Tag Archives: Rebecca Schussheim

Roundup: Luke Rosenberg, Hiro Wyatt, Rebecca Schussheim …

Posted on June 3, 2023 | 8 comments

Staples High School choral director Luke Rosenberg is leaving Westport.

The much-admired, multi-talented musician has taken a position at Greenwich High School.

He told “06880”: “I am incredibly thankful to Westport for the last 11 years. Shortly before I was hired at Staples, I thought my career as a choral director was over.

“But Westport took a chance on a young teacher, and I was able to continue doing what I love. I will forever be thankful for all that Westport has given me.”

Luke Rosenberg, at the 2019 Pops Concert.

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Hiro is a hero.

Hiro Wyatt — one of the stars of Staples High School’s baseball team — has been named Gatorade Connecticut Baseball Player of the Year.

The honor recognizes outstanding athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character on and off the field. Wyatt is now a candidate for National Gatorade Player of the Year.

The 6-1, 190-pound senior right-handed pitcher and designated hitter posted a 7-0 record with a 0.67 ERA and 90 strikeouts (and just 10 walks) in 41.2 innings pitched. He allowed no runs in 31.1 innings leading into the state “LL” (extra large schools) state tournament.

The Wreckers — seeded 3rd in the state tournament — host #6 South Windsor in today’s quarterfinals (1 p.m.).

Perfect Game’s Number 1 state prospect in the Class of 2023 also hit .359 with 3  home runs, 15 RBI, 18 runs scored and a 1.025 OPS through 20 games.

Wyatt has volunteered with Special Olympics and helped fundraise for the St. Jude’s Children Hospital.

He has a 3.63 weighted GPA in the classroom. He has signed a mational letter of intent to play on scholarship at the University of Southern California this fall.

Previous Gatorade Athlete of the Year honorees include Chad Knight (2019) and Ben Casparius (2017) in baseball, and Kyle Martino (national winner) in soccer, in 1999. (Hat tip: Vince Kelly)

Hiro Wyatt.

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Still at Staples:

Rebecca Schussheim was honored last week, as winner of the Key. It is the high school’s highest honor.

The Class of 2023 salutatorian is co-president of Staples’ Sikorsky STEM challenge team, principal cellist in the Chamber Symphonic Orchestra, and co-captain of the squash team.

She did an Independent Learning Experience in astrophysics, examining galaxy images with a Yale University graduate student. She presented her findings at the International Science Youth Forum in Singapore in January.

The 2 other finalists for the award were musician/actor/youth volunteer James Dobin-Smith, and political activist/club founder Spencer Yim.

Rebecca Schussheim

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And we haven’t left Staples yet:

The jazz combo plays an hour-long set this Monday (June 5, 7 p.m., Westport Library). The event is sponsored by the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston.

Band director Phil Giampietro will talk about the Staples jazz program, and answer questions.

The Staples High School Jazz Ensemble, with director Phil Giampietro (front right).

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Speaking of the Y’s Men: If it seems like they’re everywhere, it’s because they are.

Molly Alger joined several members of the very active social group yesterday, on an in-town hike near Winslow Park. She photographed them crossing the bridge over Deadman Brook, by Evergreen Cemetery.

Very wisely for walking in Westport, they wore very visible bright colors.

From left: Jay Dirnberger, Peter Donovan, Baxter Urist, Joel Wasserman, Dick Sallick, Larry Lich. (Photo/Molly Alger)

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Westport Police Chief Foti Koskinas headed to New Haven on Thursday.

He joined a small group of Connecticut Police Chiefs who met Attorney General Merrick Garland and Connecticut US Attorney Vanessa Avery. The discussion included crime trends, fentanyl deaths, addressing juvenile offenders and resources at the federal level.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland (front row, 3rd from left), Connecticut US Attorney Vanessa Avery (front row, 4th from left) and Westport Police Chief Foti Koskinas (back row, far right).

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Speaking of law enforcement:

The man accused of illegally squatting at Cobb’s Mill Inn is in jail, on an unrelated charge.

