* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:07] GOOD EVENING. WELL, LET'S MAKE THIS A LITTLE HIGHER, SHALL WE? UH, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. UH, GOOD EVENING, STUDENTS, FAMILIES, FACULTY, STAFF, UH, DOCTORS, MCCARTEY, SEMANSKI, UH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, UH, MEMBERS OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING. WELCOME TO OUR SENIOR AWARD CEREMONY. TONIGHT, WE'RE GATHERED TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE CLASS OF 2026, AND TO RECOGNIZE STUDENTS WHOSE DEDICATION, PERSEVERANCE, LEADERSHIP, SERVICE, AND ACHIEVEMENT HAVE DISTINGUISHED THEM DURING THEIR TIME AT HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL. I WANNA BE SURE TO THANK RANDY SHAW, WHO DID ALL THE HEAVY LIFTING TO PUT THIS EVENING TOGETHER. UH, SHE'S ACTUALLY NOT HERE THIS EVENING BECAUSE SHE'S ATTENDING HER OWN CHILD'S GRADUATION. UH, BUT I WANT TO EXTEND A BIG SHOUT OUT, UH, TO, UH, TO WENDY WHITE AND CHRISTINA CARUSO FOR STEPPING IN TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING GOES SMOOTHLY. OF COURSE, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ALSO THANK THE BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS TEAM FOR MAKING SURE EVERYTHING WAS PROPERLY IN PLACE. AND FINALLY, AND CRUCIALLY THANK YOU TO THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, THE WAY THAT YOU GIVE BACK YEAR OVER YEAR SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE HASTINGS ETHOS. NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOVE THE MOST ABOUT THE SENIOR AWARDS IN HASTINGS SPECIFICALLY IS THE WAY THAT THIS EVENING CELEBRATES SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXCELLENCE. IN FACT, YOU WILL NOT FIND IN THE LIST OF AWARDS MUCH REFERRING EXCLUSIVELY TO GPA OR TEST SCORES. HASTINGS RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTIVATING AND CELEBRATING THE WHOLE CHILD AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. AS YOU HEAR THE AWARDS BEING DESCRIBED OVER THE COURSE OF THIS EVENING, REFLECT ON HOW THOSE AWARDS REFLECT OUR COMMUNITY'S VALUES. AND NOTICE THE WAY THAT WE ARE CELEBRATING NOT JUST ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, BUT SERVICE LEADERSHIP, FUTURE TEACHERS, THEATRICAL, MUSICAL, AND ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTIONS. ALTHOUGH TONIGHT INCLUDES SCHOLARSHIPS, HONORS, AND AWARDS, IT'S ALSO ABOUT SOMETHING MUCH LARGER. THIS IS ABOUT RECOGNIZING THE COUNTLESS HOURS OF WORK, THE ENDLESS CHALLENGES OVERCOME, THE RISKS TAKEN, AND THE GROWTH THAT STUDENTS HAVE HAD ALONG THEIR INDIVIDUAL JOURNEYS. THERE IS A BACKSTORY BEHIND EACH AND EVERY AWARD, AND THAT IS THE STORY OF COMMITMENT, RESILIENCE, AND HARD WORK. NOW, AS WE CELEBRATE THOSE RECEIVING RECOGNITION TONIGHT, WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE OUR FAMILIES AND THE TEACHERS, AND THE COUNSELORS, AND THE COACHES AND THE ADVISORS AND THE FRIENDS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED THEM AND ENCOURAGE THEM ALONG THE WAY. SUCCESS IS NEVER AND WILL NEVER BE A SOLO PURSUIT. AND THIS EVENING IS A REFLECTION OF A COMMUNITY THAT BELIEVES DEEPLY IN ITS YOUNG PEOPLE TO OUR SENIORS. YOU HAVE LEFT YOUR MARK ON THIS SCHOOL IN COUNTLESS WAYS, IN YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, IN THE CLASSROOM, THE STAGE, ATHLETIC FIELDS, CLUBS, ACTIVITIES, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THROUGH THE KINDNESS AND CHARACTER THAT YOU HAVE SHOWN EACH AND EVERY DAY. WE ARE SO VERY PROUD OF YOU AND ALL THAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED, AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT COMES NEXT. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR OF TONIGHT'S AWARD RECIPIENTS. WE ARE VERY HONORED TO CELEBRATE YOU AND YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS. WITH NO FURTHER ADO, I WILL INVITE UP DR. MCKERTY FOR A FEW REMARKS. THANK YOU, MR. K CLAYMAN. GOOD EVENING. UH, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, SENIORS. GOOD EVENING. COME ON, ENERGY. GOOD EVENING, SENIORS. GOOD EVENING. OKAY, I'M DONE. ACTUALLY, I WANT THE ENERGY BECAUSE THIS EVENT IS ABOUT HASTINGS. THIS IS, IT'S TITLED THE COMMUNITY RECOGNITION OF THESE SENIORS HERE. THIS IS ABOUT HASTINGS PAST HELPING PAY HASTINGS. NOW FOR THE FUTURE, I WANT TO THANK THE 50 PLUS INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN THE PROGRAM. LOOK AT THAT STUDY THAT THAT'S HASTINGS PAST, GIVING TO THE NOW SO THAT THEY CAN GIVE TO THE FUTURE. SO HERE'S THE CHALLENGE. THERE'S A PHRASE, PAY IT FORWARD. THE PAST HAS PAID IT FORWARD TO THE NOW. THIS IS HASTINGS FOR HASTINGS. THESE ARE WONDERFUL GIFTS YOU'RE GONNA RECEIVE. YOU HAVE EARNED THOSE GIFTS. YOUR CHALLENGE IS TO NOW PAY IT FORWARD WITH THOSE [00:05:01] GIFTS. EVERY ONE OF THESE AWARDS IS TO YOU TO HONOR YOU AND CELEBRATE YOU, SO YOU CAN GO ON AND HELP OTHERS WITH THAT SENSE OF HASTINGS. VERY FEW COMMUNITIES CAN STAND HERE TODAY TOGETHER WITH THIS SENSE OF THINGS. SO SENIORS, CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU TO YOUR FAMILIES. CONGRATULATIONS, AND THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE HERE, OR IN OUR HEARTFELT MEMORIES FOR MAKING TONIGHT POSSIBLE. AND THEN VERY BRIEFLY, THANK YOU RANDY SHAW FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. THANK YOU, WENDY WHITE FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR CHRISTINA CARUSO FOR DOING EVERYTHING. DR. SEMANSKI, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE ON BEHALF OF WHAT WE'RE DOING. BUT AGAIN, IT'S TONIGHT, HASTINGS PAST FOR NOW, FOR THE FUTURE. WELL DONE. LET'S GET STARTED, SHALL WE? UH, I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP VICKI TER FOR OUR FIRST AWARD. HELLO, UM, I'M VICKI TER, AND I'M FILLING IN FOR THE HTA PRESIDENT NATE MORGAN. UM, ANNUALLY THE HASTINGS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION PRESENTS A SCHOLARSHIP TO GRADUATING SENIORS WHO DESIRE TO ENTER THE FIELD OF EDUCATION. SINCE THE 1930S, THE HTA HAS AWARDED OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO HASTINGS STUDENTS WHO WISH TO DEDICATE THEIR LIVES TO THE VOCATION OF EDUCATING OUR CO COUNTRY'S SCHOOL CHILDREN. THIS YEAR, YEAR'S AWARD WINNERS ARE SEAN YOUNG AND JULIAN CARNIVAL. OUR NEXT AWARD IS THE HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT UNION SCHOLARSHIP. THIS SCHOLARSHIP IS AWARDED TO STUDENTS