Byram Hills High School inducted six talented members of the band, orchestra and choir into the Tri-M Music Honor Society in a ceremony filled with beautiful music.

Director of Fine Arts Marc Beja opened the April 7 ceremony, praising the inductees as leaders who share their musical talents with the community and achieved top marks in their ensembles at New York State music festival adjudications and general academic programs. They are role models for their work when they are in front of an audience and when they are not.

“They make our community a more musical and joyful place,” Mr. Beja said.

The honor society, a program of the National Association for Music Education, recognizes students for their efforts and accomplishments based on musicianship, scholarship, character, leadership and service. The organization’s high standards are a reminder of each inductee’s passion, work ethic, service and achievement in the arts, said Aaron Lockwood, the Byram Hills orchestra director and Tri-M Music Honor Society adviser.

“The students are caring, dedicated, hard-working people and musicians,” he said. “They are leaders in our school and continually find ways to share their musical talents with the school and community. They are models of excellence who have masterfully balanced academic, musical and service requirements.”

To be inducted, students must be a member of a musical ensemble for two years, have an A in their music ensemble classes, a B+ overall academic average and participate in school and community service events.

Dr. Douglas Coates, the choir and theater teacher, introduced the new inductees:
Liana Brown, choir; Nur Karim, orchestra; Jack Levy, choir; Lucas Rivalsi, band; Kendall Sorenson, choir; and Chloe Ferreira Szilagyi, band.

Band director Andrew Hill celebrated this year’s honorary inductee, Mark Hanrahan, the Head Custodian at the high school. Mr. Hanrahan’s commitment to maintaining the building goes “above and beyond the call of duty,” Mr. Hill said, allowing the music program to flourish.

“You remind us that it takes a community to nurture talent and that every role, no matter how behind the scenes it may seem, is vital to the harmony of our shared mission,” Mr. Hill said. “Your dedication inspires us all, and your contributions are an invaluable part of our musical journey.”

Several Byram Hills music students captivated the audience with beautiful music.


 

Byram Hills High School students embarked on an educational and recreational three-night trip to Walt Disney World, where they enjoyed the rides, shows and fireworks that lit the night sky, in addition to student participation in performances.

Sixty-eight students went on the March trip with their musical ensemble and eight participated through the Language, Communication and Careers program. Both groups had a fantastic time.
 

The Music Department

Students in grades nine through 12 attended the Disney Imagination Campus
with their musical ensemble: Concert Choir, String Orchestra or Symphonic Winds. Students in each ensemble performed for the public in Disney Springs and attended a workshop with professional Disney musicians. 

“Our students had a great time musically, a great time as an ensemble and a great time building community with their friends,” Fine Arts Director Marc Beja said. 

The public performances offered new experiences for the students as they played at an unfamiliar outdoor venue for hundreds of people, a marked change from the controlled environment at school where they play for family and friends. Their strong performances won over the audience members, who were dancing and cheering them on.

“Their performances were fantastic,” Mr. Beja said. “It’s great for them to perform for new audiences.”

In the workshops, the students in each ensemble worked with Disney music professionals to learn, rehearse and record new music, and the recordings were set to animation. The workshops, about 90 minutes long, also included aspects of music technology.

“The music literacy and sight reading skills that students learned in class were put to the test and they rose to the challenge and quickly learned brand new music,” Mr. Beja said. “They performed it really well, the final product was great and they had a great time doing it.”

When they weren’t working with their ensembles, the students explored the theme parks and had fun with their friends.

“The trip to Disney World was a really cool experience, because we didn't only get to enjoy the incredible parks, but we also got to work with professional Disney performers,” said senior Aidan Lebowitz, a member of the choir.

Junior Alexandra Zodda, a member of the string orchestra, said her first trip to Disney was a blast.

“It was the first time I got to publicly perform somewhere like Disney, and it was a lot of fun,” she said. “I think we performed well, which made it a lot better. The workshop was very informative and I learned a lot of sight reading skills from it. I also gained a lot of respect and admiration for the musicians at Disney and all the hard work they do to bring these songs to life. Overall, 10/10 experience and would do it again.”

Ninth grader Madelyn Gish, also from the string orchestra, said the trip was a great bonding experience. 

“At first I was intimidated at the speed we were expected to play/sight read at the workshop, but it pushed me out of my comfort zone and added to my skills as a player,” Madelyn said. “I enjoyed playing in public because it inspired me to play better - and to represent my school well.”

“Overall this trip was nothing but a wonderful experience that I am so proud and lucky to have been a part of,” she added.

Language, Communication and Careers Program

After much preparation, the eight students in the Language, Communication and Careers program went to Walt Disney World as an opportunity to put their classroom learning into practice while having fun.

At school, the students had practiced the skills they would need while away from home and school: daily living activities, communication, packing, budgeting, and mapping skills. The students read about the rides and experiences at Disney to help them plan their days.

“We wanted them to have an opportunity to put everything into practice, away from their comfort zone,” teacher Kourtney DeRosa said. 

The practice paid off. The students problem-solved and were flexible, even when they hit a bump in the road. While some may have started off nervous, they were happy and appreciative, thankful and positive as the trip went on. “We had full confidence that they would rise to the occasion and do an amazing job and they exceeded our expectations,” Ms. DeRosa said. 

The trip brought out the best in the students. “I saw things in them I didn’t even know existed,” Ms. DeRosa added. “It was an incredible experience that really put a spotlight on their strengths and this idea that we should never doubt what they're capable of,” she said. “There’s no ceiling on their level of success and independence.”

