Category Archives: Staples HS

Roundup: Parking Limits, Women’s Rights, Minute Man Race …

Posted on April 19, 2024 | 4 comments

Enforcement of downtown parking limits — suspended 4 years ago, during COVID — begins again May 1.

The good news: They’re now 3 hours, up from the previous 1 and 2 hours. (One exception: Post Road East parking remains 1 or 2 hours.)

Enforcement will take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., 7 days a week.

Some parking areas are designated for all-day parking.

Click here for a map of all downtown parking lots, including aerial views, and the number of timed, all-day and electric vehicles spots. The map is also shown here:

=================================================

More police news: The WPD is investigating a car vs. canine accident last Saturday (April 13), at 11:30 a.m. on Compo Road North adjacent to Winslow Park. A driver struck a dog, then left the scene.

Anyone who witnessed the accident should email jkimball@westportct.gov.

Dogs occasionally run away from Winslow Park. (Photo/Mark Mathias)

=================================================

Yesterday’s “06880” story on “Suffs” — the musical about early 20th century suffragists that opened last night on Broadway — highlighted producer Jill Furman, a Westporter.

There’s another local connection: 2008 Staples High School graduate Leo Stagg.

A former Staples Player member (and winner of the Paul Steen Award for Fine Character, Dedication, Honesty, and Excellence in Performance), he is the head carpenter for “Suffs.”

His mother Heli — who runs the Westport Library café — was at last night’s show.

The “Suffs” set.

=================================================

Speaking of women’s rights:

State Representative Anne Hughes will discuss reproductive justice issues, in Connecticut and the nation, after this Sunday’s Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport service.

Hughes — whose district includes Weston, Easton and Redding — has sponsored pro-choice legislation that expands the eligibility of trained practitioners, nurses, and physician assistants to provide abortions, and blocks Texas and other states from targeting Connecticut patients, doctors and advocates.

The event is sponsored by UU Westport’s Reproductive Justice ​​Committee. The public is invited to the April 21 10 a.m. service, or the discussion only, which begins around 11:30 a.m.

Questions> Email beth@uuwestport.org, or call 203.227.7205, ext. 10.

===============================================

There’s a new “Passage” at Pasacreta Park.

That’s the name of Niki Ketchman’s new sculpture. It was installed yesterday at the peaceful oasis on Riverside Avenue, across from Saugatuck Elementary School.

The work is part of a joint initiative between the Westport Arts Advisory Committee, Westport Parks & Recreation Department and the Parks & Recreation Commission, to beautify town parks. It is on loan for 5 years.

Ketchman — whose work has been exhibited at the Katonah Museum, New Britain Museum of American Art, and the Aldrich and Bruce Museums — can  visit her work often. She has lived in Westport for almost 50 years. 

A public dedication is set for May 4 (4 p.m.).

Sculptor Niki Ketchman (umbrella) watches the installation of “Passage” at Pasacreta Park. (Photo courtesy of Nancy Diamond)

=================================================

The Westport Young Woman’s League is sponsoring 2 great — and very different — events.

The 45th annual Minute Man Race  Sunday, April 28 at Compo Beach.

The main event includes a certified USA Track and Field 10K run, 5K run, and 5K walk.

Kids Fun Run activities involve a 50-yard dash, 100-yard dash, 1/2-mile run and 1-mile run, featuring a Kids Zone during and after the race.

On-site refreshments include a food truck, ice cream truck and beer truck.

Race net proceeds benefit a number of area charities. Click here to register, and for more information.

The next day — Monday, April 29 (Christ & Holy Trinity Church, 11:30 a.m.)– the WYWL hosts a lunch with chef and TV host Lidia Bastianich.

The 3-course meal features Bastianich’s recipes. All attendees get a gift from Cuisinart. There’s also a free raffle.

VIP ticket holders meet Bastianich in person, take photos and get an autographed copy of her book, “From our Family Table to Yours.”

The event highlights the Young Woman’s League grant program. Click here for tickets and more information.

The start of a Minute Man race.

================================================

The Rock & Roll Legends exhibit — dozens of Michael Friedman’s photos from the 1960s, including the Rolling Stones, The Band, Janis Joplin and more — draws a constant stream of visitors to the pop-up gallery on Church Lane.

On May 14 (7 p.m.), it will draw a large crowd for an Alzheimer’s Association fundraiser. 100% of ticket sales go the non-profit.

The event includes stories from Friedman himself, Q-and-A, and a raffle to win a photograph and signed book.

For tickets ($100), click here; then click “Donate to the Team” once, and — on the next page — “Donate to the Team” again.

Questions? Email mindiroca@yahoo.com, or call 914-806-3090.

Michael Friedman in his pop-up gallery. His photo shows Levon Helm, legendary drummer for The Band.

==================================================

Whether you watched this month’s solar eclipse in full totality (amazing, we’re told), or here in Westport (less so), you probably have a set or two of special sunglasses sitting around somewhere.

You can hold onto them for the next eclipse, years from now.

Or you can donate them to Astronomers Without Borders. The non-profit recycles them. Click here for more information.

The nearest collection sites are in Bethel and Shelton.

That’s a lot closer than the sun.

 

Recycle those eclipse glasses! (Photo/Amy Schneider)

================================================

Seth van Beever ties together today’s “Westport … Naturally” image, and next month’s holiday: “This dogwood tree at 22 Treadwell Avenue was planted for my mom‘s first Mother’s Day, in 1976.”

