My Memories of Muhammad Ali
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- Written by Ellen Leerburger
- Category: The Goods
SHS Alumni Ellen Leerburger shared the following story about the time she spent with Muhammad Ali. Leerburger, a 1982 grad of SHS, is an Interpretive Exhibit Designer and project manager for museums around the country. She worked as a Senior Interpretive Director at Lee H. Skolnick Architecture + Design Partnership who was hired to design the Muhammad Ali Center building in Louisville, Kentucky as well as all its exhibits. Her mother Julie Leerburger taught English at Scarsdale High School for 29 years and still lives on Heathcote Road with her husband Dick.
(from Ellen)
I have had the privilege of meeting or working with a good number of famous people or "celebrities" of one kind or another over my years in the museum world, but the time I spent with Muhammad Ali at his house in Berrien Springs, MI and in NYC as project manager creating the Muhammad Ali Center from 1999-2001 was, without question, the biggest highlight and the highest honor of my professional life. One of the best parts of my job has always been becoming an expert in whatever content is required for each job - whether it's the Hubble Space Telescope or Dinosaurs or Boxing and Ali's life from Louisville to the most recognized and respected man in the world. I knew nothing going in other than what anyone growing up in the 70s would know about a sports icon, but it was up to me and my colleagues to soak up every fact and nuance of his life and create the mission and spine of this (then) new museum and center for tolerance and humanitarianism. It was a formidable challenge.
It included many meetings with his wife, Lonnie Ali, and several with Muhammad including the three days my boss and I spent at his home in Michigan hanging out and interviewing him. I have so many memories of those days - his size, his gentleness, the twinkle in his eye, his non- stop magic tricks and jokes. One night, my boss, Lee, Lonnie, Muhammad and I went out for dinner at the local Italian restaurant. We were immediately noticed by all the patrons and, at first, everyone kept a respectful distance as we ate our meals. (Ali LOVED spaghetti and meatballs!) The second, the SECOND, our dessert plates had been cleared, the progression began and both then, and another time I was with him near Times Square, I have never witnessed anything like this. People (of all ages) didn't just come up to him and ask for an autograph or try to shake his hand. They hugged him, called him "Champ." They had tears in their eyes as they told Ali that he had changed their lives - there was none of that boundary that there usually is with "famous"' people. And he personally engaged with every single one. It took us forever to get out of that restaurant and even longer to walk a block in Manhattan. Everyone wanted to touch him, to share his space. It was remarkable.
Through much of the time I knew him I was pregnant with the (now) teen. Without fail, every time I saw him he asked how I was feeling, touched my stomach (without asking, but it was fine!) and asked when I was due. After my daughter Lanie was born, in July 2000, his was the first Tiffany's blue box to arrive with a beautiful spoon and a note that read, "Every child should be born with a silver spoon in her mouth. With love from Lonnie and Muhammad Ali."
Eight months later, I was meeting with him and our exhibit team at the Algonquin Hotel. In those days, my husband and I shared one cell phone (how did that ever work?) and he had it that day, but he was determined to bring Lanie meet Ali (we all know he was just dying to meet him, himself) so he lurked outside the hotel with Lanie in her stroller for I don't know how long. When we finally emerged into the lobby, Ali saw her, immediately grabbed her and held her like Mufasa and the baby Lion King. He was magical with babies. And he adored them.
I kept in touch with Lonnie for many years, emailing in January on Ali's birthday and providing updates of Lanie. It was an incredible professional and personal time. The concept of "Living Your Beliefs" so prevalent in our exhibit, was never more clear after getting to know him and his incredible story of humanity, rising above challenges and intolerance and speaking out for what's right - even at great cost. There's really never been anyone like him nor will there be.
I am devastated by the loss of this great man, but blessed for having known him for a brief time. Truly The Greatest of All Time.
