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STUDENT/STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS
2010 - 2011 School Year
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SOCSD Board of Education President Receives
Rockland County’s Highest Board Honor

SOCSD Board of Education President, Rosemary Pitruzzella last week received the highest award given to any Rockland County School Board Member. The Rockland County School Boards Association honored and saluted her service and commended her for her work on behalf of the South Orangetown School Board, The BOCES Board and the Rockland County School Boards Association. Described as a “passionate advocate for children” who gives an inordinate amount of time to serve the community, with invaluable leadership and support to the RCSBA, the NYS School Boards Association, LHEC, JPC, the Commissioners Advisory Council, COLSBA, along with her service as President of the Rockland County School Boards Association for the past two years.

The Association conveyed on her the highest honor a school board member may receive in Rockland County as she was announced as the winner of the 2011 Eddy Award.

 

SOCSD Asstistant Superintendent Chosen as Chinese Bridge Delegate

SOCSD’s Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction, Lynn Gorey, has been selected to join the 2011 Chinese Bridge Delegation. The Delegation is a one-week educational program which will be held in China from November 3 - 11, 2011. The program is co-sponsored by the US College Board and the Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters. Approximately 30 administrators throughout the United States will participate in the program in an effort to develop partnerships, and exchange ideas with Chinese schools.

Because the district’s Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP) funding will end next year, Ms. Gorey intends to also try to find other avenues to enable the continuation of this program. She would like to not only build relationships with other schools in China, but to partner with other school in the United States.

"Next year, we will be offering introductory Chinese through our Explore Program giving every 7th and 8th grader one full quarter of Chinese culture and language before entering high school. We also hope to be able to continue language and culture lessons at TZE, which are written by our foreign language teachers and led by TZHS students in an after school program. Additionally, this year, the 1st grade at WOS learned some basics of Chinese language and culture. One can even walk through the WOS hallways and hear a Chinese "hello" between students", Gorey continued. "We don't want to lose these opportunities."

Gorey is looking forward to meeting and interacting with other administrators representing the United States in an effort to think forward and be able to incorporate the Chinese language and culture into more schools as part of the ongoing effort to effectively prepare students to be 21st Century learners.
 

Teacher Kottie Christie-Blick Awarded Distinguished Fulbright Award in Teaching

The United States Department of State, and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board have recently announced, Cottage Lane Elementary 4th grade teacher Ms. Kottie Christie-Blick has been awarded a Distinguished Fulbright Award in Teaching grant to conduct research in South Africa. Ms. Christie-Blick is one of approximately 19 US citizens who will travel abroad through the Distinguished Fulbright Awards in Teaching Program in 2011-12.

The Fulbright Program, an international exchange program, is sponsored by the US government and designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the citizens of other countries. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The program presently operates in over 155 countries worldwide.

Rookie of the Year

Angela T. was named "Rookie of the Year" at TZHS Sports Awards. Angela is a 7th grade athlete who plays on the varsity golf team. Congratulations Angela!

TZHS Sophomore Wins 4 Week Summer Scholarship in France

TZHS’s Soreya Scilipote, who is currently finishing up her sophomore year, has won a full scholarship for a four week summer program in Provence, France. Scilipote, a member of the band Still Saffire is a talented musician and outstanding student. The scholarship was granted through the Barat Foundation and Scilipote is the first student to win a full scholarship for their Student Summer in Provence courses. The program seeks to immerse the students in the culture and the arts of France. Scilipote will leave on June 24th.
 

My Favorite Teacher Award” to Ms. Kottie Christie-Blick

Cottage Lane’s 4th grade teacher Kottie Christie-Blick is the 2011 local recipient of Barnes & Noble’s “My Favorite Teacher” award. The competition was open to all students through 12th grade from October 2010 through February, 2011. Students were invited to submit essays to their local Barnes & Noble stores naming their favorite teacher and how he or she has influenced their life, and why they appreciate and admire them. Local winners were chosen from the essays submitted.

Cottage Lane 4th grader, Jennifer D. essay about her teacher Kottie Christie-Blick won the local competition. Palisades Mall Barnes & Noble store Manager Kim Roland presented Ms. Christie-Blick with a framed certificate as well as a gift basket filled with books, a B&N gift card and some chocolates. Winning essay writer Jennifer D. also received a framed award certificate and a B&N gift card.
 

