The 2024 "Picture This" Student Photo Winners
JONAS K. SEIGEL Partner
JAN K. SEIGEL Partner
August - It's All About Kids & Pets!
August!
For many out there, this is their favorite month: Family vacations, Jersey Shore, my birthday, etc. While I do love all of those, beyond that, August is also my favorite issue of the year…our Kids & Pets Issue and we did not disappoint!
As you read in the main teaser on the cover, we are featuring our winners of the “Picture This 2024” Student Photography Contest. We had over 200 submissions and, just like last year, we have 3 win ners for straight photography and 3 for digitally manipulated photography. We also added an additional winner this year, Cover Photo Winner and that honor goes to Madison Schoeneich, out of Wayne Hills High School for her “Mischievous Monkey” photo.
Speaking of student photographers, we worked with two Wayne Hills student photographers, Collin Russ and Eva Robles, to help bring you the photos in our City Scene section. These photos captured images of both stoicism and celebration at the Memorial Day Observance Ceremony.
We also brought you a story about our local School Of Rock, the only school your kids would want to go to over the summer.
Not to be forgotten in our Kids & Pets Issue would be the truly pampered ones in most households…the pets! They get to enjoy the summer too: lots of running around, vacations, and even swimming. Well, a lot of them are going to hurt after all of that exercise and some will need help easing their current pains so they can enjoy the summer the way they deserve. That is where our story about Johanna Parisi comes in. Johanna owns the Acu Lounge right in Riverdale. Many of you know her for the amazing acupuncture work she does on us mere humans but Johanna added another certified service to her business…Canine Acupuncture! I witnessed this firsthand at our photo shoot and was amazed at how utterly relaxed her canine patients were the entire time. The dogs loved it and seemed to be bouncing around with ease afterward.
We had so much centered around our kids and pets this issue that we even made the pain-STEAK-ing decision to leave out our food recipe (that was a not-sosubtle hint as to what that recipe was about)!
As you go through August, try to stick your feet in the sand somewhere or fly a kite, play some cornhole, celebrate my birthday or whatever else you may do… just appreciate the joy of the next generation being around you.
Now go and live your August to the fullest!
PHILLIP BARONE, PUBLISHER
PUBLISHER
Phillip Barone | phillip.barone@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Don Seaman | don.seaman@citylifestyle.com
INTERN
Zach Gilbert | wayne@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Don Seaman, Alessandra Guarneri
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
John Agnello, Avery Voinov, Alejandro Gomez, Victoria Kragiel, Noa Turro, Aidan McKay, Madison Schoeneich, Eva Robles, Collin Russ, Angelo Sandy, Charlie Corletta
Corporate Team
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Andrew Sapad
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsi Southard Learn
city scene
WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
1: Wayne Hills student photographer Collin Russ captures the Memorial Day Observance Ceremony. 2: Wayne Township's Police Color Guard kicked off the ceremony. 3: Wayne Mayor Chris Vergano helped lead the observance. 4: Rain couldn't stop this year's ceremony, held at Veteran's Memorial Park in Wayne. 5: Roughly 100 gatherers were on hand to help honor our fallen hero soldiers. 6: Eva Robles, a Wayne Hills student photographer, helps remind us what our soldiers fought for. 7: Anthony Wayne American Legion Post 174 once again hosted the observance ceremony.
COLLIN RUSS
COLLIN RUSS
COLLIN RUSS
COLLIN RUSS
Siding
CANINE ACUPUNCTURE MIGHT BE EXACTLY WHAT YOUR FURRY BEST FRIEND NEEDS
Pets In Pain?
ARTICLE BY ALESSANDRA GUARNERI | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN AGNELLO
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“Treatment requires consistency and frequency, especially at the beginning.”
Whether you’re slumped over in an office chair all day or battling chronic arthritis, it’s easy for grueling aches and pains to completely take over your body. Luckily, your local acupuncturist or chiropractor is just a call away - but what about when our furry friends’ bodies feel out of whack? Asking for help isn’t so easy!
Pet owners are constantly trying to address their pets’ medical concerns with expensive visits to the vet and countless at-home remedies, but there's another solution: canine acupuncture.