Connecticut Insider reports that Anthony Villano was ordered locked up by a judge in Milford Superior court, for violating conditions of release for not fully complying with random drug tests. He also allegedly removed his GPS anklet.

Eight charges against Villano include drunken driving, trying to fraudulently sell a Post Road property, and stealing a vehicle he once owned from the Milford Police Department impound lot.

Click here for the full story.

Cobb’s Mill Inn.

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Westport’s newest landmark — the Pride crosswalk at Taylor Place and Jesup Road — has drawn raves since it was installed early Thursday morning.

Here’s how it looks from a drone:

(Drone photo/Brandon Malin)

Westporters can see it from ground level tomorrow (Sunday, June 4, noon to 4 p.m.). The 3rd annual Pride festival at Jesup Green includes music, speakers, kids’ activities and more. The public is invited, and welcome.

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The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics made its way through Westport yesterday afternoon.

Police officers from several towns took part, before the opening of the Special Olympics Connecticut Summer Games. The “Flame of Hope” was passed along at each town line in the area.

The run ended at Fairfield University, where the Summer Games opening ceremony will take place.

Special Olympics Torch Run on the Post Road, at the Sherwood Island Connector. (Photo/Dan Woog)

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The Westport Book Shop’s June Artist of the Month is Sally VanDevanter Her colorful abstract and figurative acrylic and oil paintings, done with cold wax, are on display throughout June.

VanDevanter has a background in advertising, working as an art director at Saatchi & Saatchi, and in art book production management for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

She studied at the Art Students League of New York, the School of Visual Arts in New York, and the Cocoran School of Art in Washington.  She holds an MA in organizational psychology from Columbia University’s Teachers College, and a BA in art history and psychology from the University of Virginia. 

All pieces on display are available for purchase.

Sally VanDevanter

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Peonies and daisies decorate Tracy Porosoff’s driveway on Compo Parkway.

Today’s forecast is for much cooler and cloudier weather than yesterday. Her “Westport … Naturally” image brightens our weekend considerably.

(Photo/Tracy Porosoff)

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And finally … Cynthia Weil died Thursday in Beverly Hills, She was 82.

With her writing partner and husband, Barry Mann, she wrote some of the most memorable songs of the rock and pop era. One — the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feelin'” — was cited by BMI as the most played song on radio and television of the 20th century,

Click here for a full obituary. Click below for a few of her songwriting classics.

(From Staples High School to downtown — and everywhere else in Westport and Weston — “06880” has you covered. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

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Lucia Wang, Rebecca Schussheim Lead Staples Class Of ’23

Posted on April 24, 2023 | 1 comment

Lucia Wang and Rebecca Schussheim did not set out to earn the highest grades in Staples High School’s Class of 2023.

But by taking challenging classes they were interested in, working hard in the classroom and beyond, and working collaboratively with teachers and classmates, they did.

Along the way, they also participated in a variety of clubs and activities, both in school and outside, as leaders and “doers.”

Which is why Lucia is valedictorian, and Rebecca salutatorian, for this year’s senior class.

Lucia’s Westport education began in 4th grade, at Saugatuck Elementary School. Fifth grade teacher Peter von Euler encouraged her writing. At Bedford Middle she was editor-in-chief of Ursus, the school paper, and worked on the literary magazine.

She continued writing at Staples, but her focus shifted. Lucia is now editor-in-chief of the high school’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) journal. She contributes articles on the environment, noting that the planet is at a climate tipping point.

She also earned honorable mention in the New York Times’ annual STEM Writing contest, for a story on crumbling Indonesian cave art.

Lucia Wang

Her Advanced Placement science courses, like Biology with Dr. Michele Morse-Gaudio and Chemistry with Will Jones, were meaningful.

But so were classes like AP Language and Composition with Meghan Scheck, US Government with Suzanne Kammerman, and Contemporary World Studies with Cathy Schager.

Despite her STEM interests, one of Lucia’s most important extracurricular activities was Model UN Club. It’s been helpful, she says, for her writing and public speaking skills. She has learned to work with “crisis committees,” think on her feet and develop solutions.