WHO DEMONSTRATE EXCEPTIONAL DEDICATION TO BUILDING A VIBRANT AND INCLUSIVE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. THROUGH THEIR HARD WORK, THEY HELP CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE STUDENTS FEEL INSPIRED TO PARTICIPATE AND PROUD TO BE A PART OF HHS. THIS YEAR, WE PROUDLY RECOGNIZE THEM FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING EFFORTS IN PROMOTING SCHOOL SPIRIT AND EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, BOTH ON AND OFF CAMPUS. THEIR COMMITMENT TO ENRICHING STUDENT LIFE IS TRULY COMMENDABLE. OUR TWO AWARDS RECIPIENTS ARE FRANCESCA ASHER AND EMILY TAYLOR. AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE TO THE PODIUM, DEPUTY CHIEF BOB RUSK, THEY USED TO BE. GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. MY NAME IS BOB SACK. I'M THE CHIEF OF HASTINGS FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND ON BEHALF OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HASTINGS FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE CLASS OF 2026 AND WISH THEM CONTINUED SUCCESS IN THEIR FUTURE ENDEAVORS. AND JUST AS IMPORTANT TO THE PARENTS OF THE CLASS OF 2026, YOU HAVE SURVIVED. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT THE CHIEF WALTER DEZA, ROBERT SCHNIBBE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP. BOTH CHIEF STIBE AND WALTER DUSA WERE GRADUATES OF HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL AND STRONG PROPONENTS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION. IT IS IN THEIR MEMORY THAT THIS SCHOLARSHIP WAS ESTABLISHED WITH THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS, PLEASE COME FORWARD. CARLIN MCKINNON. AIDEN CURTIS, THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO INVITE TO THE PODIUM, OFFICER FINI. [00:10:09] HELLO, GOOD EVENING. I'M OFFICER EDDIE FATI ON BEHALF OF THE HASTINGS PBA AS MY HONOR TO RECOGNIZE THREE OUTSTANDING STUDENTS AS RECIPIENTS OF THE 2026 HASTINGS PBA SCHOLARSHIP. EACH YEAR, THE SCHOLARSHIP IS AWARDED TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED A COMMITMENT TO EITHER PURSUING A CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT OR MAKING A MEANINGFUL IMPACT THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE. THESE ARE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO UNDERSTAND THAT LEADERSHIP IS NOT DEFINED BY TITLES, BUT BY ACTIONS THEY HAVE SHOWN A WILLINGNESS TO SERVE OTHERS, CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR COMMUNITY, AND MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF THOSE AROUND THEM. TONIGHT, WE CELEBRATE NOT ONLY THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS, BUT ALSO THEIR WILLINGNESS TO GIVE BACK AND SERVE OTHERS AS A PBA. WE HOPE THIS SCHOLARSHIP HELPS SUPPORT THEM AS THEY CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY AND PURSUE THEIR GOALS. CONGRATULATIONS TO SOPHIE KIRSCHBAUM AND ALEXIS SCHER, BOTH WHO COMPLETED THE WESTCHESTER YOUTH POLICE ACADEMY TODAY AS THEIR INTERNSHIP, AS WELL AS JACK REYNOLDS. AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE TO THE PODIUM, MR. COREY MERCHANT. WHAT DO I, UH, GOOD EVENING. UM, I'M HERE TO GIVE OUT TWO SCHOLARSHIPS TODAY. UM, AND THE FIRST IS FOR THE RIVER ARTS. UH, THE RIVER ARTS WAS FOUNDED MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO TO PROMOTE THE ARTS IN THE RIVER TOWNS AND IS NOW THE LEADING ARTS ORGANIZATION IN THE AREA. FOR 20 YEARS, THE RIVER ARTS SENIOR ART AWARD HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ONE STUDENT AT EACH OF THE RIVER TOWNS HIGH SCHOOLS. NOMINEES ARE SELECTED BY THEIR ART TEACHERS, AND THE WINNERS OF THE AWARD RECEIVE $200 IN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN EXHIBITION OF THEIR WORK WITH THIS AWARD, RIVER ARTS HOPES TO AFFIRM THE IMPORTANCE OF ARTS EDUCATION AND TO ENCOURAGE THESE STUDENTS' COMMITMENT TO PURSUING A CAREER IN THE ARTS. AND THIS YEAR'S RIVER ARTS SENIOR ART AWARD GOES TO DANIELLA DE, UM, AND NEXT UP IS THE DON TAYLOR MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP, UH, WHICH IS ESTABLISHED IN MEMORY OF DON TAYLOR, A HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL, UH, A FORMER HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT. UM, AND THE SCHOLARSHIP IS AWARDED TO STUDENTS THAT ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY. AND THIS YEAR, THE AWARD GOES TO LILIANA ESPOSITO. THAT'S IT. THANKS. AT THIS POINT, I'LL INVITE TO THE PODIUM, HEATHER BENSEY. SORRY. I, OKAY. SO THE PTSA, UM, HAS A GREAT PLEASURE TO, UH, GIVE OUT FIVE, UH, SCHOLARSHIPS TO GRADUATING CLASS. UM, THE FIRST SCHOLARSHIP IS FOR SERVICE AND ACHIEVEMENT, ACADEMIC ACHIEVE ACHIEVEMENT. UM, THE HASTINGS PTSA PLACES A HIGH VALUE ON VOLUNTEERISM AND COMMUNITY SERVICE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, AND THUS SEEKS TO AWARD THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP TO A GRADUATING SENIOR THAT HAS DEMONSTRATED BOTH ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND SERVICE TO OUR SCHOOL AND TO OUR COMMUNITY. UM, AND THIS AWARD GOES TO JACK REYNOLDS. [00:15:13] THE NEXT AWARD IS FOR, UM, THE HASTINGS P-T-S-A-R WILLIAM HILLEBRAND MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP. THE HASTINGS PTSA SEEKS TO AWARD AN R WILLIAM HILLEBRAND MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP TO A GRADUATING CEDAR SENIOR WITH NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE FIELD OF CREATIVE, FINE, AND PERFORMING ARTS. BILL HILLEBRAND WAS A BELOVED PRINCIPAL AT HILLSIDE FOR MANY YEARS, WHO ALWAYS SUPPORTED THE ARTS. THIS SCHOLARSHIP WAS ESTABLISHED IN HIS HONOR, AND THIS AWARD GOES TO DEVIN MULDOON. UM, THE NEXT SCHOLARSHIP IS FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP FOR SERVICE. AS AN ORGANIZATION COMPOSED SOLELY OF VOLUNTEERS, THE HASTINGS, PTSA BELIEVES IN FITTING IT, FITTING TO HONOR THE GRADUATING SENIOR THAT EXEMPLIFIES THE PRINCIPLES OF THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMANITARIANISM AND SERVICES TO OTHERS. MY FEELING IS MAYBE WE JUST MAKE ONE ABOUT, OH, SORRY. THAT WAS SOMETHING FROM A LIST. . NEVERMIND. I, THIS IS HOW, I'M SORRY. I'M SLIGHTLY UNORGANIZED TONIGHT. UM, SO YES, IT SERVICES TO OTHERS . OKAY, SO THIS GOES TO LILLIAN. S OKAY. SO THIS NEXT, UH, AWARD GOES IS THE HASTINGS PTSA LEWIS ADD PETRO SCHOLARSHIP. UM, THE HASTINGS PTSA SEEKS TO AWARD A GRADUATING SE SENIOR, THE LEWIS SENIOR, THE LEWIS, UH, ADD PETRO SCHOLARSHIP WITH THE NAME TO RECOGNIZE A STUDENT WHO IS NOT ONLY ACTIVELY ENGAGING IN SERVICE, SERVING THEIR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO EMBODIES AND PROMOTES THE VALUE AND CULTURE OF THE SCHOOL IN THEIR ACTIONS AND INTERACTIONS. LEWIS IS A BELOVED HASTING HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL WHO RETIRED IN JUNE, 2024, WHO WAS A ROLE MODEL OF LEADERSHIP, CULTURE, AND BELONGING. OKAY. SORRY, WHERE IT GOES TO, UM, ANDRE RAPHAEL FOREST. OKAY. AND THE FINAL SCHOLARSHIP IS FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP FOR THE HASTINGS ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL PROGRAM. UM, AND THAT SCHOLARSHIP GOES TO BEAT TRIX TOLTON. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE, EVERYBODY. GOODNIGHT. AT THIS POINT, I'LL INVITE UP TO THE STAGE, MS. AMANDA WRIGHT. HI, GOOD EVENING. UH, MY NAME IS AMANDA WRIGHT, PRESIDENT OF THE HASTINGS THEATER PROGRAM BOOSTERS. WE ARE A NONPROFIT WHO EXISTS TO SUPPORT THEATER ACROSS ALL OUR SCHOOLS. WE ALSO PROVIDE, PROVIDE TWO SCHOLARSHIPS TO GRADUATING SENIORS IN TECH AND PERFORMANCE. OUR PERFORMANCE RECIPIENT HAS WHAT ONE DIRECTOR CALLS THAT SPECIAL BLEND OF TALENT, DEDICATION, AND BOUNDLESS HARD WORK. SHE HAS BEEN ACTING SINCE FOURTH GRADE AND HAS BEEN GIVEN LEAD ROLES [00:20:01] ON AND OFF THE STAGE, APPROACHING EVERY CHALLENGE AND SUCCESS WITH GRACIOUSNESS AND KINDNESS. THE BOOSTERS ARE ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL TO HER FOR HELPING US PUT TOGETHER OUR ANNUAL FUNDRAISER THIS PAST WEEKEND, PATIENTLY ATTENDING OUR ZOOM MEETINGS, CREATING WONDERFUL VIDEOS OF EVERY HASTINGS THEATER PRODUCTION AND MCING THE EVENING LIKE A SEASONED PRO. IT IS OUR HONOR TO PRESENT THIS AWARD TO CARLIN MCKINNON. OKAY. AND OUR TECHNICAL RECIPIENT HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN NEARLY EVERY PRODUCTION. SHE HAS BEEN ELIGIBLE TO JOIN SINCE FIFTH GRADE. HER MENTOR PRAISES HER ATTENTION TO DETAIL, EAGERNESS TO LEARN, AND DEEP INVESTMENT IN THE SUCCESS OF THE ENTIRE PRODUCTION. SHE HAS WORKED BACKSTAGE, CONTRIBUTED TO COSTUMES, SAGE, MANAGING MANY PRODUCTIONS, AND SERVED AS A MENTOR TO YOUNGER STUDENTS. SHE WAS ALSO TECHNICAL DIRECTOR FOR THE STUDENT PRODUCED HIGH SCHOOL ONE X, A ROLE THAT REQUIRES BOTH CREATIVE VISION AND STRONG LEADERSHIP. WE ARE DELIGHTED TO PRESENT THE AWARD IN TECHNICAL THEATER TO SYLVIE BLACK. THIS EVENING'S NEXT AWARD IS THE FRED J MAYOR ROTARY SCHOLARSHIP. THIS SCHOLARSHIP IS AWARDED TO EACH YEAR TO A GRADUATING SENIOR WHO PERSONIFIES THE ROTARY MOTTO, SERVICE ABOVE SELF. THIS UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL HAS SOUGHT TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH DEDICATED SERVICE AND HAS EXHIBITED EXCELLENCE IN SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND ACADEMIC PURSUITS. THE WINNER OF THE FRED J MAYOR ROTARY SCHOLARSHIP FOR 2026 IS SYLVIE BLACK. AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE TO THE STAGE MRS. NANCY GAG GAGLIARDI. I AM GONNA MAKE IT SO YOU CAN HEAR ME. HELLO. OKAY. THE V, THE VFW JAMES DAILEY POST 200, AND THE ADMIRAL DAVID FARRAT, AMERICAN LEGION 1195, ARE HONORED TO PRESENT SCHOLARSHIPS TO CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, OR GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN OF A UNITED STATES VETERAN OR ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBER. IT'S OUR WAY OF THANKING SERVICE MEMBERS FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO OUR COUNTRY, TO ALL THE GRADUATES. WE OFFER OUR CONGRATULATIONS AS YOU MOVE INTO THE FUTURE AND TAKE ON WHATEVER CHALLENGES YOU MAY FACE. KEEP IN MIND THE WORDS OF ADMIRAL FARGATE. DAMN THE TORPEDOES. FULL SPEED AHEAD. THIS YEAR'S RECIPIENT IS THOMAS MOONEY. THE EVENING'S NEXT AWARD IS THE HASTINGS SOUTH SIDE CLUB MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP, THE HASTINGS SOUTHSIDE CLUB AND ALE. THE HASTINGS SOUTHSIDE SOCIAL AND ATHLETIC CLUB OPENED ITS DOORS WITH A MISSION TO PROMOTE THE WELFARE OF THE YOUTH, OF THE COMMUNITY, AND TO BRING SOCIAL AND ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES TO ITS MEMBERS AND FRIENDS. THE SCHOLARSHIP WILL BE AWARDED TO TWO DESERVING STUDENTS, POSSESSING BOTH ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC SUCCESS, WITH A STRONG EMPHASIS ON COMMUNITY SERVICE. THE WINNERS OF THIS AWARD ARE THOMAS MOONEY AND ANDREW RIZZO. OUR NEXT AWARD IS THE STEWART COHEN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP. AND AM I INVITING PEOPLE UP, OR AM I ANNOUNCING, UH, I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP TO THE STAGE STEVE CONE AND RACHEL DRAGOS. [00:25:07] GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS STEVE SASSON. I'M A SENIOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR WITH THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. THIS IS RACHEL DRAGO. SHE'S A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR AS WELL. WE'RE BOTH WITH THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY DA INVESTIGATORS, PBA, AND WE'RE PRESENTING STEWART COHEN, UH, ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD. STU COHEN GRADUATED IN 1986 FROM HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL. HE WAS A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER, AND HE WORKED IN THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS A SENIOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR, AND HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE, UH, NARCOTICS UNIT. STU DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY IN APRIL OF 2007, STU WAS ADDED TO THE FALLEN POLICE MEMORIAL IN ALBANY AND WASHINGTON, DC THIS SCHOLARSHIP IS SUPPORTED BY THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY DA INVESTIGATORS, PBA, THE RIVERVIEW MANOR HOUSE COMPANY NUMBER THREE, WHICH STU, UH, THAT WAS HIS FIREHOUSE, AS WELL AS HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE SUE'S LEGACY LIVE ON AND PROUD TO PRESENT THIS SCHOLARSHIP TO JACK REYNOLDS. AND ALEXIS, SHE, AT THIS POINT, I'D, I'D LIKE TO INVITE TO THE STAGE THE PRESIDENT OF THE HASTINGS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, MR. STAN MEIDA. UH, GOOD EVENING. I'M STAN MEIDA, CLASS OF 1973, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE, UH, ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. UM, THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, UH, WA