The Scarsdale A school Graduation -- A Celebration of Community
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Feyer explained that before joining the A-school, he felt a bit uncomfortable in the high school. His teachers seemed a bit too removed from him, and his class of over 300 was so big that he felt that he didn’t really know anyone.
Looking back, Feyer says, “The A-school taught me how to really understand people--to consider their perspectives in any discussion or argument rather than just sticking firm to my own beliefs. I feel like the smaller community built my interpersonal skills a lot”. He continued by saying “The school also taught me that teachers can be more than just professional educators, and that they can be your friends too”, citing an instance where a teacher helped him resolve a personal issue that he was uncomfortable discussing with his parents or friends. “I’m really going to miss the place”.
Christine Souchack, an A-school mother, also believed that the program had a profoundly positive impact on her
But perhaps the most moving evidence of the A-school’s impact on the graduating senior class was the closing statement by graduating senior Will Hunnersen, the senior speaker chosen by the class. He started by saying he had no idea how he could show his love for the A-school in just one speech. Inspired by discussions during senior reflection week (a time when seniors got together to talk about how the A-school changed their way of thinking), Hunnerson spoke about about the way the A-school changed his way of thinking and closed by reading a poem which he wrote that encapsulated how he felt about the A-school.
Lesson Learned
Time is relative.
For everyone it chooses
its own speed, and refuses
to listen to our complaints.
A lonesome student stares at the clock,
forcing the minute hand forward with his mind.
A squirrel obliviously nibbles his acorn
as a dog freezes for a lifetime.
The moon and sun exchange briefly,
asking how the past millions of hearts had faired.
A teen slowly rests his eyelids,
then wonders why an afternoon abandoned him.
But as I sit here,
flipping through the pages of my past
a failed math quiz, a fifth grade yearbook
brimming with toothless smiles.
I wonder why three years had to pass
so quickly, and I realize
the lessons learned in a place like this,
time cannot even touch.
Contributor Will Heffner is a senior at Scarsdale High School and has been a lifelong resident of Scarsdale. In his free time, he enjoys acting, and playing music. If you would like to contact Will for any questions or comments, he can be reached at willheffner@gmail.com.
Photos by Caroline Rodman - a junior at the A-school
(Pictured at top: Will Hunerson and his mom, Pictured above: Niels Mariager, Eli Nobler and Eric Berman)
Parents Warned Against Cyber Bullying on ask.fm
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On June 7th, parents with children in the Scarsdale Middle School received an email from the school warning them against the use of a social media website called ask.fm. The school reported that students have been using the site to “post hurtful and inappropriate material.”
The email from the school read as follows, “ASK.FM is a social networking site where teens can send and receive anonymous questions and comments. Teens can connect to this website through their Facebook and AIM accounts. The website allows for online conversations and does not require that teens reveal their identities. We have learned that some of our students have innocently set up ask.fm accounts hoping to hear positive affirmations from their peers. However, the temptation to use this site for cyber-bullying and harassing other teens is prevalent.”
The school urged parents to find out if their children were using ask.fm and to warn them against possible bullying on the site. They told parents to check their child’s Facebook or Aim pages to see if they were registered for ask.fm. In addition, they recommended that parents monitor their children’s internet activity and keep the computer in a common area so that they can keep an eye on what their kids are doing online.
Here is what we learned about ask.fm:
Ask.fm allows users to create a profile with their picture and information about themselves. Users can access the profiles of other users and can choose to ask a user any question anonymously or to include their user information along with the question. Ask.fm is a multimillion dollar company and has about 760,000 visits a day. Formspring served as a model for ask.fm as well as other Q&A sites. Formspring, which essentially has the same format as ask.fm launched in 2009 and was an instant success.
However, sites like ask.fm and Formspring have been subject to criticism recently. As users can anonymously say whatever they want to other users, these sites have led to cyberbullying and even suicides. In 2010, a West Islip graduate committed suicide after being harassed on Formspring. In 2011, a 15-year-old girl took her life after abuse on Formspring.
The anonymity of these websites gives teenagers the freedom to write anything they wish without fear. These sites are meant to be forums for teenagers to get to know each other better or for celebrities to connect with their fans. However, the unintended consequences of these websites may outweigh the potential benefits as some of the anonymous comments have been hurtful and damaging.
Greenacres 100th Birthday Bash
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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When Greenacres Neighborhood Association V.P. Barry Meiselman floated the idea of holding the Greenacres 100th birthday bash at the Scarsdale Golf Club, some thought he had gotten too ambitious. After all, neighborhood events are usually held in the social hall at Hitchcock Church for an entry free of $20 a couple -- or often free at the Greenacres field.