==================================================

And finally … Dickey Betts died yesterday in Florida. He was 80, and suffered from cancer and chronic destructive pulmonary disease.

The New York Times called him “a honky-tonk hell raiser who, as a guitarist for the Allman Brothers Band, traded fiery licks with Duane Allman in the band’s early-1970s heyday, and who went on to write some of the band’s most indelible songs, including its biggest hit, ‘Ramblin’ Man.'” Click here for a full obituary.

(Have a great weekend! No matter what you plan, “06880” will be here for you. We’re your 24/7/365 hyper-local blog. We rely on reader support. Please click here — and thank you.)

4 Comments

Posted in Downtown, Entertainment, Local business, Police, Politics, religion, Staples HS

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Roundup: Jim Naughton, Donald Trump, Birdhouse Reunion …

Posted on April 17, 2024 | 18 comments

His wife’s death from pancreatic cancer in 2013 galvanized Tony Award-winning actor Jim Naughton into action.

He’s spent the past decade advocating for a statewide Aid In Dying law.

On Tuesday he brought his passion — and powerful persuasive powers — to the Westport Rotary Club. The longtime Weston resident discussed the importance of the bill, its history and future.

He noted that although 75% of Connecticut residents support this “death with dignity” legislation, its proponents have not been able to get it out of committee for a vote.

Jim Naughton, at the Westport Rotary Club. (Photo/Dave Matlow)

==================================================

Photographs are not allowed during the trial of Donald Trump — at least, not during the actual action.

But a few photographers have been allowed in before the proceedings begin. This one — published around the world — was taken by Staples High School graduate Spencer Platt:

(Photo/Spencer Platt for AFP)

It’s not the first time Platt has shot a Trump-related image.

In 2022 he was one of 5 Getty Images photographers who earned a Pulitzer Prize in Breaking News Photography, for their coverage of the January 6 assault on the US Capitol. (Hat tip: Richard Seclow)

==================================================

For well over a decade, Project Return ran one of the most intriguing fundraisers anywhere.

Local artists created one-of-a-kind birdhouses. They were auctioned off, at a gala event.

Everyone had fun admiring — and bidding on — the unique structures. It raised much-needed money, for supportive housing.

I’m sure the birds loved it too.

Some of the men and women who created those birdhouses — and their collectors — got together for a reunion last night.

They mingled and reminisced.

And showed off their still-working, still beautiful birdhouses.

Here’s a small sampling:

 

(Photos/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)

===================================================

Westport PAL is collecting used sports equipment. It will be used on their Memorial Day float, and donated to organizations in need.

Equipment can be dropped off any time in the lobby of Police headquarters on Jesup Road. Pickups can also be scheduled; call Emma Rojas at 203-571-7505.

===============================================

There’s been another Tesla Cybertruck sighting in town.

Saryn Koche and her son saw it parked behind Don Memo.

This one had a dog inside.

==================================================

Every April, Bob Weingarten takes a photo of his window frame. It’s an annual reminder of Westport’s springtime beauty.

And a perfect image for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.

(Photo/Bob Weingarten)

================================================ 

And finally … Happy Ford Mustang Day! Sixty years ago today — on April 17, 1964 — the iconic automobile was introduced to the world.

It is currently the longest-produced Ford car nameplate.

(Want to celebrate Ford Mustang Day? Pony up a few bucks for “06880”! Just click here. Thank you for your support!)

18 Comments

Posted in Children, Politics, Sports, Staples HS, Transportation

Tagged , , , , , ,

Roundup: Judy Collins, VFW Golf, Covlee …

Posted on April 14, 2024 | 4 comments

On Friday night, Judy Collins came to the Westport Country Playhouse.

I headed to the historic theater, not knowing what to expect. I wanted to see the legendary singer/songwriter, whose songs were so important as I grew up.

But she’s 84 years old. Did she still have her voice, her energy, her marbles?

Others in the lobby before the show wondered the same thing.

We need not have worried. It was a fantastic evening.

Judy Collins told compelling stories, with wit and depth. She sang old songs and new ones, in a voice still beautiful and on-key. She laughed at her foibles, and brought us along on a journey through her life.

It was just Judy Collins on stage with a pianist and guitarist, for a wonderful 90 minutes. Brava!

Judy Collins, at the Westport Country Playhouse. (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)

================================================

Let’s tee it up for our veterans!

VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399 and American Legion Post 63’s annual golf tournament is June 10 (9 a.m., Longshore Club Park). Funds raised will support local veterans and their families.

The day includes friendly competition, camaraderie, and giving back.

Registration for the shotgun scramble format ($150 per person) includes 18 holes, cart, putting contest, goody bag, prizes, and a BBQ lunch at the VFW.

For information on registration, sponsorship and volunteer opportunities, click here or contact Patty Kondub: patty.kondub@gmail.com; 203-767-3778.

Longshore hosts the VFW and American Legion’s June 10 golf tournament. (Photo/Dave Dellinger)

================================================

Dan August is not yet 40 years old.

But the 2003 Staples High School graduate is well known in the sports industry.

Now Sports Business Journal has taken notice. The publication has named August — a former Staples High School tennis and track athlete, Dartmouth College graduate, and Los Angeles Rams executive — to its “40 Under 40” honor roll.

As executive vice president of consumer revenue and strategy, August oversees the Rams’ ticketing sales, service and operations, analytics, and all facets of game day, including stadium operations, guest experience, food and beverage, and retail. He also leads strategic initiatives.