WAS FORMED TO RECOGNIZE, UH, STUDENT ATHLETES INITIALLY, UH, FOR THEIR WORK THAT THEY HAD DONE AND THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS IN HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL. UH, LATER ON, UM, UH, STUDENTS THAT HAD, UH, GRADUATED AND GONE ON TO, UH, A MEANINGFUL CAREER WERE ALSO RECOGNIZED, AND WE ALSO RAISE MONEY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS THAT WE GIVE OUT EVERY YEAR. SO I'M HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF, UH, APPROXIMATELY 9,000 INDIVIDUALS WHO PROCEEDED YOU IN GRADUATING, UH, FROM HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL. UH, WHEN YOU WAKE UP ON, UH, FRIDAY MORNING, PROVIDED YOU GET SOME SLEEP AFTER GRADUATION, UM, YOU'LL BE ALUMNI TOO, PART OF A NETWORK OF INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THE US AND, UH, THE WORLD, WHICH INCLUDES, UH, ALUMNI IN FRANCE, CANADA, ISRAEL, HONG KONG, AND AUSTRALIA. SO ON BEHALF OF ALL THE GRADUATES THAT CAME BEFORE YOU AND, UH, THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2 20 26. IT'S THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF THESE ALUMNI THAT TONIGHT WILL BE AWARDING A TOTAL OF $36,750 IN SCHOLARSHIPS, INCLUDING A $5,000 DONATION FROM THE CLASS OF 1986, WHICH ENHANCED OUR SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS. UH, SO GETTING STARTED, OUR FIRST AWARD IS GIVEN IN HONOR OF BERNIE O'BRIEN, A 1950 GRADUATE OF HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL, WHO WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION IN 2000. IT WAS THROUGH BERNIE'S PERSISTENCE AND DEDICATION THAT ALUMNI ASSOCIATION HAS GROWN INTO THE ORGANIZATION THAT IT IS. TODAY WE ARE HAPPY TO AWARD THIS YEAR'S BERNIE BERNARD J O'BRIEN, LEADER SCHOLARSHIP TO AIDEN CURTIS, COACH RICHARD BUB, WHO WAS A FORCE BEHIND THE HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL AND WRESTLING PROGRAMS. THIS SCHOLARSHIP WAS ESTABLISHED TO HONOR HIS SUPPORT OF THE TEAMS AND THE IMPACT HE MADE ON THE INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES. THIS YEAR, BECAUSE OF THE SPONSOR OF THE, UH, SCHOLARSHIP, COULDN'T DECIDE BETWEEN TWO APPLICANTS, BOTH SETH MONTE QUINN AND LOLA LAKE NORLANDER EACH ARE RECEIVING A SCHOLARSHIP. LARRY KENT BENJAMIN WAS A NINE, UH, UH, WAS A 1983 GRADUATE WHO MADE HIS CAREER IN THE, THE FIELD OF COMPUTER SCIENCE. IN MEMORY OF HIS LIFE, HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY ESTABLISHED THIS SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED THIS YEAR TO ANDRE RAPHAEL FOR [00:30:01] ALL RIGHT, AND MY CLASS. THE CLASS OF 1973 HELD OUR 50TH YEAR REUNION THREE YEARS AGO, AND WE RAISED ENOUGH MONEY TO SPONSOR A SCHOLARSHIP FOR A GRADUATING SENIOR, FOLLOWING A CAREER TRACK. AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP THIS GOING SINCE OUR, OUR GRAD, UH, SINCE OUR, UH, REUNION, WE'VE DECIDED, UH, THAT THIS YEAR THE SCHOLARSHIP WOULD BE AWARDED TO MIRANDA BTO. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UH, LEE KAISER, WHO PRESENT THE NEXT FOUR AWARDS. HI, I AM LEE KAISER HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1987. I'LL START WITH THE SCHOLARSHIP SPONSORED BY CLASS OF 1988 AND FRIEND JAMES KENNEDY AND MYSELF, BENEFITING FROM THE TERRIFIC TEACHERS AND EDUCATION WE RECEIVED THROUGHOUT KINDERGARTEN TO 12TH GRADE AND HASTINGS. WE WERE BOTH INSPIRED AND CALLED TO CAREERS AS EDUCATORS. WITH THAT, WE WANNA SUPPORT THOSE WHO ALSO WISH TO PURSUE A CAREER IN EDUCATION. THIS YEAR'S RECIPIENT OF THE KAISER KENNEDY FUTURE EDUCATORS SCHOLARSHIP IS JULIAN ALVARO CARNIVAL. THANK. ALL RIGHT. NEXT SCHOLARSHIP. THE MICHAEL AND ERIC CANTOR MATHEMATICS SCHOLARSHIP IS AWARDED TO AN INDIVIDUAL PLANNING TO PURSUE FURTHER STUDIES IN MATH OR ENGINEERING TO HELP HIM PURSUE HIS STUDIES IN APPLIED MATHEMATICS. THIS YEAR'S RECIPIENT IS AWARDED TO JACOB KLIGERMAN. COACH LINDEMAN SERVED HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL AS A PHYS ED TEACHER, ADMINISTRATOR, AND COACH FROM 1944 TO 1957. THIS YEAR, THE LINDEMAN ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP IS BEING AWARDED TO IAN KASIK. SICK. ALL RIGHT. NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE RECIPIENT OF THIS YEAR'S KB FAMILY CHEMISTRY SCHOLARSHIP IN MEMORY OF JAMES PRESLEY, A FANTASTIC CHEMISTRY TEACHER. THIS AWARD IS SPONSORED BY ANDY KB, CLASS OF 1963, WHO'S ALSO PROVIDING A $250 DONATION TO THE SCHOOL'S SCIENCE PROGRAM. RONAN ZWEIR, PLEASE COME UP AND RECEIVE YOUR AWARD. ALL RIGHT, IT IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE FROM THE CLASS OF 1980 GARY WEINBERG. GOOD EVENING, AND, UH, CONGRATULATIONS. THE, UH, CLASS OF 1926, I'M GARY WEINBERG. AS LEE SAID, THE CLASS OF 1980, WHICH MAY SOUND LIKE A LONG TIME AGO, BUT, UH, I WAS HERE FOR KINDERGARTEN, UH, IN THE ROGATE WING. WENT UP TO, UH, HILLSIDE, AND THEN, UH, ALL THE WAY THROUGH ALONG WITH ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF MY CLASS. UH, SO IT'S BEEN A GREAT SCHOOL FOR ME AND, UH, MY CLASS THAT HAD A REUNION LAST YEAR, AND, UH, I'M GLAD TO HEAR EVERYTHING. IT'S BEEN POSITIVE FOR EVERYBODY HERE. UH, FIRST UP, WE HAVE THE PHIL CLIP MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP. PHIL IS A GRADUATE OF 1946 AND WAS A REMARKABLE BASEBALL PLAYER AND STUDENT ATHLETE. THIS YEAR, THE AWARD GOES TO ALEXIS SHEER. WE'VE ALREADY HEARD ABOUT COACH BOB, AND THE NEXT SCHOLARSHIP IS IN, IN LEGACY FOR COACH JOHN COSTELLO, WHO WAS ANOTHER, UH, UH, GYM COACH, AS WELL AS, UH, HE HAD A GREAT LEGACY WITH THE HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM. WE'RE VERY PROUD TO AWARD THIS YEAR'S SCHOLARSHIP AND MEMORY OF COACH COSTELLO TO DYLAN ALAKA. [00:35:18] EVERY YEAR, THE GHOULISH FAMILY SPONSORS A SCHOLARSHIP FOR A STUDENT WHO IS PURSUING A CAREER IN THE ARTS. THIS YEAR, THE AWARD IS TO SARAH ZAMORE. WOO. AND FINALLY, A SCHOLARSHIP FROM MY CLASS, THE CLASS OF 1980. WE HAD A REUNION LAST YEAR AND, UH, BROUGHT TOGETHER A NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND ABOUT 50 FROM OUR CLASS AND ABOUT ANOTHER 50 FROM OTHER NEIGHBORING CLASSES. AND WHEN WE HAD OUR REUNION FOR WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN OUR 40TH, WE ENDED UP BEING SKIPPING BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC. WE ENDED UP HAVING A 60TH BIRTHDAY PARTY. UH, THAT WAS JUST THREE YEARS BEFORE LAST YEAR'S SCHOLARSHIP, SO LAST YEAR'S, UH, REUNION. SO WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD START A SCHOLARSHIP FUND FUND THEN, AND HAVE THAT WITH EACH REUNION THIS YEAR. WE HAD A LOT OF FUN THAT WE RAISED THE MONEY FIRST IN ADVANCE THROUGH GETTING PEOPLE, UH, ASKING 'EM TO DONATE THROUGH THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION IN PREPARATION FOR OUR REUNION. BUT THEN AT THE REUNION, WE HAD THIS BOX THAT WE ASKED PEOPLE TO MAKE DONATIONS TO. AND I HAVE TO SAY, I STOOD THERE ON A TABLE LIKE THIS AT MAUD'S AND ASKED PEOPLE TO SUPPORT THE SCHOLARSHIP. AND IF YOU WATCH, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE AT THE END. EVERYONE'S COMING FORWARD WITH ALL THIS MONEY, AND YOU JUST SEE ALL THIS PILES OF MONEY COMING. WELL, THAT'S THE WAY IT FELT WITH EVERYBODY THERE JUST HANDING OVER BILLS THAT STARTED OFF SMALL AND MANY THAT WERE VERY LARGE. WE CALLED OUT, WE CALLED OUR SCHOLARSHIP, THE TAKING ON CHALLENGES SCHOLARSHIP, AND IT'S IN MEMORY OF OUR CLASSMATES THAT HAVE PASSED OVER THE YEARS. THIS REFLECTS OUR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING GRADUATING SENIORS FROM HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL. TO THIS YEAR, WE'RE AWARDING THE SCHOLARSHIP TO ANTHONY LABOY. AND NOW I'M GONNA TURN THE PODIUM OVER TO VICKI GAGLIARDI. TER, I AM BACK. UM, I'M VICKI GAGLIARDI TER CLASS OF 2006. SOME OF YOU MIGHT KNOW ME, MAYBE . UM, I HAVE A LOT OF SCHOLARSHIPS. UM, THE FIRST ONE IS ON BEHALF OF DR. JESS BLACK ZULI FROM THE CLASS OF 2000. UM, SHE'S, HER FAMILY STARTED THE SCHOLARSHIP TO HONOR HER SISTER, SARAH ELIZABETH, WHO PASSED AWAY OF PEDIATRIC CANCER AT THE AGE OF FOUR. THIS AWARD IS MADE TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WILL BE PURSUING A CAREER IN MEDICINE OR MEDICAL RESEARCH. THIS YEAR, THE AWARD IS GOING TO TAVIA SITES. THE NEXT, WE HAVE TWO MUSIC SCHOLARSHIPS. FIRST, THE RITA IAN TRIBUTE TO THE HIGH HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP IS IN HONOR OF ALL THE MUSIC TEACHERS WHO PRESENTLY TEACH OR HAVE TAUGHT AT HHS IN THE PAST. UH, THIS YEAR, THE AWARD IS BEING GIVEN TO DEVIN MULDOON. UH, OUR SECOND MUSIC AWARD IS IN HONOR OF RICHARD M. THOMAS, WHO GRADUATED FROM HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL IN 1956. HIS PASSION FOR MUSIC FOLLOWED HIM THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE, AND HIS FAMILY HONORS HIM EVERY YEAR WITH THE RICHARD M. THOMAS MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP. THIS YEAR, THE SCHOLARSHIP IS BEING AWARDED TO SALEM NICHOLSON. THE JULIUS R CHEKA SCHOLARSHIP IS PROVIDED IN MEMORY OF OUR FORMER MAYOR. OH, PROVIDED IN MEMORY OF OUR FORMER MAYOR, IS AWARDED EACH YEAR TO SOMEONE WITH A DEMONSTRATED COMMITMENT TO THEIR COMMUNITY. THE COMMITTEE FELT NO ONE EXHIBITED THAT COMMITMENT MORE THAN JACK REYNOLDS. UH, THE NEXT SCHOLARSHIP IS IN HONOR OF ALL HASTINGS [00:40:01] HIGH SCHOOL COACHES AND THE DEDICATION THEY HAVE TO BOTH THEIR SPORT AND THEIR STUDENTS. THIS YEAR'S AWARD IS GIVEN TO RALEIGH SORO. ALL RIGHT. UH, THE NEXT AWARD IS IN MEMORY OF JIM HARMON. MANY OF THOSE IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT. REMEMBER MR. HARMON AND THE TIME AND ATTENTION HE GAVE TO THE YOUTH OF THIS VILLAGE. MR. HARMON WOULD SURELY APPRECIATE THE ENTHUSIASM OF THIS YEAR'S WINNER. ANDREW SUZUKI, UH, A MEMBER OF THE CLASS OF 1962, ESTABLISHED A SCHOLARSHIP TO HONOR THE COMRADERY OF HIS CLASS, WHICH STILL RE UNITES FOR REUNIONS. THIS YEAR, THE CLASS OF 1962 MERIT SCHOLARSHIP IS BEING AWARDED TO AUDEN ESPOSITO AUDEN. UM, I'M VERY PLEASED TO BE MAKING AN AWARD IN MEMORY OF AUGIE AND VERONICA, WHO IS A VERY STAUNCH SUPPORTER OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, AS WELL AS A ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE HASTINGS COMMUNITY. THIS YEAR'S AUGIE AND MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP IS BEING AWARDED TO MAXWELL BOYD. ALL RIGHT, LAST ONE. OUR LAST SCHOLARSHIP THIS EVENING IS THE CHARLES O ASHMAN SCHOLARSHIP FOR EXCELLENCE, WHICH CARRIES WITH ITS SOME PRESTIGE. MR. ASHMAN WAS BEST KNOWN FOR HIS BOOMING VOICE AND CHALLENGING COURSEWORK. THE SCHOLARSHIP IS AWARDED TO HONOR HIM, TO RECOGNIZE THE HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE, EXCELLENCE IN HHS APPARENT IN THE TWO NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS WHO GRADUATED FROM HASTINGS. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS NEW YEAR'S WINNER WILL RISE UP TO ALL FUTURE CHALLENGES. THE WINNER IS LUKEY. KOVAC. I'M DONE. THANK YOU. AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP TO THE PODIUM, MR. DEAN O'HARA. HELLO, MY NAME IS DEAN. I'M ON HERE ON BEHALF OF HASTINGS SEPTA, WHICH IS THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PTA. ONE OF SEPTA'S GREATEST HONORS IS RECOGNIZING STUDENTS WHO HAVE OVERCOME THE OBSTACLES AND CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH IEPS AND 5 0 4 PLANS. THESE STUDENTS REMIND US THAT CHALLENGES DO NOT DEFINE POTENTIAL. THEY HELP REVEAL STRENGTH, CHARACTER, AND DETERMINATION. THIS YEAR, WE HAVE TWO RECIPIENTS, AND WE FEEL THAT THEY'RE THE EMBODIMENT OF STRENGTH, CHARACTER, AND DETERMINATION. TONIGHT, WE ARE PROUD TO RECOGNIZE THESE TWO OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS. PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING ANTHONY LABOY AND PEYTON SUTHERLAND. THANK OUR NEXT PRESENTERS THIS EVENING ARE MS. GEORGINA HOLDER AND MS. VAL CALLIS. EVENING GRADUATIONS, THE HINTON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 26. MY NAME IS REGINA HOLDER. I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE HAS MOTHER CLUB. OUR ORIENTATION MISSION IS COMMUNITY SERVICE MUST INCLUDE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR TWO OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS. WERE TWO, TWO SENIORS THAT WERE SO TRUE, COMMITTED TO MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT, BUT WHEN OUR SCHOOL AND COMMIT THE HONOR STUDENT OF OUR HAS AND MOTHERCRAFT BROWNMAN SCHOLARSHIP OF 2026 IS TOIA, UM, SORRY, TOIA. [00:45:16] AND HERE IN VAL COWS, I HAVE THIS . GOOD. I CAN SEE IT. HELLO EVERYONE. I'M VALE CALLAS, FORMER FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE JESUS MOTHERS CLUB ACTING PRESIDENT. SINCE OUR PRESIDENT CAN COME TONIGHT, CONGRATULATIONS TO MY STUDENTS THAT I CROSS EVERY DAY AM AND PM AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR PARENTS AND THE FAMILIES. WE HAVE ONE