The Yellow Tulip Project is a national, youth-driven movement aimed at smashing the stigma and silence surrounding mental illness.
It began when teenager Julia Hansen was dealing with her own depression, alone. It took the tragedy of losing her 2 best friends to suicide for the high school sophomore to find her voice, and speak out.
Julia’s mother, Suzanne Fox, helped her create an online space to inspire conversations about how to combat the rising tide of suicide. Yellow Tulip Project members speak and conferences, schools and youth events; provide programs, and plant “hope gardens” in the fall that bloom in spring.
Julia lives in California. But her mom Suzanne grew up in Westport, and graduated from Staples High School.
Westport Department of Human Services director Elaine Daignault did not know that when she learned about the Yellow Tulip Project, and brought it to Staples’ Teen Awareness Group. She’s an advisor to TAG, a student-led group that takes a realistic, impactful role in trying to reduce teens’ risky behavior, and promote personal and shared responsibility.
TAG loved the project’s message about instilling hope. They bought 500 tulips.
Inspired by Julia’s story, TAG looked for locations to plant yellow tulip bulbs. They’d serve as a visual reminder of hope for those dealing with mental health issues.
In November they planted 2 hope gardens. One was at Staples, near the peace pole in the courtyard by the auditorium. The other was at the Senior Center.
TAG members planted tulips in the Staples High courtyard …
“We liked the idea of spreading hope to seniors who may experience isolation, grief and loneliness as they age,” Daignault explains.
“And the kids recognized that our active seniors may also appreciate an inter-generational initiative that encourages the community to talk openly about mental health.”
Senior Center director Wendy Petty and program specialist Jason Wilson suggested using the dormant winter garden, to protect the bulbs from deer.
Jason helped prepare the soil, and gave TAG members “the confidence to get a little dirty,” Daignault says.
… and, with help from Jason Wilson (rear), at the Senior Center.
It was only then — after talking with Senior Center member Dorothy Fox — that Daignault learned of her daughter Suzanne and granddaughter Julia’s Westport connection.
TAG members plan a small dedication ceremony today (Friday) at 3 p.m., when the blooms look their best.
The timing works well too, because TAG is preparing for Staples’ Get Real Day on May 8. It’s a school-wide focus on mental health and substance abuse awareness.
“The Yellow Tulip Project’s Hope Garden is another way TAG hopes to encourage open conversation about wellness, and spread awareness about available resources,” Daignault says.
“Next year we’ll try to build some programming around the initiative. But for now, we’re just thrilled to spread some light and cheer this spring.”
Westport Center Senior’s “Hope Garden,” in bloom.
(“06880” covers Westport’s youth, seniors, and everyone in between. If you enjoy our hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
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.
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!”
“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.)
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!)
Sometimes students can’t see the connection between a classroom, and the real world.
For 4 Staples High School juniors who took Dr. Humphrey Wong’s 3D Engineering and Design course, nothing could be clearer.
Or more life-changing.
Two years ago, Hugo Jacques, Sebastian Rodriguez, Jacob Rybchin and Preston Siroka were second semester freshmen. Passionate about engineering, they were fascinated to learn that prosthetic arms could be produced by a 3D printer.
Clockwise, from upper left: Preston Siroka, Hugo Jacques, Jacob Rybchin, Sebi Rodriguez.
It’s a low-cost solution to a high-tech problem. And when they heard from Dr. Wong about e-NABLE — an online community of 40,000 volunteers from over 100 countries who use 3D printers to make prosthetic upper limb devices for children and adults — they knew they had to help.
The teenagers formed Staples’ e-NABLE Club. They became part of the international network, with help from the Yale University chapter.
But there was one big problem: Staples’ 3D printer.
It’s slow. It’s not always reliable. It’s used by many people.
Printing a prosthetic hand is more intricate than most projects. A single error means the entire process must begin again.
One view of a 3D-printed prosthetic hand …
So Hugo, Sebastian, Jacob and Preston vowed to buy their own printers.
3D printers cost $300 to more than $3,000. The least expensive filament is $20 a roll; carbon is more.
Club members — there are now more than 20 young men and women — began fundraising the usual way: bake sales.
They are passionate about their work.
“A traditional prosthetic can cost up to $50,000,” says Sebi, who in addition to e-NABLE is president of Staples’ Pre-Med Club, and runs track. “These are much cheaper. We’re giving back in an innovative, creative way.”
… and another.
Through e-NABLE, volunteers find children, veterans and others. Some have functioning wrists; others need full arms.
