Scarsdale Community Pays Tribute to Tyler Madoff
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A tribute for Tyler Madoff was held on Dean Field at Scarsdale High School this weekend to offer students, parents, teachers and the rest of the community to share their memories of Tyler, the high school student who was swept out to see two weeks ago. There were over a hundred people in attendance at the event, which was organized by SHS students, Alexandria Natarajan and Alex Benitez.
People were asked to come up to the microphone and share something, any memory or thought or feeling that they were experiencing during these difficult times. Many people took the opportunity to speak, including several members of the football team, students, faculty members and Tyler’s parents.
“We’ve forgotten about each other,” Neil Ginsberg, SHS teacher said to the crowd, and explained that we should all be 
“giving a lot of hugs”. He told the audience to stand up for a moment to give hugs to one another.
His school friends spoke about his concern for his peers and his desire to see everyone laughing, while his football teammates spoke about his strong work ethic and discipline, as well as his commitment to his teammates. They are planning to honor him with a patch on their jerseys with his number, 51, inside a dark circle as well as with a sticker on their helmets for away games. They plan to retire his jersey, and put up a large poster of Tyler at the exit of their locker room to tap for luck before every game.
“We’re incredibly touched. He loved it here. He loved Scarsdale. Hug your parents, even when they make you crazy. And hug your kids, even when they make you crazy,” said Tyler’s mom, Marianne Madoff, to the crowd, the last to speak at the event.
Scarsdale Mourns Tyler Madoff
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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The Scarsdale community is in mourning this week for Tyler Madoff, a student at Scarsdale High School. Madoff, who recently completed his sophomore year, was on a kayaking and hiking trip on the Big Island in Hawaii with Bold Earth Expeditions. On Wednesday, July 4th he was exploring a tidal pool at Kealakekua Bay on the southwestern side of the island when he and another boy were swept out to sea by a large wave that was said to be at least six feet high. The other boy was picked up by a passing boat fifteen minutes later but Tyler disappeared, and despite a wide scale search, has still has not been found.
Madoff’s parents flew to Hawaii on July 6th and hired private boats to assist in the search that utilized boats, divers and helicopters. They returned home on Monday July 9th when the search was called to an end.
In a video on KHON, Madoff’s father called the boy “the best of your mother and the best of me,” and said the people from Bold Earth Expeditions showed “poor judgment and poor character” as they did not remain on site to assist with the search for their son. On July 10th, the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources said that the tour company who took the group on the trip, Hawaii Pack and Paddle, did not have a permit to take the group to the tidal pool. According to reports, Tyler was a strong swimmer, an avid rower and a football player and was one of the more athletic students in the group. The Madoff’s will not take action against Bold Earth, which is based in Colorado.
Tyler Madoff was a resident of White Plains but attended Scarsdale Schools where his mother, Marianne Madoff worked as the teacher-in-charge at the Heathcote Elementary School. A beloved member of the Heathcote School community, Ms. Madoff plans to move up to the Scarsdale Middle School next year where she will teach math in Fountain House. The family has two other children, Dylan age 16 and McKalyla age 7.
In a note to the school community, Scarsdale Superintendent Michael McGill said “our hearts go out to the Madoff family” and offered counseling for those in distress. Scarsdale-Edgemont Family Counseling Service is available and can be contacted directly.
Debbie Singer, a Heathcote mom said that "everyone in the community is shocked by what happened and devastated by the loss. Our thoughts are with the Madoff family." And rormer Heathcote PTA President Amy Frank added, “we are saddened by this unfortunate event and our hearts go out to Marianne Madoff and her family.”
