Mount Pleasant CSD - From the Heart - Summer 2019 by Mount Pleasant CSD

Summer 2019

From the Heart Mount Pleasant — The Heart of Westchester County

The Mount Pleasant Central School District Newsletter Volume 18 Issue 5

8th Graders Give Back to the Community WMS IB Community Leadership Project

Congratulations to the Class of 2019!

Sending supplies to the troops. Making toys for shelter pets. Spending time with the elderly. These are just a few of the ways 8th graders gave back to their community this year. As Westlake Middle School completes the first official year of being an International Baccalaureate school, the Community Leadership Project (CLP), required by all eighth graders, was better than ever. First introduced three years ago as the school was in the process of being certified for IB, teachers and students didn’t know exactly Parents listen to 8th graders present their Community Leadership what to expect. The year-long Projects at the CLP Celebration of Learning evening. project requires students to the better. This year there were less fund-raising identify a community (locally or globally) that they have an interest in helping and bake sales and more focus on doing service work then research ways to make a change. While that for a community in need. She elaborates, “Kids first year was a huge success, with many students see that their time spent working with outside focusing on beautifying the school and donating organizations is worthwhile and that they can to local charities, the project has evolved over make a difference.” The Community Leadership Project has four the years. The current 8th graders have had the distinct stages. The first stage begins as students benefit of watching their elder peers go through the process and have had plenty of time to think enter the eighth grade. They are encouraged to about what they might like to do. According think about their passions and investigate ways to one of the CLP advisors, English teacher that they can have Michelle Glass, the program has morphed for an impact on their continued on page 2

Construction Update - Bond Funded Work Continues Construction has begun on the Westlake campus and many exciting upgrades are scheduled to take place throughout the summer. Construction crews have been hard at work racing to complete as many tasks as possible before the 2019-20 school year begins. If you have been to the campus lately, you may have noticed some big changes. The area near the tennis courts has been cleared and leveled and the courts have been closed and fenced off to be used as a staging area for equipment and supplies. This location will serve as construction headquarters for the duration of the Westlake upgrade. The sidewalk from Westlake Drive to the front

of WHS is well underway. At the top of the drive, to the right of the District Office, work on the middle school parking lot has started. More than 100 new spots will be added to address a current lack of parking for students, staff and visitors to the campus. While we are excited for the all the changes scheduled to take place, it will be somewhat challenging as we live through the construction this summer. The supplies required to upgrade the boilers, HVAC systems, roofs, bathrooms and many other projects will occupy a tremendous amount of space and will leave room for very limited parking on the Westlake campus.

Please refer to www.mtplcsd. org for more det ai le d i n f or m at i on about parking, deliveries and visits to campus this summer. We look forward to a very productive summer. When students and staff return to school in the fall, the improvements will be nearly complete and will go a long way to bringing our campuses up to 21st century standards.

From the Heart • Summer 2019

Community Leadership Project continued from page 1

chosen community. Next comes the planning stage where students make a game plan and reach out to potential recipients. Third is the action stage when they execute their service work. Finally, they finish with the reflection stage. In this last stage, students learn valuable presentation skills by creating powerpoint presentations and then “selling” the importance

of their project to the CLP advisors and fellow students. It’s a full year learning process during which students learn valuable time-management skills. Mrs. Glass said that she was exceptionally pleased with so many of the projects this year, “They really did push outside of their own little bubble of Westlake this year. I was so happy with the outcome.”

Dog Toy Designer

Spanish Advisors

Dean Pallogudis sewed dog toys with his grandmother.

Many students showed their love for animals by focusing their project on collecting items for the ASPCA in Briarcliff. Dean Pallogudis took it one step further. He decided that instead of just raising money to buy toys for the dogs, he wanted to make them. He researched the best material to use to make a durable chew toy, then enlisted his grandmother to teach him how to sew. They spent about two weeks sewing 50 toys before delivering them. Seeing the dogs enjoy the toys gave Dean a huge sense of accomplishment.

Erika Sanchez, Ivanna Rivera and Denisse Rivera used their personal experience to inspire their project. Each of the girls moved to Mount Pleasant a few years ago. None of them spoke English and all felt overwhelmed in their new school. For their CLP, they decided to create a welcome video in English and Spanish for new ENL students. They gave a tour of the school and tips to help non-English speaking students adjust to their new environment. In addition, they translated the WMS handbook which has already been put to use with several new families in the district.

Spreading the Love

Supplying Opportunities

Kaitlyn Roemmelt and Matthew Pipcinski brightened the day for the elderly at The Grove in Valhalla.

Ericka Sanchez, Ivanna Rivera and Denisse Rivera created a bi-lingual video tour for new Spanish speaking students.

Having a loved one in a nursing home can be an eye-opening experience. Kaitlyn Roemmelt and Matthew Pipcinski have witnessed first hand that many elderly residents feel lonely. They decided to come up with a project that would brighten the day of not only the people they knew, but also the other 160 residents of The Grove in Valhalla. The two students enlisted the help of their classmates to create hundreds of homemade greeting cards and then spent a day delivering them. The response was so overwhelmingly positive, Kaitlyn and Matthew have already agreed to visit the seniors on a weekly basis throughout the summer and next year.

Julia DelPozzo used her artistic abilities to raise money for school supplies.

Julia DelPozzo was taught from an early age the value of a good education, but having a father who was the first in his family to go to college gave her the understanding that not everyone had access to the necessary materials. Julia worked with Create the Good Corporation to buy school supplies for students in need. A talented artist, Julia raised the money by selling personalized calligraphy magnets to her fellow students and teachers (a valuable lesson in entrepreneurship). She made more than twice her original goal and was able to provide markers, pens and pencils to hundreds of happy students in need.

As another successful school year comes to a close, the Board of Education would like to acknowledge the entire Mount Pleasant school community for all their success and accomplishments. We have much to be proud of. In athletics, our Varsity Baseball team snagged the first sectional title in almost 20 years after a grueling four-hour game, while many individual Colleen athletes achieved personal milestones. At Westlake Scaglione- High School, Science Research continues to grow Neglia exponentially with students winning top awards in President every competition they enter. The middle school band Board of won the trophy for outstanding character for the second Education year in a row at the Music in the Parks competition, and elementary students enjoyed numerous cultural arts events including The Nature of Things, Box Out Bullying, Colonial Day and a trip to see Aladdin on Broadway. The board extends a special thank you to the parent organizations that help enhance the education of our students through the donation of time and funds. Congratulations to the Class of 2019! Despite being one of the smallest classes to graduate from Westlake, they earned nearly as much in scholarship money as much larger classes. The 108 seniors graduated with acceptances to more than 175 colleges and over $15 million in scholarships and awards based on academic performance. They are well prepared as they leave the halls of Westlake to take on the challenges of being a college student or entering the workforce. The end of the school year is often a time for