The shared experience helped the students develop stronger bonds with each other. “They were encouraging one another to take risks and try different experiences,” Ms. DeRosa said.

One student noted that his parents helped him pack his clothing and snacks, but on the trip, “I did everything myself.” And for that, he felt proud. “It was a great experience without my parents,” said the student, who liked a speedway ride and boat ride that left him soaked.

The successful trip seemed to have sparked the students’ love of travel.

“The students all felt that it was an amazing trip and in the end they asked, ‘Where are we going next?’” Ms. DeRosa said. “It was the most incredible experience. It was magical.”

Byram Hills High School senior Eve Nepo won two awards at the 28th annual National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition for her piece “American Magic.”

Eve won an Artistic Merit Award and the Clay & Print Student Award, given by ceramic artist and author Paul Andrew Wandless to a student who uses an image transfer technique. Byram Hills art teacher Amy Menasche won the Clay & Print Teacher Award given by Mr. Wandless. The Clay & Print awards come with a $50 honorarium.

Eve created the piece last year in Ceramics II for an assignment to create a functional teapot with a message. This was the second consecutive year she had a work of art selected for the prestigious show, a first for the Byram Hills ceramics program, Mrs. Menasche said.

“Eve draws on her performance background to create thought-provoking pieces, which ‘American Magic’ exemplifies,” Mrs. Menasche said. “As an artist, she fully commits to realizing her vision and has high standards for craftsmanship, so it's really gratifying that the National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition Foundation recognized those qualities in her work.”

The exhibition, held in Salt Lake City, Utah, in late March, is a juried competition designed to showcase the best K-12 ceramic work nationwide. The show takes place in a different city each year to coincide with the annual conference of The National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts.

The Varley Players brought the razzle-dazzle and “All That Jazz” to the Byram Hills High School stage with a high-energy performance of “Chicago: Teen Edition.”

The talented cast went back to the Jazz Age of 1920s Chicago to tell the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife who dreams of fame, and vaudeville star Velma Kelly, who are both imprisoned for murder. They turn to slick lawyer Billy Flynn for help as the musical explores crime, corruption and celebrity culture.

Decked out in flapper dresses, sequins and rhinestones, the cast delighted the audience as they opened and closed the show with the iconic song, “All That Jazz.” The students had researched the time period to inform their acting choices and learned the Bob Fosse-style choreography from a cast member in the Broadway production of “Chicago.” 

“The cast and crew executed this show flawlessly,” said director Dr. Douglas Coates, the Byram Hills High School chorus and theater teacher. “The crew made scene shifts happen like a professional crew. The actors outdid themselves in telling the story and bringing the concept of this performance to life.”

“The musical was a great piece because it is based on a true story, and it relates to so much going on currently with fame, the media, the justice system, and public opinion,” he added.

Students loved performing in the musical. 

“As a big Fosse fan, it was a dream to play Velma and get in touch with the fun style and dark undertones of Chicago,” senior Eve Nepo said. “I can't describe how grateful I am to be a part of the Varley Players.” 
Sophomore Darby Schlosser said being in the show was fulfilling and fun.
“Playing Roxie was one of the biggest challenges in my time in acting, but I would not have traded this experience for anything since it allowed me to push myself past my comfort zone and discover different ways to understand and become my character,” she said.

“Of course, I enjoyed performing for our lovely and supportive community, but what I loved most of all about being a part of ‘Chicago’ was getting to create new and closer bonds with my castmates who I would not necessarily get to see or become so friendly with outside of the Varley Players,” Darby added. “The shows were so fun to do and I enjoyed every minute of it, both on and off stage.”  

Evan Reiss, a junior, said “Chicago: Teen Edition” was an exciting experience.

“Playing Billy Flynn was a great opportunity for me as it has been the biggest role I have played,” he said. “It was a really fun character for me to play and connect with. The show experience was awesome because it was great to see how everyone looked so good on stage while enjoying themselves. Everyone was very supportive of each other, so it was a welcoming environment to work in.”

Assistant stage manager Laila Byles, a senior, said the show was one of the best she’s been a part of. “Working with all the cast members and directors has shown me truly what hard work means, and I will forever be grateful for the connections I made during this time,” she said.

“Chicago: Teen Edition” ran for four shows from March 6-8.

 

Twenty-two Byram Hills High School science research students won awards at the 24th annual Regeneron Westchester Science and Engineering Fair, including grand prize winner Ella Saltstein.

Ella, a senior, had one of the top 20 overall scoring projects at the regional competition. As a grand prize winner, she advanced to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Columbus, Ohio, in May. The international competition is billed as the world’s largest pre-college STEM competition and involves more than 1,700 students competing for nearly $6 million in awards.

For her neuroscience research project, Ella studied congenital hydrocephalus, a potentially deadly brain condition that occurs from an abnormal buildup of fluid in the brain. Her findings may help with the understanding of the development of hydrocephalus, which could allow for more effective treatment methods to be created for children born with the condition.

“We are thrilled Ella will be representing our program at the International Science and Engineering Fair,” said Stephanie Greenwald, director of the Byram Hills Authentic Science Research Program. “She is an extraordinary researcher and we are so proud of her commitment to her work and helping others. We wish her the very best as she embarks on an exciting week at ISEF, where she will meet and compete with outstanding students from around the world.”

The other Byram Hills juniors and seniors finished in the top four for their research category and won special awards at the event, held March 15 at Somers High School. The Westchester science fair included more than 750 students from Westchester and Putnam counties.

