Scarsdale Friends and Entrepreneurs Launch Chick Magnets
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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Scarsdale residents and friends Laura Koch and Leslie Wank have taken their passion for Canasta well beyond a weekly game. Many of you may already know Laura – who taught over 1,200 people to play the game – and now has joined forces with Leslie Wank in a new venture. The two created a line of portable card game accessories, developed specifically for women who love to gather, relax, and play cards with friends (especially outdoors, where wind is always part of the game!).
Curious about what it took to launch this new line? We posed some questions to them about their entrepreneurial journey, and here is what they shared:
Tell us about yourselves - what did you do before you launched Chick Magnets?
What seems like a lifetime ago, we both launched our careers in finance. Collectively- commercial banking, investment banking, financial consulting and private equity. Let’s just say we know our way around a spreadsheet!
As Scarsdale residents, during our child rearing years, we applied our skill sets volunteering with local organizations. School PTAs, Scarsdale Youth Hockey, and Junior League of Central Westchester among them. Laura and I are both two-feet-in kind of gals, and these experiences were wholly immersive and exceptionally rewarding. Our goal: leave our posts with some measure of value added for the next at bat. Of course, we honed our own skills as well: in communication, organization, and sales & fundraising.
By the end of 2019, the last of our boys would soon leave the nest plus a global pandemic was on the horizon- the perfect storm to begin our new venture, Chick Magnets!
We would launch our product line in October 2024.
How did you become interested in Canasta?
Our friendship was built around games! We learned Mahjongg together in 2012 and played weekly for years. When Canasta began to grow in popularity, Laura learned the game and became so passionate about it that she eventually taught more than 1,200 people (including Leslie) how to play.
On those beautiful days and with an abundance of amazing venues in and near Westchester County, we took our game outdoors. We used phones, keys, salt shakers, a pen… anything to secure cards from blowing in the wind. Existing market attempts to address the issue- thick, weighted cards or magnetic cards- were neither practical nor a total solution. And so, the seeds of our new venture took root.
Describe your products - why are they unique?
We didn't set out to improve an existing card accessory. We started with a blank sheet of paper and designed an entirely new system for playing cards outdoors.
As card players, we were meticulous in considering the full landscape of addressable issues. We focused on Canasta since gameplay requires 108 cards, fanned and stacked card exposures, pick and discard piles, a second double deck at the ready, and a rotating card tray. If we could solve outdoor Canasta, most any card game would be covered.
We also aimed for a lightweight, portable, attractive, intuitive, and fun-to-use set. Our patented canasta traveler bundle weighs less than three pounds and is packaged in our signature "play nice" tote. Each component was designed for a specific purpose: our spinner tray offers a tight, stable rotation and incorporates a removable wind feature; our personal-sized boards and magnetic clicks allow players to secure cards with one hand; and our card set stores in a dual-purpose deck stand box.
In all, we worked with seven factories to deliver a novel product comprised of plastics, metals, and rare-earth materials made using a variety of tooling and manufacturing processes.
What went into developing the product? How did you find an industrial designer and where are the products manufactured?
As alluded to above, the development process was far more challenging than we ever imagined.
We started with homemade prototypes and initially worked with industrial design firms. Some of these firms were better suited to cloning existing Amazon products while others focused on long-term phased packages from branding and design to marketing swag. Our frugality saved us- all that spend may not have translated to a viable, manufacturable product.
Still, this phase was a necessary part of the learning process, during which we met our talented mechanical engineer. We used this time to tweak design elements and seek advice from fellow entrepreneurs. We would become deeply involved in every facet of every part of our business- production, compliance, import logistics, storage, website development, marketing, fulfillment. The process has been fascinating and we had cheerleaders along the way (even Customs Border Protection and DHL!).
Certainly there were hiccups, and our simple idea evolved into a multi-year project involving revisions, new prototypes and late-night problem-solving. One example: in 2022, new adult magnet safety rules were introduced to address serious injury from high-powered magnetic desk toys (swallowing linked to imitating tongue piercings). We scrapped one of our molds, resizing our magnetic clicks to ensure they were not a choking hazard.