Johanna Parisi, a certified acupuncturist and owner of the Acu Lounge in Riverdale, is introducing a new way to help alleviate the pain your furry companion may be experiencing with this special treatment. In addition to helping treat chronic pain issues in dogs, it can also help with anxiety and allergies.
Up until now, canine acupuncture had been governed by veterinarians, but there is now a new certification acupuncturists can receive to tap into the industry.
Parisi recently received her certification in canine acupuncture from the Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture in Phoenix, Arizona, and is one of few people certified in New Jersey to perform this treatment.
“I found out about the program through an acupuncturist friend and knew it was something that I wanted to do,” Parisi reveals.
Parisi started her career working at multiple spinal rehabilitation facilities in the local area and has specialized in orthopedic pain for the past several years. She opened The Acu Lounge in 2023.
Due to the newness of canine acupuncture, a New Jersey resident needs a prescription or referral from a
licensed veterinarian in order to treat dogs at her center despite her extensive experience and certification.
There are a lot of questions that come with those interested in pursuing this treatment for their pups. Many ask how acupuncturists know the dog feels better or is responding well to the treatment.
The answer - it’s unlike typical acupuncture performed on humans. “We don’t put dogs on a table where they can’t get down,” Parisi explains. “We do the treatment on the floor. Once the dog gets up and shakes the needles out or tries to pull them out, the treatment is done.”
She notes that a good reaction to the treatment is a “release.” “This could be anything from a yawn to a fart or...more. A lot of dogs will get up and move their bowels right after,” Parisi adds.
Treatment can last anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, depending on the dog and the issue being treated. In terms of how many sessions each pet needs, it depends upon the dog and the condition you are attempting to treat.
In addition to the physical treatment, Parisi is also passionate about educating pet parents on what they can do to help their four-legged friends at home.
“It’s not just heavy activity and genetics that can cause issues with dogs, you have to look at the whole picture - like diet,” Parisi clarifies.
If your dog’s tail wagging is lacking, it’s time to head over to The Acu Lounge and let Johanna Parisi work her magic.
The Acu Lounge is at 3 Mullen Ave, Riverdale. To get more information for both humans and pets, call Johanna at 862-340-1247 or visit acupuncturebyjohanna.com
Gorgeous Community.
“Awash In The Sunset”, Avery Voinov, Straight Photography, Wayne Valley High School
“PICTURE THIS” 2024
The Winners Of Our Second Annual Student Photo Contest Are...
We’re proud to share with you the winners of Wayne Lifestyle’s Second Annual “Picture This” Student Photography Contest. There were more than 200 submissions this year, and each and every one of them was remarkable. Our panel had a hard time selecting the very best – the talent pool of these student photographers is an incredibly deep one.
Like last year’s contest, there were two separate categories: Straight Photography and Digitally Manipulated Photography. Additionally, we added in a Cover Photo Winner this year. The contest is open to any student age 14+ who lives or attends the school districts within Wayne, Montville, Fairfield, or Towaco.
THIS YEAR’S WINNERS WERE:
Cover Photo Winner: Madison Schoeneich, Wayne Hills, “Mischievous Monkey”
Straight Photography:
• Avery Voinov, Wayne Valley, “Awash in the Sunset”
• Alejandro Gomez, Wayne Hills, “A Leap of Reflection”
• Victoria Kragiel, Wayne Hills, “Mystic Caves”
Digital Manipulated Photography:
• Alejandro Gomez, Wayne Hills, “Suited Illusion”
• Noa Turro, Wayne Valley, “Reading is a Portal”
• Aidan McKay, Wayne Valley, “The Beginning of the End”
Wayne Lifestyle salutes all of the participants in this year’s contest.
ARTICLE BY DON SEAMAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LOCAL STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY
“Mystic Caves”, Victoria Kragiel, Straight Photography, Wayne Hills High School
“Reading Is A Portal”, Noa Turro, Digitally Manipulated Photography, Wayne Valley High School
“A Leap Of Reflection”, Alejandro Gomez, Straight Photography, Wayne Hills High School
“Suited Illusion”, Alejandro Gomez, Digitally Manipulated Photography, Wayne Hills High School
“The Beginning Of The End”, Aidan McKay, Digitally Manipulated Photography, Wayne Valley High School
MUSIC ISN’T JUST A STAGE
ARTICLE BY DON SEAMAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGELO SANDY, CHARLIE CORLETTA
The School of Rock Gives Kids
A Chance At Their Rock and Roll Dreams
What would you say if I told you that there’s a school that your kid would actually want to attend? Well, there is one right in Wayne, and it’s easily the coolest spot in town for kids who want to learn music.