Local Attorney to Serve 2-6 years for Grand Larceny and Tax Fraud
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Category: The Goods
On June 8, Acting Westchester County District Attorney James A. McCarty announced that Michael Lippman (Date of birth 11/03/44) of 165 Falmouth Road, Scarsdale, (Yonkers PO), was sentenced to 2 to 6 years in state prison, following his guilty plea on FebGranruary 22, 2016, to:
- one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class "C" Felony,
- one count of Criminal Tax Fraud in the Second Degree, a class "C" Felony,
- one count of Scheme To Defraud in the First Degree, a class "E" Felony.
The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution for the 13 victims in the amount of $1,487,461.61. Additionally, the defendant must pay the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance $172,393.00.
Between January 1st, 2010 and September 15th, 2015, the defendant, at the time a licensed attorney in the State of New York, engaged in a scheme in which he deliberately defrauded multiple clients of monies entrusted to him for various purposes including the transfer of real estate and estate planning.
In one instance, the defendant is alleged to have stolen approximately $431,300.00 from a client which was intended to complete the purchase of a property.
In another instance the defendant is alleged to have stolen approximately $159,431.95 from another client. That money was intended to pay off a mortgage to forestall a foreclosure action on that client's property.
The investigation was carried out by investigators from the District Attorney's office along with the assistance of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.
Is Your Child Traveling Abroad? How to Prepare
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Category: The Goods
With summer approaching, many students will be heading overseas on various adventures: cultural immersion, language immersion, community service, art studies, sports training, teen tours, to name a few. Additionally, as college students complete the academic year this month and next, they are beginning to focus on preparation for study abroad in the fall semester, some starting as early as July. Though it's no fun to think about all the mishaps that could befall them, it is good to be prepared for lost passports, missing credit cards and the occasional need for a doctor's visit. In the spirit of safety and preparation for these wonderful opportunities, the following are a few suggestions for planning overseas travel.
After sending three boys abroad several times each, here's my list of recommended to-do's for keeping safe and staying in touch. This list is not comprehensive, so we invite you to please send additions, comments or corrections in the comments section below.
• Keep a copy of your child's passport and visa at home, and give her/him a copy as well (to be kept separately from original documents).
• Register your child with the State Department Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) by clicking here.
• Keep a copy of credit and debit cards, driver's license, and domestic insurance card at home (and overseas health insurance card if a plan has been purchased). Be sure to copy both sides of each card. Provide a copy to your child in case the cards are lost or stolen so she/he can contact the banking institution immediately and continue to have access to healthcare if necessary.
• Notify banks (debit cards) and credit card companies that your child will be abroad - dates and locations.
• Identify local partner bank(s) for ATM transactions so transaction fees might be waived.
• Make sure you have access to credit cards, debit cards, bank accounts, etc. in case you need to communicate with banks/credit card companies on your child's behalf. If you are not on the account, the financial institution will most likely not be able to help you.
• Verify that domestic health insurance covers healthcare abroad and find out if the travel abroad program offers international health insurance coverage.
• Your child should bring all medication that she/he will need during the semester. It is unclear whether we are permitted to mail prescription medication abroad; therefore, the traveler should take enough medication needed for the duration of the stay as well as prescription documentation: the original bottles, the scripts, and the information that accompanies the medications.
• Bring a copy of medical, eyeglass, contact lens, etc. prescriptions in case anything needs to be replaced while abroad.
• Obtain some local currency for your child to bring if needed before she/he can get to an ATM at the destination.
• If necessary, bring a copy of the program or university agreement/acceptance letter and also financial documentation/coverage responsibility.
• Check airline baggage requirements.
• Bring chargers for phone/computer/iPad/devices...
• Bring adapters/converters.
• Bring luggage locks.
• Bring weekend bag for travel.
• Communication: Download WhatsApp and/or Viber, no cost messaging/phone calls. FaceTime works well if you both have iPhones. An internet connection is needed on both sides. Data usage is heavy for some of these apps, so having a wireless connection works well.
