Village Employees Worked Round the Clock To Clear the Snow
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Though Mayor Jon Mark called the weekend snowstorm "the perfect storm.," with light powder and relatively light winds, Village Manager Steve Pappalardo reported on the enormous effort it took to clear away 20 inches of snow that fell on the Village. Pappalardo said he was surprised by the downfall. He had anticipated 4- 8 inches, but it turned out to be far more. In total 38 Village employees, manning 21 plow trucks cleared over 90 miles of village roads and 25 miles of sidewalks along with many village parking lots. When residents awoke on Sunday morning, they found the Village center completely cleared of snow.
There was so much snow that it had to be trucked away to the leaf transfer station and Crossway. The village used 400 tons of salt and 2,900 gallons of liquid calcium chloride to melt the snow. Total overtime costs were $100,000. Both the Mayor and Village Manager thanked Benny Salanitro and the Department of Public Works for their efforts. Many worked round the clock on Saturday and Sunday night to clear and plow streets and sidewalks.
Edgemont Freshman Sings at Carnegie Hall
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Edgemont High School freshman Ananya Gurumurthy was selected to perform at the American Protégé International Music Competition at Carnegie Hall on December 26, 2015. She performed "Juliet's Waltz" from the opera Romeo and Juliet by Charles Gounod.
Ananya has trained with vocal coach Anna Veleva for classical training and voice development for the past 3 years. She is passionate about music and sings many different styles, including classical, jazz and blues. She was selected by her school to participate in the Jazz Chamber Choir and will perform February 2016 with the school choir at the Berklee Jazz Festival in Boston. She has completed five levels of certification in the New York State School of Music (NYSSMA) festival for voice and piano. She performed "Alleluia" by Mozart in Weill Recital Hall, in the American Protégé International Vocal Competition on July 5th, 2015.
Musical accomplishments aside, Ananya was recognized by Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth ("CTY") on October 18th, 2015 as one of the brightest middle school students from around the world, after participating in CTY's International talent search testing. She is co-founder of her school's robotics team and likes to spend her free time relaxing with her younger brother, friends and family.
How You Can Help Westhab to Help Local Kids in Need
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This article was submitted to Scarsdale10583 by Ananya Gurumurthy, a freshman at Edgemont Jr./Sr. High School.
Westchester County, known to be one of the wealthiest counties in the country, still has persistent pockets of poverty. According to the Empire State Security Campaign of Westchester, the poverty rate is higher than both the national average and that of any other northern state*. Westchester's high countywide wealth averages have created the false perception of affluence, while the reality differs immensely. Sadly, economically stagnant communities are home to thousands of children who are often ensnared in the vicious cycle of poverty.
These children face multiple challenges throughout their lives. However, there are organizations like Westhab, whose mission is to ease the burdens on these children. Westhab has been attempting to provide these children and their families with the asylum and services they need. Additionally, Westhab has helped almost 1,200 at-risk youth by creating the Youth Services Program since it was founded in 1988. The Youth Services program offers homework help, clubs, and occasional field trips to all children. As a volunteer for the Westhab Youth Services in the Coachman Family Center in White Plains, I have seen firsthand how dedicated staff and counselors make a huge difference in young peoples' lives.
After speaking to Giselle Ayala, director of Youth Services at Westhab, I learned that there are a few simple ways to contribute. According to Giselle, "People can call Westhab directly at 914-345-2800 ext. 122 and ask whether they would like to help out with the Youth Services. After that, John Parssinen [director of volunteering] will direct them to the appropriate Westhab location. If someone would like to donate directly, they can contact Roxanne Telyczka at 914-345-2800 ext. 111."
Welcoming 2016 creates a great opportunity to get involved with our communities and make a change in the lives of others. It is a great way to kick-start the New Year, as it provides a great beginning to those being helped and it brings great joy to those who help out. In the New Year, volunteering at Westhab could prove to be a great resolution to make and to keep!
