Raiders Winter Sports Return From Break to Start the ‘26 Slate
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Photo Credit: Dave TaberThe Scarsdale Raiders return from the two week break and begin 2026 with their winter sports teams, ready to charge in the second half of the season.
The winter season which began on November 17th is now in full swing. Though most teams did not see game action until the first week of December, they return from the break refreshed and ready to go. Grind is what a lot of the teams must focus on as they head into the second half of the season and hopefully into playoffs in late February.
Men's Basketball
The men's basketball team looks for the 2026 portion of their schedule to be a bounce back after a string of losses in December. Sitting at 1-6, they play Pelham, Horace Greeley, and Ketcham to begin the new year. Coming off a trip to the county center last March with senior phenoms Jake Sussberg and Daniel Hoey, the team has strong players like freshman Henry Spicer, Junior Ryan Sussberg and senior Joey Pappalardo and will look to have a good second half of the season.
Women's Basketball
The women’s basketball team ended 2025 on a 2-1 record with both wins coming against White Plains by final scores of 42-25 and 40-37. The girls open up 2026 with an away tilt against Sleepy Hollow on Thursday January 8th.
Men's Hockey
‘Ders puck looks to build off two big wins against Mt. Pleasant and Rye-town Harrison to end the 2025 campaign as they open the new year at 3-2 with a back to back against White Plains and Amity this week. Buddy Meiselman will look to hold down the pipes in net along with 10 other seniors in front of him to help the hockey team down the stretch.
Men's Swim
Men's swim opens up 2026 with a meet over at North Rockland on Tuesday and then home meet against Harrison on Thursday at Westchester community college. Their two wins came against Eastchester and Clarkstown South. Sitting at 2-2, they are led by seniors Avi Stahl and Kieran Lee. Stahl will attend Brown this fall for swimming and Lee will swim at Williams.
Ski Team
The ski team will begin the new year with bigger opportunities and more chances for people to qualify for sectionals, starting with a few races and time trials along the way. The boys are led by Hunter Frank and Andrew Jeremiah and the girls are led by Stella Van Arsdale and Jayden Hernandez.
Men's Wrestling
The boys wrestling team opens up the new year with great success at many weight levels. They finished off 2025 with a 3rd place finish overall at the Bernie Miller invitational at Rye back on December 13th. The boys first meet will take place at Clarkstown South this week and later in the week will host the annual Scarsdale wrestling invitational. Captains Jack Harrison, Alex Duval, Ben Xiao and Henry Sperling lead the way for the squad!
Women's Wrestling
Building off a season where the girls wrestling won the section championship back in 2025, this year’s team hopes to emulate that success. Junior captain Daisy Bennet leads the way along with sophomore stud Iman Maroff. With three strong performances to open the season, the girls team do not compete until January 16th at the Scarsdale girls tournament. They will close January with a meet over at Edgemont.
Indoor Track
The indoor track team is running well and they hope to carry their momentum into 2026. Led by seniors Charlie Rich, Nate Lynch, Jack Sheridan, Jake Saxon and Labrowne Brown just to name a few, the boys team is bound to have a big run down the stretch and on the girls Leia Patel, Ana Pentenelli, Rachel Rackower and Alice Nicassio lead the way on what is the team with one of most crowded rosters in all of Scarsdale. A few athletes will compete over at the Milrose game trials along with a whole squad trip to the Refuel with Chocolate Milk Officials HOF Invitational later this week, both at the armory in NYC.
January is already shaping up to be an exciting month for SHS athletes. Tune in here for more updates on these teams and the gymnastics, fencing, bowling and squash teams.
Maroon and White Gets Into the Holiday Spirit at Raider Pride Event
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On Friday, December 12th, Scarsdale High School welcomed a burst of Raider Pride during the Maroon & White Pride event, held after school from 2:00 to 3:00 PM. With winter settling in and the holidays approaching, the event offered students and athletes a moment to gather, recharge, and celebrate their school community.
The Pride event featured a food stall with free treats, including cupcakes, muffins, chicken sandwiches, and a variety of snacks. Conveniently located outside the gymnasiums, the setup could not have been better timed. Winter sports athletes were already in the area for picture day, making it easy for students heading to or from the gym to stop by, grab food, and connect with teammates and friends.
Organized by the Maroon & White Spirit Committee, the event was led by co-chairs Jenn Pappalardo, mother of Joey ’26 and Ava ’27, and Jen Fischer, mother of Ivy ’28. The Spirit Committee is part of the Maroon & White Booster Club, a parent-led volunteer organization that supports Scarsdale athletics, physical education, and student health while promoting school spirit throughout the Scarsdale community. Through fundraising, the Booster Club helps provide equipment and resources not covered by the school budget, strengthening Raider Pride across SHS.
According to the co-chairs, these Pride events take place each season during Raider Pride Week to recognize student-athletes and our community who support them. With students balancing long school days, games, and extracurriculars, offering free food was a simple way to show appreciation. The response from students was enthusiastic, with many lingering to talk and enjoy the festive atmosphere before heading to their next commitments.