One final thought: give this list to your child to handle, or at the very least, complete preparations together! Safe travels.
Looking Back On the College Process: Advice from an Accepted Student
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- Written by Carly Glickenhaus
- Category: The Goods
The internet is rich with clichéd, generic, and questionable "advice" about the college admissions process. But what is it like to apply to college from Scarsdale High School? As a college-bound senior who has spent the last two years at the heart of this process, I wanted to give an honest account of my experience and offer some advice to students just embarking on their search. The dichotomy of the college process in Scarsdale is that it is intensely secretive and overwhelmingly public at the same time. Being so secretive creates a taboo around the college process, which only heightens the drama. I wish I had all the answers on how to make the process easier for everyone, but what I can do is share how I pushed through it.
Choosing which schools to apply to is the first step a student takes – and some believe these choices will determine the course of the rest of their lives. You probably nodded as you read that, because that's the consensus in Scarsdale but I don't think it's necessarily true. It often feels like college is at the center of our academic culture and scholastic goals. Applying to colleges represents the first active choice by the student to take control of their education and career path, but it will not determine your fate. Scarsdale's obsession with which schools students apply to makes students feel like their subjective "success" in the process will be the make-it-or-break-it-moment of their lives. For some it seems like the climax of our young adult lives, building an intense atmosphere where there is a real threat of burning out before we even get there.
Here's some of my advice for navigating the experience:
College visits: Don't visit schools with your friends. Most likely, you will know very few people on campus when you get there freshman year, so it is important to envision yourself at that school without the comfort and familiarity of a friend. You don't want their opinions of the school to influence yours. That said, your friends may play a very important role in your college search. When it came down to making my final school choice in April, I valued the input of my closest friends. They were able to tell me honestly where they pictured me best. While parents and deans are usually the prominent figures in your college process, it is your friends that see the way you learn in the classroom and how you act in social situations.
When visiting colleges, I advise you to "follow your heart." I promised not to use any clichéd quotes about journeys and paths, but scientifically speaking the "gut feeling" is a legitimate tool. The gut feeling might not come when you expect it, standing in the middle of a beautiful quad surrounded by gothic architecture with an acceptance letter in each hand. Look out for it when you least expect it. Mine came in a student panel on visiting weekend when I realized I could picture myself sitting down to lunch with any of the current students. When I met other admitted students that weekend, it felt comfortable and easy talking to them and a month later, here I am planning dorm decor with my roommate, a girl I met on campus that weekend.
It can be difficult not to judge a school based on who is going there, especially in Scarsdale. Scarsdale is not really a small town, but it definitely has that vibe during college season since the majority of SHS seniors apply to the same twenty to thirty schools. You are bound to know other people applying to School X, or past students who currently attend School X, and you may really like or actively despise those people. It can be difficult to remember that they are not a reflection of the whole school. Most likely, you will never see them there if you don't want to. No matter where you go, there will be people you love and people you hate. You are going to be a very different person at the beginning of the college process compared to the end, so don't be too quick to cross schools off your list based on who else in Scarsdale is interested in attending.
Applications: Write your college essays over the summer. As a varsity fall athlete with a demanding course load of AT courses, it was difficult to find time to write essays and I wished I had listened to my mother's nagging and finished more of them over the summer. I was busy working and traveling, but I kept my notes from the college info sessions with me and I took a few spare minutes whenever I could to crystallize my thoughts about what I liked about each of the schools on my list. This gave me a good head start. If you are participating in one of the exchange programs at the high school and plan to host a foreign student in your home between October and November, remember their visit will coincide with your deadlines for applying early.
For many students, there will be more applications to complete if admissions don't go their way in December. If you aren't prepared for this, you may spend your entire winter break writing essays, which can exacerbate the pain of disappointment. The main reason to write your essays over the summer is simple. When you're calm, cool and excited about the prospect of going off to college, you'll write a better essay than when you're under the gun, weary and discouraged in December.