TZHS Culinary Student Wins At Annual Banquet

Foods of the Pacific Rim was the theme of this year’s annual Culinary Banquet, celebrating the culmination of hands-on experiences for Career and Technical Education Center culinary arts students. The banquet, attended by more than 100 family members and staff, was held on Wednesday, May 18 at the Jesse Kaplan School and featured Pacific Rim appetizers, salads, entrees, desserts and show pieces prepared and presented by a very talented group of students. Culinary arts instructor Chef Kendall Brenner was effusive in his praise of this group of students, saying that they rose to every challenge and showed the dedication required to achieve in this challenging profession.

Culinary awards and scholarship winners were announced during the banquet. Additionally, a select number of students learned they had become certified by the American Culinary Federation (ACF).

TZHS junior Erika Gould was awarded a $500 bond from the Rockland County School Boards Association.

Rockland BOCES comprehensive culinary arts program prepares students for a successful career in the ever evolving culinary field. This two-year program combines classroom instruction with hands-on experiences in the food service industry. Using professional facilities and equipment, students learn professional culinary skills from instructor Kendell Brenner.

Hannah Kim Takes 3rd place in AAA Traffic Safety Poster Contest

Under the instruction of art teacher Kathryn Rowedder, TZHS student Hannah Kim has been chosen as a third place award winner in the Annual AAA Traffic Safety Poster & video contest. Her poster was selected from nearly 1600 entries. Hannah will receive an award plaque and a $100.00 check at an award luncheon on Thursday, June 9, 2011, 11:30 am at the Davenport Press Restaurant, 70 Main St., Mineola, N.Y.

Eight TZHS Students Awarded for Student Success

Eight TZHS students were honored at the 37th Annual Student Success Awards, sponsored by the College of Westchester, in White Plains. Exceptional high school business and computer education students from more than 50 high schools in Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, Fairfield Bronx, and Manhattan counties, were recognized for their knowledge and proficiency . The honorees were chosen by their high-school teachers for recognition in the categories of achievement, determination and leadership.

TZHS winners are: Jonathon Aitchison, Paolo Avantifiori, Cameron Collichio, Thomas Hallinan, Caren Irgang, David Kim, Natalie Trabolsi and Leon A. Zaruvinsky.

Foreign Language Journal Cover Winner

TZHS's Zhaoyi Zhang is this year's winner of the Foreign Language Journal cover and mural contest. Her mural will be painted along the new C-wing of the High School along with works by past winners Brianna Wickham, Olivia Oh and Katherine Dayton.

TZHS Students Attain Artistic Success

TZHS freshman Erin Scott's, poster design has won her an honorable mention in the Rockland Family Shelter's 8th Annual 'Ending Violence Against Women and Girls' Art Poster Contest.

Erin will be honored with other winners at a reception and exhibition of all the entries, at the offices of Mandel, Katz & Brosnan, on Tuesday May 17th, at 6:30 PM

TZHS junior, Juan Molina will be the recipient for the Edward Hopper House Art Center Scholarship for Artistic Curiosity. Juan was nominated by the TZHS art department, and is one of ten students chosen from Rockland County high schools. He is recognized for his enthusiasm, creativity, artistic curiosity and unique self-expression. As recipient, Juan will receive $100.00 and a one year membership to the Edward Hopper House Art Center. The ceremony will be at the center on June 10 from 6:30-7:30.

TZHS sophomore, Minjoung Kim won first place in the children's Dental Health Month poster contest. The award was $50.00. This contest was sponsored by the Ninth District Dental Association, Component of the New York State Dental Association and the American Dental Association . The contest was open to all New York State high school students.

Sons of Italy Rockland Lodge Honors Hannah Katzen
April Student of the Month

Throughout the school year, the members of the Order Sons of Italy in America's Rockland Lodge in Blauvelt has honored one Tappan Zee High School senior each month for exceptional dedication to the study of the Italian language, to the Italian Club, and to the Italian Honor Society. The honoree for the month of April was Hannah Katzen. Hannah has consistently demonstrated great enthusiasm for learning. She shows a deep appreciation for the Italian culture and the Italian people. Her dedication has extended beyond the classroom, as she has been an extremely active member of TZHS's Italian Club and Italian Honor Society throughout her four years at TZHS. This year Hannah is President of the Italian Club. Congratulazioni, Hannah!