“It’s gratifying to see our students recognized for their hard work and the intelligent, important scientific questions they seek to answer in their research,” Mrs. Greenwald said. “All of our students represent the next generation of scientists and we are proud of their accomplishments.”

A closer look at the Byram Hills winners:

Grand Prize
Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF): Awarded to the top 20 overall scoring projects. Thanks to an extremely generous donation by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, these finalists win an all-expenses paid trip and the opportunity to compete in person at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Columbus, Ohio, from May 10-16.
Ella Saltstein

First place  
Max Charney: Computational Biology
Keira Eckhardt: Behavioral & Social Science
Ella Saltstein: Neuroscience
Aaron Stein: Engineering

Second place
Lindsay Coady: Medicine & Health
Hailey Sirkin: Cellular & Molecular Biology

Third place
Devyn Eder: Behavioral & Social Sciences
Summer Feng: Behavioral & Social Sciences
Ariana Foreman: Physics & Astronomy
Sebastian Lashmet: Computer Science
Jordyn Wolf: Cellular & Molecular Biology
Adrianna Zawojek: Behavioral & Social Sciences

Fourth place
Gabe Goldman: Environmental Sciences
Chloe Kohl: Cellular & Molecular Biology
Kayleigh McLaughlin: Medicine & Health Sciences
Addison Rappaport: Behavioral & Social Sciences

Special Awards
American Psychological Association for outstanding research in psychological science
Julia Mahairas

Ricoh Sustainable Development Award for outstanding efforts in addressing issues of environmental responsibility and sustainable development
Cooper Lipton

United States Air Force Award for outstanding projects in Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science, Life Science and/or Physical Science
Katherine Dyer

Innovations in Biological Sciences Research Award for innovative projects in Medicine & Health, Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Computational Biology/Bioinformatics, and Neuroscience donated by Westchester Academy of Medicine ($25.00)
Owen Jacobs and Andrew Levy

BASF Expanding Knowledge in Science Award for students who exhibit excitement 
and enthusiasm for discovery ($50.00)
Angelina Nie

Visionary Engineering Award presented to students who exhibit enthusiasm, desire, 
and intellect in the field of engineering ($50.00)
Aaron Stein
 

Students at H.C. Crittenden Middle School spread kindness at school and in the community. The 12th annual Kindness Week celebrated the importance of always being kind to yourself and others.

“It was an incredibly positive and inspiring week,” school counselor Heather Graham said. “The students were receptive and engaged and you could feel the positive energy through our school.”

The week began on Feb. 7, when students had an extended X-pod period to create colorful drink sleeves for customers at Tazza Cafe in Armonk. The students added hearts, flowers and other drawings and wrote messages of kindness to spread positivity outside the school walls. Their kind efforts led to 700 sleeves going out into the community.

“This was a great way to connect our school with the greater community to deliver our message of kindness,” Ms. Graham said. “The students appreciated the idea of being kind to others, and we hope these sleeves brightened people’s day.”

The day also included a special delivery of coffee and drink sleeves to the District office, where Superintendent Dr. Jen Lamia, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Tim Kaltenecker and Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Gina Cunningham enjoyed a cup with a colorful sleeve.

The celebration of kindness continued the next week leading up to Valentine’s Day, following the theme of We Love to be Kind.

On Feb. 10, students wrote kindness messages to someone at school on strips of colorful paper that were strung together as a garland and displayed outside the Counseling Department. 

The next day, students wrote kindness messages on heart-shaped sticky notes and hung them on a display called This is How I See You. The messages included kind words like “You are awesome sauce,” “You are strong,” and “U r the reason I am having a great day.”

The students also played kindness-themed word games during X-pod and dressed for fun spirit days to show off their favorite college or sports team. 

For the first time, there was a kindness collection at the H.C.C. library featuring books about friendship and being kind. The titles included “Wonder,” “Fish in a Tree,” and "Because of Mr. Terupt.”

Students from the Students Acting in Leadership club helped organize the week with the Counseling Department.

“We hope the students have many takeaways from what they learned and we hope to continue the message for the rest of the year,” Ms. Graham said.

 

H.C. Crittenden Middle School students brought the struggle of the late 19th century New York City newsboys and newsgirls to the stage in a lively production of “Disney’s Newsies JR.” filled with song and dance.

Dressed in knickers, skirts, vests and newsboys caps, the sixth, seventh and eighth graders told the story of the young newsies coming together to fight back against powerful newspaper owners, who increased prices at the newsies’ expense.

“The show was amazing and a great success thanks to our talented cast and crew,” said co-director Kate Smith, the H.C.C. choir teacher. “I was so impressed by how well the actors recognized what their role was and were committed to how that character played a part in the bigger story. Our crew members each had their own job and were very responsible and instrumental in making the show so great.”

“The themes of the show were to stand up for what you believe in and the power in numbers,” she added. “It was such a great message for our kids to hear.”

Highlights of the musical, which featured many big dance numbers, were “Seize The Day,” “King of New York,” and “Once and For All.”

“The students loved the show because it was high energy and relatable,” Mrs. Smith said. “They were playing characters about the same age as they are. It was a nice connection to the past.”

Students enjoyed being part of the production, watching it come together and making new friends.

“This had to be my favorite musical I've ever done out of all five I have done,” said seventh grader Irene Song, who played Katherine Plumber. “Being in it was really exciting and fun.”

The stage managers also loved being part of the show.

Eighth grader Ben Meli, who managed stage left, liked getting to know the music and the story and working behind the scenes to support the actors.

