Graduation Speech from Class of '20 President Isabella Lelis: We Can't Control What Happens, But We Can Control the Way We Respond
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Izzy Lelis, SHS Class of 2020 Senior Class PresidentThis speech was given by SHS Class of 2020 President Isabella Lelis at the virtual graduation ceremony on June 23, 2020: Good afternoon Class of 2020!
I want to start by saying how much I wish we could all be together right now. I've been looking forward to this moment of speaking to you all on this special day since I was elected as your class president. This longing of mine increased even more after I attended the graduation for the Class of 2019 last year. On that day as I watched the crowd of graduates, all I remember thinking was “that’s going to be us in one year.” One year. I thought to myself at that moment that we only had one year left to make our final mark at Scarsdale High School, to relish in the relationships we’ve built over the years with both our classmates and teachers, to experience all the milestones and events we’ve been looking forward to, and I remember feeling what most of you are probably feeling right now - a mixed emotion of excitement, determination, and yet a bit of sadness. Little did I know back then that not only does one year go by so fast, but that it also only takes an instant in that one year for things to change drastically.
Before second semester, most of us were so stressed with schoolwork, college applications, our last SATs and ACTs that we did not have the time to appreciate what we have now lost. The little moments of high school. I know most of you are wishing you stayed in your seats in you final class on March 6th, our last day in the building, just a little longer after the bell rang, wishing you spent your time walking in the hallway and looking up at each other rather than staring at your phones and rushing out of the building to your cars because of marker tag, wishing that wave or conversation with that one friend or teacher in the hallway in person wasn’t your last, wishing you could eat one last time in the library before getting caught of course, and just wishing you hadn’t taken these little moments for granted.
The coronavirus pandemic has taken so much from us seniors and from our world as a whole, but it also has taught and made us so much stronger. I can say with full certainty that from now on we will take full advantage of each opportunity we are given and all of the time we have. We have learned that we must always appreciate and never take for granted the present, from the biggest moments to the little things that happen behind the scenes. From now on, when I think of our class, I will think of these lessons we’ve learned, but even more, I will think of resilience. We faced many challenges, from transitioning to zooms classes to coping with tremendous uncertainty and even not being able to sit next to each other on Dean Field right now, and it is sad that we can’t control what happens. However, we learned that we can control how we respond to what’s happening in a positive way, and we did. We donated our marker tag money to help those affected by COVID-19 and to first responders, we found ways to get senior options and our graduation to occur, and we definitely kept in contact through it all in our grade groupme. We sacrificed attending our final speech and debate tournament, taking the field one last time as a raider, being with our friends, for the safety and well being of all, and that should not go unnoticed. We also know that we could not have done it without our teachers, administrators, parents, and family members, who were experiencing the challenges of this pandemic for the first time just like us, and yet still took extra time and care to support us and to make our final moments as a senior so special.
To me, it’s pretty ironic that these final moments are even happening the way they are. Just when we finally have time to sit with one another without the stress of school, we can’t. Just when our cooking and baking skills have improved with this extra time, we can’t invite anyone to try our food. Just when roads have become empty, there really isn’t anywhere open to go. So, because of these contradictory times, I think I’ll drop some irony as well. In a time where I haven’t seen or been physically near any of you, I feel connected and bonded to you all now more than ever. And it’s not only because we faced this pandemic together - we cannot let that be the only thing that defines us- it’s because I’ve had time, as most of you have had, to reflect on everything else we did together. From the moment we walked through Brewster Entrance for the first time to our final, unexpected exit, we all shared certain experiences together: the hard work we put in, both the awkward silence and the booming laughter during a class, the kindness from our faculty and friends, the many gridlocks we attempted to have, the endless trips to Lange’s and Nonni’s - those are the moments we will look back on and cherish following our high school career, and what I want you all to be thinking about right now as we bid farewell to our school.
