SusanCampriello: My Works

Students fail class period
Change at C-A forces them to choose between athletics and clubs, which could hurt college admission, they say
The Daily Mail
Sept. 18, 2009

COXSACKIE — More than a dozen Coxsackie-Athens students spoke out at a meeting of the District Board of Education against a change in class period designation.

The new class period schedule implemented this year allots time at the end of the school day for struggling students to receive academic assistance from teachers. As a result, school clubs have to meet after school and at the same time as sports practices and games.

The students complained the change forces them to choose between playing a sport and joining a club, a choice, they said, could hurt their chances for admission at their choice colleges.

Senior Madison Economos, who, along with several other students came to the meeting straight from a volleyball game, said she understood the need for the “L” period but that it comes at the expense of other students’ needs.

“As administrators, you encourage us to to be involved in all these different things and it’s impossible to be involved if there’s one set time for four different things,” she said.

She and several other students argued that they have learned how to interact with each other and the community by holding club fundraisers or working on club service projects.

They explained that clubs have brought driving safety programs to the school, clubs have purchased school supplies for underprivileged schools in Mexico and through clubs, students can learn about other cultures, technology and business in ways that cannot be taught in a classroom setting.

All of these skills, they argued, will help club members gain admission to colleges.

“Colleges are looking at how you contribute to your school community and how, therefore, you can contribute to a college community,” Lily Dayter, a senior who participates in a number of school clubs, said.

Senior Erica Goldson, who takes classes at Hudson Valley Community Collete but participates in Coxsackie-Athens clubs, agreed.

Goldson hopes to attend a prestigious college. She said her college applications have been strengthened by the various club offices she has held during her high school career.

“I know that I wouldn’t even stand a change of getting into those schools without what I’ve done [in my clubs],” she said.

Students and parents also stated that the lack of transportation home from school after club meetings certain days of the week will hurt club participation, as well.

Many parents work and cannot come to Coxsackie to pick children up from school, they said.

Student Stephanie Puorro delivered to the Board a package of 100 letters signed by students who hoped for a solution to the scheduling problem.

Board President Joseph “Seph” Garland III explained that the new schedule would take time getting used to and the administration was still trying to make everything work.

He said the issue would be discussed further at next month’s Board meeting.

Many students indicated they would attend the Oct. 20 meeting with the hope that the Board had reached a decision favorable to their position.

“The school is here to serve the students, all the students, not just the kids who need extra help,” Lily Dayter said.

Hundreds jam Catskill’s Main Street for parade, tree lighting
The Daily Mail
Nov. 29, 2008

CATSKILL — Hundreds of people who lined Main Street in Catskill Friday caught a glimpse of Santa Claus, the Grinch and Barack Obama during the second Annual Parade of Lights.

Members of local groups, including fire departments, churches and businesses, marched and rode floats in this year’s parade, almost double last year’s participation, said Pam Wright of the Catskill Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary and the parade’s organizer.

The crowd-pleasing floats included the Catskill Fire Department’s entry of a faux-burning house, elves busy at a workbench and two nativity scenes.

A likeness of President-Elect Barack Obama joined 10 members of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Movement in the form of a life-sized cutout draped in an overcoat. Donna L. Davis, the group’s co-founder, said that the the two-dimensional Obama would be back for next year’s event.

Some of the youngest participants were six members of Girl School Brownie Troop 1795, who, along with a few even younger Daisy scouts, marched in personalized sweatshirts made specifically for the event. Elizabeth Liberti, a troop leader, said that the girls had a lot of fun.

Crowned only last month, Miss Greene County, Michelle Suttmeier, and Miss Greene County Teen, Brittany Smith, braved the cold in a silver convertible and met youngsters after the parade.

But it was Suntime Tanning Center’s beach-cabana-on-wheels that was deemed the best float overall.

Lynn Young, who owns the salon with her husband, Ronnie, said that last year’s parade came too close to the salon’s grand opening to coordinate participation. Planning for the overall wining float began immediately following that parade. Like at last year’s parade, many participants tossed and handed candy, but the Youngs’ staff showed their unique flair.

“We threw beach balls,” Lynn Young said, adding, “We ran out.

Other participants in the event included members of the Fortnightly Club, God’s Woman Ministries and the Catskill Community Center Bugle and Drum Corps, whose drum sticks were illuminated with green glow-sticks for the occasion.

Last to come up the street were Santa and Mrs. Claus, who arrived in a cloud of snow — fake this year. They were accompanied by the Centerville-Cedar Grove Fire Department. According to Santa, the North Pole was left in Rudolph’s capable hooves while the couple was visiting Catskill.

At the culmination of the parade, the crowd counted down to the moment when Donald Gibson, president and chief economic officer of the Bank of Greene County, lit the colored lights on a 25-foot evergreen next to the Greene County office building.

While the official count of spectators has not been tallied at this time, the crowd seems to have surpassed last year’s attendance of 1,000.

State giving the gift of warmth
84 coats to be delivered to Cairo church, Catskill food pantry
The Daily Mail
Nov. 28, 2008

With temperatures, not to mention family savings, dropping, Greene and Columbia county residents can be thankful for a state gift of free coats.

Gov. David A. Paterson announced that the Department of Correctional Services has donated more than 190 winter coats to area distribution centers, according to a press release issued on Nov. 24.

According to the Governor’s office, 108 coats will be presented to the City of Hudson’s coat drive; 60 coats will be given to Resurrection Lutheran Church, in Cairo; and 24 coats will go to God’s Storehouse and Food Pantry, in Catskill.

“This is a small gesture, but hopefully these coats will find their way to individuals who need them this winter,” Paterson said in the press release. “It is in the spirit of Thanksgiving that we hope to provide a little warmth to the most vulnerable of our residents.”

Seven thousand of the blue polyester-and-cotton coats will be distributed statewide in a variety of adult sizes. Although the coats, which were manufactured by inmates at Clinton Correctional Facility’s Apparel Shop and were part of the standard correction officer uniform until 2006, they closely resemble commercially made coats.

“It was apparent that we would no longer have a use for these coats, and it made sense to make this most of these surplus items by helping our fellow New Yorkers,” Brian Fischer, department commissioner, said in the release.

The coats began their journey to their new homes after an inventory of items in storage was conducted, Correctional Services spokesman Erik Kriss said Wednesday. Fischer approached the Governor about giving the coats away, an idea that appealed to the Governor. Fischer worked with prison supervisors, inclucing Hudson Correctional Facility’s Jeff McCoy, to choose centers to receive the coats, Kriss said.

Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera worked with the department to procure the coats, said Rev. Ed Cross, who coordinates the Community Warmth Program, which grew out of a winter hearing forum held in August.

Coat deliveries began immediately, and items will be available to the public in the coming weeks.

Cross said Wednesday that he is busy planning giveaway events for this winter, but people who need winter coats and blankets can contact him at any time. He said that the department’s gift almost doubled the supply of coats the City has collected from individual donations and drives, such as one sponsored by the Bank of Greene County.

The coats will be available at Resurrection Lutheran Church, in Cairo, during a giveaway on Dec. 20, Joyce Notarnicola, who runs such events, said. Charlotte Stengle, who ran the church coat giveaway until this year, said that more than 100 winter coats were picked up by residents last winter.

Mary Irvis of God’s Storehouse and Food Pantry said that most of the 50 coats available every year are usually taken by mid-winter, and the coats should help extend availability.

Corrections coats were given to organizations in 35 communities across the state.

(more…)