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Penfield fifth grader wins essay contest

11 Mar
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Lawson Drabik reacts when he hears he has won first place in the Monroe County Fire Prevention Essay Contest. Standing behind Lawson is Harris Hill fifth grader Jordan Dawson, who won sixth place, $25 and a trophy. (Provided photo)

Congratulations go out today to Lawson Drabik, a fifth grader at Harris Hill Elementary School in Penfield, who recently won first place in the Monroe County Volunteer Firemen’s Association Fire Prevention Essay Contest.

This year’s challenge was to write an essay explaining why people should change their smoke detectors every ten years. For his first-place essay, Lawson received $100, a plaque for his school and a traveling trophy which will be kept at the school for the next year.

Lawson learned of the award last Monday, when representatives from the Penfield Volunteer Fire Department came to his school for a surprise presentation. His reaction, which you can see in the photo, was priceless.

In addition to his other prizes, next year at the beginning of Fire Prevention Week, Lawson will get a ride home from Bay Trail Middle School on a fire truck.

Amanda Notareschi, Lawson’s teacher, believes that while Harris Hill has had finalists before, she doesn’t think the school has ever had a first-place winner.

If you’d like to read the essay for yourself, a photo of it is below.

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2016 Reflections Contest winners advance to state level

7 Mar

HERO-Reflections

The PTSA Reflections contest is in full swing in anticipation of this year’s Community Arts Day celebration on April 8 at Webster Schroeder High School. Hopefully  there are a lot of students out there working diligently to prepare their creative entries, based on this year’s theme, “Within Reach.”   (Learn more about Community Arts Day and the Reflections competition by clicking here.) Entries are being accepted through March 15.

But coincidentally (or perhaps not), I just receive notification about some of LAST year’s Reflections winners, 13 of whom who have advanced to the state level for judging.

The press release goes on to say,

The theme for the 2016-17 Reflections program was “What is Your Story?” WCSD students had their artwork recognized as the Best of Show in their categories and age divisions at the district level. Their artwork progressed to the Genesee Valley Region PTSA level of the competition and was judged against entries from other schools in the region. Before Christmas GVRPTSA held a ceremony to announce the winners, whose artwork now moves on to the New York State level for judging.

Representing WCSD are: Taisia Badulescu, Katherine Kovacs, Olivia Rye, Riley Dieter, Anthony Randazzo, Amanda Longhenry, Sydney DeZutter, Annabelle Sero, Rachael Dioguardi, Jane Bradstreet, Kaitlyn Dushuk, Sean Devlin, and Emily Hansen. Their entries range from literature to visual arts and photography to music composition and film production. The students themselves range from prekindergarten to high school.

The Reflections Committee expects to hear the results of this stage of the competition sometime in April.

Congratulations to these students, and good luck! You make Webster proud.

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Webster Community Mailbag

3 Mar

mailbagLots of great events and good news to share with everyone today!

If you’ve got nothing to do tonight, consider enjoying a basketball game, courtesy the Webster Willink and Spry Middle School Student Councils. Their annual benefit basketball game takes place TONIGHT, March 3.

The game pits Willink and Spry students and staff in several entertaining and occasionally competitive contests.

This year the Spry Student Council will be donating their proceeds to Autism Up, and the Willink Student Council will be donating their proceeds to the Veterans Outreach Center.

The games take place at the Webster Schroeder High School gym beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door for $5. Refreshments and other concessions will be available for purchase.

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Andrew Kennedy

Boy Scout Troop 110, sponsored by St. Martin Lutheran Church in Webster, has proudly announced that Andrew Kennedy has earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

Andrew’s Eagle project was in two parts: An Interfaith Youth Day of Service and an Interfaith Festival. As a part of his Eagle Project, he selected four possible work sites that youth volunteers could work at. These sites were the Islamic Center of Rochester (ICR), the Baber African Methodist Episcopal Church (Baber AME), Asbury First United Methodist Church, and Foodlink. He also recruited work site leaders to lead the four different work crews, because he clearly would not be able to be everywhere at all times.

For the Interfaith Festival, he recruited and selected eight faith-based musical groups to perform and 12 community service organizations to have information booths around the stage. On August 10, he split up 30 volunteers into three groups, dropping Foodlink as a work site, and completed the projects at Baber AME, Asbury First and the ICR. Respectively, he created and distributed back to school supply bags, sorted over 100 5-gallon bags of clothing for the Asbury First Storehouse, and did serious landscaping.

