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School supply recycling gets better every year

23 Jun

Anyone who has been following my blog for a while should be very familiar with the school supply recycling effort I help coordinate at Thomas High School at the end of every school year.  We do it in conjunction with an organization called Greenseed Educational Supplies, led by an amazing man named Mitch Nellis. Mitch has been heading this effort for years, working with dozens of schools all over the county, saving perfectly good school supplies from the trash and distributing them to schools and organizations who will put them to good use.

Well I’m pleased to report that this year’s effort at Thomas High was one again successful. I dare say it was our best year yet.  Last Wednesday and Thursday, I made three trips to the School Supply Recycling Command Center at Eastridge High School (actually two science classrooms), my SUV packed to the rafters with cartons.

Here’s a quick rundown on what we collected this year:

* 29 cartons of binders (easily more than 500 binders)
* a shoe box each of pencils, pens, colored pencils, markers, crayons and hi-liters
* one carton each of trapper-keepers, report covers, miscellaneous desk supplies, locker doo-dads, review books, graph paper, tab dividers and composition notebooks
* two cartons each of lined paper and 2-pocket folders
* four cartons of spiral notebooks
* two shoe boxes of index cards

So basically we’re talking hundreds of dollars worth of good school supplies saved from the garbage. And that’s just what I collected at Thomas. Mitch tells me that Willink and Spry middle schools came through big time as well.  And a thousand thanks also to the teachers and staff at Plank Road North Elementary — they filled their 40-gallon recycling bin to overflowing.

Scroll down to see some photos from the sorting and distribution effort at Eastridge, a monumental task which Mitch and his worker-bees accomplish over a matter of just two days.

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This is the army of students who helped Mitch Nellis sort the thousands upon thousands of school supplies collected. They’re from National Honor Society and Eastridge’s International Baccalaureate and AVID programs. Plus there are a few graduates. Mitch Nellis is third from the left in the back row.

School Supply Command Center (a.k.a. Mitch Nellis’ science classroom)

Representatives from community organizations started arriving to select supplies even before they were all sorted.

 

Tuesday mailbag

10 Jun

News items about summer events are starting to come in fast and furious, so you might be seeing these “mailbags” a bit more often. If your organization has a special event coming up, make sure to let me know about it so I can help spread the word!

Hope for Pets 5th Annual Dog Walk

On Saturday June 15, the greater Rochester community will come together to help pet owners in need at Rochester Hope for Pets’ 5th Annual Dog Walk & Pet Education Expo. The event will take place in Ellison Park’s Orchard Grove Shelter. Registration begins at 9 am and the walk begins at 10.

This year’s event will include adoptable animals from local shelters and pet health education stations featuring information about pet first aid, dog and cat wellness tips, common household foods and substances that are toxic to a pet, and careers in veterinary medicine. There will also be demonstrations by K-9 teams from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the Rochester Police Department and Town of Greece. Joyce Palumbo, Crime Stoppers board member and media spokesperson, believes supporting the K-9 units is a logical extension of helping law enforcement.

For more information, visit http://RochesterHopeforPets.org/events.php or contact Beth Zogby at Rochester Hope for Pets at (585) 271-2733 ext. 26 or hopeforpetszogby@gmail.com.

Benefit Music Festival

Also on Saturday June 15 is the Sarah Anne Bryan Charity Music & Arts Festival, from 12-8 pm at the gazebo in Veterans Memorial Park, North Ave. in the village of Webster.

The festival will feature entertainment for the kids, raffles, and a “Taste of Webster” restaurant tour featuring The Coach Sports Bar, Marvin Mozzeroni’s, the Vino Wine Lounge, Hatters Pub, Brimont Bistro and BC’s Chicken Coop. Donations will benefit DePaul Community Services and the West Webster Volunteer Firemen’s Association.

For more information, visit facebook.com/sarahannebryanbenefit.

Schlegel Road Reunion

The annual Schlegel Road Elementary School Reunion Trip is back.  This year’s event will be at Seabreeze on Friday, June 21. Tickets cost $14.50 for students (less for adults), and must be reserved by June 19 so they can all be purchased together.

Interested alumni can reserve their tickets by calling Jill Sicke at 749-8914 or by email at Jill_Sicke@websterschools.org.

Schroeder student chosen by Red Sox

Congratulations to Webster Schroeder sophomore Oliver Pena, who recently received a phone call from the Boston Red Sox, informing him that he was selected as one of the ten participants for the team’s Lindos Sueños program in the Dominican Republic.