“The crew and cast definitely form a bond working together, and it was nice to get to know people I wouldn't otherwise get to meet outside of class,” Ben said. “Seeing everyone in the production get excited to finish the show was a fun experience. All of the teachers who worked on the show have an intense passion for what they were doing and that's really inspiring. Even though it takes a lot of time and effort to put on a show like this, the teachers managed to make it a fun environment as well. I think the whole cast did great. I can't wait to keep working backstage once I get to the high school next year.”

Alex Petlyuk, another eighth grader who handled stage right, said it was fun to help build the set, get props, and help organize the show.

“It felt great to be a part of this community, and watching the actors and listening to them sing and enjoy themselves in this production was great,” he said. “I very much enjoyed being part of all this as it is a great opportunity to enjoy myself, make friends, and get to be part of a great community.”
 
“Disney’s Newsies JR.” ran for three shows in February.

 

 

The students, all seniors, are Laila Byles, Sarah Bershad, Kiki Dyer, Bella Lamberti, Emily Marinovic, Savannah Mathis, Maya Molloy, Eve Nepo, Leah Rappaport and Alexa Shuster. They created drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures.

“Congratulations to the 10 seniors selected to show their art in this exhibit along with their peers from around the region,” Byram Hills Director of Fine Arts Marc Beja said. “The wide variety of student artwork on display is a testament to the diverse course offerings, skills, and techniques introduced by Byram Hills' Fine Arts teachers and programs.”

This is the 42nd annual Young Artists show, which features more than 350 works from seniors at 40 high schools in the region. Students collaborate with museum officials to produce the exhibition, which is scheduled to run from Feb. 12 to March 2.

 

The Byram Hills Boys Varsity Ice Hockey team “pinked the rink” and raised $12,084 for the American Cancer Society to support breast cancer research and support.

The 13th Pink the Rink event, held during the Feb. 7 game at the Brewster Ice Arena, raised the sum through efforts including selling Pink the Rink merchandise, bake sales and a chuck-a-puck contest.

“The game was a huge success, raising an incredible amount for a worthy cause,” said Scott Saunders, the Byram Hills Assistant Director of Health, Physical Education, and Athletics. “While the team fell just short in a 6-5 contest against Lakeland/Panas, the energy in the rink was unmatched — students decked out in pink, a packed crowd, and an electric atmosphere.”

“With this year’s total, the program has now raised $95,721.76 for this important cause, setting the stage for a milestone year ahead,” he added.

 

Nine Byram Hills High School students were recognized for their creativity by winning regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and four advanced to the national competition. 

Six students were honored for art and three were recognized for writing.
 

East Art Region-at-Large Awards


Senior Sarah Bershad, Gold Key, Photography, for "Reflected"


Junior Alyssa Chen, Gold Key, Painting, for “Timeless Bites on Italian Steps”



Junior Matthew Geller, Honorable Mention, Photography, for "Imagine"

 
Junior Angelina Nie, Gold Key, Painting, for "A Moment In Time" and Honorable Mention, Painting, for "Take It"



Alexa Shuster, Honorable Mention, Printmaking, for "Venus"



    
Nate Zipper, Gold Key, Photography, for “Cascade of Keystrokes” and “Lonely Moon” and Honorable Mention, Photography, for “Shades of Insight”

“Congratulations to our talented student-artists,” said Marc Beja, the District’s Director of Fine Arts. “Their artwork is truly impressive and inspiring.”
 

Hudson-to-Housatonic Region Writing Awards

The winners were chosen from a panel of novelists, editors, teachers, poets, librarians, journalists and other literary professionals from 2,595 entries.

Junior Max Charney, Honorable Mention, humor, for “A Letter to Future Archeologists (Who Will Inevitably Misinterpret Everything About Our Civilization)” 

Sophomore Justin Isban, Honorable Mention, poetry, for “Do Dreams Reach Where Rubble Reigns?”

Sophomore Quinn Pruss, Honorable Mention, personal essay & memoir, for “Mat Number 4”

“Congratulations to all of our honorees,” Byram Hills English Chairperson Duane Smith said. “I'm thrilled to see our students being recognized for their original stories, poems, and essays. I'd also like to thank the teachers who have inspired this work.”

Gold Key works advanced to the national competition and will be judged on 
originality, skill, and emergence of a personal vision or voice. The national medalists will be announced next month.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, founded in 1923, are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a nonprofit focused on identifying students with exceptional artistic and literary talent.

 

All five Byram Hills High School seniors chosen as semifinalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program have advanced to become finalists and can compete for 6,870 scholarships worth nearly $26 million.

The finalists are Zoe Harris, Andrew Levy, Olivia Long, Sarina Metsch and Aaron Stein. 

“We congratulate our five finalists for this outstanding achievement,” Principal Christopher Walsh said. “The Byram Hills community is deeply proud of their dedication and accomplishments.”

The students were among the more than 1.3 million high school students who entered the scholarship competition as juniors by taking the Preliminary SAT, which serves as an initial screening. 

They were selected as semifinalists in the fall. The semifinalists are academically talented students who represent less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors. The nationwide group of semifinalists includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. More than 95% of the semifinalists become finalists. 

The scholarship winners will be selected from the more than 15,000 finalists for their skills, accomplishments and potential for succeeding in rigorous college studies. The winners will be announced in the spring and summer.

“We are so proud of our National Merit finalists and their commitment to academic excellence,” Guidance Chairperson Kristina Wilson said.

 

Play it safe in a savings account or try to cash in on crypto? 