Wow.

In addition to now being an Eagle Scout, Andrew is an accomplished trombone player and soccer player.

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The Community Volunteer Fair returns to the Webster Public Library on Wednesday March 15 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Residents can connect with the following organizations that have volunteer opportunities available in the Webster community:

AutismUp, Challenger Miracle Field, Friends of the Webster Public Library, Friends of Webster Trails, Heritage Christian Services, Hill Haven Nursing and Rehab, Hope Ministry, Maplewood Nursing Home, Never Say Never Foundation, WASP Webster Association of Senior Program Supporters, Webster Arboretum, Webster Central PTSA, Webster Comfort Care Home, Webster Community Chest, Webster Museum and Historical Society.

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The Webster Lions Club’s semi-annual Texas Hold’em Tournament takes place Friday March 31 at 7 p.m. at the Webster Columbus Center, 70 Barrett Drive. Doors will open at 6:30, with the tournament starting promptly at 7. Buy-in is $40 ($45 at the door), and re-buy is $20. There will be a cash bar. All proceeds will be used to support Webster Lions Club charities.

First place winner will receive $500, $150 for second place and $50 for third. ‘

For more information, call 585-234-5480 or email websterlionsclub@gmail.com.

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Pledge not to use the “R-word”

2 Mar

rword

I missed an important day yesterday. March 1 was officially the day to pledge to Spread the Word, to End the Word.

The “word” is the “R-word,” offensive enough that we don’t even like to write it, let alone say it out loud.  And a few days ago I received an email inviting me to log onto the R-Word.org website  and sign a pledge to stop using the word.

As the website explains,

The R-word is the word ‘retard(ed)’. Why does it hurt? The R-word hurts because it is exclusive. It’s offensive. It’s derogatory.

Our campaign asks people to pledge to stop saying the R-word as a starting point toward creating more accepting attitudes and communities for all people. Language affects attitudes and attitudes affect actions. Pledge today to use respectful, people-first language.

I don’t use the word, and I can also say that I haven’t recently heard anyone else use that word. But I do remember hearing it at least once within the last year, and I recall saying something about it. But I also remember I didn’t do so with as much conviction as I should, because I don’t like personal confrontation.

But I’ve found myself this year working in a school with a large population of children with challenges, and I love them to pieces.  So if I ever hear someone use the R-word again, I will definitely speak up and defend their dignity.

Today more than ever, we need to  stand up for our differently-abled adults and children, and help work toward inclusion instead of division.

You can still sign the pledge here, and visit the website for more information. Plus, check out this great student-made video if you want to get inspired and perhaps even shed a tear.

Thank you to the Edison Best Buddies, Thomas LINK Crew and the YAC and Unified members and players for helping to spread the word.

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Vote for the Warrior Crew NOW!

16 Feb

warrior-crew

You may recall a few days ago when I posted a blog about Webster Schroeder’s Warrior Crew. That’s what the school’s uber-peppy student fan section calls itself. Last year the Crew took first place in the annual New York State Public High School Athletic Association “Battle of the Fans” competition, which recognizes top student cheering sections.

Well, the contest is on again and the Crew is once again a finalist, hoping to become the contest’s first-ever back-to-back winners.

Voting is now in progress and only runs through noon tomorrow (Friday). I’m told that it’s a pretty tight race right now, so every vote counts.

You vote by “liking” their entry on social media — Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Here are the links:

https://instagram.com/p/BQilxXyhJp1/

https://www.facebook.com/NYSPHSAA/posts/1001072033358041

https://twitter.com/nysphsaa/status/831911588198223872

So get online (wait, you already are.) So click through and make your vote right now!

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The Yellow Brick Road leads to Spry Middle School this spring

14 Feb

wizard-of-oz

The spring musical season continues in just a few weeks when Spry Middle School presents The Wizard of Oz on March 10 and 11.

Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion will all be there, searching for the Wizard and the glowing Emerald City. Adapted from the famous movie starring Judy Garland, the stage version incorporates all of your favorite songs, like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” “If I Only Had a Brain,” and “King of the Forest.” Plus, you’ll also enjoy a rarely-seen dance number, “The Jitterbug,” which was cut from the original movie.