Tennis helps Lucia decompress. A 2-year varsity player, in a program that last year reached the FCIAC finals, she finds the sport gives balance to her week. She says, “I love competing, and the entire tennis community.”

For her senior internship, she’ll continue work begun earlier at the Yale University School of Public Health, studying the intersection of public health and the environment.

That interest helped spark a National History Day project. Lucia researched Minamata disease, a Japanese public health and pollution crisis that caused thousands of deaths. Her work earned her a second place prize, in national competition.

But, Lucia says, her most important activity has nothing to do with school. She is the social media director for Dear Asian Youth (DAY), an international activist organization with 200 chapters in 18 countries.

She oversees several platforms, including Instagram with over 100,000 followers. Lucia works with young people around the globe, in areas like writing, graphics and video.

She has also been a Staples representative to the Asia Pacific Young Leaders Summit and Normandy International Youth Leadership Summit.

The exchange of ideas at those events and through DAY, along with opportunities to learn about different cultures and perspectives, excites her. It’s what she looks forward to in college too.

Locally, Lucia has made an impact through her volunteer work at the Westport Museum of History and Culture. She spent hours working with the collection of Sigrid Schultz, the female reporter, social justice activist and longtime Westporter.

Lucia’s advice to younger students is: “Explore lots of classes. Try activities outside of school. Find your own passion and joy. Everyone has a different story. What’s yours?”

Like Julia’s, Rebecca’s resume sparkles with a broad array of courses and activities.

The salutatorian (whose sister Emily was valedictorian in 2017, and brother Benji was salutatorian in 2020) attended Coleytown Elementary School, where orchestra leader Jim Andrews introduced to her lifelong love, the cello. Some CES musicians still play with her at Staples. Eileen Shannon was Rebecca’s next musical influence, at Coleytown Middle.

She is now principal cellist for the Chamber Symphonic Orchestras. Conductors Carrie Mascara and Jeri Hockensmith are “super engaging,” she says. “They create bonds.”

Playing beautiful music is “a great way to break up the day.” Highlights of her Staples career include the traditional Candlelight and Pops concerts.

Academically Rebecca chose an Independent Learning Experience in astrophysics. She and a graduate student at Yale examined early galaxy images from the James Webb Space Telescope,  searching for patterns. Most of their fellow researchers were grad students, and professors.

In January she presented her findings at the International Science Youth Forum, in Singapore. It was a chance to meet, and share ideas with, students from around the world.

Rebecca Schussheim

Another outlet for Rebecca’s passion is the Sikorsky STEM Challenge. She is co-president of Staples’ chapter. They’re building a helicopter, for entry in the state competition.

“It’s very self-directed. There’s a lot of trial and error,” Rebecca explains. “If something doesn’t work, we put our heads together to figure out why.”

Rebecca cites David Scrofani – her instructor for AP Physics C, AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science A, and with whom she worked on the James Webb project – as an important influence.

She surprised herself by loving AP English Language and Composition, with Noreen McGoldrick. “I’m a STEM kid, so I was nervous,” she admits. “But she gives great feedback. We read a lot of genres. She really helped me with thinking and writing. That class was a gift.”

Rebecca also enjoyed Multivariable Calculus with Robert Papp, Calculus BC with Jonathan Watnick, AP Statistics with Phil Abraham, and US History with Drew Coyne.

At Staples Rebecca has learned how to prioritize activities, and make time for friends. Many of those friends come from squash. She has played since third grade, and co-captains Staples’ girls team.

“It’s a physically and mentally demanding sport,” Rebecca notes. “There’s lots of tactics, with all the angles. You need stamina, because of all the short lunges and sprints. Plus, there’s always something new to learn.’

Already strong bonds were tightened during this winter’s’ trip to the national tournament in Philadelphia.

Becoming salutatorian is really “just a number,” she says. “There are so many great courses at Staples, and so many kids doing so many things. GPAs don’t tell the whole story.

“Grades are important. But more important is passion, and leading a balanced life.”

Rebecca was accepted early action at Yale. She may major in physics or astrophysics. But, she says, “I’m open to anything.”

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