Oliver was selected from a nationwide search of thousands of applicants, and has been going through a rigorous interview process for several months.  This summer he’ll be working with the people of the Dominican Republic to help improve their lives. But he’ll also be playing baseball and receiving training from Boston Red Sox players and coaches.

 

 

Bonus mailbag!

5 Jun

BONUS BLOG!

I wanted to waste no more time in passing along information about a few events coming up in the next several days.

The first is the annual Webster Museum Barn Sale which will run from 9 am to 6 pm, Thursday June 6 (tomorrow!) through Saturday June 8, at 394 Phillips Road.  The ladies at the museum tell me that they’ll have a “Picker’s Paradise, lots of old tools, antiques, garden art, plants and collectibles.”

All proceeds will benefit the Museum’s ongoing programs and efforts to preserve and celebrate Webster’s history.

* * *

The Webster Marching Band’s semi-annual (or is it bi-annual…in any case, two times a year) Bottle and Can Drive returns this Saturday June 8.  This is a time when more than 150 dedicated student and adult volunteers scour Webster for donations, and end up collecting and sorting more than 250,000 bottles and cans.  This is the band’s biggest fund-raiser of the year, and they’d really appreciate your help, because they have some very exciting — and expensive — trips in the works.

Chances are you received a flyer in your door this week telling you about the bottle and can drive. Simply collect all your returnables in a garbage bag and place them at the curb by 9:30 am for pick-up. You can also drop them off at Schroeder High School between 9:30 am and 4 pm.

You might also consider supporting the band’s “Just $5” campaign to raise funds for aging uniforms and equipment. You can get more information about that at webstermarchingband.org.  If you have any questions, or want to schedule a pick- up, call 234-8684 Option 1.

 

 

A follow-up on the clean-up

17 May

In one of my blogs a few days ago I mentioned how I recently drove by a group of Webster High School Marching Band parents and students who were cleaning up a stretch of Ridge Road.  I lamented the fact that I didn’t know about it ahead of time so I couldn’t snap any photos.

Well, a big thanks to Patty Homeier for sending along the following two photos from her team.  Patty wrote that her group of three adults and three kids worked for about an hour and a half, and collected 10 large bags of trash (and a few car parts).

They and three other groups cleaned both sides of Ridge from Hegedorns to the movie theater.

Patty also mentioned in her email that her family is new to the marching band.  I think it’s pretty cool that even though they’re new to the organization, they’re already participating in events like this.  It’s a great example of how much Webster Marching Band families are committed to this community.

Thank you to the Webster Marching Band for cleaning up our Ridge.

I love the hard hats. (L-R) Mikayla Cassidy, Theresa Homeier and Anna Halpa.

Theresa Homeier works in the woods.

 

 

An exciting opportunity for your musicians

12 May

Several days ago when I was driving through town I noticed a group of young people and adults picking up trash along Ridge Road. My first thought was, “Huh. I’ll bet that’s folks from the Webster High School Marching Band. I think this is the stretch of highway they adopted.”  That was immediately followed by my next thought, “I wonder why they didn’t tell me they were going to be doing this so I could come out and take photos?”

Ah, well. Maybe next year. But seeing them did remind me of the great new program for young musicians which the Marching Band has introduced this year.  I’ve mentioned it before, but it deserves much more attention. It’s THAT great an idea.

It’s called the Webster Kidets Marching Band, and it’s designed for 5th and 6th graders in the Webster School District who’d like to see what it’s like to be part of a real live marching band.

To participate, a student should already be playing a musical instrument in school; chorus and orchestra students are encouraged to learn a percussion instrument to play with the group.The colorguard section is open to any student.

The band will hold four practices on June 3, June 24, June 26 and July 8, and then march in the huge Firemen’s Parade on July 10.  Brass, woodwind and percussion musicians are invited to sign up, as well as students interested in performing with the Kidets colorguard.

Registration is $30 per student, which includes a parade uniform (t-shirt) which the student can keep. The program can provide drums, mellophones, euphoniums and colorguard flags.  Flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets and trombones must be provided by the students.

What a wonderful opportunity this is for young musicians to get a taste of the excitement and pride that comes with being part of a marching band.

For more details, including rehearsal times, log onto the Webster Kidets webpage.

 

Mr. Ahlquist goes to Washington

29 Apr

Webster Thomas High School social studies teacher Greg Ahlquist had the opportunity to meet President Obama last week on a trip to Washington D.C.  The honor was one of many that Ahlquist has received after being named New York State Teacher of the Year for 2013.