The production is based on the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, with a book adapted by L. Frank Baum. The story is a familiar one: When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy and her dog, Toto, are whisked away in their house to the magical land of Oz. They follow the Yellow Brick Road toward the Emerald City to meet the Wizard, and en route they meet a Scarecrow who needs a brain, a Tin Man missing a heart, and a Cowardly Lion who wants courage. The Wizard asks the group to bring him the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West to earn his help.

The Wizard of Oz will be presented in three shows, Friday March 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday March 11 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., in the Spry Middle School auditorium, 119 South Ave. Tickets are $7, and these shows often sell out, so it’s a good idea to get your tickets early. They’ll be available beginning Feb. 24 at  http://www.ShowTix4U.com. If any tickets remain, they will be sold at the door.

Bringing The Wizard of Oz to the Spry stage would not be possible without the hard work of Artistic Director Bill Ambler, Production Manager Tricia Mungo, Choreographer Jackie Collins, and Music Director Ron Strong.

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The Warrior Crew needs our help

13 Feb

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I received a very well-written and impassioned email the other day from a representative of the Warrior Crew, Webster Schroeder’s student fan section.

This completely student-run pep squad shows up at Schroeder sports contests, cheering on the teams with an unparalleled energy and volume. And that’s not just an opinion — the Crew actually came in first place last year in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association “Battle of the Fans” competition, which recognizes top student cheering sections.

Believe it or not, they have a chance to win that contest again this year, and be the first-ever back-to-back Battle of the Fans champions.

The Warrior Crew has been named a finalist in the 2016-2017 competition, and NYSPHSAA judges visited the school recently, during the school’s basketball game against Bishop Kearney. “It was a fantastic experience, and we think the judges had just as much fun as we did,” the email said.

But now comes the hard part: getting the votes, as the eloquent emailer pointed out.

“Although we feel that the Warrior Crew impressed many people, and also proved that it is still the best in New York, this battle does not come down to a decision from the judges… We deserve to win again and become the first ever back-to-back Battle of the Fans Champions, but we need your help in order to accomplish this goal. The representatives from NYSPHSAA will post a picture for all four finalists on three different forms of social media: Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Each “like” on those posts is equivalent to one vote cast for that school. The student section with the most votes wins.”

The Crew is asking that, once the links are posted, everybody go online and on Instagram and cast a vote by “liking” the Webster Schroeder entry.  Voting will start this Wednesday, February 15 at noon, and end on Friday at noon. Stay posted to my blog and I’ll let you know what the links are as soon as I find out.

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I would be remiss if I stopped there. The email went on to give some background on the Warrior Crew and how they have expanded their focus from sports to the entire school community and beyond.

We pride ourselves on dedicated support of our classmates. We have created an awesome family atmosphere over the years, which, these days, is rare at high schools. We are proud of the fact that we are able to unite all aspects of our school into one Crew. We draw from rich tradition, but also innovate and improve each year. Last year, we were named NYSPHSAA “Battle of the Fans” champions after our senior leadership culminated their high school careers with the remarkable feat of uniting our school like never before.

This year, we have continued the traditions of being loud, positive, and supportive at athletic events, but also branched off into other areas within the school (music, technology, art, etc.), and even in the community. We strive for having a great time cheering on our Warriors, inclusion, unity, and constant support of others. With these goals in mind, and using our great platform as reigning NYS champions, we launched the “Warrior Crew Cares” campaign this past Fall. Through a t-shirt fundraiser we were able to support other teens at the Rochester Center for Youth. Just as important as our donation to the Center, were the ideas about the importance of giving to others that spread through our school after that.

You can connect with the Warrior Crew on Twitter @WSWarriorCrew, on Instagram @thewarriorcrew, and their website, warriorcrew.weebly.com.  Also, check out this video for a good idea of what they’re all about.

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Great Webster news (and not so great)

12 Feb
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Webster’s own Kate Lee on stage at the Grammys. (Provided photo)

I have some great Webster news to share with you this morning.

If you saw this morning’s paper, you saw a big story about local phenom fiddler Kate Lee, a 2010 Webster Schroeder graduate. This is an exciting day for Kate and her bluegrass group The O’Connor Band, because they have been nominated for a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album.

I have had the honor of knowing Kate for many years. She attended Schroeder with my son, and they occasionally played together  at musical events. She was an amazing talent those many years ago and has only gotten better.