Seniors at Byram Hills High School considered risk versus reward as they became investors in an online simulation this fall, with dozens becoming members of the Millionaire’s Club. In fact, two students saw their portfolios grow to eight figures.

“The investment simulation offered seniors an engaging and competitive environment to explore real-world financial decision-making,” Social Studies Chairperson Dr. Jennifer Laden said. 

The Harrow Education-Investment Simulation was conducted in all senior-level social studies classes this year. The students all assumed the same status: They had their first job after college and were living frugally, with $6,000 a year to invest over 40 years, a total of $240,000 to invest for retirement.

During the 10-week simulation, students made investment allocations every Monday through Thursday, with each day representing a year. Students chose what percentage of their portfolio to keep in a savings account or invest in treasury bonds, an index fund, a streaming platform company stock, a social media company stock and cryptocurrency.

Through the online program, students received daily emails with charts detailing their current performance, market returns and a leaderboard for each class. The goal was to find the right balance between risk and profit while earning the most money for their future.

Economics teacher Joanna Lewick, who brought the program to Byram Hills, said it taught students “that investing early takes advantage of the magic of compound interest.”

“This was a great way for the students in our senior class to learn about investing in a fun, low-risk way,” she added. “The students learned the importance of investing early in life and thinking about where to invest their money.” 

The top three finishers amassed multimillion dollar faux fortunes.

The winner, Justin Shayegani, grew his portfolio to $15,794,945. 

“It felt pretty nice,” he said. “I got a lot of praise from the teachers and it was up on the TVs in the hallways. It was all pretty competitive with me and my friends. It just felt good to win and beat them.” 

After noticing that crypto had been down for five years, he put 100 percent of his portfolio into cryptocurrency, which then shot up 400%. He retreated the next day, investing mostly in the index fund. “After the big gain, I just played it safe,” Justin said.

His friend, Dan Leff, came in second, with $10,202,860. Dan followed a different strategy, alternating between risky and safe investments. Along the way, he saw his account go from $10 million to $5 million back to $10 million as he put most of his money in crypto and social media on some days when they were down, the index fund on others.

“My return was literally shaped like a rollercoaster,” he said. “It was fake money so I had more confidence to play around with the allocations.”

He added: “We’d wake up to an email with our returns, and I enjoyed that more than the final result because it gave me something to look forward to and it was competing with my friends.”

Students said the simulation was a fun way to learn about risk management and the basics of investing while facing off against their classmates.

“It’s great for the school because it taught me the introduction to common investing and what not to do and what to do,” Dan said. “It was a realistic simulation because some people do become very rich off crypto and some people lose all their money.”

Harrison Boyd, who attributed his third place finish with $9,562,690 to a combination of luck and skill, said he enjoyed the gradewide activity. “It’s a fun thing the seniors can do together,” he said. 

Byram Hills is grateful to the Byram Hills Education Foundation for supporting this program.

 

 

Byram Hills High School senior Ella Saltstein won the Bhuwan Garg High School Neuroscience Research Prize, an honor from the American Academy of Neurology and the Child Neurology Society that recognizes outstanding achievement in neuroscience research. 

Ella received a $1,000 honorarium, a certificate of recognition, and the opportunity to present her work during a scientific poster session at the Child Neurology Society Annual Meeting in October.

“Ella is an extraordinary science research student who serves as an outstanding leader to her classmates,” said Stephanie Greenwald, director of the three-year Byram Hills Authentic Science Research Program. “We are so proud that her commitment to her research, drive to succeed and compassion for others have been recognized with this wonderful award.” 

At Yale University last summer, Ella studied congenital hydrocephalus, a potentially deadly brain condition that occurs from an abnormal buildup of fluid in the brain. She investigated fluid drainage pathways in tadpole brains by injecting fluorescent markers attached to different-sized molecules to understand how the pathways react to these different-sized molecules. Ella found the upper and lower size limits that could drain through these pathways. 

Her findings will help with the understanding of the development of hydrocephalus, which could allow for more effective treatment methods to be created for children born with the condition.

Ella said she was honored to receive the award. She plans to present her work at the society’s annual meeting in the fall, when she will be studying biology at the University of Richmond.

“I feel very proud and that all of my hard work paid off,” she said. “It’s important for this research to be shared because it’s a heartbreaking story for a lot of young children. I hope that being able to share my work with professionals in the field will be helpful to those who are suffering. It’s an honor to be a part of this work.”
 

Five Byram Hills High School science research students presented their work at the New York Upstate Regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, with one advancing to the national competition.

Seniors Sebastian Lashmet, Andrew Levy, Cooper Lipton, and Addison Rappaport and junior Lindsay Coady presented their work on Feb. 1 in Rome, N.Y. They were among the nearly 70 students chosen to compete at the regional competition based on their scientific abstracts.

Sebastian, whose computer science project could further develop the real-world reasoning capabilities of artificial intelligence, was chosen as one of the top five presenters and advanced to the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in Virginia in April. 

“We are so proud of this incredible accomplishment,” said Stephanie Greenwald, director of the Authentic Science Research Program. “Sebastian is a brave and ambitious scientist who posed challenging and meaningful questions and produced outstanding research that can majorly impact the field of computer science. He is also a leader in our program and well respected by all.”

Sebastian’s participation in the national symposium will be the tenth consecutive year that Byram Hills is represented at the event.