Since receiving the honor last October, Ahlquist has spent much of this school year traveling around the country as an ambassador for the state and the school district.

The two shots below are from the photo op with President Obama and all of the nation’s Teachers of the Year. Ahlquist can be seen in the back row on the left in the first photo — he’s the tall one next to the flag. In the second photo, you can just see his face peeking out from behind at top right (he’s wearing glasses).

 

 

 

Two invitations from the school district

29 Apr

Today I pass along a few notes straight from the school district:

The first is an invitation to join a Strategic Planning Committee Forum next week. In extending the invitation, Superintendent of Schools Adele Bovard wrote,

The district is in continual need of our community’s input as we keep building on the strategic planning process that began three years ago. Those beginning phases of the strategic planning process focused on parent engagement, technology, and communication within the district. Community members are now invited to share input with the district’s strategic planning group to help answer the question, “What does it mean for a Webster student to be college, career, and community ready?” Activities to help answer that question will include focus groups during this forum and, in the near future, an updated survey of the community.

The forum will be help on Tuesday, May 7  from 7 – 8:30 pm at Webster Thomas High School’s South Cafeteria, 800 Five Mile Line Road.  If you’re interested in attending, contact Krista Grose, WCSD Public Relations Coordinator, at 216-0013, or Krista_Grose@websterschools.org.

* * *

The Webster Central Schools PTSA has just announced that its 2013-2014 PTSA Calendar Cover Art Contest has officially begun.

Any WCSD student in grades K-11 is invited to enter. There will be two winners, one for the smaller size calendar and one for the larger size calendar. Each winner will receive a $25 gift card from Barnes and Noble and have their art work reproduced on more than 2000 calendars sold by the Webster Central PTSA.

Entries must be submitted by Friday May 31 (no late entries will be accepted), and the artwork will not be returned.  Entries must conform to the rules below and will be judged on their artistic merit and the ability to reproduce the work on the calendar.  The subject of the drawing must relate to education.Here’s the fine print:

ALL ENTRIES MUST:

  • be hand drawn in black ink or black marker on white paper no larger than 11” high by 14” wide (or smaller than 8 ½ X 11″); landscape format preferred;
  • must not include copyrighted characters or images such as Snoopy or Mickey Mouse;
  • must not be folded;
  • must not include the name of a specific school or teacher, and must not contain any misspelled words;
  • must have the following information printed on the back of the artwork: student’s name, current school and grade, and home telephone number;
  • Artwork should reflect education and/or positive youth values (such as the 40 Developmental Assets).

Artwork must be submitted to your school office or library by Friday May 31. For any questions contact your school’s PTSA Chair or Terri Edwards at 872-3993 (tme @rochester.rr.com).

 

 

Thursday Webster mailbag

18 Apr

The Webster Thomas Odyssey of the Mind Team poses with principal Glenn Widor.

Get a great dinner Friday night and benefit a good cause.

A Webster Thomas High School Odyssey of the Mind team won the state championship in their problem and division, “It’s How You Look at It”, and will advance to the World Finals to be held May 22-23 in Lansing, Michigan.

To defray the cost of getting to Michigan, team members Brystol Cook, Sarah Kennedy, Abby Wezelis, Andrea Saitta, Rachel Crumley, Allesandra Suchodolski, and Lizzie Hart are hosting a series of fundraisers, so come grab a bite to eat and support the team.

The first is a chicken barbecue on Friday April 19 beginning at 4 pm.  The barbecue is provided by Tastebuds Catering, and will take place at Webster Thomas High School, 800 Five Mile Line Road. The release I received said that pre-orders would be taken until two days before the event. That was yesterday. If you’re still interested, you can email thomasOOTM19@ gmail.com or ThomasOOTM26@ gmail.com to see if they’re sold out yet. Cost is $10 for a marinated half-chicken, mac salad, coleslaw, bread and butter.

If it’s too late to sign up for this weekend, they’re having another one next Friday April 26. You can definitely get in on that one.

Community Arts Day is back

One of my favorite events of the school year takes place this weekend, when Community Arts Day returns to Webster Schroeder High School this Saturday April 20 from 10-4.

This is great family-friendly event which celebrates the many artistic and musically talented students in our schools. Samples of artwork from every school in the district will be on display, and entertainment by dance troupes, martial arts schools, music groups and more are scheduled throughout the day. The entire first floor of the school is packed with performers, artwork, and community displays. There’s a children’s area with crafts, baked goods and refreshments, and the YMCA Carnival set up in the gymnasium with games, prizes, a bouncy house and inflatable obstacle course.

