Since childhood, Rachel Ballen, a second-year student at Case Western Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, has been fascinated by Africa. A trip with her family to South Africa in 1998 sealed the deal.

Now, 10 years later, Ballen, who hails from Katonah, N.Y., is getting ready to leave in July for her third consecutive trip to Rwanda, where she works at an orphanage in the village of Rwamagana. (more…)

Nicole Patrick will be spending the summer improving her already notable voice skills at the prestigious Boston University Tanglewood Institute. She has also been accepted to The Julliard School’s Pre-College Program and will begin classes there in September.

“I’m very happy about being accepted to both of these programs,” said Nicole. The Julliard Pre-College Program is extremely competitive, with only six students accepted per year. Nicole will attend Saturday classes for 30 weeks at the Manhattan-based school, which is considered one of the world’s most prestigious performing arts conservatories. At Julliard, Nicole will study sight singing, music theory, diction, and performance.

At the Tanglewood Institute, Nicole will participate in the Young Artists Vocal Program. The summer festival, which operates under the auspices of Boston University, is designed to immerse young people, ages 15 through 18, in the art of classical singing. Classes include movement, acting, diction, written and aural theory, weekly private lessons, and repertoire coaching

Sam Schwartz, an incoming senior at The Harvey School, received two awards at the annual meeting of the Katonah/Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps June 11.

The awards included the “Frank L. Moore Junior Corps Person of the Year Award” in grateful appreciation for his dedication and devotion to the ambulance corps, and an awards certificate for taking 79 calls during the past year, and “for preserving human life through devoted and unselfish service within the EMS community.” Sam is a resident of Bedford Corners.

The Harvey School Class of 2008 was urged to become engaged and productive members of society, take an interest in public service, and become part of the solution to some of the world’s most pressing problems during the school’s graduation ceremony held June 5.

In her commencement address before the 58 graduates, the Board of Directors, faculty, parents, and other students, Bedford Town Supervisor Lee Roberts recounted her own experience in public service, urging the graduating class to register to vote in the upcoming general election and to be part of what is happening in their communities.

“You are the next generation of decision-makers,” said Ms. Roberts, who was elected the town’s first woman supervisor in 2003. “Your willingness to be part of the local community will determine the ultimate success of our country.” (more…)

Shouts of Toga! Toga! Toga! Filled Dr. Geraldine McGrath’s Latin classes at The Harvey School. In the photo, Kelly Barker, Katherine Powers, and Dylan Lunde cives Romani of the Middle School, are forming a triumvirate to make the celebratory toga party an annual event secundum legem scholae Harviensis. Dr. McGrath explained that fun activities such as myth masks, Latin t-shirts, and the popular Harry Potter Project make learning Latin exciting for her students.

Students from all three grades at the Middle School took a well deserved break from their studies recently to enjoy trips to Albany, New York City and Philadelphia.

The sixth-grade’s class first stop on their Albany tour began at the New York State Museum, where they saw several exhibits, including the history of the state’s various Indian tribes, the area’s mineral deposits and a visual of New York City. They also took a tour of the New York State Capitol Building. Highlights of the tour included the Million Dollar Staircase, the senate floor, and a visit from New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. The group was particularly amazed by the hand carved stone, as well as the gold leafed walls in the senate. To round out the day, the students were treated to a tour of the U.S.S. Slater by a World War II Navy veteran. (more…)

A social studies assignment that 11th-grader Justin Bernstein received while he was in the seventh grade at Fox Lane Middle School has today turned into a $40,000 windfall for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

All of the money raised is due to Justin’s tireless efforts to help raise awareness of the disease, which currently afflicts about 250,000 Americans, including a good friend of Justin’s. MD is a group of genetic, degenerative diseases primarily affecting voluntary muscles. The 17-year-old came up with the fundraising idea after his social studies teacher at Fox Lane, Erin Filner, asked that the class think of ways to make the world a better place, based upon the premise of the movie “Pay It Forward.” (more…)