How are you selling and distributing Chick Magnets?
We sell direct to consumer through our website, chickmagnets.co. We also attend pop-up events, charity fundraisers and Canasta tournaments where we have the opportunity to meet customers face-to-face and hear directly about their experiences with our product: It works! My favorite purchase! We play at the beach every week! I use it on our boat!
Our sales are almost entirely word-of-mouth, though we’ve also heard from customers that AI assistants such as Claude have sent them our way. We have had a few organic video reviews posted as well- on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook’s Not Your Mother’s Canasta.
By our first summer season, we shipped to over 100 zip codes across 17 states! Now in our second summer season, sales are beginning to hit a stride. We have many gift sales as well- perfect for the pool, lake, beach, boat or a card lover’s birthday!
Of course, we still have challenges ahead, but we’re proud of what we’ve built, grateful to have one another as partners, and thankful for the many people who encouraged us along the way.
At the Scarsdale Golf Club, a sign at the gym reads: "It doesn’t get easier, you just get better." It's an apt description of the entrepreneurial journey.
Learn more at www.chickmagnets.co.
Scarsdale Schools Honor Retiring Educators for 320 Years of Combined Service
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The Scarsdale Board of Education began their meeting on Monday, June 8th with a special ceremony to honor a distinguished group of retiring teachers, faculty members, and administrators. Superintendent Dr. Drew Patrick began the ceremony by sharing the district’s mission statement and praising the retirees for bringing the district’s mission to life through meaningful relationships with students and an unwavering commitment to education.
“This evening, we are recognizing a group of educators who together have served the district for 320 years. These remarkable individuals approach the work of teaching, learning, counseling, and leading as a mission and as a service to our community. Their talent, their decisions, their care, their curricula, and their passions brought the mission to life for students.”
Patrick thanked the retirees for their service and wished them well in the next chapter of their lives. "On behalf of a grateful Scarsdale community, I thank you all for your distinctive contributions to our students, to our schools, and to our community," he said. "Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement."
Assistant Superintendent Meghan Troy reflected on the profound influence the retirees have had on students, families, and colleagues throughout their careers.
"When I think about their collective and individual impact on our students and larger school community, it is truly remarkable," Troy said. "They have supported thousands of Scarsdale families over the years, and they have touched and altered the lives of the many students who sat in their classrooms or in their offices."
Drawing inspiration from the book Maybe, Troy connected its message of potential and purpose to the educators being honored.
"The Scarsdale school community has an answer to that first question of why you are here and what you, as an individual, have offered our children, our families, and your colleagues," she said before recognizing each retiree’s unique contributions.
The evening highlighted educators from across the district, including classroom teachers, administrators, counselors, coaches, and arts educators whose work helped shape students both inside and outside the classroom.
Closing the ceremony, Board of Education President Suzie Hahn expressed her gratitude for the retirees’ enduring legacy. "Throughout your careers, you have done far more than teach lessons," a board representative said. "You have encouraged, inspired, supported, and cared for generations of students. The impact you have made extends well beyond the classroom and will be felt for years to come."
The retirees were presented with commemorative gifts and received warm congratulations from district leaders, colleagues, and community members as they embark on a new chapter marked by opportunity, reflection, and well-earned retirement.
This year’s retirees include:
Julie Abbe
Cece Berger
Sarah Berger
Kathy de La Garza
Rochelle Hauge
Dina Hofstetter
Oren Iosepovici
Amy Kenney
Aimee Lepe
Kate Marshall
Enrique Orengo
Chris Pierro
Jeannette Pierro
Glenn Weill
Catherine Manin
Joshua Gaylord
John Van Cott
Meredythe Nowak
Village Launches Study of the Redevelopment of the Freightway Site
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Scarsdale Village is moving forward with a study on the potential impacts of development of the Freightway site. The garage structure is beyond its useful life and requires millions of dollars of repairs to remain in use. Trustees believe the development of the site could offer many benefits to the Village and are therefore re-opening the discussion on if and how the site should be developed.