Sixty One Inducted into TZHS Spanish Honor Society

Sixty-one juniors and seniors from Tappan Zee High School were inducted into the Tito Puente Chapter of the Spanish Honor Society on Tuesday, April 5, 2011. The guests of honor included Mrs. Margaret Puente, wife of the late venerated composer/bandleader and King of Latin music, Tito Puente, and guest speaker Ms. Audrey Puente. Ms Puente is Tito Puente's daughter, who is a TZ graduate and the meteorologist on TV My Nine. Parents, faculty members, administrators and Board of Education members enjoyed musical and dance performances by the Spanish Honor Society students.

TZHS Sophomore Chosen to Study Italian Opera Abroad

TZHS sophomore Madison Schindele has been chosen by the selection committee of Italy’s Bel Canto Institute for the 2011 Vocal Youth Division Summer Program in Florence, Italy. The four week program will run from June 27th thru July 23 and will immerse the students in the music of Rossini, Donzietti, Bellini, Verdi, and Puccini, as well as the language, culture, and other disciplines which influenced the composers. Schinele, a student of Italian, has been singing seriously for the past six years. She sent an audition tape singing the aria Una donna a quindici anni from Mozart’s Cosi fan tutti. When she received the acceptance letter she was “thrilled and excited”. Schinele will be staying with a host family during her stay in Italy.

The Bel Canto Institute was founded in 1987 with a mission to perpetuate, teach, and keep alive style and tradition in 19th, and 20th century Italian opera, and to maintain an annual summer program for that purpose.

TZHS Senior Named National Semifinalist in Young Epidemiology Scholars Competition

TZHS senior Sheila Krishnan has been selected as a Semifinalist in the 2010-11 Young Epidemiology Scholars (YES) Competition. She will receive a $1,000 college scholarship to be used at any accredited college or university in the United States. Krishnan’s entry was one of 562 submitted by students across the country. It was evaluated by epidemiologists from leading universities and health organizations and was then selected as one of the top 120 projects.

The YES Competition was developed to help students hone their skills in using research methods and critical thinking to address some of the major public health issues we fact today.
 

SOCSD Wins at 25th Annual Science Invention & Technology Fair

It was an SOCSD 'win for all' at the 25th Annual S/I/T Fair held at North Rockland High School. Four SOCSD students participated, and all four won awards in their categories. The fair, now in its 25th year, was first held in 1984 through the Rockland Teacher's Center along with with Orange & Rockland Utilities, in an effort to find ways to raise the awareness of our youth to energy related issues. S/I/T, Rockland's only county-wide science fair, hosts students in grades 5 through 12 each year, and is open to all public, private, and parochial schools in Rockland. A committee of volunteers including teachers, parents, business people, and students from North Rockland High School ’s Honor Society, Key Club, and ROTC judge and oversee the success of the Exhibition. Financial support is provided by the county’s three teacher centers, numerous businesses, and individual families. "The S/I/T Exhibition seeks to foster student interest in science, invention, and technology; provide an opportunity for students to actively demonstrate what they are learning in those fields; encourage students to expand and apply their learning beyond the classroom; and develop students’ life skills as they prepare for the workforce and higher education through the collaborative efforts of the business and educational community." This year, 240 students presented at the fair.

SOCSD winners were:

Amit K. (Grade 8 SOMS)
Title: Exercise and cardiovascular risk factors in South Asian adults.
Sponsor: Rockland County Medical Society
Award: $50 Bond

Sheila Krishnan (Grade 12, TZHS)
Title: Effects of High Fructose consumption on Cardiac Physiology and Gene
Sponsor: Novartis, Orange & Rockland, Pfizer, SONY
Award: 2nd Place Science/Gr.12 -$250 Bond

Changseob L. (Grade 8, SOMS)
Title: The Golden Ratio in Rock Music
Sponsor: Avon, Glenmark Generiics Inc., MG McLaren, WH Spataro Assoc
Award: Mathematics - $50 Bond

Rohan Ranadive (Grade 12, TZHS)
Title: Studies on Biomarkers for Early Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease
Sponsor: Novartis, Orange & Rockland, Pfizer, SONY
Award: 3rd Place Science/Gr.12 - $100 Bond

In addition to winning an award, TZHS’s Sheila Krishnan was also selected to give the keynote speech as a graduating senior at the awards function. One senior is selected each year, from all the students competing, to address the audience on the basis of their science research, national awards, and academic excellence. Her speech eloquently described what science research means to her.
 

TZHS Senior Wins 2nd Place Music Scholarship Award

TZHS senior Sophia Choi was the 2nd place winner of the Morning Music Club Scholarship Awards. She will receive the fifteen hundred dollar Dolores and Robert Blank Award for her musical abilities on the cello.

