From the Classroom to the Boardroom By Alice Levine The Byram Hills Senior Internship Program begins early spring. Students get a taste of life in the real world. Click below to read about the program.
Third time was a charm for H.C. Crittenden eighth grader Sam Honig. As a sixth and seventh grader he represented his class in the school-wide Geography Bee. But it was this year, as an eighth grader, that he won the Crittenden crown, answering the question: What country contains eight of the world’s 10 highest mountains? (A: Nepal).
The win put him in the regional round, which involved a 70-question written multiple choice test for the state competition, and that’s where he’s headed in April, to compete against New York’s top 100 Geography Bee contestants. The state winner goes to Washington, D.C., for the National competition in May. Sam has a tough act to follow: In 2002 Nate Mattison represented Crittenden in the National round.
Submitted by Boces
Standing from left: Representing H.C. Crittenden Middle School at the All County Intermediate and Elementary Music Festival were band members Jason Block, Matthew Percello, Matthew Williams, Zachary Berro, Kohru Shimatzu; orchestra members Helena Zhang, Alyssa White; and chorus members Will Benish, Jen LoBello, Taline Karozichian, Eliza Allen, and Danielle D’Avanzo. Front row: Fionn Connelly, Rebecca Vandenberg (All County Band); Kevin Chang, Nicole Kim (All County Orchestra) and Kelsey Goldring (All County Chorus).
Not pictured, Elementary All County Chorus members from Wampus, Sylvie Binder (soprano 1), Noelle Reynolds (soprano 2), Elijah Brown (alto 2), and Jason Sall (alto 1).
April 1, 2010 21 Named to All County Music Ensembles
Byram Hills was represented by 21 students at the All County Elementary and Intermediate Music Festival in March, 17 from H.C. Crittenden Middle School and four from The Wampus School. The festival was held at SUNY Purchase and represented the top middle school and fifth grade band, orchestra, and chorus students in the county. Two students, Matthew Percello (percussion) and Zachary Berro (clarinet) also qualified for the All State Ensemble held in Syracuse. Submitted by BOCES
April 1, 2010
Byram Hills Scientist to Represent State
For the second time this year, a Byram Hills science research student has qualified for the final round of a major competition. Senior Ian Schneider swept the state Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in March, claiming the highest honors of all participants at the event in Albany. He will represent New York State at the national competition in Maryland on April 28. Last month Rachel Cawkwell was a finalist in the Intel Science Talent Search. Ian won both the overall prize and the engineering division with his science research project entitled Annealing of CuInAl Precursors during Two Step Absorber Layer Deposition for CIAS Thin Film Solar Cell.
Also competing at the state level, Jason Kaufman placed third and received honors in the biomedical division with his science research project; Lily Kosminsky and Rachel Occhiogrosso also presented their work. The four seniors qualified for the state event thanks to their success at the Westchester/Rockland Junior Science and Humanities Symposium at John Jay High School in February. Rachel Cawkwell also qualified but did not attend because she had just returned from the national round of the Intel Science Talent Search in Washington, D.C.
Also finishing strong at the regional Westchester/Rockland event were three seniors competing in the Poster Division: Alex Bricker, 1st in engineering; Hannah Cohen, 3rd in behavior, and John Di Capua, 3rd in medicine. Submitted by BOCES
SAT Test date Nov. 6, 2010 Register by: Oct. 8, 2010 Dec. 4, 2010 Nov. 5, 2010 Jan. 22, 2011 Dec. 23, 2010 March 12, 2011 Feb. 11, 2011 May 7, 2011 April 8, 2011 June 4, 2011 May 6, 2011
Test Date Register by Oct. 23, 2010 Sept. 17, 2010 Dec. 11, 2010 Nov. 5, 2010 Feb. 12, 2011 Jan. 7, 2011 April 9, 2011 March 4, 2011 June 11, 2011 May 6, 2011
Registration Dates may be extended, late fee applies
Students Create Poetry with Artist-in-Residence
Oct. 14, 2010 Sixth grade students at H.C. Crittenden Middle School recently enjoyed the first of four visits from poet-in-residence Susan Hoover during which they examined some essential concepts of poetry.
She talked about different poetry styles and devices before setting the students up to create lunes – three-line, 11-word poems. But what the poet really wanted the students to do was enjoy their creativity. “Have fun doing these,” she said. When discussing syntax (order of words), Ms. Hoover encouraged the students to “fiddle around with the words. Don’t always put the subject first, see what happens.”
Ms. Hoover is an annual visitor to Crittenden, where her passion has encouraged 18 years of sixth graders to find and strengthen their creative voices. Aside from working in schools, Ms. Hoover has served as a poet-in-residence for Poets in Public Service, Teachers & Writers Collaborative, DIA Foundation, and the Guggenheim Museum.
“I love working with this age group; they are at a pivotal point in their journey of discovery,” she says. Ms. Hoover also had great things to say about Crittenden. “I can’t say enough good things about this school. The teachers and students are amazing,” she said. She will return to the sixth grade classes throughout the year to examine various poetry styles.
Classroom teacher Lori Brundin says the students really respond well to visits from specialists. “It’s very stimulating for them to meet a real, live poet and explore this genre with an expert. Magically, the students created wonderful images in their poems,” she said. Photo: PNW Boces
Calder Center's Campus Dorm
April 27, 2010 The down-turn in the economy has taken a toll on the expansion plans for
Fordham University's local branch at the Calder Center. The
university's facility, which currently offers programs in ecological
research and environmental studies, is situated on over a hundred acres
of a serene, wooded campus, surrounding Calder Lake on Whippoorwill
Road.