A closer look at his research:

For decades, computer scientists have used strategy games such as chess to develop and test new AI problem-solving methods. In particular, the online strategy game Tales of Tribute (ToT) has been regarded as an important logical reasoning challenge for computers to tackle. Since the game is so complex, previous ToT-playing AI had to rely on the programmers' pre-existing knowledge of the game, such as the relative strength of different cards used in the game. In contrast, Sebastian engineered RL-GG, the world's first algorithm that teaches itself to play ToT from scratch, an important challenge in computer science that also further develops AI's toolbox of methods for difficult real-world reasoning problems, such as city planning, safe self-driving cars, and optimizing ChatGPT.

The Junior Science and Humanities Symposium is a STEM program sponsored by the Department of Defense that encourages high school students to conduct original research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and recognizes students for outstanding achievement.

 

How can we make a difference in our community through kindness and action?

More than 90 Byram Hills High School students in the Global Scholars Program posed that question when they visited Coman Hill Elementary School on Jan. 24 to teach a lesson on food insecurity.

Small groups of high school students visited every Coman Hill classroom and read “Maddi’s Fridge,” a story about a girl named Maddi who didn’t have enough to eat and her friend who helped fill Maddi’s refrigerator. After the read-aloud, the Global Scholars asked the young learners about the themes of the book and ways they could help people in need. The Coman Hill students drew a picture related to the lesson and shared their ideas and artwork with the big kids.

“This partnership helped the high schoolers strengthen their leadership and communication skills and demonstrated to our youngest learners at Coman Hill how a community can work together on the shared mission of being a good citizen,” said Dr. Jen Laden, the Byram Hills social studies chairperson. “The Global Scholars students did an amazing job engaging the young students, interacting with them and inspiring them to make a difference.”

The experience came about when students in the first year of the three-year Global Scholars Program were challenged to choose one of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals they thought was important and research an organization they felt was worthy of supporting.

The students chose the Zero Hunger goal and the organization Feeding Westchester. The Global Scholars conducted a food drive at the high school, and the Coman Hill community will support a local food pantry in the spring with its Cereal Box Challenge.

“That will be their taking action event,” Dr. Laden said. “What we’re doing now is laying the groundwork to teach the young students the basics of what it means to be food insecure and what we can do as a community to help.”

Students in all three years of the Global Scholars Program developed and taught the lesson at Coman Hill to raise awareness of food insecurity. It was a rewarding morning, as the young students looked up to the District’s oldest students as role models.

Senior Ava Frankel said the lesson they taught was a valuable one for young children.

“I think people don’t realize how close food insecurity is to us, and I think to be exposed to it at a young age makes you more aware,” she said. “It can inspire the kids to want to make a change and to help out surrounding communities, especially so young, it sparks something in them I think that can carry with them.”

Sophomore Jake Scharf said: “I felt pretty good explaining food insecurity to these younger kids. I feel like it’s really important for them to know how other people can have no food. It’s an important lesson to learn.”

“I had a great time teaching the kids and it seems like they also had a great time,” he added. “They were laughing, smiling, playing and drawing.”

At Coman Hill, Elementary Curriculum Chairperson Megan McCauley coordinated the visit. The young students enjoyed the lesson and liked learning from older students.

Second grader Lilah Barr said she didn’t know a lot about food insecurity, but “I learned a lot” from the lesson.

Max Widder, another second grader, said he learned that “it’s very good to donate.” 

Coman Hill Principal Peggy McInerney, who served as principal when the Global Scholars were elementary students, said having them teach today’s Coman Hill students was an uplifting, full-circle moment.

“It’s so wonderful to see the high school students come back and read stories to this new generation of learners,” she said. “They were so inspired, and this partnership was a nice connection with the high school.”

Before the high schoolers left Coman Hill, each group left a copy of “Maddi’s Fridge” with the classroom they visited, a donation made possible by the generosity of the Byram Hills Education Foundation.

 

How can we make a difference in our community through kindness and action?

More than 90 Byram Hills High School students in the Global Scholars Program posed that question when they visited Coman Hill Elementary School on Jan. 24 to teach a lesson on food insecurity.

Small groups of high school students visited every Coman Hill classroom and read “Maddi’s Fridge,” a story about a girl named Maddi who didn’t have enough to eat and her friend who helped fill Maddi’s refrigerator. After the read-aloud, the Global Scholars asked the young learners about the themes of the book and ways they could help people in need. The Coman Hill students drew a picture related to the lesson and shared their ideas and artwork with the big kids.

“This partnership helped the high schoolers strengthen their leadership and communication skills and demonstrated to our youngest learners at Coman Hill how a community can work together on the shared mission of being a good citizen,” said Dr. Jen Laden, the Byram Hills social studies chairperson. “The Global Scholars students did an amazing job engaging the young students, interacting with them and inspiring them to make a difference.”

The experience came about when students in the first year of the three-year Global Scholars Program were challenged to choose one of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals they thought was important and research an organization they felt was worthy of supporting.

The students chose the Zero Hunger goal and the organization Feeding Westchester. The Global Scholars conducted a food drive at the high school, and the Coman Hill community will support a local food pantry in the spring with its Cereal Box Challenge.

“That will be their taking action event,” Dr. Laden said. “What we’re doing now is laying the groundwork to teach the young students the basics of what it means to be food insecure and what we can do as a community to help.”

Students in all three years of the Global Scholars Program developed and taught the lesson at Coman Hill to raise awareness of food insecurity. It was a rewarding morning, as the young students looked up to the District’s oldest students as role models.

Senior Ava Frankel said the lesson they taught was a valuable one for young children.