Pappalardo said, "Leading the Maroon & White Spirit Committee is honestly my favorite role because it’s so fun and student-facing. Getting to be around the kids and see their smiles and their energy is the best part. I can’t believe I’ve known some of them since kindergarten! Working with our new Athletic Director Cindy Parrott is fantastic, she super supportive!"
The event reflected SHS values by bringing together students, parents, and staff to celebrate teamwork and unity beyond the playing field. While planning required careful coordination around busy athletic schedules, the Spirit Committee worked closely with the athletic department to ensure students could participate.
For the organizers, the experience was particularly rewarding. Seeing students relax, smile, and spend time together made the effort worthwhile. Athletic Director Cindy Parrott’s active involvement further highlighted the SHS administration’s commitment to student life and school spirit.
Looking ahead, the Maroon & White Spirit Committee plans to return in the spring with hopes of expanding food options, adding giveaways, and increasing student involvement. As the holiday season approached, this Pride event offered a timely reminder of a strong sense of community, shared pride, and plenty of maroon and white spirit.
Governor Signs Paulin’s Landmark Medical Aid in Dying Act
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After a decade of tireless advocacy, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-Westchester) today announced her legislation, the Medical Aid in Dying Act (A.136/S.138), will become law in New York State. The legislation, which she authored and has championed, will provide terminally ill New Yorkers with the compassionate option to end unbearable suffering peacefully.
“This is truly historic for New York,” said Assemblywoman Paulin. “The Medical Aid in Dying Act will give New Yorkers the autonomy and dignity they deserve at the most vulnerable moment in their lives, and I am profoundly grateful to the Governor for her leadership.”
The Medical Aid in Dying Act allows terminally ill adults to request a prescription for medication they can choose to self-ingest to die gently in their sleep. New York will join twelve other states and Washington, D.C., including nearby New Jersey, Vermont, and Maine, in offering this end-of-life option.
The Medical Aid in Dying Act includes rigorous safeguards to ensure that the law is used appropriately and responsibly. Only mentally capable adults who have a prognosis of six months or less to live are eligible to use it, as verified by two independent physicians. The patient must also have a mental health evaluation to determine that they have decision making capacity. Patients must make a verbal request for medical aid in dying, as well as submit a written request which is witnessed by two individuals, neither of whom can be a relative, heir, or affiliated with an owner, operator, or employee of the health care a facility where the patient is receiving care. The witnesses must also have no financial interest in the patient’s estate. Patients must also record an audio or video request. Patients must be capable of self-administering the medication, ensuring that the final act is a voluntary and deliberate choice. Additionally, physicians are required to inform patients of all available end-of-life care options, including hospice and palliative care. These safeguards, modeled after those in place for decades in other jurisdictions, have proven overwhelmingly effective.
“This issue has always been deeply personal for me,” said Paulin. “My sister died a horrific death from ovarian cancer, and in her final days she was in pain so overwhelming that she begged for death. Her experience is, tragically, the story of so many others. Most people will never choose medical aid in dying, but they want the reassurance of having it as a compassionate safeguard that offers comfort even if it is never used.”
State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, New York State Senate sponsor of Medical Aid in Dying Act, said, “Today, we make history. This agreement on Medical Aid in Dying is a monumental victory for every New Yorker who has wished to peacefully end their suffering from a terminal illness. Since we first introduced this legislation nine years ago, I have consistently said this bill is not about ending life, it's about shortening death. I’m proud that New York is now the 13th state, along with Washington, D.C., that will offer expanded end-of-life care so that terminally ill New Yorkers gain greater autonomy over how much pain and suffering they must endure. I want to thank Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly sponsor Amy Paulin, and Governor Kathy Hochul for her leadership and willingness to take on a difficult issue and help limit the suffering of New Yorkers. Most of all, we owe a deep debt of gratitude to those afflicted with a terminal illness and their families, who shared the heart-wrenching details of their end-of-life decision making in the hopes of improving the options for future generations. New York is a state of dignity and compassion for New Yorkers at all stages of life, and today's announcement proves just that.”
“The Medical Aid in Dying Act will allow for compassion and centering dignity and autonomy in end-of-life care,” New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said. “I would like to thank Assemblymember Amy Paulin for her hard and tireless work championing this legislation in the Assembly and finally providing terminally ill New Yorkers the option to go peacefully and on their own terms, not in pain and anguish.”
David Leven, Executive Director Emeritus and Senior Consultant, End of Life Choices New York, said, "That Governor Hochul will sign the Medical Aid in Dying Act into law is a major victory that will provide for compassionate relief for suffering, terminally ill patients. Assemblymember Amy Paulin, the lead sponsor of the Assembly bill, is largely responsible for passage of the bill. Her incredible tireless, relentless and vigorous advocacy for the bill over a decade resulted in yearly increases in the number of sponsors of the bill. This had such a positive impact that ultimately the legislative leaders also became sponsors of the bill, for which they too deserve much credit. Governor Hochul is to be praised for her compassion in agreeing to sign the bill for which we are very grateful."