Founded in 1924, the Morning Music Club is the oldest continuously functioning music organization in Rockland County. Its members come from across the county and include patrons and musicians alike.

The Club is known for its Concert Series, Outreach Program, and its Scholarship Prizes awarded to seniors graduating from Rockland County High Schools.

Sophia Cho will be recognized at the Club's Scholarship Recital and reception on May 17, 2011, at 7:30 pm at the Nauraushaun Presbyterian Church, 51 Sickeltown Road, Pear River, NY.
 

SOMS Science Olympiad Team Garners First Place Honors

On Saturday, March 12th the 27 member SOMS Science Olympiad Team competed at the Lower Hudson Valley Regional Science Olympiad Tournament held in Scarsdale, NY. Twenty seven teams from twenty one middle schools in Rockland and Westchester counties competed in 20 different events that challenged their Science and Technology skills.

Team members in grades 6 thru 9, together with coaches April Biggs, Deena Bollinger Kramarczyk, and Peter Olsen, worked for many months to learn as much as possible about topics ranging from electricity to geology to medicine. They also built and tested cars, towers, and other devices prior to the competition. By March 12th , students were well prepared, and, as a result, were called to the award podium, taking home 36 medals, by scoring in the top six for 17 of the 19 events. The day ended perfectly for the team when they heard their name announced and were presented with the First Place team trophy.

The team will now prepare for the New York State Science Olympiad Tournament to be held in Stone Ridge, NY on April 8th and 9th. From now until then, students will strive to achieve an even greater depth of knowledge in their events, and also prepare for 6 additional events related to forensics, robotics, anatomy, and earth science.

SOMS Participates in Doodle 4 Google Contest

Forty six SOMS art students recently competed in this year’s Doodle 4 Google competition. Each year, Google invites students to use their artistic talents in redesigning the Google homepage logo. This year’s theme is "What I'd like to do someday…..". The student’s work was judged, and winners chosen by teachers Beth Dougherty, and Peter Olsen based on artistic merit and how well the theme was depicted. Sixteen student works were selected to move on to the Region # 2 competition encompassing New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Winners from each region around the country will then go to the National competition. The winning logo from the National Competition will be displayed on the Google homepage on May 20, 2011.

The following students will be competing at the Regional's:

Yuna S., Kai C., Sara M., Shannon E., Erin B., Caitlin T., Stephanie S., Rebecca S., Rachel M., Sandra G., Joanna S., Samantha G., Livia B., Annika S., Christy J., Elen X.
 

TZHS Inducts 82 New Members into National Honor Society

The Tappan Zee High School Chapter of the National Honor Society inducted 82 new members at its annual ceremony. In a ceremony attended by parents, family members, students, staff and administrators, new members took their pledge in a candlelight ceremony. These students join 67 existing student members in this prestigious honor society. Officers spoke regarding the five key characteristics of a National Honor Society Member: character, leadership, scholarship, service and honor. To be eligible to apply to the National Honor Society, juniors and seniors must maintain a 91% average and have demonstrated excellence in character, leadership capacity and have already performed service to the school and to the community as prescribed in the charter. To maintain membership, inducted students must maintain the same minimum grade point average, continue to demonstrated excellent character and perform at least 15 hours of documented community service per semester.
 

35 SOCSD Musicians Take to the Stage At
All-County Festival

SOCSD was proud to announce that 35 music students were selected to participate in the Intermediate All-County Music Festival held over the March 4th weekend. Students spent Friday afternoon and Saturday in rehearsal in preparation for the Saturday evening performance. The Intermediate All-County Festival was held at the Fieldstone Secondary School in Thiells. Participating students in grades 4, 5, and 6 performed in the choral, orchestra, or band ensembles. The following students from SOMS and CLE participated:

Grace B., Emily B., James B., Diana C., April C., Jane C., Olivia De., Caroline D., Erin Di., Tara Di., Ryan F., Liam F., Emily G., Elinor G., Sydney J., Paul K., Andrea K., Zoe K., Kayla L., Sarah M., Stefano M., Alexander M., Kelsey M., Camryn M., Bridget O., Laura O., Sandra O., Vilnus P., Lauren S, Natalie T., Ian T., Maria T., Rose U., Danielle V., and Sophia Z.