Tyler was well-liked by his classmates at Scarsdale High School, some of whom offered their recollections:
“Tyler was a great guy and a great athlete, but most of all he was a great friend. He was always there to talk to somebody whenever something was wrong. Just being around him could get things off your mind. He had a huge impact on my life and I know he had a large impact on my other friends’ lives” – Sam Kaplan
“Some people are inherently self-confident, self-respected, and self-assured; all of which are qualities that are not easily attained. Some people are gifted with the ability to believe in oneself, where nothing and no one can bring them down. But Tyler, had a greater and rarer gift. Tyler had the ability to make OTHER people feel good about themselves. Tyler was the epitome of compassion. If you wanted to complain about life with someone, he was the guy! Tyler was a LISTENER. Someone who actively understood everything you said and was determined to help. Regardless of Tyler’s outstanding musical, intellectual, and athletic talents, he was the type of man who remained humble as you boasted about your life achievements. Tyler was passionate about his many talents, but I believe the greatest of them all was his love for making other people happy. With Tyler as my inspiration, a new life-goal of mine is to emulate this talent. When making a difficult moral decision, I will think to myself, “What would Tyler do?” I will think about everything he listened to; everything he was humble about; everything he loved, and nothing he would hate; everything he gave, and nothing he would take. Tyler, thank you for being in my life and inspiring me to make myself better.
Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.” – Eric Berman
“I remember I was sad one day cause I was having some problems and I didn't wanna talk to anyone at lunch. You know when you don't say anything and you're sad but you still want someone to notice even though you don't feel like talking. One person noticed that day and asked "everything okay bud?'' Tyler was that one person that noticed and cared to ask. Wherever you are right now bud, everything will be okay.” – Alex Benitez
“Even though I did not know Tyler too well I remember him being on my YMCA swim team , and being in the same lane as I was for a short period of time (which was the lane for the slower kids). Tyler quickly advanced out of that lane (which I stilled stayed in) and became a talented swimmer, and a leader. I hope people understand even in the slightest matter the amount of talent this kid had, and the amount of loss our community and future have had.” – DJ Holloway
“Tyler and I played football together for 4 years. He was an incredible person, always there to help, always encouraging, really did anything it took to be a good person, whether it was in football or just as a friend. He was an amazing athlete who really did work as hard as he could to help us all succeed.” – Frank Schwall
“Tyler was a really good kid. He loved to laugh and always had a smile on his face. He was the nicest kid.” – Zach Galst
“He was just a kid that affected everyone around him in a positive way. Always trying to make people feel better” – Jeff Leone
“Tyler was a truly incredible guy. One of the most compassionate, caring, friendly, and genuine guys I knew.” – Dan Needham
This article was written by Joanne Wallenstein with assistance from Brian Shabto.
Share your memories of Tyler in the comments section below.
Hats Off to the Edgemont Class of 2012
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Everyone was proud and cheerful on the afternoon of the 56th Edgemont High School Commencement, despite the blistering 99-degree heat and heavy humidity outside. The 143 seniors swiftly marched into the center of Edgemont’s California-style campus, to the tune of Pomp and Circumstance, played by the high school band.
Once the class was seated, Dr. Barry Friedman made brief opening remarks, followed by a witty welcome speech by senior Isaac Marshall. Marshall noted the abundance of inside jokes that the senior class shared, including their elaborate prank on the school just a few weeks ago, and congratulated his classmates on “making it rain” college acceptances.
Dr. Barry Friedman took the podium again, warmly giving the class sound advice for the future. Next was the principal, Devan Ganeshananthan, who praised the students for their creativity and for their sense of community and teamwork.
Gerald Stoughton, from the Board of Education, reminisced on when he first moved to Edgemont, explaining that the community truly revolves around the schools, and that it is education-centric.
The charismatic Jonathan Hansonbrook, a Latin teacher who the students had voted to speak, was next at the podium, humorously comparing life after college to a zombie apocalypse and reflecting upon the tools for success that Edgemont has given its students.
Next was student speaker A.J. Stoughton, who warmly congratulated his fellow classmates, urging them to never be afraid of the future and to always maintain lifelong friendships with good people.