reflection. As we look back on yet another successful year, we are grateful for the smooth transition that we were able to experience with our change in leadership. Dr. Kotes hit the ground running last summer and quickly became a strong leader in Mount Pleasant. His thoughtful recommendations and consideration of all constituents allowed us to successfully negotiate the expired teachers’ contract among other things. We look forward to working with him for many years to come. We are excited to welcome Dr. Adam Bronstein in his new role as the Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Administrative Services. His extensive work of rolling out IB in the middle school is just one example of his dedication to bringing quality education to the students. We also extend a warm welcome to the new WMS Principal Anthony Mungioli and Director of Technology Vineetha Joy. Best wishes to Dr. Nasrin Rouzati as she moves to her new role at the Westchester BOCES. Finally, congratulations to Vincent Graci and Chris Pinchiaroli for being re-elected to the board. Thank you to Tom McCabe for running a competitive campaign and for your dedication to the community. As always, we appreciate the support of the community and thank everyone for coming out to vote on election day and for helping to pass the budget. The schools would not be the success that they are without community input and support. Enjoy the rest of the summer and we look forward to welcoming you back in September.

From the Heart • Summer 2019

Congratulations and Best Wishes

Parent organizations fund more than $170K in donations, grants, and scholarships School organizations have once again granted funds to supplement the students’ experience. Technology, learning materials, trips, equipment and scholarships are just a few examples of what the generous donations fund. Elementary PTA The Elementary PTA provided over $75,000 for Hawthorne and Columbus. Some of the purchases included: • • • • • • •

Portable Sound system for HES Smart TV for CES cafeteria Indoor and outdoor recess equipment Field day t-shirts STEM kits for 2nd grade Nature of Things assembly Colonial Fair Day

Westlake Middle School PTA Westlake Middle School PTA donated nearly $11,000. A few of the items they funded include: • • • • • • •

Student planners Cultural arts presentations Wellness day activities Field day ice cream socials 8th grade dance and breakfast Music in the Parks Washington D.C. trip scholarships

Westlake High School PTA Westlake High School PTA granted thousands of dollars to fund things such as: • • •

The Colonial Day Fair

Scholarships for graduating seniors Faculty & teacher appreciation lunches Westlake Day food and entertainment

Westlake Athletic Club This year the WAC provided over $21,000. The grants covered the cost for items such as: • • • • •

Washington D.C. Trip

Fireworks at homecoming Trophy showcase LCD TV display at WHS Scholarships for graduating seniors Hydrocollator mobile heating unit

Mount Pleasant Education Foundation The MPEF awarded more than $49,000 to the schools. Some of the items they funded were: • • • • •

Robots for Elementary Special Ed Vex IQ Robots for Tech Ed Band instruments Drones for Engineering & Physics Laser printers for Media Arts

Lunch for Westlake Day

Fireworks at Homecoming

From the Heart • Summer 2019

New Faces in the District Director of Technology and Data

Vineetha Joy joins the Mount Pleasant CSD as the new Director of Technology and Data. She comes from the Carmel CSD where she served as the Chief Information Officer and Director of Data Management for the past 14 years. After earning a Bachelor in Management Information Systems and a Masters in Information Technology & Management from The University of Texas at Dallas, she started her career in the private sector working in IT. She made the transition to education in 2005 when she joined the Carmel CSD while also earning a Masters in Education from Bank Street College and obtaining her School Building Leadership certificate. One of her early accomplishments in Carmel was automating the Student Information System (SIS), the record database of every student in the district. She served as the liaison between the district and the state for all the information that is required to be shared with the State Education Department, one of the many duties she will take on in Mount Pleasant. Another of her responsibilities as the DOT will be to consider the vision of technology for the whole district going forward. A short term goal, which she hopes to accomplish before the start of the school year, is to streamline and automate many of the data systems in the district to allow people to work more efficiently. Having one point of information entry will serve as a quality check on systems ensuring all data is clean and accurate. Writing code to allow the SIS to “talk to” other systems, such as transportation and food services, will benefit many departments throughout the district. “Building relationships is a huge factor for me. I want to work with different groups and understand what they need so we can work to make it better together. Having a good relationship is essential for that.” Mrs. Joy lives with her family in Yorktown Heights. Her son will be entering 6th grade and her daughter will be starting 3rd grade in the fall.

WMS Principal

Mr. Anthony Mungioli has over 20 years of public school experience as a teacher and administrator. After earning a Masters in School Administration & Supervision from Touro College and a Bachelors in Political Science from Binghamton University, Mr. Mungioli started his career as a middle school social studies and mathematics teacher at the Gravesend School in Brooklyn. He then moved on to the role of assistant principal at the SEEALL Academy. For the past six years he has served as principal at PS 121 Nelson A. Rockefeller Magnet School which was named by the New York State Education Department as one of 562 Recognition Schools for the 2018 – 2019 school year. In 2016, his school was awarded a Federal Magnet Grant, allowing the school to improve its curriculum using a project-based learning approach, transforming learning for all students into authentic experiences designed to prepare students for their future. He has been commended for his commitment to excellence and his dedication to the students, staff and the community of which he currently serves. Mr. Mungioli expressed that recent and past successes resulted from an approach that recognizes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. He strives to provide all stakeholders of the school community the opportunity to express their voice to ensure meaningful outcomes that rest on a strong foundation. Working in teams early in his career, he learned to respect and value what every member of the team can bring to the table. He and his family currently reside in Brooklyn, but are excited to relocate to Westchester. His wife Laura and he are looking forward to providing their son with the opportunities that a close knit community can provide. Mr. Mungioli began in his new role on July 22, 2019.

Retirements

Sky Smith, WHS WHS science teacher Skylar (Sky) Smith is retiring after an incredible 30 years in the same building. After graduating from Long Island University with a BS in Science, Sky took an opportunity to earn a Masters in Education through a graduate assistantship at his alma mater. As luck would have it, one interview with the Westlake administration was all it took to convince him a career in teaching would be his destiny. As a biology teacher for his entire time at WHS, he was able to share his love of reptiles with his students, always housing a vast array of snakes, frogs and other scaly creatures in his classroom. Looking for opportunities to get involved in the district, Sky began his coaching career in his first year. He coached a varsity sport (or several) every year since then. As a varsity athlete himself competing in gymnastics, wrestling and pole vaulting, spring track and field was his first foray into coaching. He also coached wrestling for 21 years and later added cross country to his resume. Sky reflected on his time as a coach, “I always enjoyed working with the kids and coaching really allowed me to get to know my students better. I still have longtime friendships that I have maintained with former athletes of mine.” In his retirement, he is looking forward to enjoying the summer with his family and friends. While he has no plans to continue with coaching, he is considering officiating at some of the cross country meets to stay involved with the career that has given him so much.