Five SOMS Students Receive Black Achievement Awards

On February 9, 2011, five SOMS students were honored at the Annual Black Achievement Awards ceremony held at Rockland Community College. Amber M-W, Hailey Mc-W. and Desiree S. received awards based on the requirement of an academic average of 92% or greater, plus outstanding participation and accomplishment in at least two of the following categories: Community Service, Artistic Expression, Athletic Ability and Accomplishment, Leadership, and Personal Triumph and Success. Chelsea M. and Adrian T. received Honorable Mention certificates based on an academic average between 85 and 91.

 

TZHS Science Olympiad Team Takes Home 4 Medals

The TZHS Science Olympiad Team were, once again, the highest scoring team in Rockland County, winning 4 medals in the Westchester Rockland Regional Science Competition on Saturday, February 12th at Byram Hills High School. First Place medals in Disease Detectives went to Sheila Krishnan and Yurim Lee. Second Place medals in Ecology were won by Neal Patel and John Matthew. Third Place in the Sumo Bots robot battle competition went to Alex Han. Fourth Place medals in Anatomy & Physiology were awarded to Sheila Krishnan and Neal Patel. Twenty eight teams from Westchester and Rockland Counties competed in 20 science and technology events. More information and a full club roster with photos can be found at the club's wikipage at http://tzscioly.wikispaces.com/

SOMS Teacher is Contributing Editor On New Science Book

Mrs. Deena Kramarczyk, SOMS 8th grade Science Teacher, was the primary author for one chapter of the book, Earth Science Puzzles: Making Meaning from Data. Additionally, she served on the committee of teachers who developed and tested all of the data puzzles included in the book. The new book can be previewed online at :

http://learningcenter.nsta.org/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9781935155157

Kramarczyk has served as a contributing editor for numerous textbooks, review books, and lab books over the last 12 years. The students and staff of the middle school sent Kramarczyk their congratulations on her accomplishment.
 

SOCSD Board President Rosemary Pitruzzella Appointed to Nat'l School Board Federal Relations Network

Board of Education President Rosemary Pitruzzella was recently appointed to the National School Boards Association's Federal Relations Network. The Network involves local school Board members from every congressional district nationwide who are committed to advocacy for public education. It gives members an opportunity to encourage making public education a top priority of the Federal government.

Pitruzzella will keep a close working relationship with representative Nita Lowey of Congressional District 18 which, it is hoped, will contribute to increased federal political effectiveness for school boards and schools in New York State, as well as Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gilibrand, keeping them informed of school boards' position on federal issues, and encouraging them to cast their votes in support of public education and sound school governance.

TZHS Inducts 64 New Members into National Italian Honor Society

The Dante Alighieri Chapter of the Società Onoraria Italica at Tappan Zee High School inducted 64 new members into the local chapter of the National Italian Honor Society sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Italian, at its annual ceremony. In a ceremony attended by over 300 people, 50 second year members, and 22 third year members were also re-inducted at the candlelight ceremony. To be invited into the Honor Society, students must maintain a 90% average in the study of Italian, as well as an 80% overall average in other academic areas. To maintain membership and be re-inducted, students must maintain the same average, as well as perform 12 hours of community service per year. Tricia Castelli and Maria Stillo, Italian teachers at TZHS and co-advisors of the Dante Alighieri chapter, expressed praise for the students, who they say demonstrate not only excellence in the study of Italian, but much enthusiasm for both the language and the culture of Italy.
 

SOCSD Athletics Boast Two Finalists In Double-Goal Coach Awards

Winners will be announced in March.

TZHS Art Student Has Work Exhibited

Each year, GAGA Arts Center hosts a student art exhibition during the GAGA Arts Festival. At the 2010 Festival, ten of these exceptional artists were selected by a committee of professional artists to be included as Featured Artists in GAGA's second Annual Invitational Student Art Exhibition. An invitation was then extended to high school art teachers county-wide, and to Monroe Woodbury schools in Orange County, to select one of their most promising students. The result is a wonderful exhibition of extremely talented young artists.

TZHS's Juan Molina, a student of art teacher Barbara LaBrake, was one of the artists chosen to have his work exhibited at this year's show.

TZHS Vocal Ensemble & Madrigal Singers
Perform at Radio City

On Wednesday, December 8th the TZHS Madrigal Singers along with the TZHS Vocal Ensemble performed an capella selection, "Deck the Halls in 7/8", in front of an audience of thousands at the the 5:00 PM commencement of the Radio City Christmas Show. The group, dressed in concert attire, took to the historic stage, along with their TZHS Choral Director Russell Wagoner. After their performance, they remained to watch the annual show.