August serves on the Rams’ leadership team. He joined the organization in 2016, after 8 years in the National Football League front office.

He and 39 others will be featured in the publication’s June 17 issue, and recognized at a November 22 Chelsea Piers gala.

Click here for more details. (Hat tip: Charlie Stoebe)

Dan August

================================================

Friday’s Pic of the Day showed a view from Covlee Beach. The tiny spot on Saugatuck Shores — just off Covlee Drive — may be Westport’s least known, and least exclusive beach.

Here’s a shot of the entrance:

(Photo/Dinkin Fotografix)

Peter Hirst lived there long ago. The 1968 Staples High School graduate is now a long-time Northern Californian. But he still keeps up with his hometown, via “06880.”

When and why, he wonders, did the original spelling — “Covelee” — morph into the very odd, and meaningless, “Covlee”?

Peter sends photographic proof. He helped his father place this metal sign on the beach shack, around 1955:

He sends this photo of a life ring too. Though at first glance it reads “Covlee,” it’s clear the strap hides the “E.”

Peter had a great time growing up there, with neighborhood kids like Lindy Hirst, Barbara Pryor, Murray Rosenberg, Chris Herman, Lucia Donnelly, Mickey Masterson, Lane Haviland, Bobby Rich and Martha Laslett.

His home was 12 Covelee Drive — he calls it “12 Cove Lee.” It looks very much the same today, though the garage is new.

But there are other newer and bigger houses, like the one on the left.

Maybe with all that construction, there wasn’t room for one more “E.”

==================================================

Today’s “Westport … Naturally” image is as spring-y as it gets.

All week long, Westporters — at least those who have not skedaddled for the school’s week-long break — will enjoy scenes like this:

(Photo/Lauri Weiser)

==================================================

And finally … in honor of the last day of National Robotics Week:

(“06880” — your hyper-local blog — relies on reader support. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)

4 Comments

Posted in Beach, Entertainment, Longshore, Sports, Staples HS, Westport Country Playhouse

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Roundup: Club 203, IRS, Madelyn Spira …

Posted on April 13, 2024 | 2 comments

Club 203 doubles the fun at their next monthly get-together.

On tap for Westport’s social club for adults with disabilities: speed friending and karaoke. Both events are set for April 24 (6:30 to 8 p.m., Westport Library).

Speed friending is a fun, fast activity to build new friendships through similar passions, courtesy of Westport-based The Teen SLP.

Of course, everyone knows karaoke. Optional: Dress as your favorite musician, singer or rock star. Munchies are provided by The Porch at Christie’s and Sweet P Bakery.

Parents and guardians are welcome to stay at the Library.

Newcomers can click here to become Club 203 members. The Instagram is @club203_ct.

Last June’s Club 203 event, at the Westport Library. (Photo/Stacie Curran)

=================================================

I was surprised to see a long, Christmas-like line yesterday at the Westport post office.

(Photo/Dan Woog)

It was an ordinary Friday afternoon. In fact, today marks the start of our schools’ spring break, which means many folks already skedaddled a day or two earlier.

Then I realized: It’s almost April 15.

Tax day!

I wished all those standing line many happy returns.

==================================================

If you enjoyed Madelyn Spera singing last year as Sarah Brown in Staples Players’ “Guys & Dolls,” or Olivia in “Twelfth Night,” you should hear her now.

Actually, you can. Madelyn’s new single “Dying to Know” is out now. Click below to listen. Or check her out on your favorite streaming service.

PS: Madelyn is now a first-year student at New York University.

==================================================

Our “Westport … Naturally” feature usually highlights our town’s beauty and wonder.

Today, we’re showing nature at its most primal level.

Chuck Greenlee spotted this in his yard, off Wilton Road:

(Photo/Chuck Greenlee)

He contacted Carrie Gilbertie. The owner of Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden quickly responded: “What you have here is Gymnosporangium rust — aka cedar apple rust.

“Do you by chance have an apple tree in close proximity to your cedar? Or possibly a neighbor has one? That is usually the case.

“It is not recommended to have the Eastern cedar near an apple tree for this reason. It is more apt to harm if not kill the apple than cause harm to the cedar.

“Usually a fungicide is not recommended. It should clear up on its own. If it continues to harm the tree I would contact an arborist to see what they would recommend.”

Bingo!

Chuck replied: “The closest flowering crab floribunda is about 100 feet away. I had never seen this gooey rust before. It was all through the tree. But by this late windy afternoon, it was virtually all gone.”

==================================================

And finally … based on yesterday’s post office line (see above), this is an appropriate song for many people’s weekend:

(If you’re getting a refund: Please remember that donations to “06880” are tax-deductible. If not: Hey, what’s one more check to write? Please click here to support your hyper-local blog. Thanks!)

2 Comments

Posted in Entertainment, Library, Staples HS

Tagged , , ,

Ben Cion’s Summer Discovery

Posted on April 13, 2024 | Comments Off on Ben Cion’s Summer Discovery

Ben Cion always wanted a career working in summer cmaps.

He had a great experience at Mah-Kee-Nac. After graduating from Staples High School in 2014 (where he played volleyball and soccer, and served as events coordinator for Student Assembly) and Syracuse University (his major was sports management), he became assistant director at a New Rochelle day camp, then worked in the Poconos.

But as he grew older, being onsite from April through Labor Day was tough. Cion started looking for something different — but still with teenagers and tweens, in the summer.

Ben Cion

He discovered Summer Discovery. They’re the largest provider of pre-college, enrichment and gifted summer programs and experiences for grades 1-12. Students from around the globe enjoy academic and enrichment courses, immersive travel adventures and residential life experiences at over a dozen college campuses.

When he applied for a job, Cion mentioned Staples. His interviewer’s ears perked up.

Our high school, Cion learned, sends the second most students from the US to Summer Discovery every year. (Topping the list: a California prep school.)

Cion got the job on a jam-packed day: He was moving out of his New York apartment, and it was his twin sister Katie’s wedding rehearsal dinner.

Since then, his work as an international account manager has been fascinating, and fulfilling.

“Every day I speak with people in places like India, Morocco, Turkey, Dubai, Greece and Cyprus,” Cion says.

“I’m traveling to places like Vancouver, doing marketing recruitment. I’m visiting schools, and making contacts.”

And this summer, he’ll be back helping run a program. Cion will spend 7 weeks at Dartmouth College.

 

Summer Discovery has branched out into fascinating areas. Through a partnership with the X Games, teens gain hands-on experience planning and running events in Ventura. (The courses are run at the University of California-Santa Barbara).

A program in Spain — run through the famed Real Madrid soccer club — introduces youngsters to the business of sports (with stadium tours, and meetings with team officials).

Traditionally, the most popular partnerships are with the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, School of Arts & Sciences and Law School; Georgetown University for law, international relations, government and leadership, plus UCLA’s Anderson School of Management (entrepreneurship, media, technology, entertainment and sports business — including e-sports).

Overseas, the University of Cambridge offers college credit.

It’s not summer camp. But Cion is in his element, providing a different kind of opportunity for kids.

And odds are good he’ll meet someone from Staples along the way.

(“06880” often highlights Staples graduates doing interesting work. Please click here to support your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)

Comments Off on Ben Cion’s Summer Discovery

Posted in Education, Staples HS

Tagged ,

Roundup: Jesup Green, DPIC, Homes With Hope …

Posted on April 10, 2024 | 10 comments

On Monday — after more than 6 hours of debate — the Planning & Zoning Commission voted narrowly to approve plans to renovate Parker Harding Plaza, and add the spots lost there to Jesup Green.

Last night’s Representative Town Meeting debate was quicker, less contentious, and led to a different outcome.

By a 33-1 margin (with 2 abstentions), the town’s legislative body postponed discussion of a request for $630,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to redesign Jesup Green and the Imperial Avenue parking lot.

They needed more time, they said, to study the plans, and hear from their constituents.

The debate will continue at the next RTM meeting, on May 8.

================================================

The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee holds a public meeting tomorrow (Thursday, April 11, 8:30 a.m., Town Hall Room 201).

The agenda includes Parker Harding Plaza, Jesup Green and the Imperial Avenue parking lot; Avery Street pole removal, and sustainability.

There is also an agenda item called “parking maps.” Click here for the DPIC website’s comprehensive downtown parking maps, and a list of all lots (including the number of all-day, timed, and electric vehicle spaces in each).

Downtown parking lots. (Courtesy of DPIC website)

==================================================

A full house filled Branson Hall yesterday, to celebrate Homes with Hope’s 40th anniversary.

Former directors Pete Powell and Jeff Wieser joined current CEO Helen McAlinden; past and present founders and board members, and 95-year-old Dolores Bacharach, wife of co-founder Jim Bacharach (plus their 5 children, from as far as California). They honored 4 decades of housing the homeless, feeding the hungry, and offering hope to neighbors whose lives are not as fortunate as others’.

Dolores Bacharach (front) and her 5 children (from left) Jeanne, Kathy, Jim, Charlie and Ann. Jim Sr. was a founder of what is now Homes with Hope. 

Former Westporter Livio Sanchez debuted a documentary film about Homes with Hope’s first 40 years. Using interviews and archival material (including long-ago video), it traced the non-profit’s groundbreaking history, from a controversial concept (with plenty of NIMBY and it’s-not-our-problem opposition), through its move from a drafty firehouse (now OKO restaurant) to an old maintenance shed on Jesup Road (now the Gillespie Center and Hoskins Place), and the current array of multi-pronged programs.

Branson Hall, at Christ & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, was an apt site for the heartfelt event. Homes with Hope began as an Interfaith Clergy of Westport project.

Today, the organization’s offices are in a CHT building.

Further showings of the video will be announced soon. To learn more about Homes with Hope — including how to donate and volunteer — click here.

Homes with Hope founding member Rev. Pete Powell. (Photos/John Videler for Videler Photography)

==================================================

The University of Connecticut’s 2nd straight NCAA Division I men’s basketball championship Monday night was a great triumph for the team. Coach Danny Hurley deserves a ton of credit, for assembling and leading the Huskies.

Before him, Jim Calhoun earned fame for turning UConn into a national powerhouse. On the women’s side, Geno Auriemma has done the same, with even more success.

Back in the day though, there were other University of Connecticut men’s basketball coaches.

And one has a Westport connection.

In the middle of the 1962-63 season, 60-year-old Hugh Greer died of a heart attack.  His place was taken by assistant basketball coach George Wigton.

Wigton led the Huskies to an 11-4 record, the Yankee Conference championship, and the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament.

His reward? His contract was not renewed.

So he came to Staples High School. Wigton served for 1 year as basketball coach (and assistant football coach), before heading to Bates College.

He remained at the Maine school for 30 years. When he retired in 1996, as the revered coach of men’s basketball, men’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, and men’s and women’s squash — and assistant director of athletics — Bates named a scholar-athlete award in his  honor. In 2009 he was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.

There is no record of whether, in his induction speech, he thanked Westport for giving him a home after being bounced from Storrs — and then launching him off to Lewiston.

George Wigton coaching at Bates, soon after leaving Staples.

==================================================

If you missed VeroFest ’24 — or if you were there, and want to relive the 5 days of performances, panels, workshops and more — click here.

The link brings you to the Westport Library’s VersoFest page. It’s filled with dozens of photos and a wrap-up of highlights, from Chuck D, the Spin Doctors, Doors drummer John Densmore, and much, much more.

The final event of VersoFest ’24: a rap panel.

=================================================

To celebrate Arbor Day — and the vital role trees play in our environment — Earthplace will again host a “Toast to the Trees.”

It’s Saturday, April 27 (4 to 6 p.m.; tasting sessions at 4:30, 5 and 5:30).

It’s a great blend of nature, beer and family fun, Attendees can stroll along Earthplace trails, sip craft brews and enjoy family-friendly activities. (Kids get non-alcoholic sparkling beverages.)

There’s also a pop-up beer garden, food trucks, lawn games, and a campfire for s’mores. For tickets and more information, click here.

A toast to the trees!

==================================================

Brooke Saporta, a Staples High School junior, is founder of Share the Hour.

The goal is to “expand no-cost, barrier-free literacy growth opportunities to struggling underprivileged kids at the age when the biggest impact can be made.”

Brooke worked with Dr. Alexandra Estrella, superintendent of Norwalk Public Schools, to bring the program to Kendall Elementary School.

Twenty students, and 15 middle and high school volunteers, meet twice a month (“sharing the hour”) after school. Students focus on a different career path each time.

Brooke received  a grant from First Presbyterian Church of Stamford, which she’ll use to expand Share The Hour to more students.

Click here for the website. Click here for the Instagram.

Sharing the Hour, at Kendall Elementary  School.

==================================================

Due to an email error, Staples High School’s March Students of the Month were not honored. They are listed in the caption below:

(From left): Jack Leonard, Kody Goldman, Jojo Cipriano , Surali Kapadia, Rachel Poly, Anne Marie Maccaro.

==================================================

Chris Fuller’s 1-man show, “Cheese Fries and Chili Dips,” has just been optioned for a feature film by James Guyer, executive producer of “Sasquatch Sunset.” The movie will handle mental illness in a “light comic but sensitive way.”

Chris — who grew up in Weston — lives with bipolar manic disorder.

He’s also doing a special performance May 18 at New York’s Triad Theater for Mental Health Awareness Month. Two Yale doctors will join a post-show discussion panel. For more information, click here.

==================================================

Ernesto Heidelberg, a longtime leader with the Westport-Weston Community Emergency Response Team, died February 9. He was 85.

He was born in Argentina, where his parents emigrated from Germany to escape the Nazis. He was an excellent student, possessed a sharp intellect and near photographic memory, and was fluent in several languages, including Spanish, German and English.

Ernie earned a dual Ph.D. in mechanical and electrical engineering.

At 24, he emigrated to the US, and worked at IBM. After a year he returned to Argentina, married Zulma, and moved with her to Lexington, Kentucky. In 1974 they moved to Boulder, Colorado, then to Westport in 1981.

Ernie was at IBM for 29 years, working globally to innovate consumer product safety and environmental processes. He taught a global product safety training program in association with Duke University and Leeuwen University in Belgium. He also volunteered on the boards of several engineering organizations.

After 9/11, Ernie became president of Westport’s CERT, and led it for 13 years. He encouraged Zulma to get involved. Together they organized and trained volunteers for emergency preparedness, helped open and manage shelters during Hurricane Sandy, and worked closely with the EMS, Police, and Fire Departments.

Ernie is survived by his wife of 59 years, Zulma Heidelberg, and their daughters Denise of Milford, and Monica of Westport and San Francisco.

Contributions in Ernie’s memory may be made to CERT. Checks can be made out to “Town of Westport”; on the memo line write, “In honor of Ernesto Heidelberg.” Mail to: Mike Vincelli, CERT president, 3 Winslow Rd., Weston, CT 06883.

Ernie Heidelberg

===========================================

Westport has begun bursting with color — and life.

Jim Hood shares this backyard scene, from the Compo Beach neighborhood, for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.

(Photo/Jim Hood)

==================================================

And finally … if Earthplace’s upcoming “Toast to the Trees” (story above) had a theme song, it would be:

(Where else but “06880” would you learn about George Wigton? But you expect that sort of stuff every day from us. Please click here to support your VERY hyper-local blog. Thank you!)

10 Comments

Posted in Downtown, Local politics, Obituaries, Sports, Staples HS

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Staples Students Embrace Early College Experience

Posted on April 9, 2024 | 5 comments

For 70 years — ever since Staples became the first school in Connecticut to offer Advanced Placement courses — Westport students have earned college credits while still in high school.

But there’s an exam involved. And many universities are tightening restrictions on AP credits.

For well over a decade, Staples has offered a second option for college credits. The UConn Early College Experience enabled students to take courses in high school for a fraction of the cost of normal college tuition.

The course is weighted like an AP course, in determining grade point averages.

And though Staples teachers are certified as University of Connecticut affiliate faculty, it’s not limited to the state’s flagship university. Passing grades are accepted for credit by 87% of the colleges in the US.

Since its inception, the program was low-key. Most Staples offerings were in world languages.

Now — with the addition of social studies, English courses and music, and a push by the school’s counseling department — the ECE effort has expanded.

This year, 292 Staples students took ECE courses — a huge jump from last year’s 153. That’s the fifth highest number enrolled in the state, UConn officials say.

Courses include Anthropology (this coming year), Seminar in Academic Writing and Multimodal Composition, AP French Language and Culture, AP German Language and Culture, Contemporary World Studies, Italian 4 Honors, and Popular Music and Diversity in American Society.

Enia Noonan’s Italian 4 Honors class enjoys the Early College Experience (check out the branded blue t-shirt). 

Each course offers 3-4 college credits. The cost is $50 per credit — far below the cost at an actual college campus.

The University of Connecticut vets teachers closely. If an instructor’s educational background does not meet certification requirements, they must take or audit UConn courses to qualify.

Once teachers and their syllabi have been accepted by UConn, they do annual training there. It’s a chance to stay current, and meet other ECE instructors.

Last summer, Staples was approved for an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant. The funds support faculty training and certification, and exploration of new opportunities.

Future plans include possible new courses, and partnerships with other universities, like Southern Connecticut State.

Staples Counseling department chair Bill Plunkett is proud of the program, for the breadth and depth of courses offered, the opportunity to earn college credit at a fraction of the usual cost, and the high rate of participation.

Seven decades ago, Staples was a national leader in AP education. With the ECE program, it once again looks for ways to offer college opportunities to high school students.

5 Comments

Posted in Education, Staples HS, Teenagers

Tagged , ,

A Mind Like Jake Sussman’s: Empowering Kids With Learning Differences

Posted on April 8, 2024 | 4 comments

Jake Sussman knows how it feels to be called stupid.

To pick up a book, want to read — and be unable to.

To be told dismissively, “I can’t believe someone in high school wrote that.”

He also knows what it’s like to find out that he can learn — just differently from his peers.

To embrace his differences.

And to discover his superpower.

The Westport native — who struggled mightily with ADHD before graduating from the Forman School, then the University of Hartford — ultimately learned to advocate for himself.

He learned that 1 in every 5 people is neuro-divergent — including up to 10% with dyslexia, and 5% with ADHD.

He took a huge step forward — gaining confidence and renown — when “The Forgotten Child,” a poem he wrote as a college junior for a poetry slam went viral.

With lines like “Imagine yourself as the child that always smiled/You were wild, you were beguiled/Until the day you were profiled,” it touched a chord with youngsters battling every day against a world filled with peers, teachers, even parents who did not understand them.

That forgotten child “refused to acknowledge he would never go to college,” Jake wrote — and repeated that poem and message to parents and educators.

A video of his poem went viral.

Jake had found his passion. His calling. And his superpower.

The 28-year-old could not deliver his message of overcoming frustration, affirmation and ultimately elation to his younger self.

But he could tell it to the millions of boys and girls just like him, growing up now in a world that — despite greater knowledge of learning differences — still does not provide the role models and lived experiences those kids need.

Jake’s younger brother Max empathized completely. A basketball player in Staples High School’s Class of 2018, and a business/ entrepreneurship major at Northeastern University, he was the perfect partner to help spread Jake’s message of how to reach “that kid in the back of the class.”

When Jake spoke to educators, parents, community groups and at a global dyslexia conference, people asked if worked with young people.

“I’m not a parent, a teacher or a therapist,” Jake says. “But I had credibility, because I lived this. I spoke kids’ language, because I knew it. I was relatable. I had the missing link.”

With Max’s help, Jake set up an online mentorship program. Four youngsters quickly turned into 30.

“They sat their totally focused” as he talked with them, Jake recalls. “They couldn’t get off the call.”

Of course, mentoring more than 2 dozen kids himself was unsustainable. So Superpower Mentors was born.

Jake is the heart of the company. Max is its CEO.

Their mentors are not licensed healthcare professionals. They are not competing with schools.

The mentors are men and women — just a few years older than their mentees — who provide guidance, advice and support based on their own lives. “They speak the same language,” Jake notes.

Those lives are impressive. Mentors include a NASA engineer, professional musician, animator and video game designer.

Mentors undergo rigorous training through a proprietary course. They are matched with mentees who share their interests and backgrounds. Then they meet online, up to 6 hours a month, sharing experiences only someone with a learning disability can understand.

Mentors offer practical advice in areas like time management, organizational skills and executive functioning.

Equally important is the confidence and excitement youngsters gain, just by talking with someone who knows what they’re going through.

But Superpower Mentors serve parents too. They have access to the mentors to discuss their child’s progress, and gain insights and tips.

“They ask things like, ‘how can we handle the fight we always have just before dinner?'” Jake says. “It’s a family partnership.”

“The myth is that kids with learning disabilities can’t sit still,” he adds. “But they can. And they do, the entire time they’re with their mentors.”

Since launching, Superpower Mentors has enlisted over 100 mentors. They’ve conducted over 7,000 sessions, with mentees as far away as Spain and Norway.

But as important as that is, Jake has another goal: to impact the town he grew up in.

His time in the Westport public schools “did not work out well for me,” he says. “But I’m not pointing fingers. I want to be partners. We can help change the world. And it can start here.”

Jake’s home town is filled with “artists, creative people, entrepreneurs,” he says.

“They’re people who think differently. We want to make sure our schools are empowered to reach those types of kids. Max and I love this town!”

To reach those area kids (and adults), Superpower Mentors has partnered with Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities.

“A Mind Like Mine: Inside the World of Kids with LD and ADHD” is an interactive program for parents and educators, to learn strategies and empower youngsters. The free event is May 7 (7 p.m., Westport Library). (Click here to register.)

Westport Board of Education and school officials have been invited.

Over 100 people have already signed up, a month before the event. Jake looks forward to meeting them.

And — even more — to helping their kids’ unleash their superpowers.

(To learn more about Superpower Mentors, click here.)

4 Comments

Posted in Categories, Children, Education, Local business, Staples HS, Teenagers

Tagged , , , , ,

Remembering Bill Briggs

Posted on March 27, 2024 | 7 comments

Bill Briggs — the 1964 Staples High School graduate, car aficionado and keyboardist with the Remains, the band (with Staples alum Barry Tashian) that developed a cult following that remains strong today, and opened for the Beatles on their final, 1966 tour — died yesterday.

He turned 78 a few days ago, and suffered from multiple health issues.

Bill Briggs

His daughter Jen posted on Facebook:

As you all know, my dad was quite the rock star in more ways than one. Bill could build a hot rod in his garage to drag race in the desert, he played the blues and toured with the Beatles playing keyboard and harmonica with the The Remains in the 60s, was a damn fine Porsche/Audi salesman for many years, an avid train photographer, collage artist, patient advice giver, along with one of the most hip rock and roll dads you’ll ever meet.

Bill Briggs (far left) and fellow Remains Chip Damiani, Barry Tashian and Chip Vern Miller.

My brother Jake and I will miss him so much, along with his partner Barbara Simon and his extended family.

We will have a small gathering for my dad near Boston at some point soon. Yesterday, he requested we join in on singing “Knockin on Heaven’s Door” with the music therapist. He chimed in clearly, singing, “put my guns in the ground!”

Miss your sense of humor and understanding already, Dad.

Bill Briggs, George Harrison, and Beatles tour manager Neil Aspinall on tour in August, 1966. (Photo/Bob Bonis)

Tributes poured in, from fans and friends from Bill’s many stages of life.

Remains guitarist Vern Miller wrote:

I can’t even begin to express how shattered I feel with Bill’s passing. We played together in The Remains for 57 years and were friends for almost 60 years. We toured together all over the U.S and Europe and shared so many adventures like the 66 Beatles’ tour.

Just last week we were clowning around on the phone about that great band in the sky. I told him if he gets there before I do, please make sure they know what kind of bass amp I want.

Bill, in his inevitable way of not missing a beat, quickly asked me where I wanted it placed on stage. He kept his humor right up to the end.

Michael Haydn recalled playing with Bill in the Westport band the New Schemers, in 9th through 12th grade.

Tom Hatch remembered working on cars with Bill, in the Downshifters hot rod club.

I was a Remains fan from junior high on. I felt so fortunate to get to know Bill later, as a friend.

In 1966, the Remains played a Staples High School fundraiser for the Orphenians’ upcoming trip to the Virgin Islands. Staples grads Bill Briggs (right) and Barry Tashian flanked the school’s music director and Orphenians founder John Ohanian. 

One of the true highlights of my life came about 20 years ago, in the basement of Gail and Terry Coen’s Soundview Drive home.

The Remains got together for the first time in about 30 years. They had been “rediscovered” in Europe, and were ready to embark on an overseas tour.

I was there at the first rehearsal, the moment they started playing and singing again. Their joy at being together again — and the sheer, incredible power of their musical talent — was astonishing, and overwhelming.

The Remains in 2019. From left: Chip Damiani, Barry Tashian, Bill Briggs, Vern Miller. 

Bill was an “06880” fan, always interested in his hometown, and the people he grew up with here.

In the mid-’60s, rock critic Jon Landau — channeling John Sebastian — said the Remains were “how you told a stranger about rock ‘n’ roll.”

Today, Bill Briggs’ many admirers remember him, and his magic.

Click below to enjoy some of the greatest rock music of all time.

 

7 Comments

Posted in Entertainment, Obituaries, Staples HS

Tagged , ,

Staples Announces Valedictorian, Salutatorian

Posted on March 25, 2024 | 2 comments

You don’t have to be a high-level athlete to graduate at the top of your Staples High School class.

But – this year at least – it sure didn’t hurt.

Valedictorian Leigh Foran anchored the 4×800 meter relay team that finished eighth at the national competition. With the soccer team, she won two state championships.

Salutatorian Andrew Berkowitz was a four-year varsity swimmer, earning All-State recognition his senior year.

The duo – who finished their Staples careers with the highest grade point averages – will speak at graduation ceremonies June 10, 2024.

Throughout high school, neither focused on grades. Both found, however, that sports helped them manage their time, focus their attention, and relieve stress.

Foran began her schooling as a Long Lots kindergartner. Her family moved to New York, but returned to Westport for her sixth grade year at Bedford Middle School.

Leigh Foran

Track and soccer take plenty of time. But Foran also managed to do biomedical research at Yale University, focusing on kidney disease; work (as the youngest member) with a research team at Norway-based Center for Global Health Inequalities that examined COVID mortality rates, and conduct research locally with Fairfield University’s Dr. Anthony Santella, looking at HIV disparities in healthcare providers. Those findings will be presented at an international conference.

Foran’s interest in science also led to research with Dr. Kimberly Doughty of Fairfield University on maternal stress in breastfeeding outcomes, and work last summer at the Yale Center for Analytical Sciences, where she learned to code and organize data on autism. She’s been invited back to the Yale Center again this summer.

The valedictorian enjoys writing too. She has been published in the International Youth Sciences journal.

Before high school, Foran was unsure of her interests. As a freshman, she realized during Black Lives Matter and Asian Pacific Islander rallies that disparities in backgrounds and socioeconomic status can lead to differing healthcare outcomes. In school, she merged academics with activism. That led to her involvement with Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, a New Haven-based non-profit organization. She helped provide information to clients navigating the U.S. healthcare system.

Closer to home Foran, who is half Korean and half Irish, teamed up with a friend to start IDEA (Inclusion and Diversity through Education and Awareness). The Staples club teaches young children about the importance of inclusivity, particularly with peers who may not look like them.

She also volunteers with the Save the Children Action Network, and at Norwalk Hospital.

But that’s not all. At Staples, Foran is a member of Link Crew, the support program for freshmen; president of the Math National Honor Society; co-president of the National Honor Society; vice president of the Science National Honor Society, and a member of both the Spanish and Social Studies National Honor Societies.

“That’s a lot,” she admits. “But sports help me decompress.”

She has been inspired too by teachers like Cathy Schager (Contemporary World Studies) and Suzanne Kammerman (AP U.S. Government “We the People”) and Ann Neary (Advanced Placement Literature).

“Having teachers who are so encouraging, and who teach content but also relate to the world today, is important. We’re learning not just facts, but how to take our knowledge and solve issues, to make a difference. I’m very grateful. I’ve been taught that I can be a global citizen.”

Foran adds, “I’ve been surrounded by teachers, friends and parents who motivated me and cheered me on, in and out of school. They’re happy for me, and gave me confidence.”

Track is an endurance sport. “I’ve never felt more pain than when my lungs and legs were burning,” she says. “I learned that if I can push through that, I can push through studying and assignments too.”

She will continue studying – and advocating, and running – at Columbia University. She was recruited for track, and New York is her “favorite city on earth.” Foran is not yet sure of a major, but hopes to be involved in diversity and equity work in some way.

She has not yet begun writing her valedictory address. But, she says, “I was just voted Most Likely to be Late for Graduation. So I may joke about that.”

Berkowitz, the salutatorian, has gone all through the Westport schools. He calls his career at Saugatuck Elementary, Bedford Middle and Staples “really great. The schools have been extremely welcoming. People really care about you. My teachers have been phenomenal, and very supportive.”

Like Foran, he cites Kammerman’s “We the People” class as a formative experience. “We study the Constitution, debate, and apply it all to what’s going on today. It’s very collaborative, and I love the small groups.” The team tied for the state championship this winter, and heads to the national competition in April.

Berkowitz’s Advanced Placement Economics teacher, Robert Shamberg, is “a fascinating person. He really helps us apply economic concepts to the real world.”

Though Calculus BC with Jonathan Watnick was his most difficult class, he was able to bond with the other students. “I made some of my closest friends there,” Berkowitz says.

Andrew Berkowitz

Years earlier, his second grade Saugatuck Elementary School teacher Roshawn Lawrence inspired him to pursue his interest in geography. He read about states, environments and ecosystems during class, and for the first time discovered the joy of independent learning.

At Bedford, social studies instructor Andrew Zold set the foundation for Berkowitz’s interest in history.

Swimming is a large part of the salutatorian’s life. He joined the Westport Weston Family YMCA Water Rats team at age 8, and has continued ever since. His main events are the 100 and 200 meter freestyle.

Though competition and exercise are important, so are the opportunities he’s found through the sport. As with his calculus class, he has bonded closely with teammates during their eight weekly practices.

In the summer of 2022, Berkowitz traveled to Israel as a member of the United States Maccabiah Games 16-and-under team. It was an important way to connect with other swimmers, through religion, he says.

He is an elected board member of Connecticut Swimming, which oversees all youth and masters swimming in the state. He serves on the Finance Committee, which has given him real-world experience in budgeting and financial planning.

Berkowitz is also an athlete representative on the Y’s Water Rats board.

And every year, he joins the Water Rats in a fundraising Swim Across the Sound relay event, from Long Island to Bridgeport.

“My balance was swimming,” Berkowitz says. “It taught be to work hard, and get good grades in school.”

Out of the water, Berkowitz reinstituted the DECA entrepreneurship club last year, and was co-president. They competed in two virtual business competitions.

He volunteers too with the National Honor Society, and the Math and Social Studies Honor Societies, as well as Staples Service League of Boys (SLOBs).

Berkowitz calls being salutatorian “an amazing honor. It’s a reward for hard work.” But, he notes, “at the end of the day, it’s just a number. So many kids at Staples do phenomenal things, in and out of school. And they will go on to do more amazing things later.”

His graduation speech may mention COVID. That was a defining moment for his 400-plus member class. As difficult as it was, he says, it brought them close together.

Next fall he’s off to Amherst College, as a recruited swimmer. He looks forward to exploring areas like economics, political science and math, through its liberal arts curriculum.

But he leaves this parting message for undergraduates: “Balance is key. Enjoy your high school experience. Don’t take the hardest class, just because it may look good. Work hard and challenge yourself. But remember: family, friends and your health always come first.”

(“06880” is your go-to, hyper-local blog. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

2 Comments

Posted in Staples HS, Teenagers

Tagged , , ,