Rosanna Carigni, WHS Rosanna Carigni began her teaching career in 1977 at the age of 19. The native Italian speaker taught Italian and Spanish in the bilingual program at Mamaroneck Avenue School for three years before she was offered a directorship with the Berlitz Executive Training program teaching English to international business leaders. She rose through the ranks at Berlitz, eventually running her own center before she returned to teaching young learners. Rosanna became an Italian and Spanish teacher at Salesian High School where she was appointed chair of the language department. She then moved on to Rye Neck High School adding French to her resume before coming to WHS in 2005 as teacher (and director) of the Italian Program. Countless numbers of her students have benefited from her enthusiasm of the Italian culture by being awarded scholarships, recognitions, travel awards and a genuine love for Italy and its traditions. She has received several high distinctions in recognition for all the work she has done in the foreign language profession, including the National Italian American Foundation Italian Teacher of the Year Award and the Mount Pleasant Italian American Association Distinguished Achievement Award. Mrs. Carigni says retiring is bittersweet, “I have dedicated my life to youth. It is my way of investing in the world’s future. This work is my life’s mission and my reward has been their success.”

Happy Summer! As the excitement of the high school commencement and the eighth, fifth, and second grade moving up ceremonies seems to be getting smaller and Dr. Kurtis smaller in our rear view Kotes mirror, we find ourselves Superintendent looking ahead to the rest of Schools and relaxation of the summer months. On our school campuses, however, the excitement has only just begun! If you have driven past the Westlake Campus or been inside of Columbus Elementary recently, I’m sure you have noticed the extensive capital improvement project work that is being completed. The classroom renovations at the high school and the site work on the Westlake Campus will welcome students to a refreshed and renewed learning environment when they return in the fall. We are so fortunate to have the support of the community to complete this

work. This work will continue into the middle school when we will look to complete our capital improvement work during the summer and fall of 2020. It is exciting and purposeful work and a true community commitment to maintaining and improving our educational facilities. The summer months are a time for all of us to recharge. We have more time to spend with families, friends and loved ones and enjoy many meaningful experiences in our lives. During this time, I ask families to also reflect on ways in which we can continue to learn through those times and experiences that families are so fortunate to have in those summer months. Sometimes, that is a visit to a museum or a historic site, while for others it may be to a cultural event. Many of us are fortunate enough to engage in recreational activities and sporting events that are good for our bodies and keep us healthy. While school is a great place for all students to learn and grow, the world around us reminds us that as long as we are willing, all of our life experiences are truly learning experiences. I encourage all of our families to embrace those opportunities together while enjoying your summer months! I look forward to seeing all of our

Kathy DeBiase, HES Kathy DeBiase has been a staple in the community for 31 years. First as a parent, supporting her eight sons through the Mount Pleasant schools as a PTO volunteer and class mom, then as the school nurse at Hawthorne once her youngest son started kindergarten. That son just graduated from Westlake and Kathy decided that it was her time to “graduate” too. “I have been privileged and honored to take care of countless children that have come through Mount Pleasant. I have so many great memories. The timing is just right in my personal life now.” Mrs. DeBiase began her career at a young age after graduating from nursing school at Pace University. She worked in pediatrics from the beginning, but spent a few years in surgery. Her experience served her well when she re-entered the workforce after taking time off to raise her children. She remarks that as a school nurse, she is essentially an independent practitioner. She honed her skills over the years so that she knew when an ice-pack and a few tender words would suffice or if something more was needed. The past 4 years, Kathy has served as the nursing coordinator for the district and helps with after school care during sports practices. She is looking forward to taking some time to relax and enjoy her family. Most of her sons have stayed in the area and she has 5 grandchildren to dote on, including the first girl born on the DeBiase side in 43 years!

staff and students back when we open the doors for the 2019-2020 school year. Enjoy the remainder of your summer break!

From the Heart • Summer 2019

Make the World Your Classroom this Summer

Communication is Key! A new way to communicate is coming your way! SchoolMessenger is a web-based mass communications tool which enables the district and its schools to provide timely information with district employees, parents and guardians to support emergency preparedness, school community involvement and student attendance. Look for more information coming soon.

Sara Gruettner, WMS Sara Gruettner began her career in the Mount Pleasant CSD in 1989 as a teaching aide at Hawthorne Elementary when her youngest of two sons was in first grade in the district. She was trained early on in a multi-sensory teaching program which used visual, auditory and tactile cues to help students become successful readers. She partnered with then 1st grade teacher Kim Newman for nearly 20 years becoming a teaching assistant. She also had the opportunity to work in a special education class with Nellie Coffinas before moving to Columbus. After 25 years at Hawthorne, she then moved to Columbus where she continued in special ed and helped teach autistic children. Mrs. Gruettner worked alongside special ed teacher Gerry Banner for one year before she made the move to WMS this year to help her students with the adjustment to the new schedule. In their cozy classroom, she taught a small group the core subjects and then sent them out to their specials to interact with the rest of their classmates. After 30 years in the district, making the decision to leave was difficult. One of the things she has loved the most is seeing the kids she taught so long ago coming back and raising their children in the district. Mrs. Gruettner emphasizes, “I have met so many nice people and worked with a lot of amazing teachers.” She plans to fill her newfound free time traveling with her husband, spending time with her four grandchildren and working in her flower garden.

From the Heart • Summer 2019

Underclassmen Awards Celebrate Achievement Every year, an evening is set aside to mark the academic and service achievements of the freshman, sophomore and junior students at Westlake High School. Teachers nominate students in each subject area for “outstanding achievement” and “outstanding effort” and present each winner with a certificate of recognition. Special college awards and scholarships are also presented to 11th grade students with exceptional academic performance or a demonstrated commitment to service. Many of these awards include full or partial tuition scholarships. Finally, the summa honor roll was read to recognize those students who have been on the high honor roll all three semesters. (See box at right.) The entire list of recognitions can be found under school news on the Westlake High School website.

Twenty-five 11th grade students made the Summa Honor Roll this year. They had a GPA of 95 or above every semester this year.

