Scarsdale Alternative School Celebrates Graduating Seniors

It's that time of year again: graduation season! The most recent news is the graduation at the Scarsdale High School Alternative School, also known as the "A­-School" that took place on Friday June 20.

The A­-School is a branch of the Scarsdale High School that is run in a separate building behind the school on Wayside Lane. Students are selected for the school via a lottery process. Primary differences between the "A­-School" and the main school are that at the Alternative School, students receive written evaluations instead of report cards; most classes are taken with other students in the A­-School; and in January, A-­School classes are suspended so that A­School students can focus on their internship.

Much thought and time goes into the preparation for the A­-School graduation. All the students in the A­School ­ including the seniors ­ buy flowers together the morning of the graduation. In the early afternoon, all the A-­School students ­ with the exception of the seniors ­ decorate the exterior of the A­-School with the flowers, stapling them along the banisters and rims of the roof. Before the graduation ceremony, every sophomore and junior pair up (either sophomore with sophomore, junior with junior, or sophomore with junior), pick a senior, and buy a present for that senior. At the actual graduation ceremony, the A-­School teachers give a personalized speech about each senior in their core group. In these speeches, the teachers reflect on the seniors both as students and as people, and discuss each student's future plans. After each individual speech, the underclassmen pairings then give their presents to the seniors. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the graduation attendees are welcomed inside the A-­School for refreshments.

This year, the graduation began with a welcome speech from graduating senior Lewis Gottlieb, who was the Master of Ceremonies for this graduation. For the duration of the ceremony, Lewis - introduced each new speaker. A­-School director Howard Rodstein gave another welcoming speech, thanking A-­School teachers Jeanne Cooper, Jim Williams, Jen Maxwell, and Sheilah Chason, as well as the dean for the A­School Oren Iosepovici, his secretary, Louise Ciffone, and finally, the A­-School PTA heads for all of their hard work and dedication.

Next, Principal Kenneth Bonamo challenged the graduating seniors to "retain [their] spirit of advocacy and intellectual wrestling, and to use those skills to engage with materials that truly interest [them], and that finally [they] combine [their] spirits and skills to do something that benefits our society as a whole."

Lewis called up each A­School advisor to speak about the seniors in his or her core group. The first advisor Jeanne Cooper gave speeches about Ethan Blitstein, Evan Dweck, Annie Gevertz, Rebecca Primoff, Danielle Schwartz, Dewan Thenmalai, and Casey Vinder. She awarded Ethan Blitstein with the honor of having one of the three best senior projects for this year's graduating seniors. Of Ethan, Jeanne said: "Ethan is a welcoming, reflective student, who welcomes feedback and learns especially well from hands­on engagement." Dewan Thenmalai was also a winner of an award: a Tony. This award is named for former A­School director Tony Aranello and it is the "highest honor awarded by the A­-School". Jeanne noted that Dewan "is a person of so many skills and interests, that he resembles an infinitely­ faceted geometric figure that I don't know the name of, but he probably does."

Advisor Jen Maxwell, spoke about seniors Marc Hersch, Kate Howard, Sam Kaplan, Niels Marianger, and Chelsea Shemesh. She was excited to award Marc Hersch the second and final winner of a Tony award. "Someday, I hope I will grow up to be as thoughtful, responsible, and mature as Marc Hersch is now. Or even as he was last year," Jen said, introducing Marc to the crowd. She also awarded Niels Marianger an award for best senior project. Now, both Ethan and Niels will have their names on a plaque in the A­School forever.

Howard Rodstein addressed Eric Berman, Julia Cotter, Sean Keith, Yuki Sekine, and Ori Zaff. About Eric Berman he said, "What is strange or possibly wrong about this picture: a leader on the varsity football team goes home and listens to the music of Dvorak, Tchaikovsky...that same person ­ a composer of dubstep and all things techno ­ becomes a devoted fan of the writing and thinking of Ralph Waldo Emerson...? That same person who ­ and how can I say this delicately ­ did not always hand in his work on time, begins to write articles to deadline for the Scarsdale Inquirer during his January internship." Rodstein also thanked Chemistry and Physics teacher Jim Williams who after six years, will leave the A-School to work exclusively with the science department at the main high school.

Jim himself then took the stand, saying kind things about Hannah Cooperman, Lewis Gottlieb, Matt Katz, Olivia Romano, and Jessica Simon. Jim's speeches were funny and light­hearted, but it was obvious that he truly cared for these students. Speaking about Lewis Gottlieb jim said, "I would just like to start out by saying how much Lewis Gottlieb has grown as a person and as a member of the Scarsdale Alternative School. He has changed from ­-"'a wee little sophomore cradled in your arms' to a young man that has demonstrated his ability to think and evaluate situations and to think and respond with critical analysis and evaluations of the situation".

Last, advisor Sheilah Chason gave touching remarks about Josh Annex, Chelsea Berk, Madison Hirsch, Eli Nobler, and Dana Reegen. Before talking about Chelsea Berk, Sheilah started to tear up. She spoke so highly of her students, and it was very apparent that she really loved her graduating seniors.

Graduating senior Rebecca Primoff spoke of her experiences in the A­-School and how it has impacted her. "In my sophomore year, I realized that the orientation video which first attracted me to the A­School did not fully express the benefits of the A­-School, because I've gained so much more than good relationships with teachers and real­life work experience. I really appreciate the camaraderie that our class has. In what other community would a big jock and a theater geek be able to have a heated discussion over the principles of democracy with no hard feelings?"

Of his years in the A­School, March Hersch says: "I am indebted to my years in the A­School for teaching me about my capacities and the expectations of myself in a community that enables me to hone in my passions. I thank the A­-School for leading me and the countless other graduates to have realized the potential, and formed aspirations, about the communities we will make up. At the same time, we have developed our identities in a forum filled with support, friendship, and thrill."

Overall, the ceremony was beautiful, intimate, and inspiring. Many students who are not a part of the Alternative School came to watch their friends graduate. Standing in the back of the crowd, photographing the event, it was obvious that this class of seniors are kind and compassionate.

Congratulations to the 2014 class of the SHS Alternative School.