MORE, UM, AWARD TO THINK NICK WIN IS GONNA SENT IT. CONGRATULATIONS. CLASS OF 2026. UH, I'M A 1994 GRADUATE OF HIGH SCHOOL. THIS AWARD IS IN HONOR OF MY MOTHER, SUSAN WYNN, AND MY AUNT MARIE OCHERS. UH, IF YOU KNEW THEM, YOU KNEW HASTINGS. UH, THEY, THEY WERE ALL ABOUT COMMUNITY SERVICE. AND, UH, LIKE THE BEGINNING SPEECH SAID, PAYING IT FORWARD. UH, I WAS A RECIPIENT OF THIS AND I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE MS. LAYLA A DAVIS. THANK YOU. THE HASTINGS YELLOW JACKETS BOOSTER CLUB SPIRIT SCHOLARSHIP IS AN ATHLETIC BOOSTER CLUB THAT IS PROUD TO PRESENT TWO SPIRIT AWARDS, TO TWO DESERVING RECIPIENTS WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED SCHOOL SPIRIT AND TEAM SPIRIT IN DISTINCT WAYS. THIS YEAR'S RECIPIENTS ARE DANE MORGAN AND JOSEPH SANTANA. THE NEXT AWARD FOR THE EVENING IS THE HASTINGS BOOSTER CLUB DELL CARIBALO AWARD. THE HASTINGS BOOSTER CLUB IS PROUD TO OFFER THE DELL CARIBALO CIVIL SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD TO A STUDENT PLANNING A CAREER IN CIVIL SERVICES. CARIBALO, A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF YONKERS AND A 26 YEAR VETERAN OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SERVED HIS COMMUNITY NOT ONLY THROUGH HIS DEDICATED PROFESSION, BUT THROUGH HIS LOVE OF SPORTS HIS LEGACY LIVES ON THROUGH HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. AND THIS ANNUAL AWARD WILL BENEFIT A STUDENT WHO IS CIVIC-MINDED AND SEEKING TO DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO BEING OF SERVICE TO THEIR COMMUNITY. THE RECIPIENT OF THIS AWARD IS JULIAN, JULIAN CARNIVAL. I'D LIKE TO INVITE TO THE PODIUM DR. LORI WALSH. I AM LORI WALSH. I'M THE CHAIR OF THE HASTINGS YOUTH COUNCIL AND THE HAS HASTINGS YOUTH COUNCIL IS A VILLAGE COMMISSION THAT PROVIDES FAMILIES WITH A SAFETY NET AND PROMOTES THE FEELING THAT EVERYONE IS A VALUED COMMUNITY MEMBER. THE OVER 57 YEARS, THE YOUTH COUNCIL HAS EVOLVED TO REFLECT RESEARCH ON EFFECTIVE PROGRAMMING TO SUPPORT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN OUR VILLAGE PROGRAMS WE PROVIDE AND SUPERVISE INCLUDE THE HASTINGS FOOD PANTRY, HASTINGS KIDS SAFE RIDES HELP A CHILD EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE, AND THE BILL FINKEL DAY ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP. EVERY YEAR, WE GIVE THE SCHOLARSHIP TO TWO STUDENTS WHO DEMONSTRATE COMMUNITY MINDEDNESS. THIS YEAR, WE'RE PROUD TO GIVE THE BILL FINKEL DAY SCHOLARSHIP TO TWO STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN OUR PROGRAMS. UM, THE FIRST IS FOR SEBASTIAN QUINN. SEBASTIAN. SEBASTIAN HAS A LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE YOUTH ADVOCATE PROGRAM, WHERE HE IS SHOWN HIMSELF TO BE COMMUNITY MINDED. WHETHER IT'S COLLECTING DONATIONS, ASSISTING WITH THE FOOD PANTRY, OR PARTICIPATING IN THE WAY COALITION ACTIVITIES, SEBASTIAN IS ALWAYS WILLING TO LEND A [00:50:01] HELPING HAND. HE'S A WELL-ROUNDED INDIVIDUAL AND AN HONOR, IT'S AN HONOR TO PRESENT HIM WITH A BILL FINKEL DAY SCHOLARSHIP. OUR NEXT SCHOLARSHIP GOES TO GABRIELA SHORE. GABBY HAS PARTICIPATED IN HASTINGS KIDS INVOLVED DOING SERVICE OR HASTINGS KIDS SINCE HER FRESHMAN YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. SHE'S CHAIRED AND MANAGED OUR BOOK BUDDIES PROGRAM TO GREAT SUCCESS WHILE ALL WHILE GOING TO HIGH SCHOOL AND HAVING AN AFTERSCHOOL JOB. GABBY IS A TEAM PLAYER AND A HARD WORKER, AND WE ARE SO PLEASED TO PRESENT HER WITH A BILL. BILL FINKEL DAY SCHOLARSHIP. OUR NEXT PRESENTER IS MS. PHYLLIS UDIS. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS PHYLLIS JUDAS AND I'M THE PRODUCTION COORDINATOR FOR THE HASTINGS THEATER PROGRAM. THE CARTER P SMITH SCHOLARSHIP WAS ESTABLISHED AS A MEMORIAL TO HONOR THE UNIQUE AND INNOVATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS CARTER MADE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN OUR THEATER PROGRAM. CARTER'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE THEATER STARTED IN 2005 WITH THE PRODUCTION OF KISS ME KATE, AND ENDED WITH THE LANDMARK PRODUCTION OF RENT. IN 2009, HE LEARNED HOW TO MANAGE SOUND AND LIGHTS AND DEDICATED ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF TIME AND ENERGY TO EVERY PRODUCTION THROUGHOUT OUR DISTRICT. HE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS WHO ARE CURIOUS ABOUT LIGHTS AND SOUND, LEADING SMALL WORKSHOPS OF SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADERS, AND TEACHING ALL THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE LIGHT BOARD AND SOUND BOOTH. IN TOTAL, CARTER WORKED ON 35 SHOWS FOR THE HASTINGS THEATER PROGRAM, WHERE HE LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON ALL OF THOSE WHO CROSSED HIS PATH. HIS LEGACY HAS ONLY GROWN WITH THE PASSAGE OF TIME. THE CARTER P SMITH SCHOLARSHIP AWARD RECOGNIZES EXCELLENCE IN TECHNICAL, TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THEATER PRODUCTION. IT IS MY HONOR TO PRESENT THE CARTER P SMITH SCHOLARSHIP TO A STUDENT WHO HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS ASSET TO OUR COSTUMES, MENTOR, PROGRAM, AND DEPARTMENT, LUCINDA GUNTON. AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE TO THE PODIUM, MS. PASCAL. ICK. UH, I'M PASCAL DREEK. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE HASTINGS FARMER'S MARKET. AND, UM, THANK YOU. UM, EVERY YEAR WE ASK, UM, STUDENTS TO SUBMIT ESSAYS FOR, UH, THE SCHOLARSHIP THAT WE GIVE OUT. AND USUALLY, UM, THE SCHOLAR, THE ESSAYS ARE ABOUT, UH, CHILDREN'S INTEREST IN PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, UH, FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE, UH, LOCAL SU SUSTAINABILITY OF LOCAL FOOD, UH, FARMS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. UH, THE LOCAL FOOD MOVEMENT. UH, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT OUR FARMERS' MARKET IS ABOUT SO MUCH MORE THAN, UM, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I FEEL LIKE I'M NOT SPEAKING INTO THE MIC. YOU CAN HEAR ME. UM, THAT WE ALL KNOW THAT OUR FARMER'S MARKET IS ABOUT SO MUCH MORE THAN SUPPORTING LOCAL AGRICULTURE, ORGANIC EGGS AND ARUGULA. IT'S ABOUT BUILDING COMMUNITY. AND SO TONIGHT WE DEPART FROM OUR USUAL PROGRAMMING A LITTLE BIT TO HONOR A STUDENT WHO HAS BEEN PART OF OUR MARKET COMMUNITY FOR THREE YEARS. IF YOU STAND IN THOSE LONG LINES AT THE BIAN CREEK BAKERY STALL EVERY WEEK, THEN YOU KNOW MAX BOYD, HE'S LIKELY SLICED A SOURDOUGH ME LOAF