Summa Honors

Summa honor roll recognition was given to students in each grade who had a 95 average or better for each semester. Grade 11 Lea Bonsignore Amanda Bradley Colleen Bradley Samantha Castellano Peter Cavazzini Julia Clark Juliana Colabatistto Arianna Edwards Olivia Eng Sadie Feighan Paul Gschneidner Kiera Higham Katelyn Jaime Samantha La Scala Caleb Levitt Matthew Martin Arianna Muratore Gabriella Muratore Nicole Musial Liam Naughton Roman Raguso Emily Salvi Jake Szeszko Maeve Verna Alice Warford

Grade 10 Angelica Alvarez Stefano Ammaturo Phoebe Barnes Alessandra Blasone Elisabeth Carpinelli Olivia Cartano Jonathan Clemente Carter Falkenberg Sophia Garritano Aimee Holland Kristin Iannucci Zachary Katzman Samantha Lubart Thomas Marto Nicholas Mulvey Evan O’Brien Alessia Pellegrini Arianna Pellegrini Marco Petrillo Joseph Piazza Julie Pinchiaroli Deanna Reynolds Stephanie Rosenberg Raine Spearman Pranav Vadapalli

Grade 9 Glen Ahern Kelly Andrews Giulia Arianna Isabella Badagliacca Nicolas Bauco Catherine Cavazzini Eleanor Dempsey Krista Dronzek Siena Edwards Samantha Ferrari Owen Hegarty Manpreet Kaur Elisabeth Lilly Michael Mangione Sera Mishra Jessica Motta Aidan Pray Valentina Rubio Scott Saunders Anastasia Tchernikov Autumn Verna John Vita

College Book Awards

Criteria

Winner

Columbia University Book Award

Outstanding academic achievement with an inclination toward research

Caleb Levitt

Elmira College Key Award

Outstanding student who demonstrates school and community leadership

Kyra Earley

George Washington Book Award

Academic excellence, leadership outside of the classroom, diversity of thought, and ability to put knowledge into action

Riley Neglia

Harvard-Radcliffe Book Award

Excellence in scholarship and commitment to high moral character

Samantha Castellano

Mount Holyoke Book Award

Excellent academic record with a rigorous course schedule and qualities of leadership and service

Arianna Edwards

Rennsselaer Polytechnic Medal

Outstanding math or science student

Jake Szeszko

Rochester Institute of Technology Award in Computing

Distinguishing academics, being active members of school and community and demonstrating interest and ability in computing

Olivia Eng & Roman Raguso

Rochester Institute of Technology Innovation & Creativity Medal

An interest and ability in creativity

Paul Gschneidner & Katelyn Jaime

Saint Michael’s College Book Award

Serving others and acting with a social conscience

Jacqueline Andrews

Wellesley Book Award

Young women who have been top scholars and are engaged in extracurricular areas

Kristin Pierce

Wells College Award

Commitment to academic achievement while acting as a leader among his or her peers

Kathryn DeVito

Wesleyan Book Award

Excel in a rigorous course of study and demonstrate independent thought and creative thinking

Nicole Musial

From the Heart â&#x20AC;˘ Summer 2019

Girl Scout awards were given to girls from two troops that have been together since elementary school. The recipients were Cynthia Briggs, Nicole Desimone, Kylie Gottlieb, Kyra Higgins, Viktoria Hudd, Rachel Lubrino, Mary Lyons, Erin Murphy, Emily Pensabene, Lia Poggioreale, Sydney Roell, Lauren Sala, Serena Sam-Zee-Moi, Anna Sherman and Alexa Sputo.

Senior Awards Night

Deserving graduates were celebrated for their academic, athletic and artistic accomplishments as well as service to the community at the Senior Awards Night held June 3rd at the Crowne Plaza in White Plains. Those pictured here are among the many in the Class of 2019 who received recognition and thanks from their school and community. Visit whs.mtplcsd.org to view the full list of awardees.

This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recipients of the Louis B. Jost Special Education Scholarship for Higher Education and the The Louis B. Jost Achievement Award were Mary Lyons and Amanda Rubeo, respectively.

The Westlake Players Award for Excellence in the Theater Arts went to Julia Liebowitz, Serena Sam-Zee-Moi, Lauren DeMartino and Dean Kapica.

Freyja Varga received the Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Congresswoman Nita Lowey.

Lee Cohen was given a special Achievement in Social Studies award and George Doulos received the Excellence in Social Studies award.

The Principal Leadership award was given to Aaron Blizzard, Cynthia Briggs, Sofia Cartano, Lee Cohen, Laren DeMartino, Gianni Garritano, Samantha Karlosky, Bryan Mesquita, Victor Mora, Olivia Muscatella, Meghan Nuccio, Richard Petrillo, Thomas Rubino, Emily Sardo, Anthony Scaglione, Faith Summers and Tyler Tsiakaros.

Faith Summers received the STAR (Scholastic-Talent-Accomplishment-Recognition) Scholarhip, along with 8 other awards.

From the Heart • Summer 2019

2019 class of

Graduates

Dylan Agosto Dylan Ahern Jeff Auquilla F ★ Justin Avella F Christopher Bauco F ★ Aaron Blizard F Jillian Boyce Cynthia Briggs G ★ Toby Brown F Jake Buglione F

Kylie Gottlieb

Katie Burns G ★ Thomas Carpenter Miguel Catarino F Sofia Catarino G ★ Lee Cohen F ★ Grace Damico G ★ Andrew DeBiase G ★ Lauren DeMartino F Nicole Desimone G ★ Jesse DiMeglio Stephen Donato F ★ Dylan Donnery Ryan Donnery George Doulos F ★ Sophia Falkenberg G ★ Michelle Flynn F Isabella Fratta F Gianni Garritano F ★ Elizabeth Gomez F Estefania Gomez

Kylie Gottlieb G ★ Edmund Greco F Vincent Grolli G Sabrina Guglielmi F Declan Hegarty G Sarah Henning F Axel Ramirez Kyra Higgins F Viktoria Hudd G Jennifer Huerta-Solis Loren Iannucci G ★ Thomas Iazzetta F Dean Kapica Samantha Karlosky G ★ Steven LaManna F Erik Lara F Nicholas Lespi Joseph Lhota Julia Liebowitz F Rebecca Lovett F ★

College & University Acceptances

Adelphi University The University of Alabama Alfred University Allegheny College American University Arcadia University Arizona State University Baldwin Wallace University Ball State University Barry University Baruch College of the CUNY Belmont University Berklee College of Music Binghamton University Boston College Bridgewater State University Brooklyn College of the CUNY Bryant University Bucknell University Castleton University The Catholic University of America Chapman University

Rachel Lubrino Mary Lyons G ★ Sean Maguire Frank Malandruccolo G ★ Sean Martin Anthony Mastromarco F Isabel Mazariegos Justin McIntosh G ★ Bryan Mesquita F ★ Adriana Cabrera Victor Mora F ★ Erin Murphy G ★ Olivia Muscatella G ★ Brian Mynes F ★ Salvatore Nardone F Denise Nguyen F Meghan Nuccio G ★ Isabella Palazzo F Angela Pellegrino Emily Pensabene G ★