Few classes will graduate into a world as in need of our help as the one we are about to enter. In a couple of months, most of us, fingers crossed, will be leaving our little bubble of Scarsdale and going to different places across the country and even the globe. I know I’m not older than any of you, I’m barely taller than most, if not all, of you, but I want to give you some advice as you go on into the “real” world. We’ve had the privilege to go to Scarsdale High School, use what you’ve learned, use your voice to speak and stand up for those who can’t, remember those who have lost and sacrificed their lives during this time to help others and follow in their footsteps. Class of 2020, we will forever be bonded and we will leave a lasting legacy of resilience on this school and the classes that are to come. I know I can’t see any of your faces right now, but as I metaphorically look out to all of you watching and think about all of the people in our class, I am confident that we have not only impacted our school and each other, but that we will continue to make an impact on this world, who so deeply needs it. So although we are all going our separate ways, remember deep down, we will always be “all in this together.”
Election Results Uncertain Due to Large Number of Mail-In Ballots
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(Updated June 24 9:30 pm) Though we have the tallies for the in person voting for the Democratic Primary in Westchester, there remain an estimated 58,000 mail-in ballots that have not yet been counted. So for now, it’s too early to call either the race for the 17th Congressional District or for Westchester County District Attorney.
Both races were highly competitive and voters are eager to know the outcome. An email from incumbent Eliot Engel, who ran against challenger Jamaal Bowman says, “There are many thousands of absentee ballots that will need to be counted, and that count won't begin for another six days.”
Mark Lewis, Chair of the Scarsdale Democratic Town Committee reported, "Westchester County has received over 58,000 mail in ballots which have not been counted. Ballots postmarked June 23, 2020 have 7 days to arrive at the Board. On June 30 all mail in ballots will be counted."
Lewis provided these local counts for voting in New Rochelle and Scarsdale, along with county wide numbers which can be verified on the website of the Westchester County Board of Elections.
In Scarsdale and New Rochelle, Engel received 867 votes to Bowman’s 642. However, county wide in-person voting shows Bowman with 15,042 votes and Engel with 9,607.
In the race of Westchester County District Attorney, Scarsdale’s Mimi Rocah received 958 votes to Tony Scarpino’s 314 in New Rochelle and Scarsdale. For the county, Rocah now has 27,748 votes to Scarpino's 13,064.
An email from the Scarpino campaign also advises that it’s too early to declare a winner, saying, “There are still tens of thousands of absentees ballots outstanding and more coming in. That process needs to run its course. The results of this election are still pending, and we look forward to seeing all the votes counted.”
Here are the numbers on the in-person voting as of June 24, 2020.
Voter Information for June Primaries
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Dear Editor: On June 23, voters registered to a political party will have the opportunity to vote in primary elections for the office of President of the United States, members of Congress, and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.
The League of Women Voters Scarsdale and our neighboring Leagues are following our mission of informing and educating voters. We have hosted and will continue to host Candidate Forums for some of the upcoming Primary elections.
The majority of Scarsdale is represented by Congressional District 16. In this District, the candidates running for the Democratic nomination are: Jamaal Bowman, Eliot W. Engel, Chris Fink, and Sammy Ravelo.
The League of Women Voters Westchester will be hosting a virtual Candidate Forum for the candidates running in the Democratic Primary in Congressional District 16, and all of the Democratic candidates are expected to participate. The Forum will be held this Sunday, June 7th from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM via Zoom. In order to watch the Forum live, please register here: In addition, voters are invited to submit questions for the candidates. You may submit questions here.
If you are unable to watch the Candidate Forum live, it will be recorded and available to view on the League of Women Voters Westchester website at LWVW.org.
There is no Republican primary for Congressional District 16.
A few residences in Scarsdale are represented by Congressional District 17. In that district, there will be a Republican and a Democratic primary. To vote in those primaries, voters need to be registered to the political party in which they are voting. The League of Women Voters Westchester conducted a virtual Candidate Forum for the Democratic primary in Congressional District 17 on May 21, 2020. The Forum can be viewed here:
The League of Women Voters Westchester had planned to conduct a virtual Candidate Forum for the Republican primary in Congressional District 17, but that Forum could not be scheduled because the candidates did not accept the League’s invitation to participate.