Corinne Carey, senior campaign director for Compassion & Choices NY/NJ, said, “This law is the culmination of more than a decade of determined advocacy by thousands of New Yorkers, many of whom courageously shared their final months to help others. We honor the advocates we lost along the way and the families who stood beside them, whose suffering might have been eased had this option existed sooner. As the Medical Aid in Dying Act becomes law, it affirms compassion, love, family, and respect for personal autonomy. I’m grateful Governor Hochul listened to the voices of those most directly affected, and our next responsibility is clear: to ensure every New Yorker, regardless of where they live or their resources, can understand, trust, and access this option if they choose.”
“Today marks a major milestone in the fight for Medical Aid in Dying in New York,” said Mandi Zucker, Executive Director of End of Life Choices New York. “Governor Kathy Hochul is now giving terminally ill New Yorkers the option to end their lives with peace, dignity, and grace. This achievement would not have been possible without the leadership of Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Assemblymember Amy Paulin, and the tireless efforts of our staff, board, volunteers, and advocates. While this is a moment to celebrate, the work continues. We must now ensure robust education and collaboration so this law is implemented effectively and equitably for all New Yorkers in the months and years ahead.”
“I want to thank the extraordinary advocates who have spent a decade working tirelessly by my side to make this day possible,” Paulin added. “Their perseverance never wavered. I am also deeply grateful to my Senate co-sponsor, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, for his partnership throughout this long journey. With this law, New York will become the twelfth state, plus Washington DC, to embrace compassion at the end of life. This milestone will bring comfort to so many across our state.”
State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D-Manhattan), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sponsored the companion bill in the Senate.
"A Scarsdale Story" Debuts in the New SHS Auditorium
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The Scarsdale community really knows how to “show up.” Around 200 alumni, neighbors and friends came together for a rare opportunity to celebrate our public school district on Wednesday night December 3, 2025 at the new high school auditorium. As conveyed in the new film From the First Schoolhouse: A Scarsdale Story, this community-minded spirit is what has helped the Scarsdale Schools thrive.
“From the First Schoolhouse: A Scarsdale Story” brings to life the people, places, and moments that built the foundation of Scarsdale’s schools. From little-known facts about the buildings themselves to pioneering educational strategies and milestones that captured national attention, the film traces a more than a century of innovation and vision. It highlights Scarsdale’s long tradition of educational progressivism, from early experiments like The Scarsdale Plan to programs such as the Scarsdale Alternative School (A-School). Along the way, the district faced historical challenges—wartime pressures, overcrowding, censorship, and the Red Scare—that continue to resonate today. Together, these themes show how civic dedication, forward-thinking leadership, and a willingness to confront conflict shaped the district’s identity.
Rare photographs, archival footage, and personal anecdotes bring the evolution of the schools to life. Narrating on location from schools across Scarsdale, trustees Lori Rothman, Jordan Copeland, and Leslie Chang weave together stories that have been hidden for decades. There are firsthand accounts from legendary former educators like Ruth Friendly and Tony Aranella (a founder of the A-School), and insights from one of the first graduates of the A-School, WiIlliam Klayman ‘73. Together, they offer a vivid portrait of a community shaped by vision, ambition, conflict, triumph, and change that continues to unfold.
The film includes many rare photos, like this football team photo from the 1923 Scarsdale High School yearbook.
Jordan Copeland explains about Quaker Ridge School’s origins at a very unexpected location.
A journalist and trustee of the Scarsdale Historical Society, Lori Rothman makes her first appearance in one of the organization’s films.
Don’t miss their new exhibit on the Scarsdale Public Schools, created by the library’s Local History Librarian Dan Glauber. It’s on display in the Local History Center of the library, or online here.
The film is posted online on the Scarsdale Historical Society website and is free to view. Watch the movie here:
Support SHS Students Through the PTA Scholarship Fund
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SHS PTA Scholarship Fund for College
The Scarsdale High School PTA Scholarship Fund for College helps to defray freshman-year tuition costs for students in need of financial assistance by providing grants to graduating Scarsdale seniors for their freshman year of college.
Every Scarsdale household recently received an appeal to support the Scarsdale High School PTA Scholarship Fund for College. While our community is generally one of means, there are families here affected by hardship, such as illness, divorce, and business collapse, which can have devastating effects on a family’s ability to pay for college education. We expect student needs to be significant again this year.
The Fund is administered under strict rules of confidence, and all money raised directly benefits qualified students. Scholarship funding comes solely from donations by Scarsdale residents, businesses, PTC, PTA’s and other local organizations.
You can learn more about and donate to the SHS PTA Scholarship Fund for College by visiting https://shs.scarsdaleschools.org/scholarship. Donations, which are tax-deductible, may also be mailed to Scarsdale High School PTA Scholarship Fund for College, 1057 Post Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583. Please contact Lauren Grossberg at shsptascholarshipfund@gmail.com with any questions.
Thank you in advance for your support!