Angela Pellegrino

Jamie Perfito G ★ Jacob Petfield G ★ Richard Petrillo F ★ Carolyn Pinchiaroli G ★ Cecilia Poggioreale F ★ Sean Powers F Nicole Pryor Milenka Rodriguez Antonio Resciniti G ★ Ezequiel Rodriguez

The Class of 2019 has been accepted into 175 colleges, universities, vocational and technical schools. Lafayette College Fairleigh Dickinson University College of Charleston Lehman College of the CUNY Fashion Institute of Technology City College of New York CUNY Lesley University Florida State University Clarkson University Long Island University Fordham University Clemson University Loyola University Maryland Furman University Coastal Carolina University Lycoming College George Mason University The College of Saint Rose Lynn University Georgia Institute of Technology University of Connecticut University of Maine Goucher College Cornell University Manhattan College Guilford College Delaware Valley University Manhattanville College University of Hartford University of Delaware Marist College Hartwick College DeSales University University of Maryland High Point University Dickinson College Marymount Manhattan College Hofstra University Dominican College University of Massachusetts Hunter College of the CUNY Drexel University Mercy College Iona College Duke Kunshan University Miami University Ithaca College Dutchess Community College University of Miami James Madison University East Carolina University Michigan State University Johns Hopkins University Eckerd College Monmouth University Johnson & Wales University Elizabethtown College Montclair State University Kean University Elmira College Mount Saint Mary College King’s College Elon University College of Mount Saint Vincent King’s College London Fairfield University

Lauren DeMartino

Dylan Ahern & Cynthia Briggs

Sydney Roell F Amanda Rubeo G ★ Thomas Rubino G ★ Olivia Rufo Lauren Sala F ★ Serena Sam-Zee-Moi Emily Sardo F Anthony Scaglione F ★ Sarita Servidio G ★ Brian Sheehan Anna Sherman Jack Simon James Sirico Cole Sorby F Vincent Spaziante G ★ Alexa Sputo

Taylor Steilman F Faith Summers F ★ Isayr Tinoco Rebatta Tyler Tsiakaros G ★ Alana Tully Freyja Varga F ★ Nicholas Veltri Jose Venegas Elle Verna F ★ Ava Zadrima G ★ Kaylee Zheng F ★ Michael Zulli F F Summa Cum Laude G Magna Cum Laude F Cum Laude ★ National Honor Society

Senior members of the Westlake Blendors

New England Institute of Technology University of New Hampshire New York University University of North Carolina North Carolina State University Northeastern University Nova Southeastern University New York University Shanghai Ohio University Pace University Pennsylvania State University Point Park University Providence College Purchase College SUNY Purdue University Queens College of the CUNY Quinnipiac University Regent’s University London Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute University of Rhode Island Ringling College of Art and Design Roanoke College Rochester Institute of Technology

Bryan Mesquita had plenty of practice speaking in front of an audience when he gave the Valedictorian speech at graduation. As an inducted member of the Westlake Thespian Society based on his contributions to theatrical productions, Bryan has held a principal role in every Westlake Player production since freshman year. The well rounded student has excelled not only in the classroom and on the stage, but is also an accomplished musician achieving All State and All County honors in both chorus and band. Bryan has been on the Summa Honor roll every semester of high school, was named an AP Scholar with Honors and as been inducted into the National, Spanish, Math and Science Honor Societies. As part of the intensive Science Research program, his work as a research assistant at NY Medical College has won numerous awards in microbiology. Despite his busy schedule, he has managed to contribute greatly to the culture at Westlake serving as Student Council Secretary for two years, then as Executive Board Vice President for two years. Bryan’s advice to younger students would be to “take advantage of as many opportunities as possible. Westlake has a lot of amazing classes, clubs, and sports, and I strongly recommend for any student to not be afraid to try something new that interests them.” Advice he has clearly lived by. Bryan plans to continue his studies at the University of Connecticut in the fall.

Rockland Community College Roger Williams University Rutgers University Sacred Heart University University of Saint Joseph Saint Michael’s College Salve Regina University Savannah College of Art and DesignSchool of Visual Arts The University of Scranton Seton Hall University Shenandoah University Siena College Smith College University of South Carolina University of South Florida Southern Connecticut State Univ. Springfield College St. John’s University St. Lawrence University St. Thomas Aquinas College SUNY at New Paltz Stevenson University

Salutatorian Christopher Bauco

It was no surprise to those that know CJ that he was named Salutatorian for the Class of 2019. The highly motivated student has had numerous academic a c c omp l i s h m e nt s throughout his high school career. CJ has racked up nine AP classes and earned an AP Scholar with Distinction designation granted to students who receive an average score of 3.5 on all AP exams taken. He also was named a National Merit Commended Scholar due to his high scores on his PSATs. A three year Science Research student, CJ has dedicated countless hours working collaboratively with graduate students and professors at Columbia University to conduct research on ocean cores. His work has earned him several prestigious awards at the local and national level, including an invitation to the American Geophysical Union convention in Washington DC. CJ has been on the Summa Honor roll every semester of high school and was inducted into the National Honor Society. Outside the classroom, he competes in several varsity sports, including cross country, basketball and baseball. CJ will be attending the selective Schreyer Honors College at Pennsylvania State University this fall. When asked what he is most looking forward to he responded, “I am excited to meet new people and take classes that interest me. I am looking forward to being on a large campus where there will be a lot of new people with different backgrounds.”

Stony Brook University Suffolk University SUNY Albany SUNY Alfred State College SUNY College at Brockport SUNY College at Cortland SUNY College at Geneseo SUNY College at Oneonta SUNY College of Technology at Canton SUNY Delhi SUNY Oswego SUNY Plattsburgh Susquehanna University Syracuse University The University of Tampa Temple University The American Musical and Dramatic Academy The New School The Ohio State University The Sage College Trinity College Dublin

From the Heart • Summer 2019

Valedictorian Bryan Mesquita

Tulane University University at Buffalo SUNY The University of Edinburgh University of London The University of Nottingham University of St. Andrews The University of the Arts Utica College Villanova University Virginia Tech Wake Forest University Wells College Wentworth Institute of Technology West Chester University of PA Westchester Community College The College of Westchester Western Connecticut State University Western New England University Worchester Polytechnic Institute Xavier University

From the Heart • Summer 2019

WHS

Mock Elections

Now that they are finally old enough to vote, students in Anthony Paduano’s AP Government class will be ready for the 2020 presidential elections. They may even have an interest in being part of the process after holding mock presidential elections of their own. The three month unit began with a look at the history of U.S. political parties. They discussed the benefits of living in a democracy and the importance of having the choice to support the parties that most align with their own values and beliefs. Students created fictional parties of their own and worked together to come to a consensus on a leader and eight important platforms for their party. Once each party was formed, the groups had to garner support from the general public. The students discussed the role of interest groups and how financial backing from those groups can play a large part in the nomination process. Other social studies classes were given up to $5,000 to donate to the party of their choice based on a

Presidential candidates George Doulos, Bryan Mesquita, Amanda Rubeo, Declan Hegarty and Samantha Karlosky give opening statements to their classmates.

two-minute political advertisement video created by each group. The campaigners also learned about the importance of the media in the election process when they moved to the debate portion of the lesson. They watched opening and closing debate statements then each party created statements of their own. Mr. Paduano was armed with a list of 40 questions that the class had agreed on which he posed to the presidential candidates on debate day. The 45 minute Q&A culminated in a vote by the students.