TZHS Boasts Clean Sweep in
Fall Varsity NYS Scholar Athlete Teams

SOCSD Athletic Director, Liam Frawley announced this morning that all nine TZHS Fall Varsity Teams have earned New York State Scholar Athlete Team status. This achievement requires a 90% or better GPA team wide during the entire season.

"I am extremely proud of this group of student/athletes whose academic objectives are every bit as important to them as their athletic ambitions. This is wonderful news", stated Frawley.

TZHS Musicians Set School Record for Area All-State Festival 

The TZHS Music Department announced today that a record 23 students have been selected to perform in the Area All-State music Festival on November 19-20 at Suffern High School. This new school record for overall number of students reaching the Area All-State festival, comprised of the best student musicians in Rockland and five nearby counties, came from an applicant group of over 1000 musicians. Selections were based on outstanding solo audition scores from last spring's NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) solo evaluation festival. Students will meet with their counterparts at Wallkill High School on November 19 for extremely intensive rehearsals lasting approximately five hours. The students will return on the 20th for continued rehearsals which will culminate in two concert performances at 3:00pm and 5:00pm that afternoon. The ensembles will be led by guest conductors from various parts of the U.S., who will lead the groups and share with the students their wealth of knowledge and experience as top professionals in the music field.

Selected are:

2010 Area All State-Band: Albert Ahlf, Nick Aleles, Nicole Balm, Alex Han, Yurim Lee, John Mathew, Caitlyn Murphy, Caroline Peeples
2010 Area All-State Orchestra: Lauren An, Euin Cheong, Sophia Choi, Danielle Hu, Alex Kim, Grace Lee, Matilda Mullen, Diana Yu
2010 Area All-State Mixed Chorus: Caroline Chang, Katie Leenig, Tina Thomas
2010 Area All-State Women’s Chorus: Kaelin Anders, Tess Davison, Charlotte Harrow, Juliet Quaglia
 

National Association For Gifted Children (NAGC)

On Friday, November 11, South Orangetown Central School District teachers, Kerri McBride and Patricia Eyer, were invited to present at the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) in Atlanta, Georgia. The session presented technology, curriculum and instruction in order to differentiate for gifted learners. They demonstrated how technology can support individualization, faster pacing, academic challenge, creative expression and collaboration with peers. Ms. Eyer and Mrs. McBride aligned free technology resources with Bloom’s Taxonomy to support goals and objectives of 21st Century Lessons. This created conversations and collaboration around student learning and professional development. For further information, visit the presentation at https://sites.google.com/site/gifted20bloomstaxonomy/

SOMS Teacher Completes NYC Marathon

SOMS health teacher, Frank O'Reilly set out for and accomplished his goal. He ran in, and finished this year's New York City Marathon. He credits SOMS Media Specialist and seasoned marathon runner Patty Eyer with mentoring him and "providing the best inspiration and motivation one could ever imagine or hope for." O'Reilly, already an avid, competitive cyclist, finished the marathon in 4:18, in his first attempt at the race. putting him very respectfully, in the middle of the 45,000 runner pack.

TZHS Vocal Ensemble & Madrigal Singers Selected to Help "Deck the Hall"

Last week, 32 members of the TZHS Select Vocal Ensemble and Madrigal Singers recorded and submitted an audition tape to Radio City Music Hall to be selected as one of the opening acts for the annual "Christmas Spectacular" in December. The groups have now received word they were selected to perform. Their performance will be on Wednesday, December 8th at the 5:00 PM show. The students will be presenting one a capella selection, "Deck the Halls in 7/8", in front of an audience of thousands at the commencement of the program. They will then will have the opportunity to watch the remainder of the program from the mezzanine.

Tickets to the performance can be purchased through Ticketmaster (online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone 866 858-008, or in person at a Ticketmaster outlet) or in person at the Radio City box office.

Four TZHS Music Students Reach All-State Festival

The music department is proud to announce that four students were accepted into this year’s New York All State Music Ensembles.

TZHS senior, Sophia Choi and junior, Grace Lee were accepted into the Symphony Orchestra, junior Charlotte Harrow was accepted into the Mixed Chorus and for the first time in Tappan Zee High School history, senior Annie Tao was selected as one of only twelve students from New York State to perform in the prestigious Piano Showcase.

Junior Euin Cheong was also designated as an alternate for orchestra.