Safety schools: Be careful with the word "safety." I still remember during senior fall hearing two girls tell each other where they were applying. One mentioned a college she was excited about and the other responded, "Oh, yeah, that's my safety." As the decisions were rolling in, I remember a junior asked me where I had gotten in so far. It was hard to avoid the question so I named a few of my acceptances. To one, she responded, "Oh, was that your safety?" We were standing right next to a girl who had committed to attend that school, making the situation awkward. I carefully told her "I am really happy because it would be amazing to go there." There is no reason for "reach" and "likely" classifications of school choices to be shared. Pick a "likely" school you are excited about and visit. Try to get excited about your admissions decision either way. I was able to name something I loved about every school on my list. Remind yourself that an acceptance would be amazing, but if you do not get in, there are many unique perks for all your options.
Don't let social media get you down: My generation's addiction to Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook diminishes the degree of privacy we can expect in our lives. Regardless, we resort to these platforms for entertainment and turn to them for confidence and validation in the form of likes. Social media provides that craved feeling of widespread recognition when you get that congratulatory letter, but simultaneously it magnifies self-doubt in the students whose moment to shine does not come on December 15th. It is easy for parents and teachers to advise kids, "Just turn off your phone; Don't look at Facebook," but for a generation that spends hours on these sites every day, the reality is that just trying to ignore it is not a practical solution. Go ahead, satisfy your curiosity, take a look as your news feed explodes with capital letters, exclamation points, and heart emojis of school colors on decision day, but remember that for every kid whose Facebook wall is being bombarded with congratulations, there is another kid sitting alone at their computer wondering what went wrong. Since the admission rate to some of the elite schools has fallen below 10%, many more students are disappointed than happy.
Keep your choices to yourself, especially during the early decision round, remember that you have no obligation to tell anyone where you are applying, except of course your dean who ensures that you application is sent out. Other than that, my advice would be to tell only the people with whom you genuinely want to share the outcome. True friends know you better than any admissions officer can, and they are not going to think any less of you because of the decision. I told the people who I knew I would call on decision day whether it was good news or bad, because they would be there for me either way. Inevitably, underclassmen and other parents, are going to ask you where you're applying regular decision, what your first choice is, and what your safety school is. It's okay to play dumb. If it's before a deadline, say you don't know yet, you're still figuring it out, but you'll let them know the news. If asked after the deadline, you can throw them a couple of college names to quench their thirst, and add that you would be really happy at any of them. If you say this enough, you may even realize that it's true.
Being denied or deferred early can be a blessing. The college process is like dating. Without being rejected by the cutie who turned out to be boring, dumb and is now prematurely balding, you may never have met your perfect mate. Without being denied admission to the school you thought would be ideal, you may never have found the one you can truly call home. There is also something to be said about applying to a slew of schools you can get excited about and having a few acceptances in your hands to reconsider throughout April. The tables are turned and you get to attend admitted students weekend and let the schools woo you and try to win you over to edge out the competition and win your love.
Finally, my strongest advice is to find your way to escape. For me, playing club soccer with girls from other schools helped. Doing community service by leading Midnight Runs put things in perspective as well, reminding me that I was lucky to even have the privilege of stressing about which of the nation's elite institutions would be the best fit for me. In Scarsdale, we have created an academic culture so focused on that one letter in the mail, the one moment of truth clicking "View My Decision" on your computer that it causes students to lose perspective on their high school years and focus only on the future. Remember, you have worked hard 18 years, so don't waste too much of senior year on college drama. High school is over before you know it.
Carly Glickenhaus, Scarsdale High School Class of 2016, will attend Georgetown University in the fall.