Richard Altieri Named as a Schwarzman Scholar
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Scarsdale's Richard Altieri has been chosen to receive a scholarship to study at the new Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Schwarzman Scholars is designed to prepare its graduates to build stronger relationships between China and a rapidly changing world and to address the most pressing challenges of the 21st Century. The first class of 111 scholars was chosen from over 3,000 applicants.
The program was created and by Stephen A. Schwarzman, chairman and co-founder of the Blackstone Group. Schwarzman contributed $100 million to the school and raised another $275 million. The plan is to establish a $450 million endowment to fund 200 students each year. Its mission is to prepare the next generation of global leaders to respond to the geopolitical landscape of the 21st Century. Whether in politics, business or science, Schwarzman believes that the success of future leaders around the world will depend upon an understanding of China's role in global trends.
The inaugural class in 2016 will develop their leadership skills and professional networks through a one-year Master's Degree at Tsinghua University in Beijing. They will spend a year immersed in an international community of innovators and senior leaders in business, politics and society. In an environment of intellectual engagement, professional development and cultural exchange, they will learn from one another and pursue their academic disciplines while building their leadership capacities. Students will pursue degrees in Public Policy, Economics and Business or International Studies. This experience will expand students' understanding of the world and create a growing network of global leaders for the future.
Designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, the 200,000 
square foot campus will house one of the most advanced higher-education facilities in the world and will be the first LEED Gold–certified academic building in China. Students will live and study together on the campus of Schwarzman College, where all classes will be taught in English.
Richard Altieri recently graduated from Amherst College and is currently pursuing a Watson Fellowship in cross-cultural humor. His fellowship involves performing and studying stand-up comedy in English, Spanish, and Chinese. In college, by teaching English abroad in China and researching policy, Richard developed a passion for education. Looking forward, Richard intends to explore how education policy can facilitate deeper cultural understanding between the United States, Latin America, and China. In the long term, he aspires to start a consultancy that develops education policy at the broadest levels, promoting artistic, social, and historical understanding between nations. Richard is 23 years old and grew up in Scarsdale. He attended Regis High School and is fluent in Chinese and Spanish.
CNC Seeks Candidates For Village Trustee
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Do you know someone who might be interested in serving as a Village Trustee? The Scarsdale Citizens Nominating Committee (CNC) is currently selecting candidates to run on the Citizens' Non-Partisan Party slate for three open Trustee positions on the Village Board.
Potential nominees for Trustee must be citizens of the United States, residents of the Village of Scarsdale, and at least 18 years of age. Mayor Jonathan Mark noted that future trustees should be able to listen to residents, fellow Board members and Village staff; make the necessary time commitment; have a willingness to work with others; be interested in educating oneself on the issues presented; and a professional, courteous demeanor.
Trustee David Lee's seat will be open as his second term expires in 2016. Trustees Deb Pekarek and Marc Samwick will be eligible for nomination to serve a second term.
Further information regarding Scarsdale's non-partisan system can be found here.
Trustee David Lee, whose second term expires in 2016, advised the CNC during its public organizational meeting, that being a trustee is a lot of work, but a lot of fun for anyone interested in learning more about the ins and outs of local government. He suggested that the CNC, "...look for people with a record of community involvement, who appear to be open-minded and fair-minded, and yet willing to compromise when necessary in working toward consensus ... and look for people who would make themselves accessible to our residents and would be good communicators with them, while being able to maintain objectivity when deciding how to vote on Village issues." Finally he said, "look for people who get along well with others, which is critical for a well-functioning board and professional Village staff."
Does this sound like you or anyone you know? You can play a role in the Village's non-partisan system, by filling out the paperwork available on the web site, or suggest potential candidates to anyone of the volunteers serving on the CNC. The names of CNC representatives elected in each Scarsdale district can be found here. Chairman Howard Nadel can also be contacted at (914) 723-2829 or howard.nadel@gmail.com. Help make our democracy work by acting now.