In addition to the Congressional primary races, there will be a Democratic primary for the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. The League of Women Voters Westchester hosted a virtual Candidate Forum on May 28, 2020 and it can be viewed here:
Vote 411.org is a helpful ballot information resource for voters. In addition, voters can find details about their voter registration and whether they are registered to a political party here.
Due to COVID-19, voters eligible to vote in the June Primary were sent an absentee ballot application from the Westchester County Board of Elections. Completed absentee ballot applications must be received by the Board of Elections by June 16th. If you have any questions regarding the absentee ballot application, please contact the County Board of Elections at 914-995-5285 or boe-westabsentee@westchestergov.com. In-person voting will also be available for primary voters, detailed information will be forthcoming from the Board of Elections. Additional information can be found on the Board of Elections website here.
An additional helpful resource is a text alert system created by The League of Women Voters of New York to keep voters up to date on election changes. Text VoteNY to 474747.
If you have any questions regarding voting, please contact the League of Women Voters, voter service.
Alissa Baum
Ronny Hersch
Beatrice Sevcik
Voter Service Co-Chairs
League of Women Voters of Scarsdale
Candidates Forum and Voter Information for June Primary from LWVS
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Dear Editor: On June 23, voters registered to a political party will have the opportunity to vote in primary elections for the office of President of the United States, members of Congress, and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.
The League of Women Voters Scarsdale and our neighboring Leagues are following our mission of informing and educating voters. We have hosted Candidate Forums for some of the primary elections — these forums can be viewed via the links included in this letter.
The majority of Scarsdale is represented by Congressional District 16. In this District, the candidates running for the Democratic nomination are: Jamaal Bowman, Eliot W. Engel, Chris Fink, and Sammy Ravelo. The Westchester League held a Candidate Forum for the Democratic Primary of CD 16 on June 7. Click here to watch the video:
There is no Republican primary for Congressional District 16.
A few residences in Scarsdale are represented by Congressional District 17. In that district, there will be a Republican and a Democratic primary. To vote in those primaries, voters need to be registered to the political party in which they are voting. The League of Women Voters Westchester conducted a virtual Candidate Forum for the Democratic primary in Congressional District 17 on May 21, 2020. The Forum can be viewed here.
The League of Women Voters Westchester had planned to conduct a virtual Candidate Forum for the Republican primary in Congressional District 17, but that Forum could not be scheduled because the candidates did not accept the League’s invitation to participate.
In addition to the Congressional primary races, there will be a Democratic primary for the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. The League of Women Voters Westchester hosted a virtual Candidate Forum on May 28, 2020 and it can be viewed here:
Vote 411.org is a helpful ballot information resource for voters. In addition, voters can find details about their voter registration and whether they are registered to a political party here.
Due to COVID-19, voters eligible to vote in the June Primary were sent an absentee ballot application from the Westchester County Board of Elections. Completed absentee ballot application must be postmarked by June 16th.
On June 7, Governor Cuomo announced an Executive Order extending the absentee ballot submission deadline for the June Primary. Absentee ballots must be postmarked by June 23, the date of the election, to be counted.
If you have any questions regarding the absentee ballot application, please contact the County Board of Elections at 914-995-5285 or boe-westabsentee@westchestergov.com. In-person voting will also be available for primary voters, detailed information will be forthcoming from the Board of Elections. Additional information can be found on the Board of Elections website here.
An additional helpful resource is a text alert system created by The League of Women Voters of New York to keep voters up to date on election changes. Text VoteNY to 474747.
If you have any questions regarding voting, please contact the League of Women Voters, voter service.
