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Written by Vivian Zweig

Published: 17 June 2023

Created: 17 June 2023

Last Updated: 22 June 2023

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Attending college gives young adults a new level of freedom and autonomy in their day-to-day lives. For many, a dorm is the first space that young adults can truly make their own. However, for those who don’t have experience in interior design, coming up with a coherent vision for your space can be daunting. 

Graduating Scarsdale High School seniors Jadyn Susanke and Cate Bellesheim recently completed a six-week internship at Homestead Advisors, where they learned about various interior design concepts and strategies. As a final project, they created design spreads of college dorms for each other and would like to share not only their designs but also some decorating tips.

Design 1

For her project, Cate designed this “floral-boho-nature” spread for Jadyn’s dorm. To convey this vibe, the design includes patterns such as flowers and butterflies, as well as some different textures, like fringe and woven baskets. To help keep the room cohesive, Cate stated, “I kept the main color different shades of green with some subtle pops of blues, yellows, and other colors in things like the duvet cover.” But since the spread is intended for a dorm room, she wanted to make sure it was still cozy by adding “fuzzy blankets for the bed, lots of throw pillows, and even a floor pillow to provide more seating space and comfort.”

Design 2

For Cate’s dorm, Jadyn designed the room around a calming aesthetic that would help her unwind after a long day. She specifically chose to use warm-toned colors to help create a relaxing environment. Jadyn used the comforter as a vocal point of the design scheme and then based the rest of the decorations and accessories around it. She also made sure to include practical aspects in the design, such as a lamp and storage unit. Jadyn also added wall decorations and “…did one piece that’s more fun with a disco ball to bring more ‘personality’ to the room and spice things up.” Ultimately, she struck a balance between calming and fun for this dorm design.

The two reflected on the steps they took and strategies they employed to create these design boards. And according to the pair, the first step of designing your dorm is to “Choose what ‘vibe’ you want to have, and then base all your furniture and accessories around it.” Then you should keep a few basic interior design “rules” in mind:

1. Less is more.
2. Don’t mix too many patterns; either use a patterned duvet and more plain pillows/blankets or vice versa.
3. Mix materials (ex. Wood and metal) to give the room more depth and texture.

But their advice extends beyond the more technical aspects of interior design. The pair suggested personalizing your dorm room:

1. Fill it with things that make you happy.
2. If you don’t think you’re going to use something, then don’t get it—your dorm room is small anyway, so why add clutter?
3. The more fuzzy blankets, the better.
4. Think practically and buy things that will have built-in storage.

Jadyn and Cate also shared a list of where to buy dorm furniture, supplies, and decorations:

1. Dormify.com
2. Target
3. Urban Outfitters
4. Amazon
5. The Container Store
6. Crate and Barrel
7. Anthropology
8. PotteryBarn

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Written by Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 20 July 2023

Created: 20 July 2023

Last Updated: 20 July 2023

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A change in the law regarding the minimum age for entry into Kindergarten in Connecticut will likely have little impact here.

In June, the Connecticut legislature passed a bill that rolled back the cutoff date to enter Kindergarten from January 1 to September 1. Now children must be five years old by September 1 to enter kindergarten for that school year. Before this, four year-olds could enter the system.

In New York State the cutoff date remains at December 31 and four year-olds are permitted to start school in September. However in Scarsdale many parents with children whose birthdays are in the second half of the year voluntarily choose to delay entry into Kindergarten and keep their children in nursery school of an additional year. These kids are then 5 ½ or even 6 by the time they begin school. The financial burden of educating these kids is assumed by the family for an additional year.

Parents choose this option because they feel their four year-olds when be at an academic and social disadvantage if they are in the same class with children who are an entire year older.

There are potential disadvantages to the date change. For those in need in Connecticut, the change in the cutoff date will mean that children will be unable to benefit from services offered by the school system before the age of five.

We asked Scarsdale’s Assistant Superintendent Edgar McIntosh for his thoughts on the issue along with data on how many Kindergarten eligible children are held back for an additional year of preschool. He was unable to provide the stats at this time but shared the following on the issue.

He said, “As far as I know, there are no talks at the NY state level to change from the current cut-off.

From my perspective (both in my current role and as a former Kindergarten teacher) I feel strongly that it is our responsibility as educators to meet students where they are developmentally, including academic level and social-emotional development. Each child's profile is unique and we strive to create learning environments that support, inspire, and appropriately challenge all learners. We welcome and encourage students to join our wonderful Kindergarten classes as they are eligible.

I do share some of the concerns expressed in the article about what it would mean to some families to change the date and delay opportunities to benefit from the special education services within the elementary school setting, and/or for those students just plain ready to move on from preschool. The additional financial burden could also be a concern for families. I understand that CT is taking it on a case-by-case basis and will be making exceptions.”

(Photo Credit: Steven Schnur)

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Written by Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 13 June 2023

Created: 13 June 2023

Last Updated: 13 June 2023

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SHS Junior, Samantha (Sammy) Fenigstein was one of 17 Westchester students awarded the NYS Senate Youth leadership award for a combination of academic achievement and community service. Sammy’s community service project was her development and continued leadership of a program called Skip the Straw Scarsdale. The program has helped the environment by decreasing plastic straw use and by beneficially changing habits and practices around the use of single-use disposable plastics.

The Skip the Straw program has two parts.

First there is the Skip the Straw “Business Pledge” where restaurants and food establishments take a pledge to serve beverages without plastic straws and only provide reusable or non-plastic straws upon request. Sammy has been going door to door, speaking with restaurants, and convincing them to help the environment and take the pledge. Several Scarsdale restaurants have signed on and switched from plastic to compostable straws.

Second, the Skip the Straw “Individual Pledge” is where individuals take a pledge to choose not to use single-use disposable straws and to frequent local establishments that are part of the Skip the Straw program. People who have taken the pledge attest to realizing that in most instances they don’t need a straw, and are now using less disposable plastics. If you would like to help the environment and Sammy go to her website and take the Skip the Straw Scarsdale pledge!

Here is an announcement from State Senator Shelley Mayer about the program.

State Senator Shelley Mayer awarded 17 students throughout Senate District 37 with the 2023 New York State Senate Youth Leadership Award on Monday, June 12. The NYS Senate Youth Leadership Award recognizes outstanding high school students for excellence in the classroom, athletics, and extracurricular or community activities.

In addition to presenting each student with a certificate for their achievement, Senator Mayer led an open discussion to learn more about each student’s work and to allow student leaders to learn from and inspire one another.

Senator Shelley Mayer said, “I am pleased to present Youth Leadership Awards to these tremendous students from high schools throughout District 37. We are fortunate to have many hard-working students dedicated to inspiring and leading others. Whether they achieved high marks in academics, gave hundreds of hours of community service, or led their peers to success, as a community we benefit from their leadership, empathy, and determination every day. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Education, I especially appreciated hearing their stories and learning more about what they have done in their schools and their future plans. I thank Superintendent Dr. Eric Lutinski and the Rye Neck High School for hosting this ceremony.”

“We are proud to host the 2023 Youth Leadership Recognition Awards this year. Our five nominees exemplify the quality and character of our Rye Neck student body and we are gratified that they have been recognized by Senator Mayer for their efforts,” said Dr. Eric Lutinski, Ed.D., Superintendent of Rye Neck Schools.

Students from Bronxville, Harrison, Rye, Rye Neck, Scarsdale, Tuckahoe, and White Plains were recognized. Each student was nominated by a teacher or school administrator for their outstanding leadership.

17 Students received the New York State Senate Youth Leadership Award