Last was the poised Ameya Acharya, who reflected on her childhood memories in Edgemont, noting how she looked forward to all of the monumental events in high school. She wished her classmates good luck ins their future endeavors.
The clear theme of the ceremony was the friendships and team experiences that develop during high 
school. Each speaker noted that the people are what made their time at Edgemont memorable, and that the community would not be the same without the strong group relationships that radiate throughout it.
Graduating senior Daniela Melamed described the commencement as “a surreal moment. It was truly remarkable to see the culmination of all of the hard work and memories shared by the class of 2012.”
The afternoon ended with the student’s families cheering for them as they each walked across the stage to receive their diplomas. It was a ceremony filled with laughter and memories, which will be remembered for years to come.
Article by Tatiana Melamed and Photographys by Mariela Melamed ( see more photos here)
An Exceptional Season for Scarsdale's Austin Kaplan
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It was another outstanding season for Scarsdale Boy’s Varsity Tennis and co-captain Austin Kaplan. The team completed a perfect, undefeated season and achieved excellent post-season results. Unlike other sports postseasons, the tennis team’s postseason operates by pitting singles players or doubles teams against each other in a grand statewide tennis tournament. Several Raiders doubles teams made it to sectional rounds, and co-captain Austin Kaplan made it all the way to the quarterfinal round of the state tournament. The soon to graduate senior juggled end of the year activities including prom and senior options with a crazy tennis schedule and put together an incredible playoff run.
Kaplan has been playing tennis for so long that he can’t remember when he hit his first tennis ball -- 
though there is an old photo of him holding a tennis racquet at the age of two. Kaplan had been looking forward to playing on the varsity team since his elementary school days, and the four-year starter has unquestionably made his mark on the SHS team. Kaplan has played on the Varsity A team since he was a freshman, which is unusual, given that the high school team is so competitive. He has held the coveted first singles slot since junior year. Last year, he and doubles partner Ben Fife came in first place at the state tournament, and were the first Scarsdale team to do so in quite some time.
Tennis was not something that came easily to the eighteen year-old senior. It was and still is a passionate dedication to the game that has carried Kaplan so far. As a musician and co-president of the SHS Band, Kaplan understands the importance of practice and demonstrates this with a five-day, twelve hour a week training schedule that he has adhered to for the last few years.
In his own words, however, “There’s training and conditioning that you can do to prepare, but at the end of the day there’s just you and your opponent on a court. In that kind of isolated competition, it’s all about heart.” In this respect, Kaplan feels that tennis has molded him into the person he is today. “The guy that’s gonna win is the one who wants it more, and the importance of that mindset for victory in tennis has made me a tougher kid.”
Kaplan’s last few matches were played at the National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows where the U.S. Open is played every year. In his first round, Kaplan defeated Jonah Berkowitz from FDR High School in Hyde Park 6-1 6-0. He defeated Beacon Senior Justin Fields 6-3 6-4 and broke out of the round of 16, but fell to Herrick’s Vihar Shah 6-3 6-4 to end his tournament run in the quarterfinals. Kaplan described playing in the National Tennis Center as “crazy” and a bit “surreal”.
“It was quite a cool thing to think about,” Kaplan remarked, “I was playing on the courts that I’d been watching the pros play on since I was a little kid.”
Though the entire experience was extremely tense and competitive, Kaplan admits to having a good time. He already knew most of his opponents from playing other USTA (United States Tennis Association) sponsored tournaments, and it was a bit like one last send-off for high-school tennis before he and many of his opponents head off to play college tennis next year. Kaplan intends to continue his tennis career on the University of Pennsylvania tennis team when he attends Wharton next fall.
Photos by Masumi Hamanaka
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.
Edgemont Prom: Oh What a Night
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On Friday, June 8, I had the opportunity to attend Edgemont High School’s 2012 Pre-Prom event. This was a particularly big deal for me, since I went to Edgemont and my last EHS Prom was 22 years ago. Yikes.