Urban Planners from AKRF were on hand at Village Hall for a public work session on Tuesday night June 16, 2026 to explain the process and the timeline.
Village Planner Kellan Cantrell explained that the Village had declared itself lead agency for the SQRA process and is conducting an environmental review to examine impacts on a variety of factors including land use, the schools, community services, traffic, parking, utilities, the environment, finances, construction and more. The study will examine a broad range of "what if" scenarios and evaluate how different approaches could affect Scarsdale to allow the community to evaluate a range of choices and see what fits best. If the redevelopment process does not meet the needs of the community there will be no obligation to move forward.
Peter Feroe, an Urban Planner with White Plains firm AKRF took the group through an explanation of how the firm will assess the potential number of students that might be added to the school system as as result of a transit-oriented development. Past attempts to develop the site met opposition from parents who feared crowding in the schools.
Feroe explained a wide range of methods the firm will use to estimate the increase in the school population and the district’s capacity to accommodate theses students.
They have already reached out to the Scarsdale School district to request relevant data.
They are analyzing past enrollment trends and projections from the district’s most recent enrollment study which shows that enrollment in the Scarsdale Schools has declined about 2% overall in the past ten years but is projected to go up by 58-110 students in the next five years.
They will work with the schools to assess their capacity to accommodate additional enrollment.
They are examining census data.
They are tapping into New York State data to see how new construction affected school populations.
They are examining the number of students who have historically lived in Scarsdale’s four existing apartment complexes:
-Chateaus Circle
-0-7 Garth Road
-2-34 East Parkway
-45-50 Popham Road
They are examining the impact of similar transit-oriented development projects in comparable school districts to see how many students might live in a similar building in Scarsdale. These comparable districts are:
Chappaqua
Mamaroneck
Bronxville
Harrison
Pelham
Roslyn
Great Neck
Half Hollow Hills
Ridgewood NJ
Summit NJ
Darien CT
Feroe explained that this will be a dynamic process, with many opportunities for public input along the way.
Susan Levine provided feedback to the planners.
The audience was then invited to offer feedback on a variety of factors including Village character, public spaces, parking, accessibility and more by posting comments on a series of boards posted around Rutherford Hall.
Feroe asked the group to share “What are the important things that we should be looking at? There's a question on schools, there's a question on parking, there's a question on traffic, there's a question on architecture. There's lots of different questions, and this is your opportunity to start the process of providing us this information. This is not the end. We're going to take this information, we're going to review it, we're going to incorporate it into the scope … where we lay out what we're going to study in the GEIS (generic environmental impact statement). We're going to refine it again, and we're going to go out and study, and it's going to be an iterative process.”
He invited everyone to follow the process on a new dedicated website, thefreightwayscarsdale.com, and to attend the next work session on July 14, 2026.
Highlighting Three Non Sibi Day Sessions
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Photo Credit: Stacey LiewOn Non Sibi Day, held during May 22, 2026, the Scarsdale High School community came together to honor the core concept of putting "not for oneself" into action. While dozens of unique workshops and service projects took place across the campus, several student-led initiatives highlighted just how creative and impactful the SHS community can be!
Here is a look at how three distinct student sessions made a distinct difference this year.
GEMS Club
Recognizing that women and female students remain significantly underrepresented in STEM/STEAM fields, the Girls Excelling in Maths and Science club (GEMS) dedicated their Non Sibi workshop session to spreading awareness, taking action, and narrowing this disparity.
Led by club vice presidents Kara Rodrigues and Maddy Nam, along with faculty advisor Ms. Konishi, the group spent the day assembling specialized chromatography lab kits complete with instructional guides. The inspiration for the project grew directly from collaborative club brainstorming sessions aimed at sparking an early interest in the sciences for young girls.
Sourcing their raw materials efficiently via Amazon, the team maintained smooth, well-executed coordination throughout the day. The finished kits were donated to the New York STEAM Girls Collaborative and Mercy University’s Center for STEM Education. From there, the kits will be distributed to underserved schools across New York, providing young girls with hands-on science experiences they might otherwise miss out on.