IN HALF FOR YOU, OR URGED YOU TO TRY THE CHOCOLATE BAQUET, UH, COOKIES AND PUT THEM IN A BAG, BROWN PAPER BAG WITH YOU AND HANDED THEM TO YOU WITH A SMILE. MAX DID NOT WRITE A SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY ABOUT HOW HE HOPES TO CHANGE THE WORLD, BUT RATHER ABOUT HOW WORKING AT THE MARKET HAS CHANGED HIM. MORE SPECIFICALLY, HOW HIS CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH JOE, HIS BOSS MENTOR, AND NOW GOOD FRIEND, A WOMAN WITH FLOWING WHITE LOCKS, WHO'S IN HER SIXTIES AND WHO'S BEEN AT THE HASTINGS MARKET FOR OVER 20 YEARS. UM, HOW SHE HAS HELPED HIM, UH, DISCOVER HIMSELF AND HOW WORKING AT THE FARMER'S MARKET HAS REALLY MADE HIM FIGURE OUT WHAT HE WANTS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORLD. UM, WHEN HE LEAVES HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL. AND [00:55:01] I WOULD JUST WANNA SAY THIS ABOUT MAX, I MEAN, HE SHOULD GET THE SCHOLARSHIP ALONE JUST FOR GETTING UP AT 6:00 AM EVERY SATURDAY FOR THREE YEARS. BUT, UH, HE GETS PAID TO DO HIS JOB AND SELL BREAD. UH, THE MARKET, UH, STAFF, WE DON'T PAY HIM, BUT HE IS THE FIRST ONE TO JUMP AND HELP. IF YOU KNOW THERE'S A GUST OF WIND AND A TENT GO, TENT GOES FLYING, OR IF WE CAN'T, WE'RE STRUGGLING TO GET THE UMBRELLAS OPEN OR WHATEVER, MAX IS ALWAYS THERE TO HELP. HE IS THE MOST GRACIOUS, GRACIOUS INDIVIDUAL. AND I FEEL THAT HE REALLY, UM, EPITOMIZES WHAT WE FEEL AT THE, AT THE FARMER'S MARKET, THAT IT'S NEVER JUST A TRANSACTION THERE. IT'S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS. IT'S NEVER JUST BUYING A PIECE OF BREAD. YOU LOOK PEOPLE IN THE EYE, YOU EXCHANGE SMALL CONVERSATION, YOU COMMENT ON SOMEONE'S NEW DOG OR THEIR NEW HAT, WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S JUST NEVER JUST A TRANSACTION ABOUT HUMANITY, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW. AND SO IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT I GIVE THIS AWARD TO MAX BOYD. AND I ALSO WANNA THANK HIM FOR REMINDING YOU ALL THAT. UM, SOMETIMES THE BEST TEACHERS IN LIFE DON'T STAND IN FRONT OF A BLACKBOARD OR IN A CLASSROOM. SOMETIMES THEY STAND IN A 10 FOOT TENT AT A FARMER'S MARKET. I HAD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO THE PODIUM, MS. FAYE BERNFELD AND SID GREEN, GREENBERG GREENBERG, THE RACE MATTERS COMMITTEE'S VOICES FOR CHANGE AWARD RECOGNIZES SENIORS WHO HAVE PROMOTED MEANINGFUL INTERACTION RELATED TO DIVERSE CULTURAL, RACIAL, AND IDENTITY GROUPS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT WHO ADVOCATE FOR EQUITY, INCLUSION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE WITHIN THE BROADER COMMUNITY, AND WHO TAKE ACTION TO CHALLENGE DISCRIMINATION, BIAS AND INJUSTICE TO CREATE A POSITIVE CHANGE. THE FIRST OF THREE STUDENTS WHO HAS EMBODIED THE SPIRIT OF THIS AWARD IS SOMEONE I HAVE WORKED WITH VERY CLOSELY FOR MANY YEARS AS PART OF THE OUR NEIGHBORS PROGRAM. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, STUDENTS FROM HASTINGS GET TO MEET AND WORK CLOSELY WITH STUDENTS FROM LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL AND YONKERS TO SERVE THEIR SHARED COMMUNITY AND LEARN FROM EACH OTHER'S DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES. SHE HELPED ORGANIZE A STUDENT VOICES FORUM FOR THE DISTRICT, BRINGING TOGETHER OUR NEIGHBORS AND AFFINITY GROUP STUDENTS TO ADVOCATE FOR CLEARER PATHWAYS TO ADDRESSING DISCRIMINATION AND NEW COURSES THAT PROVIDE BETTER REPRESENTATION FOR OUR STUDENT BODY. BRAVELY SPEAKING UP IN FRONT OF TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS. PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING THIS PHENOMENAL STUDENT, LAYLA A DAVIS. NOW I'D LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT ANOTHER STUDENT HAS WHO HAS DEMONSTRATED AN UNPARALLELED COMMITMENT TO ISSUES OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION. SHE WORKED WITH A COHORT OF PEERS TO HELP DEVELOP A NEW YORK STATEWIDE, ASIAN AMERICAN NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND PACIFIC ISLAND, K THROUGH 12 PUBLIC SCHOOL CURRICULUM. SHE CREATED THE INAUGURAL HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL MAHJONG CLUB TO HELP BUILD COMMUNITY AND SERVED ON AN A API YOUTH PANEL AT THE HASTINGS LIBRARY TO ENGAGE LOCAL LEADERS IN CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS REGARDING EXPERIENCES AND CONCERNS OF A API YOUTH. PLEASE GIVE A ROUND APPLAUSE FOR THIS INCREDIBLE STUDENT, SIRI ROSENBERG. THIS STUDENT, UM, HAS BECOME A LEADER, A MENTOR, AND A VOICE FOR THOSE WHO FELT OVERLOOKED. NOW I'M USING HER WORDS BECAUSE THEY'RE BETTER THAN MINE. UM, IN THE ESSAY SHE WROTE, UH, SHE HAS GUIDED YOUNG ATHLETES, CELEBRATED DIFFERENCES, AND BUILT A TEAM CULTURE ON THE TRACK TEAM IN WHICH EVERYONE COULD BELONG AND THRIVE. SHE SAYS THAT SOCIAL JUSTICE IS NOT COMFORTABLE. IT IS NAMING HARD TRUTHS, CONFRONTING ASSUMPTIONS, AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHERS TO BE HEARD AND RESPECTED. AND IN THE FUTURE, THIS YOUNG WOMAN WANTS TO BUILD PROGRAMS, MENTOR YOUNG PEOPLE, AND CREATE SPACES WHERE DIFFERENCES ARE CELEBRATED AND NO ONE FEELS INVISIBLE OR DEVALUED BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE. PLEASE GIVE A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO THIS AMAZING STUDENT TO NAME MORGAN. [01:00:23] OUR NEXT SCHOLARSHIP IS THE RUTH E. BARTON SCHOLARSHIP. THIS SCHOLARSHIP IS FOR A STUDENT IN THE SENIOR CLASS WHO IS CHOOSING A CAREER WHICH REQUIRES TRAINING FURTHER BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL. UH, THE RECIPIENT OF THIS AWARD IS EMERSON SWART. OUR NEXT AWARD IS THE YEM CLUB AWARD, AND THIS SCHOLARSHIP IS FOR A STUDENT WHO EMBODIES THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AND IS LOOKING TO ENTER THE FIELD OF BUSINESS OR TECHNOLOGY. THE RECIPIENT OF THIS AWARD IS LIAM BELTON. I DO HAVE IN MY NOTES THAT HE'S NOT ATTENDING, SO THAT'S NOT A SURPRISE. THE NEXT AWARD IS THE DR. CY GRUBERG SCHOLARSHIP. THIS SCHOLARSHIP IS IN MEMORY OF DR. GRUBERG, A FORMER SCHOOL COUNSELOR AT HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL. IT'S AWARDED TO A STUDENT WHO HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO THEIR SCHOOL AND THEIR COMMUNITY. AND THE RECIPIENT OF THIS AWARD IS COLIN SEXTON. OUR NEXT AWARD IS THE THEODORE R MEYER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP. THIS SCHOLARSHIP IS AWARDED TO A STUDENT WHO