I tell you folks, this is a great inexpensive way to entertain the kids all day.

Admission to Community Arts Day is free. Proceeds from food, craft, and carnival booth sales will benefit cultural arts programs within the Webster Central School District.  For more information, visit the Community Arts Day website. You can also click here   to see the full performance schedule.

Webster Theater Guild Proudly Presents…

After a fun day at Community Arts Day, consider  taking in a family-friendly evening of music, dance and drama presented by the Webster Theatre Guild.

Community groups scheduled to perform include the Neighborhood Acting Company, the Bowties, Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus, Greater Rochester Repertory Companies, The Women of Note, St. Paul’s Church Choir, JCC Center Stage, the Webster Thomas/Schroeder Show Choir, and of course the Webster Theatre Guild.

The event will take place in the cafetorium of Willink Middle School, 900 Publisher’s Parkway, beginning at 8 pm. There’s no charge, but donations will be accepted, all benefiting the West Webster Fire Department and the Webster Community Chest.

Dig into Your History

The Webster Museum will host a genealogy talk on Sunday April 21, called “Searching For Your Family History.”

Gabriel Pellegrino, a long-time Webster resident and director of music at Holy Spirit Church,  will present a talk on how to use the public library, the Internet, church records and newspapers to find your family history. Bring your questions and he may be able to point you in the right direction.

While you’re there, be sure to check out the museum’s new exhibits on “Life in the 1920s and 1930s.”  You won’t believe how different — and colorful — the kitchens were back then.

The talk will run from 2-4 pm. The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the village. Check their website for more information.

Webster Thomas grad performs during March Madness

1 Apr

Rmani Crawford, at the far left, prepares to lead Won by One in song. Click on the photo to watch the video.

If you watched any of the Elite 8 basketball games on Sunday, you might have caught a singing performance by a Webster Thomas grad.

Rmani Crawford (’10) led the Pepperdine University a cappella group Won by One in singing the National Anthem before one of the Elite 8 games  played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. I’m not sure the TV stations actually broadcast the performance, but someone did post a video to YouTube, which you can see by clicking here or on the photo to the right.

Rmani is a junior at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA, majoring in rhetoric and leadership. He sings baritone for Won by One, who call themselves “A group of six unlikely friends who travel in a big white van, recruit students to come to Pepperdine and practice beat boxing daily.”

Thank you to my friend Holly for bringing my attention to this link. I’m always pleased to see our Webster students making a difference in the world.

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

 

Sharing the gift of music

27 Mar

At the Schroeder concert, the percussion section has fun with plungers.

Two events this week at the Webster high schools helped spread the gift of music.

All of Webster School District’s fifth graders were recently treated to a sample of the kind of music they can create when they progress through the elementary instrumental music program into high school.

Last week, Webster Schroeder High School welcomed students from Plank Road North, Plank Road South and State Road elementary schools to watch a concert performed by the high school wind ensemble. The same event occurred at Webster Thomas yesterday, where the Thomas Wind Ensemble hosted students from Klem Road North, Klem Road South, DeWitt Road and Schlegel Road elementary schools.

At Schroeder, conductor Amanda Tierson fields questions from the fifth graders.

The musical experience was made even more meaningful by lessons the elementary students were presented before the concerts.  The elementary music teachers prepared their students by introducing the pieces that would be performed, encouraging discussion of instrumentation, musical themes, concert etiquette and characteristics of the music they would hear.

For many of the kids, it was their first experience hearing a “real live” concert. And for any of them just starting to learn an instrument, it was a great display of what they could accomplish with continued dedication and hard work.

Fifth graders fill the auditorium at Thomas.

Conductor Eric Piazza leads the Thomas Wind Ensemble.

A saxophone quartet highlighted the Thomas concert. From left, Terese Ciaizza, Karthik Sekharan, Nick Bartusek and Juliana Baratta.

Webster Thomas grade Evan Sundquist was a featured performer when the Fredonia Jazz Ensemble made a stop at Thomas High School on Tuesday, as part of their spring break educational tour through Upstate New York.  Sundquist was spotlighted on the trumpet and vocally during the hour-long performance. The purpose of the group’s tour is to illustrate to current high school students that there are opportunities to participate in music after high school, whether or not they choose to major in music.

Thomas grad Evan Sundquist (back, at left) played trumpet and sang during the concert at his alma mater.

The Fredonia Jazz Ensemble on stage.

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