Teens Create App to Improve Mental Health Anytime and Anywhere
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- Written by: Rebecca Ludwig
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Charley Wolf and Theo Kertesz StayMindful is a free mental wellness app created by teens, for teens. The app empowers users to manage stress and anxiety through guided meditations, visual breathing exercises, and evidence-backed advice in articles. StayMindful exemplifies how student-led innovation can tackle real-world challenges with empathy, technical skill, and purpose. We asked a few questions to the team behind StayMindful- Scarsdale High School Juniors Theo Kertesz and Charley Wolf. Here is what they had to say:
How did you come up with the idea for StayMindful?
We came up with the idea for StayMindful after seeing how many of our peers were struggling with stress, anxiety, and mental health challenges without knowing where to turn. We also noticed that many existing resources felt overwhelming, inaccessible, or stigmatizing. We wanted to create a space that was free, easy to use, and designed specifically for teens, with digestible content and tools that make mental health feel normal and approachable.
How did the app become popular at Scarsdale High School?
The app grew primarily through word of mouth. We also gave several presentations to Scarsdale High School classes and worked closely with school psychologists, which helped introduce StayMindful in a trusted and familiar setting. That direct connection to the school community played a big role in its growth.
What are some of your main goals for the app?
Our main goals are to reach as many teens as possible and make StayMindful a reliable mental health resource. We want to continue growing our user base, partner with schools and mental health organizations, and eventually reach 10,000 downloads. Right now, we are proud to have already surpassed 2,500 downloads.
What are some of your accomplishments since starting StayMindful?
Since launching the app, StayMindful has reached over 2,500 downloads and earned a 4.9-star rating on the App Store. We have also surveyed more than 60 students, who reported feeling an average of 4 out of 5 levels calmer after completing a short breathing exercise in the app. In addition, we have received positive feedback and testimonials from psychologists and mental health professionals, which has helped validate the app’s impact.
In what ways can StayMindful help students, specifically in Scarsdale?
StayMindful helps Scarsdale students better understand what they are experiencing through relatable articles and simple tools. The app includes easy-to-use breathing exercises and content designed to support students dealing with academic stress, test anxiety, and everyday pressures common in a high-achieving environment.
What are your plans to continue spreading awareness for mental health in the future?
We plan to continue partnering with mental health organizations, organizing events, and presenting to students whenever possible. Building a strong community presence and keeping conversations around mental health open and accessible is a major focus moving forward.
Would you like to spread your message beyond Scarsdale, or keep it within the town?
While StayMindful started in Scarsdale, our goal is to expand well beyond the town. We have already shared the app with psychologists and organizations outside of Scarsdale, and we hope to continue reaching teens in many different communities.
How can people in Scarsdale support StayMindful?
People in Scarsdale can support StayMindful by using the app, sharing it with friends, organizations, or anywhere they think it could help, and by giving us feedback. Suggestions for new features and improvements play a big role in shaping the app as it continues to grow.
Have you received any feedback that surprised you or caused you to modify your app?
One of the most important pieces of feedback we received was from schools regarding privacy. In response, we created a separate school-friendly version of StayMindful that does not collect any personal information, including names or accounts, so students can use it comfortably and schools can confidently support it.
How are you working as a team to manage the app, and how do you envision managing it in the future?
StayMindful is led by Theo and Charley and supported by a team of 15 students who work collaboratively across development, content, and outreach. We also have an expert advisory group of two mental health professionals who help guide the app’s direction. Moving forward, we plan to continue improving the app, expanding the team, and sharing StayMindful with even more students.
Download the StayMindful app, or visit their website here: https://staymindful.org/
A Lunar New Year Celebration at Scarsdale Middle School
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- Written by: Gina Chon and Michelle Jung
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The Scarsdale Middle School PTA organized a Lunar New Year showcase on February 11 in the Great Hall at SMS. Korean and Chinese parent volunteers decorated tables, provided games and offered a variety of cultural snacks to the students. The Korean parent volunteers also arranged for traditional Korean dancers from the Heasun Jung Korean Arts Academy to perform a Janggu (Korean drum) dance and a Korean fan dance.