Sophomores Impress at the Westlake Science Fair

The eighth annual Westlake Science Fair was held in June at Westlake High School. The event, coordinated by WMS teacher and Science Research program director Lawrence McIntyre, attracted 260 1st-year science research students from 16 schools. The 10th grade students presented poster boards of their proposed research to over 175 judges. Students spent approximately 15 minutes presenting their research to four separate judges. Judges included graduating seniors who have been part of the science research program.

This year, Westlake had six sophomores taking part in the Science Research program: Phoebe Barnes (3rd place in Medicine & Health), Olivia Cartano (1st place in Medicine & Health), Richard Clarke, Aimee Holland (2nd place in Earth & Planetary Science/Physics), Julie Pinchiaroli and Pranav Vadapalli (2nd place in Engineering). Under Mr. McIntyre’s guidance, the Science Research program at Westlake has grown exponentially. The three-year program in which students design, conduct and present original scientific research has a record number of students participating. One parent has praised Mr. McIntyre for his “everyday dedication to the Science Research students and their families. He is a special educator and ambassador for this program.”

The winner of the day was Declan Hegarty and the ASU Party who promised to “forge their own path” and fight for equal opportunity for all. The lessons taught will not soon be forgotten. “Mr. Paduano made the lessons fun and the students always participated,” said one participant. Getting the students involved with hands-on lessons allows them to understand the process more deeply and helps ensure that they will be engaged citizens when it’s their turn to go to the polls next fall.

Students Shine at Congressional Arts Contest

Each spring, the Congressional Institute and members of the House of Representatives sponsor an art competition in which one high school student-artist’s work from each participating congressional district is selected and displayed in the halls of the U.S. Capitol. Congratulations to 10th graders Aimee Holland and Hillary Avila who submitted their work to this national competition. At a reception on May 6th, Congresswoman Nita Lowey announced Hillary Avila, a student in Mrs. Papazian’s Drawing and Painting class, as the winner for this year’s competition. Hillary and her family traveled to Washington D.C. for the national reception where her work will hang in the halls of Congress for the remainder of the year!

IBM in the Classroom

Seventh grade science students in Kate Sullivan and Lauren Laccetti’s classes had the opportunity to work with IBM employees to learn what it’s really like to be an engineer. Thanks to the coordination efforts of Janet Matthews and Westlake library media specialist Mary Knopp, six professionals from IBM spent the day at Westlake Middle School demonstrating to students a day in the life of an engineer. The goal of the A seventh grade student tests his ski jump while an IBM program is to introduce and reinforce the importance of a volunteer measures the distance his “skier” traveled. STEM education to students at a young age and highlight the myriad career opportunities available to them. building an Olympic ski jump. The IBM employees explained IBM offers dozens of in-class demonstrations which show that students were able to use only the materials provided (1 students how STEM skills can have a real-life impact in many roll of scotch tape, 30 sheets of paper, 6 styrofoam cups, 6 areas. In this particular example, students were able to see paper plates and 12 popsicle sticks) and then had to launch how engineering is applied in sports as they were tasked with a “skier” (a ping pong ball) as far as possible. Engineering concepts such as design, testing, teamwork and incremental improvement were emphasized as students worked in groups and tested their designs. The project was intentionally openended with no step-by-step instructions so that students had to apply creativity in their problem solving. Everyone had a great time brainstorming ways to make their jump have the most impact. The activity was a great way for students to understand how to think like an engineer. It was designed to help students appreciate that engineers are creative problem solvers who help shape our world. The exercise was intended to be a fun vehicle to reinforce that all of the skills the students were learning are valuable and required IBM employees join science teacher Kate Sullivan, Mary Knopp in today’s world, no matter what their future career may be.

From the Heart • Summer 2019

WMS

and Janet Matthews

8th Grade Moving Up Moments

From the Heart • Summer 2019

CES

A Tasty Math Lesson

Lisa Giacomo, the Math Curriculum Leader and Math Tiered Support Specialist at Columbus is always looking for ways to make learning fun for her students. She often works with students in small groups to develop foundational skills so that students may access the concepts taught in the classroom. Mrs. Giacomo has found that project-based learning brings the lessons to life. Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional method that encourages students to learn and apply knowledge and skills through an engaging experience. This spring, Mrs. Giacomo and her students came up with the idea to hold a bake sale. Students developed and reinforced their decimal and fraction

computation skills while learning to double recipes, calculate the cost of ingredients and determine sale prices that would yield a profit. In doing so, students not only acquired computation strategies, Fifth grade students practiced their math skills and but they also strengthened learned valuable business lessons while they raised their problem-solving money to buy indoor recess games for next year’s fifth skills, engaged in mean- graders. ingful collaboration with to advertise sale prices and the purpose their peers, and discovered the relevance of what they were learning. of the bake sale. The group, along with Fifth graders Nicholas Kiernan, Su- Macey Caruso, Ashley McKiernan and sanna Palumbo and Gabriella Segarra Nicole Sanchez, set up a table in the cafspent several lessons with Mrs. Giacomo eteria and sold out of all the cookies they calculating the ingredients needed to made in two days! Once again math make 18 dozen cookies. After was incorporated as the students had to Mrs. Giacomo’s trip to the gro- quickly calculate total price and make cery store, students measured, change for their customers. In the end, the students earned a profit divided, and baked cookies of $117.45 which they used to purchase in the cafeteria’s ovens. Disnine indoor educational recess games cussions around allergies and cleanliness prompted students for the fifth grade classrooms, their verto also sell store-bought Oreos sion of a senior class gift which they and wear plastic gloves while coined as the “PAW gift”. The gifts they serving their customers. Art earned for themselves? Confidence in Gabriella Segarra, Nicholas Kiernan, Ashley McKier- teacher, Lauralee Chambers, their math skills and the answer to the nan and Susanna Palumbo get ready to bake cookies. helped students create a poster question “When will we ever use this?”.