“I think people don’t realize how close food insecurity is to us, and I think to be exposed to it at a young age makes you more aware,” she said. “It can inspire the kids to want to make a change and to help out surrounding communities, especially so young, it sparks something in them I think that can carry with them.”

Sophomore Jake Scharf said: “I felt pretty good explaining food insecurity to these younger kids. I feel like it’s really important for them to know how other people can have no food. It’s an important lesson to learn.”

“I had a great time teaching the kids and it seems like they also had a great time,” he added. “They were laughing, smiling, playing and drawing.”

At Coman Hill, Elementary Curriculum Chairperson Megan McCauley coordinated the visit. The young students enjoyed the lesson and liked learning from older students.

Second grader Lilah Barr said she didn’t know a lot about food insecurity, but “I learned a lot” from the lesson.

Max Widder, another second grader, said he learned that “it’s very good to donate.” 

Coman Hill Principal Peggy McInerney, who served as principal when the Global Scholars were elementary students, said having them teach today’s Coman Hill students was an uplifting, full-circle moment.

“It’s so wonderful to see the high school students come back and read stories to this new generation of learners,” she said. “They were so inspired, and this partnership was a nice connection with the high school.”

Before the high schoolers left Coman Hill, each group left a copy of “Maddi’s Fridge” with the classroom they visited, a donation made possible by the generosity of the Byram Hills Education Foundation.

 

Byram Hills High School senior Andrew Levy was selected as one of the top 300 scholars in the prestigious Regeneron Science Talent Search, a recognition of his outstanding original research on immunotherapy conducted in the school’s Authentic Science Research Program.

The 300 scholars were chosen from nearly 2,500 entrants in this year’s competition, which saw a record number of applicants. The talent search calls itself the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors.

Andrew and Byram Hills each won $2,000. On Jan. 23, 40 scholars will be named finalists, who will compete for more than $1.8 million in awards during a week-long competition in March in Washington, D.C. The top prize is $250,000.

Andrew investigated a potential method to effectively determine whether one specific type of cancer treatment, immunotherapy, would work well for individual head and neck cancer patients by analyzing their blood samples. This noninvasive and personalized approach may facilitate the transition from surgical biopsy to blood draws, ultimately improving patient experiences and outcomes.

“Congratulations to Andrew Levy on this important honor,” said Stephanie Greenwald, director of the Byram Hills three-year science research program. “His work on developing noninvasive methods to evaluate cancer treatments could potentially revolutionize cancer diagnosis and care. His stellar work, coupled with his compassion and kindness, makes him a leader and role model in our Authentic Science Research Program. We celebrate him and thank him for his inspiration and support.”

“Andrew truly exemplifies the accomplishments of all 35 seniors in our program and the 
District’s commitment to rigorous STEAM education,” Mrs. Greenwald added. “We are so proud of our students.”

The Society for Science, which runs the competition, said scholars were chosen for their outstanding research, leadership, community involvement, commitment to academics, creativity in asking scientific questions and exceptional promise as scientific leaders.

“Congratulations to Andrew on this incredible achievement,” Principal Christopher Walsh said. “It reflects his dedication, curiosity, and commitment to scientific inquiry. We are proud of all of our seniors who submitted authentic research projects to this prestigious competition. Their hard work, innovation, and pursuit of knowledge exemplify the very best of the Byram Hills spirit. Thank you to the faculty and staff of the program and everyone who supported Andrew and his classmates on their projects.”

Andrew was pleased to receive the honor.

“It’s been three years of a lot of work, and it’s rewarding to see it pay off with this prestigious honor,” he said. “It’s nice to know that my work was meaningful. Hopefully, I can continue my research next year in college and make a difference in the scientific community.”

“Thank you to my teachers, my mentor, and my family,” Andrew added. “They’ve all been super, super supportive.”

The Science Talent Search, which dates to 1942, recognizes the nation’s most promising young scientists who are creating solutions to significant global challenges through rigorous research and discovery. Alumni of the competition have founded world-changing companies, published groundbreaking research and won the Nobel Prize, Fields Medal, MacArthur Fellowships and other awards.

A group of Byram Hills High School students studied the rich tradition of Mexican printmaking through an interdisciplinary approach: they made their own prints based on ancient Mexican designs and visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art to view the intricate details of notable artworks up close.

“Having the students participate in a hands-on art project and getting first-hand interactions with Mexican art deepened their understanding and appreciation of this historically important art form,” Spanish teacher Michael Young said. “By placing culture at the center of the learning experience, the students saw that art is an essential component to understanding other peoples and communities.”

The students in his Spanish Communications III classes learned about the history of prints in Mexico, where the artworks were often used to disseminate information and political and social messages. As the students studied Día de los Muertos, the Mexican holiday in which families honor loved ones who have died, they learned about La Catrina, the famous image of a female skeleton by José Guadalupe Posada that has become a symbol of the holiday.

Mr. Young realized that “Mexican Prints at the Vanguard,” an exhibition at the Met that included an authentic La Catrina lithograph, would be the perfect opportunity to create a new multidisciplinary lesson.

With a generous grant from the Byram Hills Education Foundation, his students received the materials to make their own art. They chose a Mexican design, traced it and transferred it to a linoleum-like mat. Using special tools, they carved and cut away the negative space to reveal their design, which became a stamp they inked to make prints. 

When the students peeled their colored paper off their inked design, “there was this moment when they saw their image revealed and their eyes lit up,” Mr. Young said. “They loved the printmaking.”

After learning about the work and detail required for creating prints, the students saw the Met exhibit on Nov. 25. The show included a variety of woodblocks, screen prints and lithographs that were created between the 18th century and the mid-20th century. 