Volunteers use software to create a design based on an individual’s needs, then print the prosthetic. There can be 20 different pieces to print; they are then fitted together, with wires and screws.
The entire process takes anywhere from a week to a month. The actual printing process takes many hours.
“I always knew I wanted to do something with engineering, and learn CAD (computer-aided design),” says Jacob, who also plays soccer and rugby.
“This is a way to make something that can change someone’s world.”
Staples’ e-NABLE Club. Advisor Dr. Humphrey Wong kneels in front, 2nd from left.
Hugo — who in his spare time is a saber fencer — appreciates the chance to “make a big impact without being in a big company.”
Right now, club members are preparing to create 2 prosthetic hands, before spring break.
They’re also raising money. They need reliable printers, and materials. They’ve created a GoFundMe page, and seek support. Click here to help.
But, they note, “this isn’t just about money. It’s about giving someone a hand (literally). It’s about being part of a community that’s all about using our passion for a great cause.”
(Click here for the Staples e-Nable Facebook page. Click here for their Instagram. To learn more about e-NABLE — including inspiring success stories — click here.)
Twenty-eight people — 27 teenager rowers and 1 coach — were thrown into the water off Compo Beach late yesterday afternoon, when glass water suddenly turned rough.
But a mass casualty was averted, thanks to the quick and coordinated efforts of first responders from several towns.
Westport Police Chief Foti Koskinas and Deputy Fire Chief Nick Marsan described the dramatic rescues last night, at a police headquarters press conference that drew media from as far as New York.
What Koskinas called “a very serious incident with a very good outcome” began around 5 p.m. A Saugatuck Rowing Club athlete called 911, reporting that boats had capsized and there were people in the water.
Westport Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Service responders raced to Compo. They found a “chaotic” scene, Koskinas said, with a number of young rowers clinging to boats, between the beach and Cockenoe Island. Others were swimming to shore.
The 3 60-foot rowing sculls — with 9 boys, ages 14 to 18, in each — had been swamped when calm weather suddenly turned very windy. Two of them capsized.
Just an hour before the near-tragedy, Alli DiVincenzo took a photo of the Saugatuck Rowing Club boat on calm water.
Some swam to a much smaller launch boat, manned by a coach. Another launch boat soon arrived.
As the young rowers clung to the first launch boat, it too overturned.
The water temperature was 44 degrees. The air temperature was 40.
The Westport Fire Department sent trained dive personnel. Fairfield, Norwalk and Stamford marine units soon arrived to assist. So did the US Coast Guard. There were 8 ambulances on the scene too.
Assistant Fire Chief Matthew Cohen immediately established a command post.
The Fire Department’s inflatable vessel brought 6 victims to shore. The Westport Police Marine boat brought 6 more to Ned Dimes Marina. First responders assisted other victims as they reached the beach on their own.
The chaotic scene yesterday at Compo Beach. (Photo/Larry Hoy)
Emergency personnel initially believed 25 people were involved. The number was raised to 29. Several of the young rowers had reached shore, and gone in to nearby homes to warm up and shower.
Eventually, all were found, and matched with lists of those who had been on the water.
Responders remained at the scene for an extra hour after the last rower was removed from the water at 6 p.m.. They made sure no one was still unaccounted for.
Norwalk Hospital was advised to prepare for a mass casualty event. Ultimately, only 2 young rowers required medical attention there, for hypothermia.
“The weather changed so quickly,” said Weston High School junior Davis Evans, a 4-year Saugatuck Rowing Club athlete.
“The water was glassy. Then it suddenly got windy. Two- to 3-foot swells crashed into the boat. That was really scary.”
Davis Evans describes the dramatic events. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Three hours after the rescue, he said, “it still hasn’t really sunk in yet.”
But, he noted, his fellow rowers remained calm. “I was really impressed by how mature everyone was.” He cited Alex Vogt, the coach on the launch boat that overturned, as “the reason everything worked out okay.”
Westport Public Schools quickly sent a bus to Compo. The rowers warmed up there, then were transported to the Saugatuck Rowing Club to be reunited with families.
“It was an incredible team effort,” Koskinas said. “The most important thing is that all 29 people are safe tonight with their families.”
“As the mother of 3 athletes, I can’t imagine the range of emotions today,” 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker said.
Noting that 2nd Selectwoman Andrea Moore had a daughter who rowed with the Saugatuck Club, Tooker added, “We hope that all the kids and families feel safe, and well taken care of, tonight.”
She thanked “this amazing leadership team. We are so blessed to have such a professional group of Fire, Police and EMS first responders.”
Police Chief Foti Koskinas describes the events, at last night’s press conference. Behind him are (from left) Deputy Police Chief Ryan Paulsson Deputy Fire Chief Nick Marsan, Westport Police Lieutenant Eric Woods, Assistant Fire Chief Matt Cohen, EMS Deputy Director Marc Hartog and EMS’ Rick Baumblatt. (Photo/Dan Woog)
“You can’t really prepare for something like this,” said Evans, the Weston High rower.
“We practice 6 days a week, from 3 to 6 p.m. We were out that far because the water was really nice. There was no sense of bad weather, until it was there.
“You don’t think something like this can happen to you — until it does.”
But, he said, he will be back on the water soon.
“This is my sport.”
Koskinas said that an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
(Assistance was provided by the Fairfield Police Marine Division, Stamford Police Marine Division, Norwalk Fire Boat, Norwalk Police Marine Division, Norwalk Fire Marine Division and US Coast Guard. Eight ambulances and 20 personnel were provided by Norwalk Hospital, American Medical Response and Darien EMS.)
Westport’s next Hazardous Waste Day is Saturday, April 13 (9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Greens Farms railroad station).
The free program enables residents of Westport, Norwalk, New Canaan, Darien, Stamford and Greenwich to safely dispose of household hazardous wastes.
Residents of those towns may bring these types of hazardous waste: gasoline, kerosene, spray paint, paint strippers, paint thinners, solvents, paints, stains, turpentine, varnishes, wood preservatives, degreasers, fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, bleach, charcoal lighter, cleaning chemicals, drain cleaners, mercury thermometers, moth balls, pet flea shampoos, photo chemicals, rug shampoos, spot removers, art supplies and paints.
Make sure items are clearly labeled.
Never mix chemicals!
Keep products in their original labeled containers.
Place leaky containers in clear plastic bags.
Tighten lids of all containers, and pack items in sturdy cardboard boxes lined with paper.
Put boxes in the trunk or in back of the vehicle, away from passengers.
Leave pets and children home when bringing hazardous materials for collection.
This is the first Hazardous Waste Day of 2024, so lines may be long.
Westport residents may recycle antifreeze, motor oil, batteries of any type, light bulbs and electronics at the transfer station on the Sherwood Island Connector, weekdays from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Saturdays from 7 a.m. to noon.
The following items are NOT acceptable: ammunition, flares, commercial hazardous waste.
The Westport Country Playhouse has hosted many big names.
On May 19, it adds another: Bernadette Peters.
The stage, film and television actor and singer has won 4 Emmy Awards, 3 Tonys, and a Golden Globe. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Peters just finished a successful West End debut in “Old Friends,” celebrating the life and work of Stephen Sondheim.
Tickets for the evening of song are $250 and $175. All proceeds benefit live theater at the Playhouse. Click here to purchase, and for more information.
The Long Lots School Building Committee meets tonight (Thursday, March 14, 6 p.m., Town Hall Room 309).
Two items on the agenda:
Executive discussion to discuss Request for Quote submissions, with invited candidates.
Public comment and/or questions, as time allows.
Discussion continues, on a new Long Lots Elementary School.
Meanwhile, next Monday (March 18, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall auditorium), 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker will present the town budget for fiscal year 2024-25 to the Board of Finance.
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A large crowd filled Mitchells of Westport for last night’s meet-and-greet with University of Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma, and his team.
Among the attendees: Emily Bernier. She wore her UConn shirt. Meeting the legendary Auriemma was fun — and so was posing with her idol, Paige Bueckers:
The event was a fundraiser for Bleeding Blue for Good, the organization that provides name, image, likeness opportunities for Husky athletes.
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There is no limit on beach sticker sales to people who live in Westport and Weston.
However, only 450 stickers are sold to folks living anywhere else.
Those non-resident sales began yesterday, online and in person.
The photo below shows the woman (on the right) who purchased the first non-resident sticker.
She looks delighted.
Like the rest of us, she can’t wait to shed her coat, and — starting May 1 — put that sticker to good use.
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Registration is open for a slew of Wakeman Town Farm classes and events, for children and adults.
They include:
Kids’ spring classes
Kids’ summer camp
Kids’ Easter and Passover cooking (April 26, 4:15 to 6 p.m., ages 6-12)
Backyard chicken-keeping (April 4 and 25, May 9, 6:30 p.m.)
Canning class: jams and pickles (April 30, 6:15 p.m.).
Click here for details and registration information.
Want to raise chickens? Wakeman Town Farm will teach you.
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Jill Dunn‘s speed dating events are attracting big crowds.
And some great success stories.
The next are on Tuesday (March 19, Walrus Alley).
There are actually 2: one of people in the 30s-40s range (7 p.m.), the other for singles 55+ (5 p.m.).
Space is available for all (particularly for “great men” in the older group).
Click here for tickets to next Tuesday’s events. Click here for more news and information for singles.
Last week, “06880” reported that Nate Colman and Jonah Rothlein’s documentary was one of 15 finalists for C-SPAN’s Student Cam contest.
Now it’s official: the Weston High School students’ story about Morad Tahbaz, a Weston resident held in an Iranian prison for 6 years, won the grand prize.
The young filmmakers will receive $5,000 — and “Innocents Held Hostage” will air on C-SPAN on April 21 (6:50 a.m., then throughout the day).
You can see it now — just click below:
The network received over 1,600 entries, from 42 states and Washington DC.
Westport is a town of people who love to read. Now, you can help select the next winner of the Westport Prize for Literature.
The Westport Prize needs readers to help vet manuscripts for its 2024 honor, to be awarded in conjunction with this fall’s StoryFest.
Readers will read 2 or 3 manuscripts, then submit feedback via an online form. Those results will help determine the finalists that advance to an independent jury.
The Westport Prize for Literature honors “an original work of fiction that explores issues in contemporary society. Last year’s winner was Zadie Smith, for The Fraud.
Westport residents interested in being a reader for this year’s prize should click here.
Last year’s winner of the Westport Prize for Literature.
The Greenfield Hill Grange is in Fairfield. But Westporter Cornelia Olsen is very involved.
And Westport resident/composter/self-described “trash picker” James Flint is the speaker at fundraiser there. Proceeds will help pay for a new roof on the beautiful Queen Anne building.
“Recycling Revisited” (March 23, noon) is a luncheon and panel discussion for “gardeners, farmers, eaters and waste generators.”
Speakers will offer updates on what’s in and out in the recycling world; the solid waste crisis in Connecticut, and what local residents can do about it all.
Tickets are $20, and include a tuna or egg salad sandwich, beverage and dessert. RSVP by March 20; call Cornelia: 203-571-8673.
Rebel & Rose Tattoo Studio celebrates its second anniversary March 2 (noon to 6 p.m., 155 Post Road East).
Women vendors — Mica Blaise, Candle Caboodle, Hemma Kitchen, Jeweled Coquette and Rebel Daughter Cookies — will be featured. Light bites, tarot cards and more, too.
“06880” has partnered with the Drew Friedman Community Arts Center to help the next generation of artists develop their talents.
They’re offering $5,000 worth of scholarships. But the deadline is soon: February 29.
The grants will go to current high school seniors with financial need who want to pursue an arts education at any level — university, community college or an arts school. All Westport 12th graders are eligible, no matter where they currently attend school.
The DFCAC is funding the scholarships. It was founded by Friedman — the downtown property owner, restauranteur (Onion Alley, Cobb’s Mill Inn, Stonehenge Inn) and philanthropist whose first wife Bobbie was an accomplished artist.
Students who currently participate in art classes or art activities should send up to 8 digital images (JPEGs) of their work. It can be any medium — photography, painting, sculpture, drawing, digital art, or other.
Applicants should also submit a statement of up to 300 words describing the value of art in their life, and the world at large.
Send images and the statement (or any questions) to info@DrewFriedmanCommunityArtsCenter.org (subject line: “2024 Scholarship”).
Submissions will be evaluated by an independent panel of professional artists. Awards will be announced by the end of March, with the winners’ work posted on “06880.”
Drew Friedman Community Arts Center representatives Miggs Burroughs and Nick Visconti (far right) and then-1st Selectman Jim Marpe congratulate previous arts scholarship winners.
Every year, the Staples High School boys swim and dive team hosts a Swim-a-thon. Members swim lengths of the pool; they ask relatives, friends, neighbors and businesses to pledge money per lap, or make a flat donation.
Funds go toward transportation, equipment, and the team banquet.
This year’s event is March 1 (3 to 5 p.m.). Click here to pledge or donate.
Trumpeter Frank London headlines this week’s Jazz at the Post (Thursday, February 22, VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner begins at 7 p.m.; $20 music cover, $15 for students and veterans).
Jazz at the Post Rounder Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall says London “tears down the walls of parochial practices of old and new jazz, swing, bop, klezmer, gypsy, Baltic, Cuban, West African and many other musical genres. He creates community across the globe.”
Wall and London were partners in Hasidic New Wave, which combined traditional Jewish celebratory music with downtown jazz, funk and “improvised mayhem.” They currently play together in Zion80, which mixes avant jazz and Afro beat.
