with insight that has prepared us for future entrepreneurial endeavors.”
The evening concluded with demonstrations in the lobby, where attendees had the opportunity to engage directly with the students and explore their work in greater detail. It was a truly feel-good night that highlighted not only ingenuity and technical skill, but also empathy and purpose.
Prom 2026: Trends For This Year's Runway
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- Written by: Lexi Perry
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The Scarsdale Prom is right around the corner on May 28 at Glen Island Harbour Club. For most, finding what to wear is 90% of the excitement and 90% of the stress. We have put together a guide to help identify trends and options this year. As always, prom attire is about self-expression and bold choices. But this year, there is also a ton of throwback inspiration mixed in. If you are still searching for ideas, here is what is trending for 2026.
Statement Silhouettes
Structure is back in a big way. Loose and drapey dresses have given way to '90s era slip dresses and corset tops. Even tuxedos are getting a cool modern edge. Some people are going for full-on ball gowns with asymmetrical cuts. If it has a strong shape, it's in this year.
Colors That Pop
You cannot go wrong with classic black or navy. But many people have been selecting bolder colors this year, such as ruby red, electric blue, hot pink, and emerald green. If that is too much of a statement, pastels like lavender, ice blue, and butter yellow are also super cute. For those feeling daring, animal print is back again. Leopard and cheetah are everywhere. For a more subtle yet unique look, polka dots and oversized florals work too.
Fabrics That Shine
Daniela Silk Dress from Reformation
Metallics and sequins are also back. Full shimmery gowns or reflective suits for the guys, because high-shine materials are an option if you want to catch every light in the room. For a more classic look, satin and chiffon are still going strong.
All About the Texture
In addition to the shine, there are applications that complete the dress. Expect to see 3D floral appliqués, tulle layers, lace details, and intricate beading. Many are adding small details like oversized bows, high slits, open backs, and interesting necklines to make their dresses stand out.
Thrifting and Sustainability
Another trend that remains strong is thrifting your prom outfit. Renting formalwear, restyling what you already own, and shopping in secondhand shops all remain great options for those with an eye and a desire for something different. It is better for the planet, and you end up with unique pieces that nobody else will have.
Accessories That Actually Matter
Finally, accessories complete the look. The right statement earrings or a pair of killer shoes can totally transform a simple dress. And the guys can get involved here too, through choosing a patterned tie, a fun pocket square, or even sneakers to make their suits more personal and comfortable.
Where to Shop
There are so many options this year, both in person and online. Local boutiques like Chic Boutique and A Step Ahead are great for seeing fabrics and trying things on right away. Also, department stores like Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom always have great options. For online shopping, Revolve (https://www.revolve.com), House of CB (https://app.houseofcb.com), Reformation (https://www.thereformation.com), Oh Polly (https://us.ohpolly.com), Peppermayo (https://us.peppermayo.com) Meshki (https://www.meshki.us), and Lucy in the Sky (https://www.lucyinthesky.com) all have really cute stuff at reasonable prices. Going the sustainable route? Venture out to a local thrift store (e.g., Vintage (297 Bedford Rd, Bedford Hills) or Fantastic Finds (400 King Street #6, Chappaqua)) or try Rent the Runway. 
Custom made at GeraldinasAnd if you want something totally one-of-a-kind made by a local tailor, reach out to Geraldina’s Couture at 914-607-2643. Her shop is located at 455 S. Central Park Avenue, Scarsdale.
Like any other year, the biggest trend of 2026 is just being yourself. The best and most memorable outfits are those that truly reflect the personality and vibe of the person wearing them, rather than copying what everyone else is doing. Go full glam in a dramatic gown, keep it sleek in a modern suit, or do something completely unexpected. The most important thing is making sure you feel amazing. That is all that matters, along with having the best night ever.
Lexi Perry lives in Fox Meadow and is a junior at the King School in Stamford, CT.
