YOUTH ON THE GO
New Paltz High School seniors Eliza Behrke, Andrew Geher and Ryan Hovey will perform in t he New York State School Music Association All- State Performing ensembles.
A fourth New Paltz High senior, Carl Schroer, was chosen as an alternate.
Behrke, Geher and Hovey were selected for the AllState Mixed Chorus, with Behrke as Soprano 1, Geher as Bass 2 and Hovey as Tenor 1. Schroer was chosen as an alternate for Snare Drum.
Due to restrictions and concerns related to the pandemic, the association’s annual Winter Conference in Rochester was canceled. However, the association is assembling the All-State ensembles in a remote format to record a 2020 Vir
tual All-State Concert. The concert will feature performances of each of the AllState ensembles.
In a press release, New Paltz High Principal Mario Fernández said the selection to participate in the 2020 All- State Performing Ensemble is a rare and unique award bestowed upon accomplished musicians or vocalists. “We hope that this recognition will help broaden their contribution to the musical establishment and encourage our students as they continue in their pursuit of musical and entertainment success,” he added.
The New York State
School Music Association’s mission is to advance music education across New York state for its membership and students in member school programs. About 7,000 students audition for the eight All-State performing groups, and just under 900 are selected to participate annually. Approximately 100,000 students participate annually in spring adjudication festivals held around the state.
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Students in the Ulster BOCES Fashion Design & Merchandising program are putting their best faces forward by creating masks with fashion flair.
The students are creating prototypes addressing mask-related issues, such as the chafing that is some
Isabella Brekke, of the Onteora Central School District, is exploring creating a mask with filters to make breathing easier. To make her design stylish, she is considering adding magnets to a basic mask to achieve different looks using customized coverlets. In the above photo, she displays a collection of design ideas for her mask’s prototype.
times caused by ear straps. Solutions for a more comfortable design include using adjustable straps or headbands to fasten the face coverings.
The resourceful designers also addressed the problem of how glasses can slide down the wearer’s nose when worn with a mask. One proposal calls for adding leather or other fabric as a shelf at the bridge of the nose. Fashion design and merchandising instructor Nicole Foti said her students want to express themselves with something stylish — yet safe.
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Three seniors at Our Lady of Lourdes High School in Poughkeepsie — Matthew Cruser, Yunjie Gong and Moira Kennedy — were named commended students in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program.
A letter of commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which conducts the program, was presented by Lourdes Principal Catherine Merryman to the students.
About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation were recognized f or t hei r achievements. Although they will not continue in the 2021 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, commended students p laced among the top 50,000 scorers of more than
1.5 mi l - l i on s t udents who entered the
2021 competition by taking the 2019 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test NMSQT).