And, wouldn’t you know it. This year’s prom was at The Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club, where my prom was as well. Bizarre.
I thought it would be great fun to dig out my black strapless 1990 prom dress with the drop-waist and big bow in the back. I even entertained the idea of wearing it to Friday’s Pre-Prom. Then, some rational thinking kicked in, and I realized I would stick out like Cher at a PTA fundraiser. Well, you know what I mean.
It was way more fun for me to play Joan Rivers on the “Red Carpet” anyway. Let’s be clear though, a nice Joan Rivers. I came armed with questions, and I wasn’t leaving until I got my answers.
I wanted to know how different shopping for the prom was today from my experience 22 years ago. So, I had my standard question ready as I grabbed girl after girl for a quick interview, with “Tell me, how did you find your dress?”
I don’t know why, but this fact really shocked me; a lot of girls found their dresses online. And, many other girls went to one store, tried on their first dress, and went home with that one. No schlepping out to the Island or Jersey for these ladies.
Color, color everywhere, and nary a black dress in sight. Bright jewel tones ruled Edgemont’s 2012 Prom Night, particularly royal blue, purple, hot pink and canary yellow.
And, along with the visual vibrancy of the evening, the dresses were structurally interesting. No ruffles or gaudy embellishments. I’m talking about fashion-forward cut-outs, varying floor lengths and intricate ruching.
The hair was down and mostly in a natural wave or curl, while the make-up was a mix of simply natural and evening glam. Of course, I’m not going to forget about the shoes. I am a shoe girl after-all. The nude platform sandal seemed to dominate this year’s EHS prom.
My friend, Kim Aslanian, and fellow EHS alumni, was there to enjoy the festivities with her two girls, Zaza (8 years) and Grace (12 years). Grace got to spend her 12th birthday at the Pre Prom, and couldn’t have been happier. Doesn’t every little girl dream about her prom and wedding? Or maybe we all just dream about the dress.
Well, we hung out a little and I received some invaluable information. For example, I learned that only 
the senior girls wore long dresses, while the underclassmen girls wore short. Who knew?
I also learned that there were a fair amount of Junior boys at this year’s prom. One Junior attendee, Adam Nussbaum, told me, with a smile, “We’re a very good looking group.” We had a little laugh, and then he added, “I’m very excited for tonight. It should be a nice night out on the town.”
After an hour and half of Pre Prom activities, the party buses were ready to roll, and the kids were ready to get on with their Prom. The girls all looked gorgeous, sophisticated and elegant. And, the boys all looked dashing.
Man, did I get stuck with a horrible decade for prom-wear (aforementioned pouf dress), hair (big and curly and sprayed with Aquanet) and make-up (bright blue eye-shadow or eyeliner, and Frosted Brownie lipstick). Not. Good.
Here’s another back in the day for you; we had one Pre Prom party and it was at a classmate’s house. But, I really like this practice of the Pre-Prom at the High School because it brings the whole community together. Little girls get to see the pretty girls in their pretty dresses, teachers get to see their students, underclassmen not going to this year’s Prom get to feel included in the festivities, and all the parents get to enjoy the night.
Okay, my job was done. So, I headed back home to Mark, the boys, the dog and what was sure to be cold pizza. Maybe I should have boarded one of those white Silver Star limo buses and “Prom-Crashed.” Nah. Who was I kidding? Instead, I opted for the cold pizza, my boys and a pay-per-view. I already had my prom, 22 years ago. Now, I have my family.
Contributor Sharon Lippmann, writes about her "so called suburban life," as a proud resident of Scarsdale, NY. She is a writer, blogger, mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend and one sassy chick. She loves exploring the interesting, strange, perplexing, vexing, ridiculous and funny that life offers up frequently. Enjoying more of what she has to say about nothing, and, well, everything at mydailypill.com.
Photographs by Mariela Melamed: See more photos here:
