Mi Casa, Your Casa 2.0
Swing Installation in Columbus Park
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August into September
Letter from the Publisher
As summer reaches its peak and families make the most of these long August days, we are delighted to bring you our annual “Kids & Pets” issue.
For the past 3 years, this edition has celebrated two of the greatest sources of joy in our lives: the children and pets who fill our homes with energy, companionship, and unconditional love. In recent years, our coverage has leaned heavily toward our four-legged family members, highlighting everything from pet-friendly lifestyles to inspiring rescue stories. This year, however, we are turning our attention to the other half of that traditionthe remarkable young people who represent the future of our community.
This issue shines a spotlight on kids, with a special focus on the transformative power of music. We are proud to feature the extraordinary work of PROJECT MUSIC, an organization that has been changing lives through access to music education and mentorship. Their mission demonstrates what many parents, educators, and community leaders have long understood: music is more than an art form. It builds confidence, fosters creativity, teaches discipline, and creates connections that can last a lifetime.
Throughout this issue, you'll meet four talented young musicians whose lives have been enriched through music. Their stories remind us that when children are given opportunities to discover their passions, the impact extends far beyond the classroom or rehearsal space. It strengthens families, neighborhoods, and the broader community.
At a time when screens and digital distractions often dominate daily life, it is inspiring to see young people embracing creativity, collaboration, and self-expression through music. Their enthusiasm offers a hopeful reminder of what is possible when talent is nurtured and communities invest in the next generation.
We will also introduce you to the amazing work the Domestic Violence Crisis Center (DVCC) is doing in schools throughout lower Fairfield County to help young children recognize emotions, solve problems peacefully, and understand that violence is not an acceptable way to handle conflict.
Thank you for spending part of your summer with us. We hope this issue inspires you to support the young people in your own life, encourage their interests, and celebrate the many ways they enrich our community.
Warm wishes,
MARTY SHAPIRO, PUBLISHER @STAMFORDCITYLIFESTYLEMAGAZINE
August 2026
PUBLISHER
Marty Shapiro | Marty.Shapiro@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Laurie A. Guzda | laurie.guzda@citylifestyle.com
SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
Eva Glassman
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Sarah Bamford, Tim Sommer, Marty Shapiro, Laurie A. Guzda
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jay Cohen, Angela Strassheim, Laurie A. Guzda
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
President Matthew Perry
COO David Stetler
CRO Jamie Pentz
CoS Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Mary Albers
LAYOUT DESIGNER Meredith Wilson
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Marina Campbell
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Photography: Laurie A. Guzda
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CULINARY• EVENTS • LIFESTYLE
PROJECT Music
PROJECT MUSIC BUILDS CHARACTER, DISCIPLINE, COMMUNITYDEVELOPING OUR FUTURE LEADERS
ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIE A. GUZDA
PROJECT MUSIC is far more than an after-school music program—it is a community that uses music as a catalyst for personal growth, leadership development, and social change.
Founded on the internationally recognized El Sistema model, PROJECT MUSIC provides intensive music education four days a week to students who might otherwise lack access to arts opportunities. Through immersive instruction, mentorship, and performance experiences, students gain far more than musical skills. They develop confidence, discipline, responsibility, communication skills, teamwork, leadership, and a sense of purpose that extends well beyond the rehearsal room.
For Managing Director Rachel Morrow, PROJECT MUSIC is about access and opportunity. Having experienced firsthand how music education shaped her own life and career, she believes every child deserves the chance to discover their potential through the arts. She describes the organization as “empowering,” noting that music serves as a vehicle for building the next generation of leaders.
Founder/Board Chair Joyce DiCamillo calls PROJECT MUSIC “transformative.” A lifelong advocate for music education, she emphasizes that the program’s four-day-per-week model differs dramatically from traditional once-a-week lessons. Students become deeply engaged in their musical studies while benefiting from meaningful relationships with teaching artists who serve as mentors and role models. For Joyce, music education is not a luxury but an essential tool for learning, cognitive development, and personal growth.
Program Director Dr. Pedro Falcón describes PROJECT MUSIC as a community where music becomes a vehicle for discipline, identity, opportunity, and human connection. He believes the organization’s true mission is not simply teaching instruments or preparing concerts, but developing human beings. Through mentorship, emotional growth, cultural connection, and artistic expression, students discover a sense of belonging and possibility.
Together, these leaders share a common belief: music is the tool, but the real outcome is empowered young people equipped to succeed in school, in their communities, and throughout their lives.
ARTICLE BY SARAH BAMFORD @HYBRIDMEDIACOMM
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAY COHEN
“My favorite part of Project Music is the feedback, but also I get to meet a lot of new people.”
- Gracie Borja
The Transformative Power of Music
Gracie Borja
Eleven-year-old Gracie Borja of Stamford, Connecticut has already discovered something many musicians spend years searching for: the joy of performing and the confidence that comes from sharing music with others.
Gracie is a dedicated student at PROJECT MUSIC , a Stamford-based nonprofit youth music program that provides immersive music education, mentorship, and performance opportunities to young people. The organization’s mission is to use the transformative power of music to help students reach their fullest potential while building confidence, creativity, and leadership skills.
Gracie first learned about the program through her sister and cousin, who had participated before her. Curious and excited, she joined and quickly discovered a passion that continues to grow. Now, after three years of playing the violin, she has developed both her musical ability and her confidence performing in front of large audiences.
Her favorite composer is Ludwig van Beethoven and she loves Frank Sinatra, particulaly the song ‘My Way,’ but one of her favorite pieces to play is the lively William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini.
Through PROJECT MUSIC performances, Gracie has had the opportunity to showcase her talent to many community members, including the Mayor of Stamford, who once heard her perform a solo and praised her afterward, telling her she did a really great job. Beyond music, the program has opened doors to friendships and cultural exchange. Gracie has met students from across Fairfield County, Connecticut, and even made friends whose families come from all over the world.
“My favorite part of being involved in PROJECT MUSIC is the feedback after a concert, but also that I get to meet a lot of new people,” Gracie explained.
Gracie credits much of her progress to her teacher, Quan Jiang, whom she describes as very professional and passionate about music. She says he helps students truly understand the music and encourages them to collaborate with one another to improve their sound. Supported by her parents and grandparents, Gracie plans to continue playing the violin for the rest of her life while exploring other instruments like the flute, clarinet, and possibly the piano. Her advice to other young musicians is simple: never give up, and keep going even when challenges arise.
"I feel good about myself when I go over there…it boosts my mood for the day."
-Bryan Ferreras
Bryan Ferreras
Excitement, Kindness, and The Tuba
Article: Tim Sommer
Photography: Angela Stassheim
When a young person plays a song on their phone, they have a friend for a few minutes. When they learn an instrument, they have a friend for life. For Bryan Ferreras, PROJECT MUSIC is a gateway to confidence and a new way of listening.
PROJECT MUSIC has warmly welcomed 15-year-old Bryan Ferreras; in turn, Bryan has confirmed a lifelong relationship with music, and become a happy and talented advocate for this important program.
“I was really excited when I got there,” Bryan says. “The teachers and the kids were so nice, so it was very easy to keep going. I go every weekday except Friday, from two to six, and on Wednesdays I usually help the beginners or just be there for my little brother.”
Bryan has been involved with PROJECT MUSIC for over a year and a half. He’s the only student tuba player in the program. “I feel the role of Tuba is to give a steady bass line and
keep the band on track, so they don’t rush or drag.”
Not only does the program provides extensive practical knowledge, but Bryan finds it also changes the way he hears music. “Now that I play an instrument, when I listen to a song, I can break down what I’m hearing and the sounds or harmonies that are playing over it. I’ve learned to sight read music, too, so I try to find music on the internet that I might not know, and I play it and explore the dynamics.”
Perhaps most importantly, PROJECT MUSIC is providing Bryan with life skills and confidence building that will help him long after his high school years and his time with PROJECT MUSIC has ended. “I feel good about myself when I go over there. I do get told that I did really good on this or that, and it boosts my mood for the day. And when I age out of the program, I’d like to become a teacher there.”
CONTINUED >
“I love the concerts, the summer camps, and of course the food and snacks.”
- Lucas Cosgrave
Lucas Cosgrave
Fearless Young Musician Finds His Voice
Article by: Marty Shapiro
Photos by: Jay Cohen
Stamford’s Lucas Cosgrave blends music, culture, and sports with curiosity and confidence. He is the kind of young talent who seems to move effortlessly between worlds. At just 10 years old, the Stamford resident balances the discipline of music with the spirited energy of childhood.
The middle child of three growing up in Stamford, Lucas carries a sense of cultural richness that informs his artistry. His music director at PROJECT MUSIC , Pedro Falcon, describes him in a single, striking word: “fearless.” It’s a quality that reveals itself in the way Lucas approaches performance—not as something to shy away from, but as a space to explore and express himself.
The flute, often associated with delicacy, becomes something more dynamic in Lucas’s hands. His favorite genres of music are jazz and Halloween songs, “because the music is exciting and spooky”. He brings curiosity to each note. There’s intention in his playing, a sense that he
understands music as both discipline and storytelling.
Lucas loves PROJECT MUSIC because he gets to play with his friends. “It’s really fun to learn together and make music as a group,” said the exuberant Lucas. “I also love the concerts, the summer camps, and of course the food and snacks. I really enjoy the special events we get invited to, like going to different symphony orchestra performances and musicals. Those experiences make it even more exciting and help me learn more about music.”
Outside the rehearsal room, Lucas is every bit the vibrant pre-teen. He has a passion for flag football, a sport that satisfies his competitive spirit and fearlessness. This duality—artist and athlete—makes Lucas particularly compelling. He is not defined by a single path, but rather by the confidence to pursue many.
In a world eager to label and limit, Lucas Cosgrave stands apart. Fearless, indeed—not just in music, but in the way he embraces life itself.
CONTINUED >
"There's more you can learn, more you can achieve, and a better version of yourself you haven't reached yet."
– Isabel Mejia
Isabel Mejia
More Than Music
Article & Photo: Laurie A. Guzda
If you ask Isabel’s closest friends to describe her, three words come to mind: passionate, genuine, and friendly. Spend just a few minutes with her, and it is easy to see why.
Curious by nature and driven by purpose, Isabel is constantly looking for ways to learn, improve, and challenge herself. While she has strong interests in technology and finance, music has become an equally important part of her life—not just as an art form, but as a tool for growth.
That is one reason PROJECT MUSIC has had such a profound impact on her.
“Impactful” is the one word Isabel uses to describe the organization, but its influence reaches far beyond music lessons. Through her experience at PROJECT MUSIC, she has developed discipline, time management skills, confidence in sharing her ideas, and the resilience to face challenges without giving up.
Resilience, in fact, is the quality she values most about herself. “Project Music is more than just learning music,” Isabel says. “It’s a space where people grow, express themselves, and
build confidence through creativity and collaboration.”
Those lessons align perfectly with her outlook on life. Isabel believes growth happens when people push beyond their comfort zones. The best advice she has ever received is one she carries with her every day: “Don’t get too comfortable where you are, because comfort can stop you from growing. Always remind yourself that there’s more you can learn, more you can achieve, and a better version of yourself you haven’t reached yet.”
Looking ahead ten years, Isabel sees herself building expertise in technology and finance, earning and investing wisely, and continuing to learn. Yet she also plans to keep music in her life as a way to express herself and stay connected to her creativity.
Her imagined first album title says it all: More Than Music.
For Isabel, music is not simply something she plays. It is part of a larger journey—one focused on growth, purpose, and making a meaningful impact on the world.
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ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIE A. GUZDA
A VOLUNTEER WITH A DEEP COMMITMENT TO HELPING CHILDREN UNDERSTAND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, COMMUNICATION, EMOTIONAL REGULATION, AND PERSONAL SAFETY.
ELAINE GUGLIELMO
For many people, volunteering begins with a single moment of connection. For this Stamford leader, that connection came through The Domestic Violence Crisis Center’s PeaceWorks program, where Elaine Guglielmo began leading educational sessions in Stamford elementary schools. What started as community service quickly evolved into a deeper commitment to helping children understand healthy relationships, communication, emotional regulation, and personal safety. In 2024,
she expanded her involvement by joining the organization’s Board of Directors while continuing her work as a PeaceWorks volunteer.
Her passion for education and personal growth has been a defining theme throughout her career. After 38 years at Stamford Health, she retired as Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Organization Development. During her tenure, she held multiple leadership positions within Human Resources, helping
guide talent management initiatives, leadership development programs, succession planning, and workplace culture transformation efforts.
With a master’s degree in counseling and certification as a life coach, Elaine has spent decades helping individuals strengthen communication skills, increase leadership effectiveness, and achieve personal growth. Today, that same commitment drives her volunteer work with children.
She believes one of the most important gifts adults can provide young people is the knowledge that they deserve healthy, respectful, and safe relationships. Through PeaceWorks, students learn practical skills that help them navigate challenges, communicate effectively, manage emotions, and build confidence in their own voices.
She also emphasizes the importance of starting these conversations early. Children, she believes, are capable of understanding concepts such as respect, empathy, boundaries, and emotional safety when presented in age-appropriate ways. Equally important is creating opportunities for children to ask questions, express themselves, and feel heard.
Looking ahead, Elaine hopes programs like PeaceWorks can expand beyond a single classroom experience. She envisions stronger follow-up support for both students and educators, ensuring these important lessons continue long after the initial presentation.
Her personal philosophy is simple yet powerful: “Remain hopeful that tomorrow can be better than today.” With caring people, strong support systems, and the right tools, she believes every child can build a brighter future—and PeaceWorks is helping make that future possible.
For more than two decades, the PeaceWorks Youth Education Program at The Domestic Violence Crisis Center has helped children build the foundation for healthy, respectful relationships through prevention-focused education, emotional learning, and interactive classroom experiences. Designed to support students from the earliest grades onward, PeaceWorks teaches practical life skills that help young people manage emotions, communicate effectively, resolve conflict peacefully, and develop healthier relationships throughout their lives.
According to Nikkia Ellis, Manager of Education, Training & Outreach, and Stella Clarke, Chief Development Officer at The Domestic Violence Crisis Center, PeaceWorks is rooted in prevention, emotional learning, and the belief that healthy relationships are learned, practiced, and strengthened over time.
One of the program’s most recognizable educational tools is its long-running puppet show series for Pre-K through 1st grade students. Adapted from the Growing Up Safe curriculum, the shows use storytelling, humor, and engaging characters to teach social-emotional skills in memorable ways. Students meet three animal friends
during their early elementary years: Dandy the Lion in Pre-K, Cool the Penguin in Kindergarten, and Hip the Hippo in 1st grade. Each character reinforces age-appropriate lessons while helping children develop emotional awareness and problem-solving skills.
Programs such as Hip & Cool Learn It’s Okay to Get Angry teach one of PeaceWorks most important lessons: anger itself is not the problem. Rather than discouraging emotions, students learn to recognize feelings and respond thoughtfully instead of impulsively. Through role-playing, puppet interactions, and hands-on activities, children practice the Stop, Take 5 & Think method to manage emotions and make safer choices.
PeaceWorks also helps children understand that conflict is a normal part of life. The focus is not on avoiding disagreements but on learning healthy ways to navigate them through communication, empathy, emotional regulation, and peaceful problem-solving.
Ultimately, PeaceWorks teaches a powerful lesson: every child deserves relationships built on safety, respect, empathy, and healthy communication—and they can learn the skills to create them.
Elaine and Nikkia Ellis engaging students at the South End Library Branch in the Lathon Wider Community Center
• Stamford Skies
• Sesame Street’s One World, One Sky
• Laser Taylor Swift
• Laser Michael Jackson
• Laser Led Zeppelin
• Fractals
• Forward to the Moon
• Habitat Earth
• Messengers of Time & Space
• 5,000 Eyes: Mapping the Universe
TREY & KATIE KENNEDY
ON MARRIAGE, KIDS, AND THE COMEDY OF REAL LIFE
Trey Kennedy makes a living finding comedy in regular life. Marriage. Toddlers. Yoga pants. The Thursday-night scramble between school dropoffs, soccer practice, and whatever has to be done by morning. Twelve years in, it shows: millions of followers across every platform, three stand-up specials, a sold-out Relatable Tour, and a style of humor fans send each other captioned, “Are you watching me?” He delivers the kind of comedy that travels because everyone’s living some version of it.
Katie, his wife of six years, is a former biomedical engineer who also built a modeling career. She’s now raising their kids and co-hosting Correct Opinions alongside Trey — the show where the two of them swap takes on marriage, parenting, and whatever came up that week.
Trey has been at this longer than people realize. An Edmond, Oklahoma kid who grew up playing basketball described himself as a “shy kid who never thought he’d be an entertainer.” He started making videos while attending Oklahoma State University. After building millions of followers on Vine before the platform shut down, he gave himself six months on Instagram and Facebook to see whether he could rebuild from zero. He did. Stand-up soon followed. His first special, Are You For Real?, streams on YouTube; the second, Grow Up, on Amazon Prime; the third, built around the Relatable Tour, wrapped earlier this year. “I’ve been trying to be funny every week for like twelve years now,” he says. A slow climb, made one bit at a time.
ARTICLE BY KALI KASPRZYK
JANIE
“I’ve been trying to be funny every week for like twelve years now.”
Most of what Trey writes lately starts in his own kitchen. Thomas is three and a half, and he is, in his father’s words, “a movie.” He narrates his own life from the moment his eyes open and mispronounces words in ways his parents now repeat to each other because no one else would believe them. His younger sister, Eva, is what Katie calls “the calm one.” With a third now in the mix, the Kennedys are officially outnumbered.
After six years of marriage, Trey and Katie have learned that the partnership runs best when it gets its own time on the calendar. So once a week, they leave the kids with a sitter and go out for coffee. “You need a system,” Katie says. “It’s about taking time to look each other in the eye. Not the kids. Not the cameras. Just each other.”
The same instinct shapes the work. Most of Trey’s trial and error happens onstage or on Instagram, but the first read is always Katie’s. “There’s only been one time ever I’ve had to be like, ‘you’re not doing that,’” she says. The rest of the time, she just laughs first.
FEATURING TREY & KATIE KENNEDY
Trey and Katie talk about marriage, parenting, and the moments that don’t make the Instagram feed.
Watch or listen to the full conversation wherever you get your podcasts.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
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