Would residents be willing to pay $100 per person for an evening of dinner and dancing at a country club to celebrate their neighborhood? Meiselman, Greenacres Neighborhood Association President Kathy Steves and a dedicated committee took the gamble and the night far exceeded all expectations. The gala was attended by 170 people – more than double the minimum required --- as well as a host of area dignitaries who came out to congratulate Scarsdale’s second-oldest neighborhood association on their success.
Offering proof that Greenacres is the Place to Be, the event drew newcomers, old-timers and everyone in between. The evening had many highlights and here are a few:
- A presentation of the history of Greenacres – see the recap below
GNA President and V.P. Kathy Steves and Barry Meiselman - A slide show of the pets of Greenacres including neighborhood dogs and cats
- A serenade from the D.J.
- Moving, grooving and a conga line on the dance floor to tunes ranging from doo-wop to rap.
- Toasts from local politicians who were invited to greet their constituents.
Representative Eliot Engel who is slated to replace Representative Nita Lowey as Scarsdale’s representative in Congress expressed his surprise and delight to find that redistricting had extended his new Congressional District from the Bronx to Scarsdale. In honor of Greenacres’ Centennial he submitted a proclamation to the Congressional Record where it will be posted for posterity.
For State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin nothing has changed. A 30+ year resident of Scarsdale, she told the group that she spent her first eight years in Scarsdale in Greenacres on Walworth Avenue and is proud to reside in Scarsdale and represent the Village in the State Assembly
Another proclamation was made by Scarsdale Mayor Miriam Flisser who joked that she always keeps “a proclamation in her car.” She and her husband Harvey Flisser, who just announced his retirement from the Scarsdale Middle School where he taught science for 24 years, enjoyed the festivities and the dance floor. Village Trustees Bob Steves and Kay Eisenman of Greenacres were there to celebrate as well as Stacey Brodsky and Jon Mark who have served as liaisons to the neighborhood association for the Board of Trustees. Also on hand were several past presidents of the Greenacres Association including Lynne Clark, Andrew Sereysky and Deb Pekarek.
County Executive Rob Astorinio stopped by as well to congratulate the group on its success.
Kathy Steves, Barry Meiselman and the members of the Centennial Committee were thrilled with the party calling it “amazing, celebratory 
and spectacular.” It was a proud night for all who looked back on 100 years and forward to being a part of this very special community in the years to come.
The Greenacres Centennial Committee, shown at right included:
(bottom row: left to right:) Barry Meiselman, Kathy Steves, Ottlilie Jarmel, Joanne Wallenstein, Norm Alterman, Naomi Lipman (middle row: left to right) Mona Longman, Jack Binder, Laura Fratt, Deb Pekarek, Maureen Ryan (top row: left to right) Bob Steves, Jordan Goodman, Sharon Lindsay, Andrew Sereysky, Mark Lewis, Jennifer Constantin, James Carforo. Not pictured: Lynne Clark, Elise Flagg, Karen Ceske, Linda Leavitt, Nora Marino, Deena Rosenthal, Sheryl Braun, Keith Schutzman, Beth Dell Orto, Scott Silberfein, Arthur Yu, Karen Lavi, Kay Eisenman) (Pictured at top: Maureen Ryan and Jordan Goodman)
See our picture gallery here:
Recap of Greenacres History: The Greenacres History Committee, Karen Ceske, Ottilie Jarmel, Deb Pekarek and Joanne Wallenstein (yours truly) created a presentation of the history of Greenacres and here is a summary.
The presentation spans as far back as 1661 when John Richbell traded with the Mohican Indians for the land that is now Scarsdale. In 1910 the history of Greenacres as we now know it began when developer Robert Emmet Farley started buying up area farms to create “Scarsdale Estates” which he later named Greenacres. Initially homes in the area sold for as little as $7,000 in a neighborhood that included sewers, pumped water, electricity and “macadamized” roads. Farley named many of the streets in the area after his family members, secretary and his favorite color, green.
In 1905, developer Cornelius B. Fish went to work on the other side of Post Road and built homes on larger plots, naming the streets after well-known British schools such as Eton, Oxford and Cambridge.
Greenacres might have become part of White Plains if not for the efforts of local residents to rebuff annexation campaigns by White Plains in 1909 and 1911.