5th Grade Moving Up Moments

Hands on Science

One of the most anticipated events of the spring each year at Hawthorne is the arrival of the ducklings. As has been the tradition for the past 15 years, the incubation and embryology project, generously funded by the elementary PTA, allows second grade students the opportunity to incubate eggs for several weeks in their classrooms and observe the fascinating process of watching a duck develop from an embryo into a duckling. The activity encourages scientific observations and critical thinking while the students learn about the life-cycle process. Thanks to the efforts of second grade teacher Gina Carmody, several class-

rooms had the chance to host the incubators. Eggs were delivered at the beginning of May from several different farms around the country. Throughout the 28 day process, students used a special device called Second graders in Mrs. Carmody’s class used a “candler” to shine light candlers to shine a light through the duck eggs to through the egg which check for signs of life. enabled them to see what was going on inside and better. The students had to work quickly check for signs of life. Mrs. Carmody re- to avoid the danger of the eggs coolmarks, “It’s one of the most fascinating ing down and ceasing to develop. Durparts of the whole process, because you ing their testing, students took detailed can actually watch the duckling develop notes about the development of each through the egg shell from a speck to egg to determine which eggs were viable an actual duckling.” This year, with the hopes that all eggs would sucthe teachers included a begin- cessfully hatch. ner STEM project by having As luck would have it, the majority of the students design and build the eggs were viable and soon enough, their own candlers using com- much to the delight of the children, the mon household items. The classrooms were filled with the sounds class worked together to test of baby ducks quacking. The students which designs worked best spent about a week playing with and and why. They quickly dis- caring for the ducklings before they covered that porous materi- were taken to local farms to live. Stuals such as styrofoam let in dents enjoyed the experience so much, too much light, while heavy they almost didn’t realize all the scienStudents in Mrs. Bartucca’s class enjoy the ducklings. cardboard seemed to work tific concepts they were learning about!

From the Heart • Summer 2019

HES

2nd Grade Moving Up Moments

From the Heart • Summer 2019

And kudos to…

Metro Award Winners The spring musical, The Addams Family, under the direction of Liz Melito, received several nominations for The Metropolitan High School Theater Awards. The Metros are the high school equivalent of the Tony’s. Musical productions from Bergen, Rockland, Putnam and Westchester counties are considered for nomination. Congratulations to Lauren DeMartino (Best Actress for her portrayal of Wednesday Addams), Samantha Lubart (Outstanding Ensemble Member) and Ryan Liebowitz (Best Supporting Actor). The stage crew also received nominations for Best Crew and were nominated for Best Lobby Design, thanks to the help of art teacher Lauren Morris and the Photography and Studio Art students. Lauren DeMartino was also nominated for a Roger Rees Regional Award for the same role. Only 25 females in the entire area are nominated for this coveted award! Award for Scientific Excellence Caleb Levitt was awarded the Acorda Scientific Excellence Award in June. The ASEA was created to encourage young people to pursue careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). This award showcases the academic talent in Westchester, Putnam and Fairfield counties. Winning students are interviewed on the Lisa Wexler Radio Show on AM 1490 WGCH and receive a plaque in recognition of their outstanding research. Bringing Awareness to the Public Congratulations to Media/Broadcasting students Justin Avella, Miguel Catarino, Dean Kapica, Sean Martin and Thomas

Westlake Among the Best in the State!

Westlake High School made US News and World Report’s list of Best U.S. High Schools, ranking #183 out of over 1200 schools evaluated in New York State! Nationwide, data was collected on over 23,000 schools and Westlake finished in the top 10% coming in at #2044. Schools are ranked on six factors based on their performance on state assessments, how well they prepare students for college and graduation rate. WHS Principal Keith Schenker was thrilled with the designation, “I am pleased to see Westlake make the list for the second time in the past few years. In many ways it validates the excellent work our faculty and students do each and every day at Westlake High School.” Rubino who took second place in a county-wide contest for their informative video for the Sustainable Westchester Electric Vehicle Contest. The contest provided high school students a fun way to educate themselves, their families, and the community on the cost, lifestyle, and environmental benefits of moving to electric vehicles. Thank you to Claudia Abate, their Broadcast teacher, for her support in the process.

Music in the Parks

Westlake Middle School’s 7th and 8th grade band attended the Six Flags Music in the Parks Festival in Jackson, NJ. The ensemble, led by band teacher, Erin Sica, performed two band arrangements in front of judges. They were awarded third place in their category and the highest possible rating for an ensemble,

Superior, at the awards ceremony in the Six Flags Showcase Theater. The group was honored to receive the “Esprit de Corps” trophy which recognized only one of the day’s groups for outstanding sportsmanship and character.

Do Well, Play Well

Congratulations to WHS students Kelly Andrews, Julia Behring, Kathleen Bennett, Olivia Eng, Katelyn Jaime, Marabel Jaime and Autumn Verna and WMS students Erika Alessy, Sara Callaghan, Sophia Cardarelli, Angelina Dell’Orto, Samantha DeLouise, Kathleen Earley, William Earley, Kayla Falcone, Caleigh Finck, Jack Jaime, Aine O’Sullivan, Anthony Pasthila, Adriana Pires, Kayla Quin, Luciana Shkreli, Leonardio Trapani, Samantha Vedovato and Molly Verna for taking on the “Do Well, Play Well” challenge. The Westchester County Youth Bureau program recognizes students who have attained high academic performance, excellent attendance or initiated significant improvements in their school community. Those who applied and reached the criterion received a free season pass to Rye Playland.

Thornwood Lions Club Students of the Month

Seniors who exhibit ‘service above self’ are nominated by faculty and staff to be chosen as Thornwood Lions Club Student of the Month. These students demonstrate a commitment to their school and community through their service to others.

Cynthia Briggs

Faith Summers

Amanda Rubeo

Richard Petrillo

Bryan Mesquita

Brian Mynes

Emily Pensabene

Stephen Donato

These athletes hit major milestones this spring:

Jesse DiMeglia had her 250th save

Tommy Iazetta reached 100 hits

Arianna Edwards gets silver in high jump at T&F Championships

Sam Castellano grabs bronze in shot put at T&F Championships

Julian Thur was in the top 20 at golf sectionals.

ALUMNI news

Emily Sardo scored her 200th goal

Domenick Fensore, Class of 2019 Congratulations to Westlake alumni Domenick Fensore for being selected as the 90th overall draft pick by the Carolina Hurricanes at the 2019 NHL Draft on June 22nd. Domenick spent the past two years living and going to school in Plymouth, Michigan after he was one of just 23 players in the country to be chosen to train with and play for USA Hockey’s National Team Development

Domenick Fensore, fourth from left, was able to come back home for graduation before heading to training camp.