Click through to the D&C website to read Jeff Spevak’s story about Kate’s rise to fame, and sample some of the top-shelf music created by her and her O’Connor Band-mates. Then make sure to stay tuned this afternoon for their performance at the pre-ceremony, and then the award announcement later this afternoon, both of which will be streamed live.

Kate posted some details on Facebook this morning with the above photo from their rehearsal:

Here’s a picture of O’Connor Band sound checking this morning for our performance at the Grammy Premiere Ceremony tomorrow! You can watch us perform if you visit Grammy.com around 1:10p Pacific Time to stream the pretelecast live from Microsoft Theatre in LA! And the Best Bluegrass Album category will be announced around 2:45p Pacific Time!!

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Here’s another recent article from the D&C that might interest you, but this time the news is not so good.

After trying to make it a go for a little over a year, the Original Mac and Cheez restaurant on East Main Street has closed.

Saturday was the last day of operation for the storefront, but co-owner David Piergiacomi assures everyone that the very popular food truck will be back on the streets in April.  Read the whole story here, written by Tracy Schuhmacher.

As another East Main Street business bites the dust, that end of the village has become a ghost town. I swear there are more closed storefronts down there than there are open ones. Something needs to be done, and done soon, to start attracting more small businesses to town before Webster stops becoming a destination altogether.

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Webster Kidets join this year’s Kiddie Parade

9 Jul

Director Brian Wilt leads his Kidets on a march around the Schroeder parking lot.

Our little village has its share of parades, but I think my favorite of them all is the Kiddie Parade. This adorable event is Webster’s smallest parade, which takes place every year the evening before Webster’s biggest parade, the Firemen’s Parade.

Compared to the Firemen’s Parade, which marches down Main Street for a full mile and lasts about two hours, The Kiddie Parade winds through south-side neighborhood streets, and lasts maybe 15 minutes.

But it’s the cutest thing EVER.

The Kiddie Parade gives children young and old (read: “adults”) perhaps the only chance they’ll ever have to march in a real parade. Entire families gussy up their wagons and scooters with streamers and signs and dress in coordinated costumes, and just have a blast. Many of the kids even get into true parade spirit and whip candy at the assembled crowds as they march.

This year’s Kiddie Parade, which takes place this Wednesday beginning at 7:00 pm, will be better than most because there’s going to be a special guest of sorts. This year marks the very first appearance of the Webster Kidets, a performance group introduced this year to give younger musicians a chance to see what being in a marching band is like.

The Kidets are comprised of about 20 fifth and sixth-grade musicians and four color guard members, all of whom have been practicing on and off for the last few months under the tutelage of Webster Marching Band Director Brian Wilt and a whole host of Marching Band student and adult assistants. In that short time these kids have learned a brand new piece of music and learned to march as a unit. Sort of.

I stopped by the band’s final practice last night at Webster Schroeder High School and came away very impressed by how far this band has come in such a short time. Sure, the performance wasn’t as tight as you’d expect from a polished marching band; the instrumentation was rather rough and the marching not particularly coordinated. But in step or not, these kids marched with poise and pride, befitting the fact they are a Webster marching band.

I can’t wait to see — and hear — them in the Kiddie Parade tomorrow night.

The Webster Kiddie Parade begins at 7:00 pm on Wednesday July 10 at Spry Middle School on South Avenue. It marches north on South Avenue, turns east onto Dunning, then heading down Sanford Street to the Firemen’s Field to officially open the carnival.

I took a bunch of photos at last night’s rehearsal. Click here or on any one of these to go to a gallery.

 

 

Webster Thomas grad back in town to perform

3 Jul

Click the photo to see the performance. Rmani Crawford is at the far left.

Back in March I posted a blog about a performance by a former Webster student at a March Madness basketball game.

Rmani Crawford, a 2010 Webster Thomas grad, sang the National Anthem with his Pepperdine University a cappella group, Won by One, before one of the Elite 8 games. Someone posted a video of the performance on YouTube, which you can see by clicking here or on the photo to the left.  (You can also see the original blog by clicking here.)

Well, Rmani and his group Won by One will be in town on Saturday, July 6, to perform in a concert at the Northside Church of Christ, 634 Hudson Avenue in Rochester.The concert begins at 5:00 and is free.  It’d be great if some of Rmani’s hometown friends could go out to support him.

You can find out more about Won by One by checking out their website here or their Facebook page here.

 

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