Popham House sixth grader Eliana Kang, was thrilled when she spotted Gonggi a traditional Korean game similar to jacks, which was featured in Squid Game. Proudly, Kang exclaimed, “My grandma is an amazing Gonggi player!” Eager to play, she joined the game and enthusiastically explained the rules and techniques to her friends.
Raider Recap: Scarsdale Sports Close Out January on a High Note
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- Written by: Jack Capobianco
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Scarsdale's winter sports teams ended January with much to cheer about. Now the Raiders will turn their focus to February where they look for a strong finish to the regular season.
Hockey:
The East Green Wave, which is a girls varsity hockey team in Section One representing the Sound Shore region of Westchester, defeated the North Avalanche 1-0 on Friday January 30th to capture the Section One Girls Ice Hockey Championship! The game was played at Sport-O-Rama in Monsey, New York. They advanced to the semi final regional game on February 2 where they won 8-1. Next is the regional finals on Feb 12th vs ADK United of Section 2. Scarsdale’s sophomore Noa Avni and junior Ali Greco are members of the East Green Wave.
The Boy’s Hockey Team continues to get tough results despite playing in some really tight games. On Wednesday, the ‘Ders faced off against the reigning state champion Suffern Mounties. After falling behind 2-0 in the first period, the Raiders climbed back to tie the game at 2-2 with just over two minutes left in the third period but lost 3-2 in overtime. Despite the loss, the Raiders played very well and kept the game tight against a Suffern team who has a lot of championship pedigree. On Friday, the Raiders fell to North Rockland 2-1 in another close game. Senior netminder Buddy Meiselman played amazingly in net for the Raiders like he has all season. In hopes to get out of the skid, the Raiders traveled up to Newburgh, New York to take on Monroe-Woodbury on Monday and walked away with a big 10-1 win. The team then comes home to play Pelham on Wednesday and Pearl River on Friday.
Boys basketball:
The boys basketball continued their red hot playing with another great week finishing 2-0 and moving to .500 for the first time all season. On Wednesday January 28th, the boys beat Ossining 82-50 backed by a dominant 22 point performance by junior Hunter Ross. This win meant Scarsdale swept the season series against Ossining because they also beat them 44-40 in December. On Friday, during the Raiders Senior Night, they battled Spring Valley and the ‘Ders left with a 69-32 victory. Starting February 2nd the Raiders will play a 3-game week including a game against a determined North Rockland team on Monday in which Scarsdale lost in a close match 54-50 and then Ramapo on Wednesday. On Saturday, the Raiders will play Mount Vernon in a home matinee. This will certainly be a big week for the boys basketball team as they will take on some very competitive opponents.
Girls basketball:
Girls basketball won their only game of the week but it was a big win. They played John Jay-East Fishkill at home on Wednesday January, 28th and won 48-37. In this game, Scarsdale was behind 20-13 at the half and 28-22 at the end of the third quarter. Then, in the fourth quarter, Scarsdale's offense exploded as they dropped 26 points and pulled away with a huge victory. Next up, the girls beat Horace Greeley on Monday 53-21 and then play Harrison on Thursday. To close out the week, the Raiders will face Clarkstown South on Saturday. The Greeley game and the Clarkstown South matchup will be played at Scarsdale High School.
Boys swim:
The men's swim team had a stellar performance this past Saturday January 31st at the league championships. To start, they finished third overall as a team out of ten schools. Second, seniors Avi Stahl and Kieran Lee were Scarsdale's first place finishers in their respective events. Stahl finished first in the 200 meter free race and Lee got first place in the 200 meter individual medley and 100 meter backstroke. Junior Noam Tionkin finished second overall in the one meter dive. After a strong showing at leagues, the Raiders will look to have a repeat performance at the Section Championships this weekend at Felix Festa Middle School in West Nyack.