Alissa Baum
Ronny Hersch
Beatrice Sevcik
Voter Service Co-Chairs
League of Women Voters of Scarsdale
In Support of Mayra Kirkendall-Rodriguez for School Board
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This poem about Mayra was sent to Scarsdale10583 by her husband Brice Kirkendall Rodriguez:
Her mom had cleaned houses, so much out of reach
Her dad served America surviving Omaha Beach
As a family they were migrants; picking food for us all
Mayra born in South Bend and then to McAllen while still small
Her first language and her family’s was that of Cervantes
English began at a Texas school for Agricultores migrantes
A great student, transferred to public schools was she
By fourth grade a first-place finish in the local spelling bee
Dedicated teachers nurtured her spirit and didn’t hesitate
to encourage her competitively as she pursued debate
Aware that helping hands had done much to put her on track
She has always found ways to volunteer and to give back
Mayra taught English to immigrants in Texas and Philadelphia
She even helped the assimilation of Jewish émigrés from Russia
The latter impressed Fred the Furrier, yes incredible but it’s true
He sponsored her Wallenberg Scholarship in Israel to study Hebrew
An emerging markets expert at JPMorgan and BT Alex Brown
She became a Russian energy expert until that market went down
Trotted the globe consulting, countries visited? At least 73
Projects helped central banks, start-ups and the U.S.A.I.D.
Two Scarsdale residents, one who knew her then hatched a plan
Introduce her to a husband, a Scarsdale home and a blue minivan
Since education brought her the world and a home in this place
Mayra turned her energy and passion to the village she does embrace
Recognizing proficiency in languages as an important global tool
She advocated with a team for Mandarin in the Middle School
This led to Forum leadership and Education Committee Chair
Also, PTA, Cub Scouts, OSNA neighborhood and more I could share
Schooling elementary kids at home during COVID-19
Gives her perspective on parents enduring that routine
Prescient were her years-ago calls for a long-term financial plan
She understands models, compliance, to the board she’ll lend a hand
Mayra’s passion, work ethic and empathy are no quirk
She also understands empty-nesters help make this work
Our kids are the promise and future of the nation
Our teachers light the way for this great next generation
Our taxpayers make it possible without exultation
And we all pursue this harmony as it defines our civilization
Scarsdale is a celebration in diversity; over a quarter foreign-born
Democracy thrives best when elective competition is the norm
For leadership with voice and vision put your vote at the ready
We can elect Mayra to Scarsdale School Board, Yes, we can…¡Si Se Puede!
To the Editor,
As a Scarsdale resident, property-tax payer and professional economist, I view Mayra Kirkendall-Rodriguez’s candidacy for a seat on the School Board as a rare opportunity to achieve optimal balance between the interests of our taxpayers who foot the bill – those with children in the public schools and those without – and the best educational interests of our children.
While some may find it surprising given her Harvard and U. Penn pedigree, Mayra champions the welfare of those in Scarsdale far from the apex of our highly-skewed income distribution – the families at and below what was our $250,000 median income before the pandemic cost so many of us our livelihoods. As a student of municipal finance, Mayra has documented in her Forbes columns her concerns about Scarsdale’s significant unfunded liabilities, declining median incomes and inaccurate and untruthful accounting of government finance. With three of her VCP colleagues, she spearheaded the effort to allow Scarsdale residents to pay property taxes in installments in order to alleviate our financial burdens and battled against the two property tax increases Scarsdale residents are now facing in the midst of this economic crisis. She cares about those husbands and wives, moms and dads who work hard to afford to live here and those of us who are now retired on fixed incomes. As the sole proprietor of a financial consultancy and the mother of two elementary school children she is one of us.
Mayra’s approach to decision-making is data-driven and she is ever-conscious of the need for the cost of any project to be fully justified a priori with a high degree of probability that the benefit anticipated will be realized by our tax-paying residents (who bear all the risks that costs will exceed anticipated benefit). She was instrumental in the successful drive to put a halt to the hastily conceived Freightway project for which no cost-benefit analysis had been produced that would guarantee positive fiscal impact for our residents.
I first met Mayra and her husband Brice when they highlighted quantitative peculiarities in what appeared to be a fraudulent modeling effort to reassess our home values for property tax purposes. Having expertise in statistical and econometric modeling and model risk management myself, and unable to source any model documentation or validation of the model allegedly used, I had to agree with them that people were likely to be hurt unjustly by this assessment. Ultimately, the case against this faulty assessment process went to court and our residents battled against Quinn Emanuel, an aggressive international firm of trial attorneys with a take-no-prisoners reputation that represented the Village Board. QE is damn good – I have worked for them and opposite them – while we residents could not afford counsel of QE’s stature and ultimately lost this one, Mayra’s efforts on our behalf were much appreciated and another example of her energy and drive to do what’s right for her neighbors.