If you’re not sure, we’re talking about the School of Rock.
For adults of a certain age and inclination, dreaming of being a rock star was a quixotian affair. The chances of ultimate success were negligible, but the dream was worth it. Face it – if you were in a band, you were cool . But you were on your own to figure out everything.
That’s where School of Rock kicks in hard. Their instructors are all established working musicians who have done it. They know the process of playing, gigging, and everything that goes into maximizing your talent. And the kids that go there are talented .
“I like to call it ‘finding their tribe’,” explains General Manager Charlie Corletta. “We strive to not only produce confident and inspiring musicians through our programs and classes but we are in the business of enriching lives. For some, School of Rock is a safe space where they can develop a sense of community and belonging while carving out an identity for themselves. For others, SoR is the path from the lesson to the stage where they can begin to align their musical dreams and aspirations with real life applicable learning experiences that will set them up for a lifetime of successes on and off the stage.”
That’s right – the goal isn’t just to create dynamite musicians. They know they have an impact on the entirety of their lives. That’s not something that you can glean simply from YouTube videos.
Take Colin for example. He started out teaching himself music through YouTube during the pandemic. His mom signed him up to get him out of his room, alone with his guitar and keyboard, to play music with others. She almost needed to talk him into it. Once there, he “found his tribe.”
The school not only teaches lessons, but it sets kids up together in internal band situations, with local performances as the end result. There, they can show off their skills in front of a crowd, in a professional setting. They also select some of the students to be part of a “house band” that performs publicly for promotional opportunities.
CONTINUED >
I got a chance to talk with Connor, Jake, Logan and Patrick of their house band, and they take this very seriously.
“School of Rock does more than just make me a better musician. It makes me a better performer,” says Connor. “You don’t just sit there and play. Things like stage etiquette, timing, how to get your amp set right, even how to tune your drums (yes, that’s important) – it becomes muscle memory.”
“With vocals, it’s weird because you don’t even know you’re progressing until a couple of months later,” according to Patrick. “I’ve expanded my range into a healthy way of singing with better breath support and it’s all coming together, making it a lot easier vocally.”
Watching them perform, you can see the results. All are multitalented, many playing multiple instruments skilfully, with pro-level stage presence. You can feel Patrick’s intensity and could imagine him fronting a band like Slipknot seamlessly. People like this own the stage, no matter how old they might be.
Performing is the end goal. For most of them, it’s the engagement with the audience and instant feedback that it brings that stands out. Knowing that they can do this and do it well makes the difference. The school hones the skills that they have musically into true entertainers. When students graduate from the program, it makes an impact on the school. During their Spring show at the Debonair Music Hall in Teaneck, Charlie’s pride of these students
was evident. Music is a shared live art form, and seeing their growth and for them to rise beyond what they could’ve imagined is an emotional experience for everyone involved.
“In the words of the Black Crowes, ‘she talks to angels.’ Well, she has the voice of one,” he said of graduating senior, Faith. He undersold her.
By the time they’re ready to move on, these kids know that they’re something special.
For most of them, music isn’t just a hobby. It’s often their dream, an ethereal connection to something deeper.
For a kid like Colin – a naturally shy kid, it’s far more personal.
“I love how music can evoke an emotion just by using abstract concepts of chord progressions, time signatures, subtle things that you discover. They can make emotions in you surface that you never might have expected. It’s how I can express myself, through my playing.”
For kids who may struggle with expressing themselves, music can be a way to bring that out. It gives them their voice, their confidence, and their touchstone. School of Rock gives them the pathway to hear the roar of the crowds that these remarkable kids so justly deserve.
School of Rock is located at 1055 Hamburg Turnpike in Wayne. To find out more about their program, give them a call at (973) 653-5432 or go to schoolofrock.com/locations/wayne