Christine Cazes, a reading specialist in the Mount Pleasant CSD for nearly 20 years has published her third children’s book in as many years! She Never Asked For Wings continues her Westorchid Children’s Book

Series. Her first book, Punkin, the story of a little pumpkin in the eastern orchard of Westorchid, and her second book, Gem’s Gift, about a squirrel living in the same orchard, both received the Pinnacle Book Award in the category of Children’s Interest and Children’s Literary Fiction. Ms. Cazes looks forward to sharing her new book with all her students at Columbus this fall.

From the Heart • Summer 2019

Every year, a night is set aside to celebrate the accomplishments of Westlake’s student-athletes. The evening, hosted by Athletic Director Donna Pirro, is a chance to recognize each team’s success and for coaches to choose several athletes for special awards. Awards are The softball team, along with all given for Outstanding Per- other varsity teams, were celeformer, Superior Sportsman- brated at Varsity Sports Awards ship, Scholar Athlete and Most Night. Improved. The ceremony concludes with a much anticipated slideshow highlighting every varsity sport. For a full list of award winners and to watch the video, go to www.mtplcsd.org/varsitysportsawards2019.

teacher news

Celebrating Sports: Varsity Sports Awards Night

Hawthorne’s dynamic music teacher Christine Free was recently recognized by The Academy for Teachers. She was invited to participate in The Academy’s master class “Choral Conducting” led by Francisco Núñez, the founder and artistic director of the Young People’s Chorus of NYC. Teachers selected for Academy for Teachers master classes show passion for their subjects, creativity in their classrooms, and devotion to their students. “These teachers are exceptional,” said Sam Swope, president of The Academy for Teachers. “We only invite 18 teachers to each class, so being selected is a well-deserved honor for both teacher and school.” The Academy’s master classes bring outstanding teachers together with leading experts, intellectuals, and artists for a day of high-level instruction and inspiration. Teachers invited to participate in a master class become Fellows of The Academy for Teachers and join a growing community of the metropolitan area’s strongest educators. Program. USA NTDP is a program to identify elite ice hockey players under the age of 18 and centralize their training. On the U-18 team, Domenick had 6 goals and 36 assists making him the second-highest scoring defenseman on the team. His combination of speed, smarts and grit allowed him to compete against much bigger players and to have a real impact. Before the NTDP, Domenick trained with the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders in Long Island, NY while also playing one season with the Westlake Wildcats. He began his career playing for the Westchester Express and then the MidFairfield Rangers. Before Domenick heads to Carolina, he has committed to playing for Boston University in the fall along with several of his NTDP teammates. Domenick Fensore is making a name for himself and it’s one you are sure to hear often in years to come!

From the Heart • Summer 2019

Who’s my Teacher?

Placement letters and school schedules will be available on each school’s Parent Portal in late August. Reminder emails will be sent out to parents.

School Calendars

2019-20 school calendars will be sent home on the first day of school. Printed calendars also will be available at the branch library, town hall, rec center and the school offices. A digital calendar is available online.

Mount Pleasant Central School District

Non-Profit Organization US Postage Paid White Plains, NY Permit No. 9415

West Lake Drive, Thornwood, NY 10594

Board of Education Colleen Scaglione Neglia, President Laura Michalec Olszewski, Vice President Vincent Graci Michael Griffin Michael Horan Maria Jost Chris Pinchiaroli

* * * ECRWSS * * * Postal Customer

Superintendent Dr. Kurtis Kotes Correspondence Phone: 769-5500 • Fax 769-3733 Web: www.mtplcsd.org Email submissions awalsh@mtplcsd.org

Wildcat News—2019 Spring Sports Recap Baseball

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Scholar Athlete Team Class B Section Champions Coach: John Consorti Assistant: Michael Trainor All-Section: Thomas Iazzetta, Stephen Donato All-Section Honorable Mention: Thomas Carpenter, Vincent Spaziante All-League: Thomas Carpenter, Stephen Donato,Thomas Iazzetta, Richard Petrillo, Vincent Spaziante Diamond 9 Scholar Athlete: Stephen Donato Diamond 9 Scholar Athlete Honorable Mention: Richard Petrillo College Play: Thomas Carpenter (DeSales University), Thomas Iazzetta (Roanoke College) Golf

(6-3-1)

Boys Lacrosse

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Finished 2nd in the League Coach: Sean Mayer All-Section: Julian Thur All-League: Peter Cavazzini, Jack McHugh, Julian Thur Sectional Qualifier: Jack McHugh, Julian Thur Advanced to Quarter Finals Coach: Mark Castellano Assistant: Joe Streany All-Section: Dylan Donnery All-Section Honorable Mention: Ryan Donnery All League: Justin Avella, Dylan Donnery, Ryan Donnery, Jack Simon, Nicholas Veltri College Play: Jack Simon (High Point University)

Wildcats Earn First Section Title in 19 Years! For the first time since 2000, Wildcat baseball ended the season as the Section One Class B Champions! It was a hard won victory against rival Briarcliff in a game that went 12 innings and lasted nearly four hours. “I’m proud of my team. They’ve come a long way,” coach John Consorti said after the game. Senior Thomas Carpenter had his 100th career hit when he had an RBI single in the seventh to tie the game at 4-4. Lefty senior Thomas Iazzetta, the game MVP, pitched eight innings before moving to center field in the ninth and GIRLS LACROSSE

(9-7)

Scholar Athlete Team Coach: Dan Smith Assistant: Nicole Dacchille All-Section: Emily Sardo All-Section Honorable Mention: Jesse DiMeglio All-League: Juliana Colabatistto, Jesse DiMeglio, Gianna Eglauf, Emily Sardo College Play: Emily Sardo (Springfield College)

Softball

throwing out the go-ahead run at the plate to force the game into extra innings. In the bottom of the 12th, junior Joseph Pennini hit a sacrifice fly to send senior Stephen Donato home, ending the game with a 5-4 victory and securing their title as section champs. Coach Consorti was thrilled with the outcome, “To get to a sectional championship game is an accomplishment in itself, and to win one for Westlake for the first time in 19 years is special.”

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Scholar Athlete Team Coaches: Mike D’Angelo Assistant: Marianna Monaco All-State: Daniella Mulvey, Kelly Pierce All-Section: Daniella Mulvey, Kelly Pierce All-Section Honorable Mention: Jaime Perfito All-League: Jamie Perfito, Kristin Pierce, Maeve Sheehan

Boys Track

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Scholar Athlete Team Coach: Sky Smith Assistants: Sal Fuschetto, Matt Mysliwiec, Alexa Piccoli Girls Track

Scholar Athlete Team Coaches: Matt Mysliwiec, Alexa Piccoli All-League: Samantha Castellano (Javelin), Bailey Rodgers (Discus)