“The museum trip completely brought the lesson alive for the students,” Mr. Young said. “They looked at artwork and dissected it as if they were artists, because they had done printmaking themselves.”

At the Met, students got up close to the artwork to take in the fine details. A highlight was seeing La Catrina in person. “The students all rushed up to it,” Mr. Young said.

Students enjoyed the creativity of the lesson and were proud of their prints.

Junior Max Montenegro said he liked the uniqueness of making prints and appreciated seeing the Mexican art in person. 

“It was nice to take a step out of the classroom,” he said, adding that he learned more about the art by reading about each piece at the museum. “Seeing the art in person kind of put me in the shoes of the artists in that time period, and why they made that piece.”

“It was a very nice trip,” he added.

Junior Madison Clarner liked seeing all the colors in the prints during her first trip to the Met and liked seeing her image revealed when she made her print. “This was my favorite project in the class,” she said. 

Gracie Eisenberg, also a junior, liked making her print. “It was very relaxing,” she said. “It was nice to do something that was really culturally interesting to me but also had a creative aspect to it.”

In addition to learning about Mexican culture, the students also benefited by engaging in the process of making art. Mr. Young and art teacher Amy Menasche guided them through the project.

“Students who don't take art were given an opportunity that they may not otherwise have experienced in high school,” Mr. Young said. “For those students who are more artistically inclined, the project allowed them to express themselves in a new visual language.”

Byram Hills High School junior, Evan Reiss, sang with the prestigious All-State Mixed Chorus at the New York State School Music Association’s winter conference, where the students put on a dazzling performance.

Evan, a member of the bass section, appeared on stage at the Eastman Theatre at the University of Rochester with several hundred students who performed together for the first time after several days of all-day rehearsals.

“It was astounding,” said Dr. Douglas Coates, the Byram Hills High School chorus and theater teacher. “It was like a professional choir. It was one of the most beautiful concerts I’ve ever heard.”

The members of the All-State Mixed Chorus sang a varied selection, including contemporary, classical, spiritual, Latin and traditional African music at the Dec. 8 concert. Evan had a prominent place on stage, right in the front row.

“He is so dedicated,” Dr. Coates said. “He was spot-on and doing every last thing you would want from a choral singer. He was brilliant to watch.”

Evan was selected for the chorus after auditioning at a NYSSMA solo festival last spring, earning a perfect score on his solo and sight reading. He is also a talented cello and tenor saxophone player and has a lead role in the high school’s upcoming musical, Chicago: Teen Edition.

He enjoyed performing at the NYSSMA conference.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Evan said. “The concert was amazing and so fun. It was the best choral arrangement I have been a part of and the sound was incredible. My favorite part was being surrounded by people who are just as committed to music as I am. I made so many new friends and had a great time.”

The Varley Players at Byram Hills High School slipped into formal Victorian dress and perfected proper English to portray the high-society characters in Oscar Wilde's 1895 dramedy “An Ideal Husband.”

Taking place over 24 hours in London, the four-act play revolves around blackmail and political corruption and touches on the themes of public and private honor. 

The story begins at a dinner party with genteel socialites at the home of Sir Robert Chiltern, a prestigious member of the House of Commons, and his wife, Lady Chiltern. Their guests include Sir Robert’s friend, Lord Goring; his sister, Mabel Chiltern; and Mrs. Cheveley, Lady Chiltern’s enemy from their school days. 

During the party, Lady Chiltern attempts to blackmail Sir Robert into supporting a fraudulent scheme to build a canal in Argentina.

“An Ideal Husband” is a dense, dialogue-heavy play, and the students rose to the challenge.

“The language is so complicated, and to watch these actors understand the language and the relationships between the characters was very impressive,” said director Dr. Douglas Coates, the Byram Hills High School chorus and theater teacher. “They truly understood the meaning behind the dialogue, which was so important for telling the story in an accessible way.”

“The cast was amazing,” he added. “I couldn’t be any more proud of these students.”

Exploring the intricate social dynamics of Wilde’s world helped the actors appreciate the timelessness of human emotions and conflicts. “We study the classics because it’s important to understand that the human condition does not change,” Dr. Coates said.

Several cast members said being in the production was a great experience.

Senior Ashley Stangel took on the role of Mrs. Cheveley.

“Developing Mrs. Cheveley was an incredible experience, and one I will forever be grateful for,” she said. “Being the villain was difficult, but with the help of my peers and Dr. Coates, I was able to find her within myself. This production was a dream come true, and I really loved every second of it." 

Ashley added: “The cast was so talented, and to work with such a devoted group of people every day was amazing. For a show with difficult language, everyone rose to the occasion and proved themselves as an actor.”

Senior Aidan Lebowitz, who played Sir Robert, said working on the play was incredibly rewarding for him and the cast.

“The show pushed us to grow as both performers and people, and I feel that we all learned an enormous amount from the show,” he said. “Oscar Wilde's words challenged us to thoroughly understand language from over a century ago, and gave us a unique perspective on the world.”

Senior Eve Nepo, who played Lady Chiltern, said the play was very challenging because of the language and time period.

“This meant that the company had to do lots of research to get into our characters, including wearing some aspects of our costumes (corsets and dress shoes) through the entire rehearsal process to better understand how the society in 1890s England might walk, talk, and sit,” Eve said. “Because of this, I think this show really pushed me and other cast members as performers and actors. This challenge is what made the process so fun and rewarding and I'm so proud of our company.”