HAS, HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY SERVICE, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, AND HAS DEMONSTRATED PERSEVERANCE. AND THE RECIPIENT OF THIS AWARD IS LAYLA DAVIS. WOO. OUR NEXT AWARD IS THE VINOD VANNA DE BRAW SCHOLAR MEMORIAL AWARD. THIS SCHOLARSHIP IS AWARDED TO TWO SOCCER PLAYERS WHO HAVE SHOWN INTEREST AND UNCOMMON ABILITY, AFFECTION, AND COMMITMENT TO THE SPORT. OUR RECIPIENTS OF THIS AWARD ARE ROLAND RO AND EMILY TAYLOR. THE NEXT AWARD OF THE EVENING IS THE SO YIN HU AND CHANG CHIN CHAN CLASSICAL MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP. THIS MUSICAL SCHOLARSHIP IS AWARDED TO EVERY YEAR TO A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATING SENIOR WHO HAS DEMONSTRATED PASSION AND ACHIEVEMENT IN THE WORLD OF CLASSICAL MUSIC AND WHO PLANS TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE MUSICAL EDUCATION AND PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES ON THEIR INSTRUMENT IN COLLEGE AND BEYOND. THE RECIPIENT OF THIS AWARD IS RIAN KISMARIC. IT IS MY PLEASURE AT THIS MOMENT TO INVITE TO THE STAGE DAVID, JAKE, JARED, AND JOSH AMSTER. CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE UP HERE ON THIS STAGE. YOU DESERVE EVERY BIT OF IT. UM, MY NAME'S DAVID AMSTER. UH, THESE ARE MY SONS, JAKE, JARED AND JOSH AMSTER. AND, UM, WE'RE HERE TO REPRESENT THE LISA JOY AMSTER SCHOLARSHIP OF JOY. UH, THE LISA JOY AMSTER SCHOLARSHIP OF JOY WAS ESTABLISHED IN MEMORY OF MY WIFE AND THEIR MOM, LISA, AN EDUCATOR WHO SPECIALIZED IN TEACHING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS FIRST IN NEW YORK CITY, AND THEN RIGHT HERE IN HASTINGS AWARD. APPLICANTS ARE CONSIDERED BASED UPON HOW THEY HAVE IMPACTED OR HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE SPECIAL EDUCATION COMMUNITY. LISA PASSED AWAY IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR. SO THIS IS OUR INAUGURAL GRANT, AND MY SONS AND [01:05:01] I ARE SO PLEASED TO PRESENT OUR SCHOLARSHIP'S, VERY FIRST AWARD TO PEYTON SUTHERLAND. I'D LIKE TO INVITE TO THE PODIUM, MS. TRISH FULLER, YOU. HI. I AM PRESENTING THE FULLER FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD. I AM A GRADUATE OF HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL IN 1990, MY SISTER TAMMY ANN FULLER WITT, WAS A HASTINGS GRADUATE IN, UM, 1988. ARTHUR ROBERT FULLER WAS A POLICE OFFICER IN HASTINGS FOR 27 YEARS. THIS SCHOLARSHIP IS ABOUT SERVICE AND GIVING BACK. AND IN READING TWO OF THE ESSAYS, UM, THE RECIPIENTS SHOWED A GREAT AMOUNT OF PASSION FOR OTHERS, AND THEIR DEVOTION TO THEIR FUTURE WAS SELFLESS. SO FOR THE FIRST SCHOLARSHIP, WHICH IS THE TANN FULLER SCHOLARSHIP, THAT IS GOING TO BE PRESENTED TO MADISON MCFADDEN, THE SECOND SCHOLARSHIP. UM, THE ARTHUR ROBERT FULLER SCHOLARSHIP IS A VERY SPECIAL SCHOLARSHIP BECAUSE, UM, MY DAD LOVED PEOPLE AND HE LOVED HELPING PEOPLE, AND HE LOVED GIVING BACK AND HE HAD A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PASSION FOR HIS FAMILY. HE WAS AN AMAZING FATHER AND UM, HUSBAND, AND HE JUST LOVES SEEING YOUNG PEOPLE GO FORWARD. AND HE WAS ALWAYS SO ENCOURAGING. AND THIS SCHOLARSHIP GOES TO MATTHEW CORBO FOR HIS ADVANCEMENT, FOR WANTING TO BE AN EDUCATOR IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE NEXT SCHOLARSHIP OF THE EVENING IS THE DONALD S. BEAN SCHOLARSHIP. THE DONALD S. BEAN SCHOLARSHIP WAS CREATED TO RECOGNIZE STUDENTS WHO CAN CONNECT THE LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT SHAPE THEM IN HIGH SCHOOL WITH THE ACADEMIC PATH THAT THEY PLAN TO PURSUE IN COLLEGE. THROUGH THIS SCHOLARSHIP, THE AIM IS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WHO DEMONSTRATE BOTH PASSION AND PURPOSE AS THEY TRANSITION INTO THEIR CHOSEN FIELD. THE RECIPIENTS OF THIS AWARD ARE GLORIA DATA AND DEVIN MULDOON. THE EVENING'S NEXT AWARD IS THE HASTINGS PATRIOTS BASKETBALL CLUB COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD. THE HASTINGS PATRIOTS BASKETBALL CLUB HAS A CORE SET OF VALUES THAT THEY BELIEVE IN, SUCH AS TEAMWORK, THE VALUE OF HARD WORK, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, COMMUNITY TO THE PEOPLE OF HASTINGS. THIS SCHOLARSHIP IS GOING TO BE AWARDED TO A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR BASED ON THEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE AND THEIR GRADES. CONGRATULATIONS TO TABIA SITES. FOR OUR FINAL AWARD OF THE EVENING, I'D LIKE TO INVITE TO THE PODIUM, MRS. MIRIAM KER. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GRADUATES. MY NAME IS MIRIAM KERAS. MY SON MICAH KERAS, GRADUATED FROM HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL IN 2020, AND MY SON, TOBIN KERNE, IS HERE TO SAY JUST A FEW WORDS RIGHT NOW. MY DAD, DAN KERNE, WAS A MUSIC TEACHER AT THE FAIRGATE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND AT HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL FROM 2005 UNTIL SPRING OF 2013, WHEN HE PASSED AWAY, HE DIRECTED THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL COURSES. HE ALSO DIRECTED SOME OF [01:10:01] THE MUSICALS HERE, HIS PASSIONS FOR HIS FAMILY AND MUSIC AND THEATER. EACH YEAR, FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, WE, THE FAMILY OF DAN CURTIS HAVE GIVEN A SCHOLARSHIP TO A STUDENT WHO HAS EXCELLED IN MUSIC OR THEATER, OR BOTH. THIS YEAR'S RECIPIENT OF THE DAN KERNE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP IS SOMEONE WHO, IN THEIR APPLICATION, SHARED A VIVID PICTURE OF THEIR MUSICAL JOURNEY AS DAN DID. THEY RELY ON BOTH MUSICAL THEORY AND A PASSIONATE INTUITION TO BRING FORTH BEAUTIFUL SOUNDS. LETTERS FROM THEIR TEACHER, DESCRIBE THEM AS CONTAGIOUSLY POSITIVE AND AN INSPIRATION TO OTHERS. THEY SAID, NO MATTER WHERE I AM IN LIFE, MUSIC WILL FIND ME. IT DEFINITELY REMINDED ME OF SOMEONE. THE RECIPIENT OF THIS YEAR'S DAN NESS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD IS SARAH ZAMORE. CAN WE PLEASE HAVE ONE BIG FINAL ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR AWARDS RECIPIENTS? I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT THIS EVENING. I VERY MUCH WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO SPOKE AT THE PODIUM FOR THE VERY BEAUTIFUL WORDS THAT YOU SHARED. UH, THE SENTIMENTS THAT YOU SHARED TONIGHT ON THIS STAGE EMBODY THE HEART THAT IS HASTINGS. SO WITH THAT, PLEASE UH, CROSS YOUR FINGERS FOR NO RAIN ON THURSDAY, AND HAVE A LOVELY REST OF YOUR EVENING. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.