Auditions for All-State ensembles take place every year in the Spring and are extremely competitive. Of the many thousands of students that audition across the entire state of New York, only 350 reach the All-State Festival. All of the above students performed level VI works (the highest level of difficultly) and received a perfect score of 100.

The students will travel to Rochester, New York on December 2nd where they will rehearse up to eight hours a day for three days. The final performances on December 4th and 5th will take place at the Eastman Theater which is one of the major performing halls in the United States.

Congratulations to the Winners of the ESSPA Awards!
Advisors Donna Grasso (art) and Sarah McMane (literature) are pleased to announce that the TZHS literary magazine, Tones, had another exceptional year at the Empire State Scholastic Press Awards (ESSPA) sponsored by Syracuse University. Awards are given as Gold, Silver, Bronze and Honorable Mentions. We had winners in the following categories:

OVERALL PUBLICATION
Gold: Staff, Tones

NON-FICTION
Gold: Jennie Conway, Class of 2011, “The Many Uses of Underwear”
Aditi Kothari, Class of 2010, “Paper Planes”

Bronze: Jennie Conway, Class of 2011, “Eyes”

Honorable Mention: Deanna Amoia, Class of 2010, “Integrity”
Alex Aitken, Class of 2010, “La Petite Fille”

USE OF TYPE/IMAGE
Gold: Ashley Thompson, Class of 2010, and Victoria Hardy, Class of 2011, “The Mirror”
Silver: Alexandra Marks, Class of 2011, and Nicole Healy, Class of 2012, “Little Sisters”
Bronze: Jennie Conway, Class of 2011, and Amanda Grinvalds, Class of 2011, “Eyes”
Theresa Flynn, Class of 2011, and Sarah Song, Class of 2011, “Catherine”

South Orangetown CSD to Participate in Conference for Advocacy for Gifted And Talented Education

The New Rochelle campus of the College of New Rochelle will be the setting, on November 5th & 6th, for the 33rd Annual Conference for Advocacy for Gifted and Talented Education (AGATE). The conference is the largest for gifted education in New York State and will feature keynote speaker, Dr. Karen Rogers, as well as Dr. Nadia Webb and over 30 workshop presentations by experts in the field of gifted education, offering information, instruction and inspiration to parents and teachers who live and work with children with exceptionalities.

The first day of the conference will include a panel which will examine New York State's stand on gifted education, and finding ways all groups can work effectively on behalf of all learners, including the gifted. Featured on that panel will be Rosemary Pitruzzella, President of the Rockland County School Boards Association, and President of the South Orangetown Central School District Board of Education; Dr. Kenneth Mitchell, South Orangetown Central School District Superintendent of Schools; and Brian Culot, Principal of Cottage Lane Elementary School in South Orangetown Central School District. Additional SOCSD presenters will include TZE Assistant Principal Beth Collins as well as Cottage Lane teachers Kottie Christie-Blick, Jacob Tanenbaum and Kristine Wagner.

At a Conference award luncheon, Cottage Lane 5th grader, William H. will be honored. William has won the 2010 NAGC (Natl Assoc for Gifted Children) Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Award for New York State for his work in science in 4th grade. Only one child is chosen per state. William will receive a special award at the conference as well as a $500 Savings Bond. William's 4th grade teacher, Kottie Christie-Blick commented, "I am so very excited for William and his family. His parents, both immigrants from China, understand the importance of developing a strong work ethic early in life. William worked very hard on the essay required for all applicants, proving himself to be deserving of such a distinguished award," concluded Christie-Blick.

Ms. Christie-Blick will be honored and awarded the annual Alexinia Baldwin Educator of the Year Award at the Conference. This award is given in recognition of outstanding contributions to Gifted Education.

Six TZHS Seniors Awarded National Merit Scholarship Letters of Commendation

The National Merit Scholarship Program recognizes exceptional academic achievement and honors students who placed among the top five percent of the more than 1.5 million students who take the PSAT each year.

This year, six Tappan Zee High School Seniors have been notified they were awarded a Letter of Commendation for their outstanding academic accomplishment. Sophia Choi, Danielle Hu, Sheila Krishnan, Molly O'Donohue, Matthew Zebiak, and Thomas Zhang each received the notification.

In addition, Chris Taduran has been named a semi-finalist and will continue on to the next level in this competition.

TZHS MATH TEAM CONTINUES ITS QUEST
The TZ Math Team just returned from their first Rockland County Math League meet of the year, which was held in Nyack. Of approximately 80 competing students in the six-question Individual round, only two scored a 4 or above.