Skiing:
The ski team had a huge week on the slopes! On Tuesday January 27th, they headed up to Thunder Ridge where both the boys and girls finished in first place. Thomas Giuffra made his varsity debut for the boys team. Following their strong effort at Thunder Ridge on Thursday, the ski team raced at Mohawk Mountain where the girls earned a second place finish while the boys skied to a third place finish. In this race, Laura Chadie and Liam Mancini received career bests with their exceptional skiing.
Wrestling:
On Tuesday January 27th, both the girls and boys teams celebrated their senior nights before defeating New Rochelle 43-25 after a dominant second half of the meet. On Thursday, the boys squad traveled down to wrestle Mount Vernon where they won in a big way 61-17. The girls competed on Friday January 30th at Nyack High School, where Imaan Maroof finished first in the 120 pounds weight class and Margot Lombaerde and Celeste Minardi finished second in their respective weight classes. Next up, the boys have their sectional meet on Saturday 2/7 while the girls have theirs on Sunday 2/8, both at the County Center in White Plains.
Track and field:
Despite most of the team not being able to race at the League Championships on Saturday 1/31 at Rockland Community College, a few runners had strong races and really stepped up to represent their team. Alexander Andiopoulos and Myenta Van Den Broek raced really well in the boys 55 and 300 meter races. Henry Lorch earned a PR in the boys 1600 meters. Aartti Chandarana and Michelle Peng both reached a personal record in the girls 300 meter race. A select few athletes ran at the Classic Milrose Games which was on Sunday February 1st. The track team's next race will take place this Saturday 2/7 when the Raiders lace up the spikes at the Purple Championships which will be held at the Armory.
Squash:
The squash team had a tough match this weekend against Squash Haven (CT) at Yale University. Freshman Sam Yu who is Scarsdale's number one guy was the only player to win their match as Scarsdale lost 6-1. The team does not have a match this week but will work hard in preparation for their next game on Wednesday 2/11.
Cheerleading:
The cheerleading squad accompanied the wrestling team for a small portion at their Senior Night and now have their sights set for their next competition which will be in Orlando, Florida at the place none other than Disney World this weekend. This competition is the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championships which is an annual competition that Scarsdale competes in every year and this year, our cheerleaders will hope to leave with some hardware.
Bowling:
The bowling team picked up a 7-0 sweep against Port Chester for the second time this season. Senior Captain Aaron Gans had a huge game as he bowled to a 599 series and now looks to qualify for sectionals. Juniors Jacob Grossman and Tim Deschamps also had strong matches for the ‘Ders, each scoring very high in their respective matches.
Gymnastics:
Junior star gymnast Laila El Moselhy earned honors as the “Raider of the Week.” She will represent the gymnastics team and the Raiders at the gymnastics divisional tournament.
It was another big week for all of the Raiders sports teams. For teams whose regular seasons concluded in the last few weeks like the gymnastics, swim and wrestling teams, emphasis has been put on to dominate at sectionals and states. For teams that still need to finish out the regular season, they want to finish it off in a strong way! Scarsdale10583.com and the Raiders Recap, covers all Scarsdale athletics!
Why Gambling Is More Addictive for Teens Than Adults
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- Written by: SAY Scarsdale
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Reclaim the Game: Gambling and alcohol use impact the adolescent brain in the same way. In fact, teens who gamble and drink alcohol are more likely to develop mental health and addiction issues.
Love the Game Not the Odds or the Beer
Gambling poses a much greater risk for children and teenagers than it does for adults, largely because of how the adolescent brain develops. During adolescence, the brain is still under construction, especially the prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for judgment, impulse control, decision-making, and assessing risk. This part of the brain does not fully mature until around age 25, and research shows that development typically occurs later in boys than in girls. As a result, teens are biologically less equipped to regulate risky behaviors, including gambling.