Plans for housing 12 students in a new dormitory have been
revised, due to the requirement of a sprinkler system. The sprinkler
system would draw its water from a required new 15,000 gallon water
tank. The change in the dormitory plans is primarily a result of
financial considerations by Fordham.
The plans have shifted from three
log-cabin-type dorms, to two dorms, and finally, to the current proposal
of a two-story dormitory building. Although the Planning Board has
expressed a positive response to these dramatic changes, the new plan
must also be studied by the Architectural Review Board. Although the
Town Board approved a special permit for the dorms, this new plan
requires an amendment to the special-use permit. In addition, there may
be a need for a new public hearing.
Some beneficial changes to the plan
include reduced environmental impact to the surrounding area and less
disturbance of the wetlands. Several issues still must be addressed.
Parking requirements near the dormitory must be recalculated. Plans for
the new building should ensure that the structure maintain the
architectural integrity consistent with the rustic style of some the
existing 19th-century buildings, present on the Fordham University
campus. Finally, a determination should be made if the two-story
dormitory building will be visible from the main road and surrounding
areas. This last concern could be determined with a balloon test;
however, this test will probably not be necessary. The dormitory will be
situated near the lake; fortunately, the lake is surrounded by trees
and woods, and is situated a long distance from the road.
Finding a Topic for Common App Essay
By Alice Levine AJGL Tutoring
Deciding on a topic for the common application essay can seem like a daunting task. Probably the biggest mistake students make is trying to think of an “earth-shattering” event they can talk about. Few of us have had such experiences; the good news is that some of the best essays are about everyday events, interests, or family experiences. When brainstorming, try to think of a special interest or hobby you have, an experience you’ve had in which you learned something important, or a story about a special person in your life. Just be sure to talk about yourself in the essay; the college wants to learn something interesting about you. Write about something you’re passionate about. Passion always comes across in an essay and it’s very difficult to fake it. Everyone has something he or she is passionate about, and writing about that particular interest creates a good essay. Finally, jot down your ideas and write an outline for your rough draft. You’ll know soon enough if there’s enough substance to constitute a good essay. Good luck!
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In the News Make Learning Fun
Courtesy of Tutoring Club
Video games, music, and sports are generally thought of more as distractions to the learning process than benefits. However, using children's interests can be exactly what's needed to help them focus and retain information.
Electronic Games - Video games aren't technically what Quest to Learn, a New York Charter School, calls the programs it uses. Game Based Instruction is the technical name, however, the concept is similar. Teachers at this progressive school rely on digital-game-inspired methods in most instruction.
"Games, by their very nature, assess, measure, and evaluate," says Brock R. Dubbels, a graduate instructor at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, published by Education Week's Digital Directions. "When used in the correct way, they can actually increase subject-matter knowledge as well as help students to build higher-order thinking skills."
Music - Classical music has long been touted as a positive addition to the learning process, but a teacher in Los Angeles has a different perspective on mixing learning and music. He uses rap to teach algebra to his eighth grade students. LaMar Queen writes math raps to help his students memorize algebra. "Rap is what students respond to," says Queen. "They don't have a problem memorizing the songs at all."
Sports - Another great way to connect with children is through sports. As outlined in the NY Times online, the World Cup is a perfect example of a topic that spans many academic subjects - from language arts and math, to global history, ethics, science, and health.
Children may find their summers filled with plenty of video games, music and sports, but with a little thought and creativity, parents can turn idle time into learning time. "The point is to make learning fun," notes Chad Schwartz, tutoring industry expert and founder of Tutoring Club. "And to turn activities children like into learning experiences."
Smart Kid. Smart Parent. Develop Communication Skills
Communication skills are necessary for individuals of all ages. The ability to communicate effectively is integral in the educational setting, but children begin to develop communication skills long before attending their first day of school. Parents can teach their children to communicate effectively with these 10 simple tips. 1. Start Young – Reading to your children at a young age allows them to develop listening skills early in life. If you children are older, set aside time each day to have a conversation with them. 2. Listen by Example – Remember, listening works both ways. If you expect your children to listen to you, you must listen to them, too. 3. Don’t Interrupt – If your children are in the middle of a thought, don’t interrupt. Show them that what they are saying is important to you. 4. Establish Eye Contact – Eye contact is important for keeping both individuals engaged. Make sure your children are looking at you while you are speaking. 5. Show Interest – You must show interest in the conversation if you hope to keep the interest of your child. 6. Remember Body Language – Turn your body toward your child when you are conversing. When your child is turned toward you, they are less likely to be distracted by things around them. 7. Talk about Common Interests – To keep your children egaged, talk about common interests. Communicating with you shouldn’t be a chore for your children. 8. Be Respectful – Allow your children to be open with their communication. Let them know you will respect them, though you might not always agree with them. 9. Know when to be Silent – Sometimes children need to talk without receiving advice back. Know when you should listen without responding. 10. Reward your Children – When your children demonstrate effective communication skills, reinforce the behavior by rewarding them. Simply telling them they did a good job can be enough, and they’ll know you’re listening, too.
Source: Tutoring Club Armonk
TRANSFERRING
By Ed Woodyard of College Advice
You are no longer the same person you were when you first applied to college the year before. You are indeed someone else, someone new and improved. The transfer process is almost more intriguing that the regular admissions process. It too requires understanding the demands of each college, but this time the balance of components is shifted, with different weight and consideration given to the same criteria. For example, the SAT scores which were so important the first time around, counting for as much as 40% of the total package, were now anywhere between 0 and 15%. Why the change? Because the college transcript takes on greater importance.
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