Congratulations to senior Chris Taduran, who got the only 4, and to senior Min Jeong, who scored a perfect 6 for 6!

Next week, the team begins its quest for an unprecedented fourth consecutive County Championship in the New York Math League.

Ninety-Eight Tappan Zee High School Students Win AP Scholar Awards
Ninety-eight students at Tappan Zee High School have earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement (AP) exams.

The College Board's Advanced Placement program offers students the opportunity to take challenging college-level courses while still in high school, and to receive college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP exams.

About 18% of the more than 1.8 million high school students worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to also earn an AP Scholar Award.

The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on students’ performance on AP Exams.

Two students, Aditi Kothari and Miranda Peeples, qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average grade of 4 or higher on a five-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.

Thirty-four students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by receiving an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. These students are: Aarati Akkapeddi, Rosie Alig, Deanna Amoia, Elaine Bermudez, Kevin Berrigan, Andrea Bucciarelli, John Davison, Malcolm Dell, Christopher Fusco, Sean Gaffney, Dakota Green, Julie Hackett, Katie Huling, Min Jeong, Aditi Kothari, Sheila Krishnan, David Lee,Vivian Lee, Sharon Mathew, Eliana Michaels, Rose Milando, Reed Neuendorf, Ryan Norris, Miranda Peeples, Matthew Popp, Alyssum Quaglia, Justin Reiter, Salvatore Rinchiera, Lily Ryan, Gregory Starikovsky, David Sun, Ana Svibruck, Nikitas Tampakis, Harris Tucker.

Nineteen students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by receiving an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. These students are: Flaminia Avantifiori, Nicole Bustamente, Amanda Connell, Christina Dornbush, Nathalie Escobar, Kelly Fischer, Patrick Gibney, Elliot Halpern, Ellen Lee, Yurim Lee, Steven Noyes, Kevin Qian, Dennis Samuel, Chris Taduran, Kevin Tan, Taimy Thomas, Jennifer Walpole, Candace Young, Matthew Zebiak.

Forty-five students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by receiving grades of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams. These students are: Finney Abraham, Alexander Aitken, Paul Anders, Christopher Ayres, Lisa Bates, John Bowen, Kiera Brady, Manuel Cabrera, Christopher Camiolo, Shannon Carey, Mary Carley, Adrianna Caton, Sophia Choi, Stephen Choi, Timothy Coyne, John Daly, Chelsea Delisser, Daniel Flannery, Kiera Foti, Tobin George, Grace Gorenstein, Luke Graney, Brett Herskowitz, Danielle Hu, Sara James, Luke Kane, Kihwan Kim, Jessica Kroenert, Howard Kyong, Alexandra Marks, Michael McGoldrick, Maxine Nadler, Brandon Nadres, Evan Noyes, Erin O’Brien, Kerry O’Donohue, Molly O’Donohue, Jacqueline Pollack, Rohan Randive, Bryan Schaub, Jonghyuk Seo, Briana Wickham, Stanley Wong, Keanar Yee, Thomas Zhang.

South Orangetown Music Teacher Rewarded for Transcriptions for Wind Orchestra

SOCSD music teacher, Charles Yassky has received notice for several recent transcriptions for wind orchestra. “Ouverture en Hommage á Mozart” by the Swiss composer Frank Martin is being published by UNIVERSAL EDITIONS of Vienna and the “Introduction to Act III” of Verdi’s opera “La Forza del Destino” is being published by BATON MUSIC of the Netherlands. In addition, his transcription of the overture to Mozart’s opera, “The Magic Flute” was performed in July at the Salzburg Music Festival in Austria and in China as part of the Ridgewood Concert Band’s recent concert tour. In addition, his TV theme for “ESPN College Football” is being broadcast for the 18th season this year, one of the longest running sports themes currently on air. Mr. Yassky has been a member of the SOCSD staff since 1999.

Cottage Lane's Future MIT Student Hopefuls

Last year, three Cottage Lane 4th graders, Victor T., John G., and William H., sent suggestions to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on ways to help decrease carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere. They sent their recommendations, to the President of MIT while studying a unit on ecosystems in science. Now 5th graders, all three have just received personal, hand-written letters of thanks from the Institute along with MIT shirts. They were all commended for their work and encouraged to apply to MIT when they get to that point in their school careers where they must decide on their college choices.