At the same time, teens are especially sensitive to dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, motivation, and reward. Gambling triggers dopamine release, creating feelings of excitement and thrill. Because adolescent brains respond more strongly to dopamine than adult brains, gambling can feel more intense and rewarding for teens. This heightened sensitivity, combined with a natural developmental tendency toward risk-taking, makes young people particularly vulnerable to addiction.
Gambling environments further amplify this risk. Many forms of gambling, especially online games and betting platforms, are fast-paced, visually stimulating, and designed to keep players engaged. Bright colors, quick feedback, and near-miss outcomes are especially appealing to young brains that are wired to seek novelty and excitement. Gambling also rewards rapid decision-making and encourages players to chase wins, but teen brains often lack the inhibitory control needed to stop once the thrill begins.
Early exposure to gambling can also shape long-term behavior. During adolescence, the brain is highly adaptable, meaning habits and coping mechanisms learned at this stage can become deeply ingrained. When teens experience gambling as a way to manage stress, boredom, or emotional discomfort, their brains may “learn” to rely on the thrill of gambling as a coping tool. Unfortunately, patterns established during adolescence are much harder to change later in life.
Gambling is also frequently linked to substance use among teens. Both gambling and substance use activate the same reward pathways in the brain and are connected to heightened risk-taking tendencies during development. This overlap increases the likelihood that teens who gamble may also experiment with drugs or alcohol, compounding the potential harm.
Understanding the unique vulnerabilities of the adolescent brain helps explain why gambling is not just a harmless pastime for young people. It is a high-risk activity that can interfere with healthy brain development and set the stage for long-term addictive behaviors.
For more information on teen gambling, please go to https://www.sayscarsdale.org/gambling
Treats from Trader Joe's: What Are Your Favorites?
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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With another foot of snow planned for this weekend, we’re soon to be snowbound and cocooned indoors. If you’re thinking of stocking up on food, there’s no better place to find snacks, treats and quick dinners, than Trader Joe’s.
But what to buy there? The choices are overwhelming and it’s hard to know what to try. We surveyed a few friends to find out what they buy and here are their recommendations. What do you buy at Trader Joe’s? Share your favorites in the comments section below:
Crispy Jalapeño pieces are the perfect combination of savory flavor and a touch of crunchy texture. These are great to add to a casserole, salad topping, sandwiches, egg scrambles, and more.
The Fire Roasted Red Peppers in a jar have a delightfully robust roasted flavor along with a natural sweetness that makes them the perfect topping for pizzas, sandwiches or charcuterie boards.
Miso Crunch Chopped Salad kit has everything you need- right in one bag! Make meal prepping easy with this delicious, healthy meal.
Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs may sound like a strange flavor combination, but there’s something about the combination that just clicks. This unlikely trio of sweet, savory, and succulent elements always has us reaching for more.
Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings are a wonder to behold and a comforting, delicious meal for one.
The Five Seed Almond Bars, packed with energy and nutrients, are a must-try at trader joes. They combine a traditional Italian biscotti and a modern take on granola bars and are the perfect treat for any time of day.
Mini Ice Cream Cones come in a variety of flavors, including strawberry, chocolate, chocolate chip, and vanilla. Who can resist these adorably miniature and satisfyingly indulgent mini cones? These make the most comforting sweet treat after a long day.
Mango Cream Bars are a popular frozen treat featuring a creamy vanilla ice cream center encased in a sweet and tangy mango sorbet shell, similar to a classic creamsicle but with tropical fruit flavor, made from Magdalena and Alphonso mango purees.
The famous Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are free from artificial flavors and 
preservatives, but taste even better than the traditional peanut butter cup. The melt-in your mouth chocolate combined with the decadent peanut butter middle make these the perfect sweet treat after a meal.
Readers wanted to add these to the list: "I love the Frosted Gingerbread Cookies that appear in every year in November and December." Another said, "The Fromage Pave" a soft French cheese, is only sold during the holidays. Wish we could get it all year."
What are your favorites? Share them in the comments section below.
Other favorites:
