One of the highlights of Westport’s Veterans Day ceremony is always an address by a Staples High School senior.
With wisdom and insight beyond their years, they remind us each year of the importance of citizenship, service, and honoring those whose sacrifice ensured that those teenagers could stand at that lectern, that day.
This morning’s address at Town Hall was extra special. Ignacy Nieweglowski and Sahil Vora have unique stories to tell — and they told them superbly. Alternating at the microphone, they said:
Thank you so much for being here as we gather to commemorate those who served our country with great courage; those who continue fighting for us with heart and bravery; and those who have sacrificed their lives to protect the country that we are so privileged to call home.
I’m Sahil Vora. And I’m Ignacy Nieweglowski; and we’re both seniors at Staples High School.
Sahil Vora and Ignacy Nieweglowski outside Town Hall … (Photo/James Farnen)
There’s a certain irony that we’re standing up here today. I’m originally from Warsaw, and moved to the US 4 years ago to start high school here in Westport.
My parents moved from India in 2004. Growing up, English was one of 5 languages I heard at home. By any ordinary measure, the 2 of us are unlikely people to be speaking to you about what it means to be “American.”
And yet, here we are. My father grew up in a small village in Haryana, India, while my mother was raised in Mumbai, a large city. They traveled and lived all over the world, eventually settling here, motivated by the lack of a caste system and opportunities for all.
My parents were born in the port city of Szczecin along the Polish Baltic coast. They grew up under the ruling hand of the oppressive and degrading communist regime. Through all of it, my parents had always looked westward.
… and Ignacy and Sahil at the mic. (Photo/Dave Wilson)
Under such different circumstances, our parents both formed the same belief about the possibilities of this nation. And they passed those beliefs on to us: that in a just America, your ancestry doesn’t dictate your future. That in a tolerant America, a dissenting voice is answered but never silenced.
It is for this faith that so many generations of men and women have fought for our country with unwavering commitment. Those who fought came from every background that this nation holds, all fighting for the same convictions.
Kazimier Pulaski was a Polish cavalry officer who had fought for his country’s independence, lost, and been forced into exile. In 1777 he sailed to America and joined the Continental Army as a volunteer, with no rank and no soldiers to command.
At the Battle of Brandywine, the British broke through the American lines, and George Washington’s army was in danger of being surrounded. Pulaski asked for the only horsemen available, the 30 men of Washington’s personal guard. He led them in a charge against the advancing British, and held them off long enough for the army to escape.
Pulaski fought to defend his belief in this nation’s sovereignty and right to self determination. So too would the millions of Polish American veterans after him.
Simratpal Singh served in Afghanistan, earning a Bronze Star for his service in the U.S. Army. But as a Sikh American, he initially had to give up his turban and beard to serve. He challenged that restriction, and in 2016, the Army granted him the right to serve while practicing his faith. Like Singh, generations of Indian Americans have served this country, united by a belief in the freedoms America stands for.
(Photo/Lucy Zeko)
Today, we have the rare opportunity to celebrate and appreciate 250 years of those who valiantly fought to protect their convictions, to realize their shared vision of a fair and true America.
To the veterans here today, your service reaches far beyond the years you spent in uniform. It lives in the freedoms we exercise, the opportunities we pursue, and the lives we get to build.
For that, we thank you. We are proud to call ourselves Americans.
Seniors are applying to colleges. Freshmen are adapting to high school. Everyone is balancing academics, extracurriculars, and everything else.
Plus, the young men in ABC’s Glendarcy House live away from home, with all the adjustments and stresses that brings.
Still, they have time to give back to their adopted community.
“It’s really important, because they’ve gotten so much support from the town,” says resident director Tamika Thompson.
“They want to help. And they have fun doing it.”
The A Better Chance scholars outside Glendarcy House …
The A Better Chance scholars volunteer in many ways. In September they helped set up the Westport Rotary Club’s LobsterFest. The year before, they served food there.
They’ve sorted food and filled bags at Homes with Hope’s Gillespie Ceter.
They’re always looking for other opportunities too.
The ABC program sometimes flies under the radar. The young men who leave their home towns, live together, and are thrown into the challenging but exciting maelstrom of Staples High School do not get the credit they deserve for their achievements in the classroom, on the stage and playing fields, and elsewhere.
And they certainly don’t get it for the hours they give back to Westport.
Thank you, Anderson, Jeffrey, Mehiel, Alan, Ismael and Yashai. You are this week’s Unsung Heroes!
(Do you know an Unsung Hero? Email 06880blog@gmail.com. “06880” is proud to honor them — and tell many other tales of town too. Please click here to help us do that, by supporting this hyper-local blog.)
Jack Thompson is a senior at Greens Farms Academy, and co-chairs the Westport Youth Commission. He helped produce last year’s 1st selectman candidate debate at Toquet Hall, and looked forward to a similar role with this year’s election. Jack writes:
I joined the Westport Youth Commission because student engagement in local government is rare, and being part of this organization would let me be heard.
I put that to the test last year, when I helped organize a first selectman forum as a lead-up to the election. It was a great learning experience, and opened a lot of eyes on how students can be engaged in the political process.
Jack Thompson (left) and Jake Shufro, at last year’s Westport Youth Commission 1st selectman candidates’ debate.
This year, a candidate running for the 136th state House of Representatives approached the WYC about holding a similar forum.
We did some research, and learned that the League of Women Voters has been unable to hold candidate events due to their “empty chair” policy. Due to their nonpartisan position (us too!), they can’t hold events with only one candidate.
We felt that both the town and candidates were losing out, as these events provide important, symbiotic context: We as citizens learn our candidates’ positions, and they learn what’s important to us.
With that in mind, we wanted to see what we could do. We started planning a candidate event for October 29. We invited both Democrat Lee Goldstein and Republican Douglas Ouellette, with the stipulation that both needed to agree for us to host the event.
Screenshot from Ballotpedia, a site that offers “unbiased information to educate and inform American voters.”
We only heard from Lee Goldstein, who responded “yes,” so, in accordance with LWV policy, we canceled the event. This was extremely unfortunate, as it would have provided all of Westport’s citizens and youth an opportunity to hear from the candidates running to represent them in Hartford.
So what do we do now? As a group, we debated next steps and decided not to be deterred.
We are exploring an event after the election that would be sponsored by the LWV, and moderated by Dan Woog and students.
There are two reasons we arrived at this decision: We want to raise student political engagement and awareness, and it provides an opportunity for our new state representatives to hear from us, about what’s important and how we want to be represented.
It will also give students a chance to share their stance on issues we care about, like AI, social media and local transportation.
We plan to make it technology-interactive, with a live polling system so representatives can see how Westport citizens feel about key issues.
My fellow WYC members and I are excited to plan this event, and look forward to sharing more details after the election.
(“Students Speak” is a forum for all students, who live in or attend school in Westport and Weston. Email submissions to 06880blog@gmail.net. To support this hyper-local blog, click here. Thank you!)
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Meanwhile, the Leagues of Women Voters of Lower Fairfield County are sponsoring a debate with the 3 candidates for Congress from Connecticut’s 4th District: Democratic Jim Himes, Republican Michael Goldstein and independent Benjamin Wesley.
A Staples High School student offered some thoughts on a podcast last week — and ignited an online firestorm. Today, he describes the aftermath of that podcast.
I am a junior at Staples High School, and over the last week my life has been turned upside down.
I am escorted to class every day by school administrators. Classmates I sit beside have told me, in writing, that they wish to gang rape and kill me. My retail job has let me go, claiming of course that it was entirely unrelated.
My home address along with my father’s phone number have been posted online. He now fields a near endless stream of calls from strangers detailing their perspectives on his son.
I have loved ideas my whole life. I launched a newsletter my freshman year, and a podcast over the past summer. I gave my perspective on the situation at Cornell last Tuesday, which was similar to voices as politically opposed as what “The View”’s Sunny Hostin and “The Daily Wire”’s Ben Shapiro both espoused: that under New York state law, and with the evidence given to the district attorney in 2024, the decision not to prosecute was not unreasonable.
My tone may have been too cold, my wording imprecise, but nothing that could possibly merit what happened over the course of the week.
Let’s be fully clear: Rape and sexual assault are among the most disgusting things that occur in our society. The video itself labeled what occurred as “morally wrong” and “disgusting.”
My intention was never to minimize or denigrate anyone who falls victim to these situations. Yet the people who ostensibly claim to share that position were willing to threaten me with becoming a victim of it myself.
I have handled the backlash the best I am able. I cooperated fully with law enforcement and the administration at Staples High School. I have ignored the streams of texts and calls, and deleted Instagram off my phone to avoid obsessing over the situation.
I have attended my classes and walked into school despite being told not to go, both by those looking out for my best interests and bad actors seeking to intimidate me.
My current situation has become untethered from the Cornell case itself. It is a story of a 16-year-old kid who expressed an opinion that, whatever issues in presentation may have precipitated the response, was not outside the Overton Window.
The response was not counter arguments. It was hardly anyone seeking to educate me, understand me, or engage in the sort of discourse that only serves to help make our communities better.
The response was doxxing and death threats.
What has stuck with me most this week is the gap between the unflinching vitriol of the online mob, and the everyday good of the people who know me. What has stuck with me are the friends who have stood by my side, despite facing immense judgment for such a stance.
What has stuck with me are the people who, in the days since the night the clip was posted, have come to me to apologize for their threats and harassment.
I have a teacher I expected to disagree with on nearly every political issue, and I probably do. But I would now say I agree with her on everything that matters. Before class, she spoke to me privately to make sure her classroom would be a safe space for me, too.
It is those people who expressed a commitment to integrity, values and principles, concepts steadier and more important than partisanship. It is a commitment to how you treat people, your peers and neighbors, including those you disagree with.
I have seen people who vehemently disagree with me show more integrity than those who stand by every word I have said. And to say I am forever grateful to those people would be an understatement.
I am not asking everyone to agree with what I said in the video, or any political stances I hold at all. The beauty of living in a town, and a nation, where people have such a diversity of opinions and are allowed to speak their minds freely, is exactly what drew me to being so enamored with ideas at such a young age.
What I would ask is simpler: Let dissent be accompanied by an explanation, not a threat of violence or a doxxing.
Westport is a town that prides itself on being a place that values education and civic participation. If that is true, then it should be the place where a 16-year-old kid can make an argument, however unpopular or poorly expressed, without having his family doxxed, and his little sister living in fear, over it.
That is an entirely apolitical ask, and the bare minimum for a town that wishes to call itself a community.
(“Students Speak” is a forum for all students, who live in or attend school in Westport and Weston. Email submissions to 06880blog@gmail.net. To support this hyper-local blog, click here. Thank you!)
Staples High School’s Internship Program is a win-win-win.
Every spring, talented and eager seniors leave school 3-4 weeks before graduation. They spend the final month out in the real world.
They work everywhere: retail, salons, restaurants, non-profits, medical offices, financial firms, design shops, farms, marketing companies, photography studios, publishers … you name it. If there’s a job to be learned and done, they do it.
(And not just in Westport. Interns head to New York City — even beyond.)
Luke Della Valle and Anderson Seo interned with the Westport Conservation Department last year.
The work and real life experience they gain is invaluable. The energy, creativity — and help — they bring to the workplace is huge. And the internships get them out of high school at a time when senioritis would otherwise kick in (that’s the third “win”).
Sadie Katzner and Freya Harvey worked with Strong Girls Training.
But as hard as they work, the program coordinators work equally hard right now arranging 420 or so internships.
So they’re asking the greater “06880” community: Can you help?
Do you need a senior (or two, or three) for daily onsite (or remote) work? Perhaps you’re beefing up your social media presence. Or looking for research help, design work, web content, data entry. Or hundreds of other tasks.
You can be a small, medium or large size firm– or a single proprietor. Maybe you were an intern once yourself, and want to give back.
Matthew Anto rocked the School of Rock.
Internships begin May 17, and run through June 7. Students are expected to work 5 hours a day onsite, remotely or in a hybrid model. Program leaders provide guidance and oversight.
If interested, or to learn more, email program directors Lauren Goldshore and Jessica Larit: shsinternship@westportps.org.
Hannah Bitsky interned at the Westport Police Department.
(“06880” often covers Westport businesses and non-profits, and of course our schools. Sometimes — like today — they all intersect. If you like stories like this, please click here to support us. Thank you!)
When Stella DiGeronimo’s grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the Westport teenager spent a lot of time with him at his Southport facility.
She wanted to know more, about him and the other residents. That sent her down a rabbit hole of information.
Stella realized the importance of talking to senior citizens. The more she did, the more she understoo how much “nuance and depth” they had.
And the more she recognized the need to write down those stories.
Stella already had a lot on her plate. A senior 3-sport athlete — field hockey, and captain of both the ski and softball teams, as well as president of the Democratic Women of Staples — she nonetheless encouraged her friends Sammy Stevenson and Alex Price to join the new venture.
They found the Legacy Project. The national non-profit, which began at Tufts University, connects younger and older adults for multigenerational friendship and storytelling. Together they combat social isolation and loneliness, and document life stories.
There are about 70 chapters nationwide. Nearly all are at colleges; a few are in high schools.
The girls reached out to the Westport Center for Senior Activities. Nine Staples students — Stella, Alex, Sammy, Addison Dennett, Hayley Epstein, Mehmet Madigan, Emerson Menoni, Piper Salik and Ella White — were paired with older men and women.
Then the fun — the conversations — began.
Some students used scripts. Some asked about “themes” love, hardship, etc.) They met often, in a variety of settings.
Stella — paired with Penny Pearlman — just started asking questions about the older woman’s life. Things flowed freely from there.
When Penny’s husband died, she felt as if she’d lost her identity. So, she told Stella, she picked up flamenco dancing.
The idea came on a whim. She spent a month in Spain with a group of much younger women. And Penny does not speak Spanish.
“That was so inspiring!” Stella says.
From left: Stella DiGeronimo (center) with Penny Pearlman and Maggie DiGeronimo.
Each interview was recorded. Stella transcribed them all into a large Google doc. Every teen turned their interview into a story.
Another woman described her many years abroad, as the wife of a NATO diplomat. She had no official title, but she organized refugee operations at dozens of sites across Europe.
Other interviewees told other stories about their long, remarkable — and often untold — lives.
The result is a book: “The Art of Flying Anyway.” The Legacy Project takes care of all publication details, as it does for several books a year.
The title comes from something one of the interviewees said: a bumblebee should not be able to fly, but it does.
The cover — complete with bees — was created by the teens and seniors together.
“This is really important,” Stella says. “Social media shows current information. But so much history is being lost or forgotten.”
It’s important to her personally, too.
“I got such a better grasp on life,” Stella says about the project.
“We’re taught that things are always linear, from point A to B.
“I realize now things don’t always go the way they’re planned. It’s more about how you react to things, that really makes up a life.”
(Stella thanks several key players who helped along the way, including the communities at The Residence, Maplewood at Southport, and the Westport Senior Center, including director Wendy Petty; The Legacy Project and co-founder and CEO, Arielle Galinsky, and Rozanne Gates, founder of The Legacy Project USA, an independent organization.)
(“06880” frequent reports on stories about Westport teenagers, older residents — and everyone in between. If you enjoy stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
For months, rumors have circulated that Douglas Ouellette’s name as the Republican candidate for Westport’s 136th District state House of Representatives seat was a placeholder.
His name was filed with Secretary of the State on May 28.
On July 31, “06880” reported, “There’s been no sign of activity, online or in real life. Ouellette has not run for office before. His LinkedIn profile identifies him as CEO of Westport-based Home Choice Senior Care.
“No official announcement has been made. Westport Republican Town Committee chair Patrizia Zucaro did not respond to an email request for comment.”
Tuesday was the deadline for the Westport RTC to replace him with a different candidate, according to Town Clerk Jeff Dunkerton and Registrar of Voters Deb Greenberg.
So it appears Democrat Lee Goldstein is running against Douglas Ouellette.
But there has still been no press release or other announcement from the Republicans.
And no one has heard from Ouellette himself.
Screenshot of Ballotpedia courtesy of, and hat tip to, Tom Price.
“06880” has reported on recent weekend parties, attended by large groups at the beach. The Westport Police Department says:
“Through both formal and informal complaints received from Westport Parks & Recreation staff as well as neighbors, the WPD has recently observed multiple instances of extremely large gatherings of predominantly high school aged youths at Compo Beach. In most cases these incidents have been reported on weekends. and after the 10 p.m. closing time of the beach.
“Complaints have included allegations of disturbances, underage drinking, marijuana usage, littering and damage to property, with numbers of youth observed by the responding officers estimated to be in the 200 to 300 person range or greater.”
Last Friday and Saturday “officers encountered, and subsequently needed to disperse, gatherings of this size at Compo Beach. These gatherings have been comprised of both area youth as well as groups from out of state.
“The Westport Police Department in partnership with the Westport Prevention Coalition and the Office of the 1st Selectman would like to again take this opportunity to remind both youth and their parents of the town’s zero-tolerance policy on underage drinking and cannabis use.
“Additionally, crimes against persons and property perpetrated by youth will not be tolerated. Area patrols have been increased to monitor this situation going forward, and officers will issue citations for observed violations.
“Despite that, these are not the outcomes we wish to see, so we ask parents to closely monitor their children’s activity and please help to do their part to discourage participation in these gatherings.”
The story said that meeting materials had not yet been posted on the town website.
Town engineer Ted Gill responded quickly. He said:
“All WPLO applications that come in front of the F&ECB also need to go to the Conservation Commission. So there is only 1 set of documents for the one application, which then goes to both bodies.
“The documents for all F&ECB WPLO applications are on the Town website, attached to the Conservation Commission meeting link for the corresponding application.”
All the materials — and we do mean all — are available here. After clicking on, scroll down.
Thank you, Ted!
This building would be torn down, and replaced by a larger one.
A reader writes: “We’re expecting another storm this weekend. In the past, the town of Westport provided sand and sandbags for downtown businesses, particularly those of us who are vulnerable to flooding during high-tide storms.
“I just got off the phone with Public Works, and was told the town no longer provides either the bags or the sand. We can certainly order the bags ourselves, but obtaining and transporting sand individually may be more challenging for small businesses.
“From my experience, sandbags can make a real difference in helping minimize water damage. I wanted to see whether there may be any way for the town to assist downtown businesses with access to sand, even if we are responsible for purchasing our own bags.”
“06880” contacted Public Works director Larry Roberts. He responded promptly: “Until about 8 years ago, the town provided sand and bags to residents. Residents could drive up to the highway garage and fill bags themselves, and our staff helped those who were unable to. Downtown businesses could participate as well.
“The program was discontinued mainly because of the logistics involved: storing clean sand and staffing the site to fill bags on demand.
“At the same time, as buildings on Main Street were renovated, many owners installed flood gate systems in place of sandbags. These gates offer better protection and are easier to store when not in use. Since those renovations, commercial demand for sandbags has been negligible.”
Sandbags on Main Street during Hurricane Sandy, 2012.
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Families, friends, neighbors and individuals are invited to “Give Back Together” — and help Homes with Hope.
This Saturday (September 26, 8 to 11 a.m., 10 Church Lane), volunteers will pack essential item bags — filled with household items, snacks and personal hygiene products — for people served by Westport’s supportive housing non-profit.
A $25 contribution covers the cost of 2 bags. All items will be provided. Click here to register. The event is sponsored by the Westport Downtown Association, FLB Law, David Adam Realty and Willo.
Westport Police made 5 custodial arrests between September 16 and 22.
A 38-year-old Fairfield woman was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs and failure to yield right of way, following a Sunday accident at Saugatuck Avenue and Ferry Lane, with injuries. She was released on a $500 bond.
A 25-year-old Manhattan man and 24-year-old Bronx man were charged with larceny of a motor vehicle, and conspiracy to commit larceny, following an investigation into the February theft of a car from Volvo of Westport. Both were held on $150,000 bonds.
A 55-yar-old Bridgeport man was charged with larceny of a motor vehicle, following the theft of a Jeep from the Saugatuck train station. The key had been hidden within the exterior mounted spare tire. He was held on a $100,000 bond.
A 59-year-old Philadelphia woman was charged with larceny, conspiracy to commit larceny, charging greater than $500 on a revoked payment card, conspiracy to commit that crime, identity theft, and conspiracy to commit identity theft, following an investigation into the theft of a woman’s wallet at HomeGoods. She was released on a $10,000 bond.
A 36-year-old woman was charged with failure to appear. She was released on a $5,000 bond.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Failure to renew registration: 10 citations
Traveling unreasonably fast: 9
Distracted driving: 4
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 4
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 2
Texting while driving: 2
Speeding: 1
Passing a standing school bus: 1
School zone violation: 1
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 1
Failure to carry registration: 1
Improper turn: 1
Improper passing: 1
Failure to drive in the proper lane: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 1
Articles obstructing view: 1
Unreadable plates: 1
All license plates must be readable!
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Sometimes you look at one of nature’s creatures and say, “Wow!”
Sometimes you see one, and you just laugh.
Today’s “Westport … Naturally” featured photo elicits both responses.
(So: Do you enjoy “06880”? If so, great! And now: Please click here, to support our work; we’d really appreciate it. PS — Do you like the way this paragraph is supporting Punctuation Day?)
Last week, “06880” reported on a new trend: massive parties at Compo Beach, outside the homes along Soundview Drive. Revelers appear to be primarily freshmen. That was the second in as many weekends.
The third week offered no reprieve.
A reader writes: “There was a mob scene of freshmen. I’m told by one of the town employees, who is trying to keep them under control along with a few cops, that there are 4 or 5 different schools having these insane parties at Compo. They are on people’s property, running around, leaving trash and drinking.
“It’s absolutely awful. Probably 300 kids.
“This is the third time, and probably the worst I have seen it this season.
“It’s a real problem. I couldn’t even walk the beach for over an hour.
“One Staples junior football player told me he tries to help out with the situation because the kids know him.
“The last time, I met a resident who was outside of her house not knowing what to do. She said all her windows were closed, and the noise was very disturbing.
“I’m all for kids having a good time, but this is out of control.”
As a Staples Players actors, August Laska starred in a variety of shows, like “Guys and Dolls,” “Little. Shop of Horrors,” “West Side Story” and “A Chorus Line.”
He’s played many “roles” since then.
After graduating in 2013, August majored in film and media at Middlebury College.
While many classmates joined the “Middlebury to Goldman Sachs pipeline,” he headed to Los Angeles. He worked for Snapchat and loved the West Coast, but realized technology was not for him.
In 2018 August joined the marketing team at Disney Theatrical Productions.
Which all led to …opening a plant store.
August founded The Old Yew Plant Shop in the West Village in 2021. He now owns a second store too, on the Upper West Side.
August has earned renown for his ability to understand customers’ needs, educated them about both design (what plant goes where), and diagnostics (what happens when pests invade, or plants die).
Yesterday, the New York Times Real Estate section featured a long piece on August, and his magic touch with customers.
All those communication skills are certainly paying off. Particularly from “Little Shop of Horrors.” Click here for the full story.(Hat tip: John Dodig)
August Laska, at his Old Yew Plant Shop. (Photo/Ngoc Minh Ngo for New York Times)
Ric Burns’ 2 new episodes of his sprawling, highly regard “New York” documentary film — the first in 23 years — air tonight and tomorrow on PBS (9 p.m.).
A 10-volume soundtrack was just released for streaming.
And there’s a great Westport connection.
Staples High School Class of 1971 graduate Brian Keane composed that soundtrack.
But that’s not all. Brian spoke yesterday at the IFC Center in New York, at a tribute to Jane Goodall.
Brian scored the original chimps movie that helped put Goodall on the map in the 1980s, and also scored Ruby Yang’s film “Vanishing Song” about a gibbon in Malaysia. Goodall was collaborating on that documentary when she died.
Brian Keane (center) with Ric Burns (right) and Burns’ son Simon, at Keane’s studio. A newborn when “New York” came out in 1999, Simon is now assisting on his father’s 2 new episodes. A 10-volume complete soundtrack set of Keane’s score — one for each episode — is streaming on all platforms.
The next Veterans Benefits Luncheon (Thursday, September 24, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.), VFW Post 399).
It’s open to all veterans as part of an ongoing effort to check in on all veterans’ welfare, and connect them with the benefits and support they earned.
Representatives will answer questions, and provide information on services and assistance available to veterans.
RSVPs are encouraged (but not required). Email vfw399ct@gmail.com, and include the number of attendees, or call (203) 227-6796.
PS: If you’re not a veteran, but know one: Please pass the word!
The Westport-native artist returns soon. She’ll do it again.
Rozanne Gates and Suzanne Sheridan, creators of First Folk Sunday, saw Bastoni perform in Northampton, Massachusetts — where she now lives — in 2023.
Impressed with her songwriting prowess, musicianship and connection to the audience, they invited her to Westport. Neither knew her roots.
Lisa told Rozanne, “I was just a kid, but I was at the anti-war rally you organized in 2001 on Jesup Green when Suzanne sang. I thought she was wonderful.”
On October 4 (12:30 p.m., Saugatuck Rowing Club), Lisa and Suzanne will sing together
Lisa wrote “There Are No Kings in America,” which has been sung nationally at many No Kings rallies. Suzanne Sheridan sang it in March, on Jesup Green.
Click here for tickets, and more information. Doors open at noon; an a la carte menu and open bar are available. Questions? Call 203-984-7562.
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StartUp Westport continues to expand its programming.
The town’s public/private partnership to serve entrepreneurs and innovators continued its “Founder Stories” series last week, at Content Studio in Saugatuck.
Amy Hochhauser and Rhodie Lorenz spoke with Julie Roehm about JoyRide. They went behind the scenes, offering insights into what it takes to build, grow and evolve a business — including unforeseen challenges like COVID.
Founded in Westport in 2010, JoyRide pioneered the local boutique fitness movement, expanding into a beloved regional brand across multiple studios in Connecticut and Texas. While the business ultimately closed its doors, its multi-year trajectory offers a master class in scaling, community building, making tough decisions, and navigating complex market shifts.
And finally … in honor of all who celebrate Yom Kippur:
(Another Monday … and another Roundup, to start it off. If you appreciate all the ways you can learn about Westport on this hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
With the passage of time, it’s easy to forget the importance of lunch in the cafeteria to middle school students.
Chloe Robbin is an 8th grader at Bedford Middle School. Today, she speaks out about the lunch situation there. She emailed this to her principal, Dr. Adam Rosen, and school counselors too. Chloe writes:
Lunch is supposed to be a relaxing and fun time of day. You get a break from class to eat your food and socialize with your friends.
But I didn’t know that once I entered middle school, lunch would become so much more complicated. As new friend groups began to form, so did the competition for seats at lunch tables. I often see people sprinting from their class to lunch just to claim a seat.
At Bedford Middle School, lunch tables have 8 seats attached to them. That may sound like enough, but it really isn’t because Bedford has 3 elementary schools combined into 1. Because the goal is to meet new people and expand your circle, having the same amount of seats as the elementary school tables just doesn’t make sense.
Circular lunch tables only sit 8.
What happens when 9 people want to sit at a table? Or what if someone wants to invite a new friend to sit at a table? Now all of a sudden, somebody has to sit somewhere else- and not because nobody wants them there, but simply because there is no room.
For example, so far this year my lunch table has been cramped together with 2 people trying to share the tiny circular seats. Some people are even sitting on the floor or eating standing up, just because they want to be with their friends.
But we can do better.
At BMS, we are told to include others and make sure nobody ever feels left out. These are all very important messages that I completely agree with. However, it can be impossible to follow this when there is not enough room for everyone to join, and then lunchtime becomes the cause for a lot of drama.
When my friends sit at the outdoor tables that have benches instead of individual seats, we fit a significant amount more people than before. Just yesterday, we had 12 people sitting at the table, and I saw boys next to me with 15 people all sitting on the 4 benches around the table.
Students can cram together at outdoor tables.
Keeping all of this in mind, the best solution to this issue is that we should have long rectangular tables with benches instead of individual seats in the cafeteria because these tables are way more inclusive. In fact, I have noticed that Bedford has these tables folded underneath the staircase.
Long lunch tables, unused and stored underneath the BMS stairs. (All photos/Chloe Robbin)
This is not saying that we need to fill the cafeteria with all new lunch tables, but a few new ones would be just enough for students to have a better lunch experience and invite a few more friends to join.
Then lunch can go back to hopefully being a stress free time!
(“Students Speak” is a regular “06880” feature. Any student living or studying in Westport or Weston can submit a piece. Email 06880blog@gmail.com. To support this local blog, click here.)
Chloe Robbin
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Very quickly. Dr. Rosen responded. The BMS principal wrote:
Hi Chloe,
Thank you for such a thoughtful email. I especially appreciate that the motivation behind your suggestion is to make lunch more inclusive and to ensure that students have opportunities to be with their friends and welcome new people into their groups. That instinct — to notice when others might be left out and think about how we can make Bedford a more inclusive community — is something I admire and hope you continue to bring to our school.
Interestingly, the history of our cafeteria tables may surprise you. Years ago, Bedford did use the larger rectangular tables with benches that you described. At first glance, they seem like the obvious solution: If a table can hold more students, more friends can sit together. In practice, however, we found almost exactly the opposite.
When we had the larger rectangular tables, the competition to get to those tables was much more pronounced. A group of 10 or 12 students could essentially claim one large table, and inevitably there would be another 2 or 3 students who considered themselves part of that same friend group but could not fit. Those students often felt even more excluded because nearly their entire social group was sitting together without them. We received frequent concerns from students and parents across all 3 grades about exactly this issue.
Dr. Adam Rosen
There was another challenge as well. At a long rectangular table, a smaller group could occupy the middle and become the center of the conversation, while students sitting farther down the benches or at the ends could technically be “at the table” but still feel socially separated from the group.
Our move to round tables was very intentional and came after considerable work involving our School Climate Committee, PTA, students, and staff. The difference was remarkable. The concerns about exclusion decreased substantially once we moved to round tables.
One reason is that a round table puts everyone on equal footing—there is no “center” or “end” of the group. Just as importantly, the 8-seat tables encourage larger friend groups to divide into smaller, more fluid groups rather than having one large clique occupy a single table. Over time, that actually creates more opportunities for students to mix, move among friends, welcome others, and develop new relationships.
I completely understand that this can feel counterintuitive when 9 friends want to sit together and there are only 8 seats. Your observation is a very reasonable one. But after many years of watching both arrangements in action at Bedford, I can tell you that the larger tables unfortunately created substantially more social difficulties and feelings of exclusion than our current round tables do.
That does not mean we should ignore the concerns you raised. Students should never be sitting on the floor, standing to eat, or squeezing two people onto a seat in order to remain connected to their friends. Mrs. Harding and I will continue to pay attention to what is happening during lunch and work with students on ways to make the experience as positive and inclusive as possible.
Most importantly, please don’t lose the spirit behind your suggestion. You saw something affecting your peers, thought carefully about a possible solution, and took the initiative to respectfully advocate for a more inclusive Bedford. I hold that kind of leadership in very high regard. While experience has taught us that the particular solution of larger tables would likely work against the outcome you are hoping for, the outcome itself—helping students feel welcomed, connected, and included—is exactly what we want as well.
Thank you for caring enough about your school community to write to us.