Since 1912 the neighborhood association has served an advocate for area interests forcing the removal of a gas station on the Greenacres side of the tracks in 1933 and lobbying to preserve a park on Fountain Terrace that was eventually lost to the development of the Bronx River Parkway in 1974. However, the association has been successful at preserving open space at George Field Park, Red Maple Swamp and plots on Brite Avenue, Brewster Road, Oakstwain and Rugby Roads.
Greeancres' first school began in a private home at the corner of Greenacres and Walworth Avenues in 1915. By November of that year, Scarsdale’s first elementary school was built in the location of the current school on Huntington Road. The small one story building had five classrooms, two play porches and six teachers. Additions were made in 1928, 1958, and in 1965.
The Greenacres Neighborhood Assocation has run successful recreation programs for years and is famous for their July4th celebration and games each year at Greenacres Field. In addition, it hosts a newcomer’s reception, a town hall meeting and a spring fling. Recently the association donated funds to the school to build new basketball courts at Greenacres Field.
This year, a Village-wide historic resources survey has identified several homes in Greenacres and three “historic districts” as worthy of preservation. Other landmarks include the Boniface Water Tower on Garden Road, and a 52” “Greenacres tunnel” which is a storm drain extending from Brewster Road to the Bronx River Parkway that was built in 1939 at a cost of $120,000.
Greenacres has also been home to some very colorful personalities including Dean Rusk, Al Jolson, Roberta Peters, Aaron Sorkin and Irving Picard. Look for the full presentation online soon.
Looking Forward to the Next Centennial
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Here is a letter to Scarsdale10583 from Greenacres resident Richard Effman who had a blast at the Greenacres Centennial: Last Saturday night we had the distinct pleasure of attending the 100th birthday celebration of the Greenacres Association. It was held at the Scarsdale Country Club. Which, by the way, is located squarely in...Hartsdale. What's the deal with that?
Anyway, it was distinct because it was a first-of-its-kind event for Scarsdale, complete with its very own slide show supplying lots of Greenacres historical facts and factoids.
A pleasure because finally, I attended a birthday party for something older than me! Hooray!
Each attendee was asked to put their name, street name (meaning the Greenacres street they live on, not their gang moniker) and the number of years they have lived in Greenacres on a sticker to be displayed on the chest. Then to shmooze for a while amidst red and white wine (nothing harder), and then to choose a table. I was fortunate...I got seated at a table where the three other guys had less hair than I.
Ok, I'll admit it sounds a bit shallow, but it still felt good!
Greenacres has long been called the Upper West Side of Westchester. I'm pretty sure its a reference to the seemingly liberal and laid back nature of the hood, not the fact that we too are located across the river from Jersey.
The evening was crowded with people (surprising at $100 bucks a head...where is my vodka?) and citations and proclamations aplenty...from congress, from the state assembly, from the state senate, from the county, and of course from the village itself. They all came to praise us. And to subtly lobby for votes in the next election.
In fact, so many nice things were said about Greenacres...I thought it had died! (I guess I'm spending too much time at funerals lately).
And speaking of funerals, I couldn't help but think that there were thousands of original Greenacre-ians (help me, what do we call ourselves?) turning over in their graves because there are now Jews and African Americans living in the very homes that used to forbid Jews and African Americans in their deeds! It was enough to make one kfell.
And one did.
It could be me, but I had such a good time it made me look forward to the next centennial dinner.
I'll be sure to send you a calendar invite.
(Pictured at top: from left to right: Debbie Radov, Richard Effman, Joanne Wallenstein, Glenn Fishman, Shelley Effman, Mark Seiden, and Andrea Seiden)
Nita Lowey to Address the Scarsdale Forum
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The Scarsdale Forum Inc. and the Town and Village Civic Club cordially invite the public to the annual general membership meeting on Thursday, June 14th in the Scott Room of the Scarsdale Library at 8 p.m. A reception honoring former Village Trustee Richard Toder and the members of the 2011-2012 Administrative, Joint and School Board Nominating Committees will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Following the business portion of the meeting, U.S. Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey will present “State of Congress and the Nation.”
The second half of the evening’s program will feature panelists Eric Hardy, Project Director of CLT Appraisal Services; Alfred A. Gatta, Village Manager and Nanette Albanese, Village Assessor who will discuss the project designed to reassess all Scarsdale properties over the next two years.
A question and answer period will follow each presentation.
The Scarsdale Forum is a 107 year old civic organization dedicated to improving life in Scarsdale. The Forum studies issues before local, regional and state governing bodies and provides input and recommendations via public reports and other public statements.
For program and membership information, visit ( www.ScarsdaleForum.com ), e-mail (office@scarsdaleforum.com) or call (914-723-2829).