Mayra’s analytical skills, financial expertise, concern for the financial well-being of the most vulnerable among us, and her abiding conviction that public school education brings out the best in our children make her uniquely qualified to serve on our School Board.
Robert D. Selvaggio, Ph.D.
Rochambeau Road
I am writing to express my support for Mayra Kirkendall-Rodríguez as a candidate for the Scarsdale School Board of Education. Mayra is so passionate and knowledgeable about our community, and she is always in search of making things better. She has a very kind and caring personality as well. I met her about two years ago when my family and I moved to Scarsdale. Since then, she has always been helpful in pointing me in the right direction. It is so amazing to me that besides her busy life as a wife, mother and a successful professional, she makes time to be an active member in our community.
I am a Fox Meadow elementary school parent. Last year, Mayra reached out to me and encouraged me to volunteer for the Multicultural Country Fair at school. I am so glad I did it, and it was such an amazing and successful event. I loved watching our kids learn about all the countries represented. I appreciate her volunteer involvement in our schools and Village, and I believe she is an asset to our community.
All the best,
Niloufar Sharifi
Chase Road
To the Editor:
My family moved to Scarsdale in 2011 and we write to enthusiastically support Mayra Kirkendall-Rodríguez for a seat on the Scarsdale School Board. We have known Mayra and her family for more than seven years as our elementary school kids met on a weekly basis at the library for the Mother Goose programs. Little did we know that we would have so much in common.
With her extended experience in foreign cultures and languages, Mayra seamlessly connects with foreign-born parents and is a wealth of information as she champions not only many parents-led activities at the Fox Meadow Elementary School, including the Multicultural Committee Fair, but also is so active with the village’s civic activities.
We also happen to be very familiar with the kind of work that Mayra does in risk identification and bank regulations as we both come from an auditing background and work at large financial institutions. We have no doubt that her skills would be very useful at the board of education, especially in this time of economic crisis. We believe that she would be a very good steward of fiscal responsibility and sustainability for Scarsdale and would continue to ask the tough questions. Mayra has always been clear on her perspective and this is refreshing considering the current environment. So join us in voting for her by June 9.
Nathalie Daniel
Post Road
To the Editor:
My name is Wanna Zhong and I’m a Greenacres resident. My family and I have been living in Greenacres since 2009.
I’m writing to support Mayra Kirkendall-Rodriguez’s candidacy for the Scarsdale Board of Education.
I have known Mayra and her family for over 6 years. We also worked together on Mandarin for the Middle School Initiative. She is very passionate and will work tirelessly to volunteer her own time for the better good for all the students of Scarsdale. Mayra has a great team work spirit.
I think the Scarsdale Board will be very fortunate to have someone like Mayra - who is full of energy and commitment and will do her best to bring a more global educational perspective that will serve our children and community well.
Mayra’s many volunteer activities in our Schools and Village clearly demonstrate her commitment and I strongly believe that she will be a great fit for the Scarsdale Board. She has a conviction for a global public education (which I think is very important), is actively involved with the public, has the ability to make decisions and while leveraging her experiences from the business world.
I think these are invaluable as the Scarsdale Board continues in its excellent guardianship of our schools and children’s future in an ever complex and changing environment.
Mayra has a clear vision for the Scarsdale School District and I am certain she will do her best for the continued excellence of our schools.
Sincerely,
Wanna Zhong
Fenimore Road
To the Editor: My wife, Terri and I as 40 year Scarsdale residents are supporting the election of Mayra Kirkendall- Rodriguez as a candidate for the Scarsdale Board of Education.
We have been long time supporters of the Scarsdale School system as our two sons went through through 12 years of a Scarsdale Schools education.
We think Mayra would be an excellent school board member having two elementary school age children and understanding the challenge of teaching young children with distance e-learning. She has been a significant volunteer in the schools and the Scarsdale community including the Co-Chair of the Fox Meadow School Multicultural Committee and Young Writer's Workshop , the Co-Chair of the Scarsdale Forum's Education Committee with the understanding of the school budget and the educational needs of the District.
