Community News & Events

LOCAL NEWS, MAJOR EVENTS, COMMUNITY UPDATES AND HOT TOPICS BY JESSICA JONES-GORMAN Jessica Jones-Gorman is a freelance writer who lives in Great Kills. She has three children who range in age from six to fourteen.

The Dorothy Delson Kuhn Music Institute at the Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC of Staten Island is seeking highly motivated music students to apply for its scholarship programs. Open to students entering grades 5 through 12 who have some prior training on their instrument, the scholarship funds allow students to take private lessons with professional instructors, as well as participate in recitals, ensembles and music theory classes, at an affordable cost to their families. The Music Institute is also seeking musicians in grades 9 through 12 to audition for Harmony Club, a new music ensemble and scholarship program which is made possible through a grant from UJA-Federation of New York.

Harmony Club students will participate in a free, comprehensive course of study, including private lessons, ensemble classes and masterclass workshops. Students will also have opportunities to showcase their talents in solo and group recitals and will represent the program at public performances. “In challenging times, music can be such a powerful force for good,” noted Orit Lender, CEO of the JCC. “The JCC is proud to offer these scholarship opportunities for deserving young musicians to continue their education at our Music Institute. We are grateful to our donors and to UJA-Federation for making these programs possible.” Music students interested in applying for either of these scholarship programs should email a one- to two-minute performance audition video to Ela Seeley, Music Institute director, at eseeley@SIJCC.com. Curtis High School’s Emilee Jospey Competes in National Competition

After earning top honors and $1,200 in funding at the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) Investor Panel in July, Emilee Jospey advanced to the Saunders Scholars National College Scholarship Competition in October. The prestigious event, which was held virtually this year, gathers top young entrepreneurs from across the nation to compete for college scholarships and prizes. Jospey, a Curtis High School sophomore, pitched her business, M Tech ClearSmiles, at the scholarship competition, impressing judges with her clear-windowed facemasks, which allow the wearer’s expression to display through the mask. The product was developed prior to COVID-19 and was intended for customers with autism. While the relevance of this product was not lost on the scholarship committee, Jospey’s invention was not chosen to win. But the high schooler’s participation in this national program has made waves across the borough. “We are proud to be the lead sponsor of this important educational program that is designed to help students tap into their entrepreneurial spirit,” said Katia Gordon, director of Staten Island Regional & Community Affairs for Con Edison which sponsors YEA. “Each participant made a commitment to remain focused and worked hard through the pandemic.” For more information about the YEA program, visit sichamber.com/young-entrepreneur.

SI Giving Circle Offers Literacy and

Staten Island Giving Circle has collaborated with Literacy, Inc. to provide reading instruction to students during the entire school year and has recently launched a new S.T.E.A.M. program that is hosted by two retired educators. “Our Staten Island Giving Circle and Literacy Inc. virtual S.T.E.A.M. program provides opportunities for our students to learn through their explorations and applications of the arts and sciences,” noted Christine Hanna, who teaches the art portion of the program. “This program helps students to ‘rethink’ how they see the world around them.”

By way of hands-on activities, students are taught to understand how artists such

as Leonardo DaVinci, Alexander Calder and scientists and architects such as Archimedes and Buckminster Fuller relied on both the sciences and the arts to create their masterpieces. During ZOOM sessions the students make boats, geodesic domes, geocopters and parachutes all emphasizing scientific principles like the laws of buoyancy, strength of triangles and air resistance. “The S.T.E.A.M. program identifies students from a public school on Staten Island to participate in science and art activities,” noted MaryBeth McCarthy who teaches the science portion of the curriculum. “Scientific projects emphasize concepts of density, surface area, gravity, air resistance and stability. While making models, the students are encouraged to become engineers and learn how to redesign their models to make them better.” For more information about the program, visit statenislandgivingcircle.org

A small COVID compliant ribbon cutting ceremony marked the opening of the James P. Murphy Staten Island Preparatory School in October. The school, which will serve preschool and school-age children throughout the borough, is funded by AHRC New York City, an organization serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Facilitated by Borough President James Oddo, Congressman Max Rose and Assemblyman Michael Reilly, the school is AHRC NYC’s seventh educational institute overall and the first for Staten Island. “I am so proud of this group effort to get the first AHRC New York City Foundation school opened on Staten Island to help address the unique challenges of some of our social needs children,” BP Oddo said. Named in honor of James P. Murphy, a longtime AHRC NYC Board Member who fought vigilantly for the rights of his late son Michael who was born in 1960 with Down Syndrome, the school, when fully enrolled, will house 96 students in two preschool and nine school age classes. “Pursuing an education for Michael was difficult, if not impossible,” noted Patricia Murphy, James’ daughter and current AHRC NYC Board Member. “Education was very important to dad. Dad and Mom encouraged all six of us to pursue education

and do the best with our lives that we could do, including Michael. Dad would be deeply honored and proud and he would love to hear the kids in that school today.”

Toys4Autism Hopes to Collect 700 Toys for Staten Island’s Developmentally Disabled The holiday spirit is alive and well in the heart of John Louis Sublett, who is once again spearheading an annual fundraiser for special needs children. Sublett, a South Beach resident and single father of a 35-year-old autistic son, has distributed over 1,000 gift bags over the past three years through his charity, Toys4Autism. Serving all the special needs schools and programs in the borough, Sublett’s goodwill organization purchases specialized toys each year that help with coping, anxiety and stress. This year, Sublett aims to give away over 700 gifts to the developmentally disabled.

“This year we have purchased 600 handheld Gameboy systems, each loaded with 400 different popular games,” Sublett noted. “We also have 400 fidget spinners and assorted other toys.”

Toys4Autism has an Amazon Wish List where donors can pick from specialized fidget toys. All those interested in donating from that Wish List or making a monetary donation should visit www.toys4autism.org.

BP Oddo Partners with CVS, Rite Aid for ‘Family Flu Shot’ Campaign

Emphasizing the importance of the flu shot in the midst of this global pandemic, Borough President James Oddo has partnered with CVS and Rite Aid for a “Family Flu Shot” Campaign to encourage Staten Islanders of all ages to get their annual vaccination.

“This fall and winter, the flu virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 may both be spreading,” the BP’s office said in a statement. “For that reason, getting a flu shot will be more important than ever to help people stay healthy and to ease the burden on our health care system. Although the flu vaccine will not prevent COVID-19, it will help individuals stay healthy by decreasing the risk of getting sick and needing flu-related medical care.”

Staten Islanders can visit www.statenislandusa.com/flu2020 to find a location near them to make an appointment for a flu shot. New Yorkers can also text “FLU” to 877877 for more information about where to find flu shots close to home. Many shots are free, while many providers also accept insurance.