Westport’s “4 Days of Service” — a townwide initiative to honor the 25th anniversary of 9/11 through volunteerism, generosity, and acts of kindness — begin Tuesday (September 8).
There are countless ways to get involved (click here for a full story). Homes with Hope — one of the many organization participating — offers 4 specific ideas.
Volunteer: Opportunities includes the community kitchen, food pantry, After-School Academic Program, Carol Randel Mentoring Program, and more. Click here for details.
Donate to the food pantry: An Amazon Wish List (click here) makes it easy to support the pantry at the Gillespie Center, without leaving home. Browse most-needed items; donations ship directly to Homes with Hope.
Speaking of 9/11: MoCA\CT has designated next Friday a “Day for Reflection.”
From noon to 5 p.m., community members are invited to spend time in a setting for art, contemplation and remembrance.
Visitors are invited to explore, at no charge, “Looking for History.” The museum’s current exhibition examines the people, places and stories that shape our understanding of the past.
On this solemn anniversary, MoCA says, “take time to pause, reflect and remember through our 6-acre grounds, surrounded by sculpture, mature trees, gardens and open space.” The museum is located at 19 Newtown Turnpike.
After news reports of up to 100 ICE detentions in Danbury, Stamford and Bridgeport, Don Bergmann emailed 1st Selectman Kevin Christie, Police Chief Dave Farrell and superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice.
He asked, “Has ICE come to Westport, or do you expect ICE to show up? Please address the issue of ICE at school bus stops or any other locations. … Groups in town should be ready to mobilize.”
Scarice replied, Here is the spot on our website with some basic info for parents. Additionally, we have an internal protocol for principals to guide them in the unlikely event ICE shows up at a school.”
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News of Gloria Steinem’s death yesterday caused many Westporters to reflect on the life of the pioneering women’s rights activist, and her impact on the world.
For Natalie Caine — who moved here last year after the deadly California wildfires – that impact was very personal.
Caine says, “Throughout my life I have created and facilitated women’s support groups, brought women together, and advocated for women’s voices to be heard in the room. Gloria was one of the women who showed me that this work mattered.
“I was fortunate to have had 4 meaningful one-on-one conversations with Gloria over the years. What I remember most is how present she was. She listened deeply. She was curious, warm, and completely congruent with who she is.
“One conversation has stayed with me. I told Gloria that my daughter was having difficulty finding a job. Gloria responded, ‘If your daughter can’t find the job she really wants, tell her to start the job.’
“Such a simple sentence. Such a powerful way of thinking.
“Don’t wait for permission. Begin. Create. Use your voice.
“That idea has stayed with me — not just as advice for my daughter, but as a way of moving through the world.”
Natalie sent a photo of herself with Gloria. It represents “one of the moments when I was lucky enough to sit across from a woman whose work has influenced generations.”
Gloria Steinem and Natalie Caine.
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Labor Day weekend at the Levitt Pavilion includes 2 groups with local musicians, making their Levitt debuts supporting Mihali.
Tonight (Friday, 5:30 p.m.; click here for tickets) Eliot Thompson helps kick off Mihali’s 11th throwdown by the Saugatuck.
The 19 year old singer-songwriter grew up in Weston. He spent this summer as part of the Levitt’s stellar season associate team.
Thompson goes to Berklee College of Music. Over the years he has pursued classical piano, musical theater, film composition and jazz drumming.
His most recent of 7 singles is “Blue-gray Eyes.” His first album is “To Want Something.” Thompson has 24,500 followers on Instagram.
Reggae rock band Mr. Mota will also make their inaugural appearance on the Levitt stage. Guitarist Will Rosen attended Staples High School, while drummer Jake Young is from Weston. Mr. Mota formed at the University of Colorado.
Tomorrow (Saturday, 7 p.m.), Hollywood Nights brings their acclaimed Bob Seger Experience to Westport. Click here for tickets.
Summer vibes continue next week with 3 free shows: ever-popular DNR (the almost all-doctor rock band; Thursday, September 10, 7:30 p.m.); the equally popular Sweet Remains (Saturday, September 12, 7:30 p.m.) and the Brian López Electric Trio (Sunday, September 13, 7 p.m.).
Circle of Friends — the community organization dedicated to empowering high school students — is launching a new way to do just that.
The Solomon Leadership Program welcomes high school juniors and seniors. In addition to learning important life lessons, participants will earn 3 college credits.
The Solomon Program offers leadership training, community engagement and mentorship to teens. Skills include decision-making, values-driven leadership and public speaking.
To learn more and apply to the Westport chapter, click here or contact Faige Chein: westport@solomonprogram.org; 203-293-8837.
And finally … of course, following up on the item above:
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