Sophomores Lawn Games and Rock Painting
The Sophomore Class Government brought energy and color to the SHS campus with a dual-purpose event centered around outdoor games and community rock painting.
Under the guidance of student leaders such as Class President Samuel Cascade and Vice President Tessa Berger, and with support from faculty advisors Mr. Bedoya and Ms. Rosenswaig, the sophomores aimed to embody the Non Sibi spirit by giving back directly to their peers. Students decorated rocks with vibrant designs, fun colors, and uplifting messages, intending to scatter them around the campus to make their school community a brighter and more welcoming place for everyone.
The event was a collaborative effort from start to end. Materials were sourced internally by the sophomore government, while the SHS Physical Education department generously provided the outdoor lawn games. Berger noted that the high level of teamwork required to pull off the day served as excellent preparation for the student government as they look ahead to planning major future milestones, including upcoming class events and Prom.
Second Chance Foods Workshop
In another classroom of the campus, student leader Nate Kofman directed a community service workshop in partnership with Second Chance Foods, a Hudson Valley non-profit dedicated to food rescue and sustainability.
Kofman led the workshop, focused on the twin crises of food waste and food insecurity. Students learned how food rescue organizations aim to step in to redirect viable groceries away from landfills and towards families in need.
The workshop was highly productive. Across three sessions, student volunteers had successfully packaged 145 bags of pasta shells for distribution across the Hudson Valley area, spreading long-term awareness about local food advocacy.
Student to Student Night Brings College Perspectives to SHS
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SHS Juniors: Arjun Sriskanrthan, Raphael Sutiono, Wade Han On Wednesday evening, May 20, 2026, despite the pouring rain, Scarsdale High School juniors gathered in the SHS cafeteria for the annual Student to Student Night. This event brought together current SHS students and recent SHS alumni representing 17 universities across the country. Organized by the SHS PTA Student to Student Night Committee: Zhendi Shi, Tracy Tang, and Sunny Wang, in coordination with the Scarsdale High School College and Career Center, the evening gave juniors the opportunity to speak candidly with recent SHS graduates about college life, academics, campus culture, and the transition from SHS to college.
Unlike traditional college fairs or admissions presentations, Student to Student Night allowed students to ask unrestricted and honest questions to alumni who recently navigated the same rigorous SHS experience. Student to Student Night Co-Chair Tracy Tang noted that approximately 30 to 40 SHS juniors attended the event. While the rainy weather and busy spring schedule for juniors may have impacted attendance, Tang emphasized that the evening remains especially worthwhile because students are able to hear authentic perspectives about college life directly from peers they can relate to. In addition to the conversations with alumni, students also enjoyed dinner and dessert during the event.
Seventeen universities from across the country were represented, ranging from California to nearby New York City. Universities represented included:
Barnard College
Boston College
College Juniors: Ryan Hogan - Occidental College, Eiji Tsukamoto - University of Miami
Boston University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Emory University
Fordham University
Indiana University Bloomington
Occidental College
Stony Brook University
University of California, Berkeley
University of Georgia
University of Miami
University of Notre Dame
University of Southern California
University of Texas at Austin
Wake Forest University
Students asked questions that ranged from academics and workload to dorm life, campus culture, and dining options. Raphael Sutiono asked how the workload in college compared to the rigor at SHS, noting that SHS alumni were uniquely qualified to answer because they had experienced both environments firsthand. He added that a random admissions representative or tour guide would not necessarily understand the demands of SHS coursework in the same way. Wade Han focused on campus culture questions, hoping to get a sense of the “real vibe” of each school. Meanwhile, Isabel Lin asked alumni one of the evening’s most popular questions, “How good is the college food?”
College Sophomore Caitlin Higgins - University of Notre Dame, College Freshman Felicity Bennett- University of Georgia, SHS Juniors Arjun Sriskanthan, Wade HanStudents left the evening not only well-fed from the large dinner spread, but also with valuable firsthand insight into college life. Alumni also enjoyed reconnecting with former classmates, meeting current students, and sharing their experiences. Though attendance was smaller than organizers had hoped, the evening was still considered a meaningful success and remains a valued tradition within the SHS community.