Mayra's professional and education background is extensive . She is a bank and capital markets risk consultant and trainer with international clients as the owner or MRV Associates . She holds degrees from Harvard/Radcliffe, the Lauder Institute and the Wharton School at Penn and studied at Hebrew University in Israel. Her analytical abilities would be helpful and important to the Board with the economy in recession. Mayra will do her home work on behalf of the Scarsdale Taxpayers.
Ballots for the School Board Election will be mailed on Tuesday, May 26 and can be returned immediately with the already stamped envelope Two candidates will be elected for the two open seats on the current School Board. Scarsdale Residents can VOTE for ONE OR TWO Candidates only.
We urge you to VOTE ONLY for Maya Kirkkendall-Rodriguez to become ONE of our representatives on the Scarsdale Board of Education. Ballots must be received at the Board of Education on Brewster Road by 5 PM on Tuesday , June 9th.and should be mailed several days earlier so your ballot is received by the deadline . There will be no hand deliveries accepted. If you have any questions, please contact us at 914 646-4054 cell) or by email at proscars@aol.com .
Bob and Terri Harrison
65 Fox Meadow Road
Scarsdale , NY 10583
I am Carlos Ramirez, a long-time Greenacres resident, together with my wife Betty, and my son Ryan. We write in support of Mayra Kirkendall-Rodríguez’s candidacy for a trustee on the Scarsdale School Board. My background is a combination of professional experience as an Accountant with a private practice in Scarsdale, as well as an Educational Technologist, currently serving as Director of Technology and Chief Information Officer for the Greenburgh School District. I have a strong background in public education, starting as a classroom teacher to working in a statewide capacity at the NYS Education Department where I served as Coordinator of Technology Policy.
I know Mayra very well because we were Co-Chairs of the Education Committee in the Scarsdale Forum. During our tenure in the Education Committee, we worked on reports related to the Scarsdale School Budget, the debate about the Greenacres School renovation, metrics to determine if Scarsdale schools provide a world-class education, and the need for a long-term financial plan for the Scarsdale School District. I noticed Mayra’s dedication and tenacity, being a mom and a wife, and running her own financial consultancy practice. For a moment, I thought it would be challenging for her to keep up with the demands of our committee work. However, she not only kept with the work but also worked with every member of our committee in a truly democratic approach.
She was instrumental in running a Forum at Village Hall providing for an engaging talking session between the School Board and our residents about the Greenacres renovation project. Also, with the assistance of Brice, Mayra’s husband, we were able to successfully run an online and offline live survey for Scarsdale parents talking about what they wanted in a world-class education, helping shape the concept and definition for Scarsdale School's goals. We also worked together on the Board of Directors of the Scarsdale Forum, where I witnessed her dedication and leadership working with different Forum members on multiple surveys about Downtown Revitalization and traffic safety. She also supported and contributed to the Forum’s newsletter for a while with Former Mayor Jon Mark as President of the Forum. She was a true cheerleader for the Scarsdale Forum repeatedly telling everybody about the mission of the Forum as an organization: to research, report, and write about key issues in our community to inform our Village and Scarsdale School Boards.
I believe that a good reason why Mayra works so hard is because she comes from a very humble background and appreciates the opportunity to serve our community. She never attended preschool or kindergarten, and when she went to the first grade in Indiana, she did not even speak a word of English. That was a long time ago; she now speaks six languages and is highly active in numerous school and Scarsdale Village activities.
Being an immigrant from Peru and living in Scarsdale since 2004, I have seen what can be attained by the power of education in this great country. I am convinced that Mayra is an example of what education can do for all Americans. She believes in the promise that a public education holds for all students and how teaching and learning can prepare our children for life.
I hope that you will join my family and I in voting for her when your ballot arrives in the mail. Please make sure that you get it to the school district by 5 pm, on June 9, 2020. Thank you for your consideration.
All the best,
Carlos Ramirez
Post Road