London and Wall will be joined by pianist Roberta Piket, bassist Hilliard Greene and drummer Greg Borrows.
Reservations are strongly suggested: JazzatthePost@gmail.com.
And finally … on this date in 1877, Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.
(From Dunville’s and a tattoo shop, to jazz and the Bolshoi, “06880” is where Westport meets the world. If you enjoy “06880,” please support us by clicking here. Thank you!)
As pressure mounts on young athletes to be more competitive than ever, Sebastian Little says: Enough!
The leadership coach — who works with clients in MLB, the NBA and NHL, and is in his 3rd year as Yale University football’s performance coach — will speak on a Westport Public Schools and Westport Together panel called “For the Love of the Game: How Parents Can Promote Successful Athletes on and Off the Field.”
The session — for parents and coaches — will offer insights and strategies into “balancing competition with compassion and growth with enjoyment.”
The event is March 5 (7 p.m., Bedford Middle School auditorium). Click here to register.
Members enjoy pre-sales, discounts and more for specially ticketed events. Shows announced so far include
May 25: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong | Andy Frasco & The UN | Dogs in a Pile
June 1: Couch (free)
June 8: Keb’ Mo’
June 16: The Wood Brothers
July 5: : moe. Best. Summer. Ever. With Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country and Neighbor
August 17: Andrew Bird, with Amadou & Mariam.
Memberships help subsidize over 50 free shows, all season long. Click here for more information, and membership registration.
Levitt Pavilion (Photo/JC Martin)
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The Westport Library and Representative Town Meeting are looking for candidates to fill vacancies on the Library Board of Trustees.
Candidates must be Westport residents. Skills in management, planning, marketing, finance and law are valued. Candidates with a track record in fundraising and connections within the community are encouraged to apply. Knowledge of public funding, and service on other boards is advantageous.
Trustee appointments typically span 4 years, beginning July 1. Interested candidates should email a resume and letter of interest to rpowell@westportlibrary.org by March 15. Click on the Library’s Strategic Plan and also here for more information.
Westport Police made 2 custodial arrests between February 7 and 14.
A man was arrested for larceny, after video surveillance showed him stealing $137.94 worth of laundry detergent from Stop & Shop.
A man was arrested for evading responsibility (hit and run) and failure to remove a vehicle from a highway, following investigation into a 1-car accident on Easton Road January 6. He hit a telephone pole during a snowstorm, then left while his car remained in the travel portion of the road.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Traveling unreasonably fast: 5 citations
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 3
Failure to obey stop sign: 3
Passing a standing school bus: 2
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 2
Evading responsbility: 1
Speeding: 1
Traveling at unreasonable speed: 1
Traveling at unreasonable speed for conditions: 1
Following too closely: 1
Failure to grant right of way: 1
Failure to remove ice/snow from roof: 1
Illegal use of a handheld device: 1
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 1
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 1.
It’s the law: Connecticut residents must remove snow and ice from car roofs!
Staples High School’s February Students of the Month are seniors Chelsey Oliva and Michael Belpedio, juniors Anna Berrod Cassimatis and Zachary Pardon, sophomores Landon Alswanger and Claire Harris, and freshmen Makayla Hein and Ari Sklar.
Students of the Month “help make Staples High School a welcoming place for their peers and teachers alike. They are the ‘glue’ of the Staples community — the type of kind, cheerful, hard-working, trustworthy students that keep the high school together, making it the special place that it is.”
“Students of the month are nominated by their teachers, who are asked to think of those students who come to school regularly, are friendly to the staff and to fellow students, and make positive contributions in class as well as the Staples community. In short, these students are all-around good citizens of our school.”
February Students of the Month (from left): Anna Berrod Cassimatis, Claire Harris, Chelsey Oliva, Michael Belpedio, Landon Alswanger, Ari Sklar, Zachary Pardon. Missing: Makayla Hein.
As the snow fell on Tuesday, this red-shouldered hawk found a way to escape the flakes — and at the same time, pose for our “Westport … Naturally” feature.
(Photo/Melissa Chang)
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And finally … on this date in 1965,a new red-and-white maple leaf design was adopted as the flag of Canada. It replaced the red ensign banner.
(O Canada! O6880! This blog is where Westport meets the world. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
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Julia’s mother, Suzanne Fox, helped her create an online space to inspire conversations about how to combat the rising tide of suicide. Yellow Tulip Project members speak and conferences, schools and youth events; provide programs, and plant “hope gardens” in the fall that bloom in spring.
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).