SHS 2016 Academic Awards Recognize Exceptional Students
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- Category: The Goods
Over 40 Scarsdale High School Students were recognized for their exceptional achievements in the Arts, Mathematics, Science, English, Social Studies, Language, Community Service and more at the 2016 Academic Awards Assembly on May 11 at Scarsdale High School. Principal Bonamo opened the ceremony by congratulating those who won awards. Bonamo explained that the night is always one of the most joyous occasions of the school year. The awards are designed to, "honor those students who have distinguished themselves by demonstrating exemplary achievement in academics", explained Bonamo. The teachers and faculty hope that the award ceremony, "provides tangible recognition of [students'] efforts and achievements". Bonamo also recognized the importance of family support and helpful teachers in contributing to the students' achievements.
Assistant Principal Sue Peppers congratulated all 
of the students invited to accept awards along with members of the Award Committee who made the selections, the PTA who organized the ceremony, and the Technology and Staging departments for setting up the technical aspects. Bonamo concluded his speech by explaining that in a world plagued with problems like war and global warming, "the world needs people with the skills and confidence to make real changes". Bonamo commended the students, saying, "you are just the leaders we are looking for, and I know you will take the initiative to make our world a better place". The awards were introduced and presented by department heads, community leaders, and faculty members.
Here is the list of those who received awards:
Steve Corbin Academic Success Award – Suzan Morgul
Junior Scholarship/Service Award – Samantha Rothberg
Junior Academic Excellence Award – Keshav Rastogi
Wellesley Book Award – Zoe Ewing
Scarsdale Alumni Eric Rothschild Award – Samuel Goldman
Counseling Department Award – Arthur Noulas
Scarsdale Foundation Award – Charles Musoff
Dartmouth Award – Yarden Wiesenfeld
Principal's Award – Stephanie Strek
Billy Safian Humanitarian Award – Alexis Zachem
Halliday Clark Sr. Memorial Award – Hayley Jaffe
Casey Ferrone Memorial Award – Clare McInerney
Scarsdale Chamber of Commerce Award – Carly Glickenhaus
Rotary Club Award – Benjamin Kulick, Olivia Henkoff
Technical Services Award – Jacob Frishberg
MSG Computer Science Award – Joseph Marques, Gordon Phoon
Michael V. McGill Book Award – Cameron Moser
Yale University Award – Zachary Gelles
ARTS AWARDS
Excellence in Visual Art 2D – Ilana Shire
Excellence in Visual Art 3D – Elena Ludwig
Media Award – Tisnue Jean-Baptiste
Friends Permanent Collection Award – Noel Ferraris
Elisa Draper Art History Award – Benjamin Stevens
ENGLISH AWARDS
Brown University Award – Zoe Ewing
Harvard University Award – Chloe Suzman
Princeton University English Excellence Award – Gustaf Ahdritz
Audrey McGinn Creative Writing Award – Annling Wang
WORLD LANGUAGE AWARDS
Latin Award – Aditi Valada
Spanish Literature Award – Garrett Tanzer
Spanish Award – Nathan Mainster
French Award – Charles Musoff
Mandarin – Mahiro Abe
Departmental Award – Gustaf Ahdritz
MATHEMATICS AWARDS
Rensselaer Mathematics & Science Award – Dexin Li
Math Faculty Award – Han Xu
SCIENCE AWARDS
Bausch and Lomb Award – Zachary Gelles
Science Achievement Award – Garrett Tanzer
Science Department Award – Charles Musoff
New York Science Supervisors Association Awards
Biology – Gabriel Dolsten
Chemistry – Yarden Wiesenfeld
Physics – Zachary Bernstein
All-Around – Harry Chalfin
SOCIAL STUDIES AWARDS
Social Studies Excellence Award – Rachel Abbe, Samuel Goldman
Social Studies Faculty Award – Meaghan Donovan
Social Studies Achievement Award – Remi Nakazeki
PERFORMING ARTS AWARDS
Band Award – Jonathan Turovsky
Chorus Award – Samuel Rosner
Orchestra Awards – Naoko Nakajima, Alan Yao
Friends of Music and Art Drama Award – Victoria DiSalvo
Sidney R. Case Memorial Scholarship – Jake Staffin
