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On Tuesday, June 4 Stamford High held its annual Senior Scholarship Award Ceremony, which recognizes senior scholarship winners and senior Seal of Biliteracy recipients. Students and families came together for an award ceremony and breakfast to honor student achievement. It was a great morning that kicked off a series of upcoming celebrations for the seniors and school community.

The last Career Day of this school year was a success at SHS! We’ve had the privilege of hosting over 30 amazing guest speakers this school year. We are incredibly grateful they each took time from their busy mornings to spend with us. They have provided our students with invaluable information and insight. Stamford High seeks to provide students with career connected learning opportunities. Hosting quarterly Career Days allows our students to hear from a wide range of professionals from various backgrounds. Mr. Scianna and Ms. Forlenzo-Legutko have collaborated over the past 2 years of Career Days and look forward to offering another 4 during the 2024-2025 school year.

Over the weekend, the Strawberry Hill Players attended and performed at the Stephen Sondheim Awards in New Haven. We are so proud to share that Kate Morton (11), who played Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia, won Best Lead Actress! She will now go on to compete in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, also known as the Jimmys, in NYC. Just being a part of the Jimmy Awards is incredibly prestigious as many participants go on to have Broadway careers!

If you have Kate as a student or see her in the halls, be sure to congratulate her on this great honor!

Great news!  As you may recall, a few months back some of our students won first place in a statewide journalism contest run by the Connecticut Press Club. Well, the organizers of that contest automatically enter the first place winners from each category into a national contest run by the National Federation of Press Women. I just got the press release about that contest, and four Round Table students placed nationally out of almost 2,000 entries! Here are the students:

·        Scarlet Mejia - 2nd Place, “Radio or Television Interview” category (Black History Month Feature - an Emotional Interview with Superintendent Dr. Tamu Lucero) 

·        Kristina Yosypiv - 3rd Place, “Feature Story” category (Ukrainian Refugees Share Their Story After Unwillingly Leaving Home)

·        Molly Fitzgerald - 3rd Place, “Editorial” category (Locking Bathrooms Isn't Just Inconvenient...)

·        Jasmine Whitfield - Honorable Mention, “Opinion” category (How Long Will Female Wrestlers Continue to be Overshadowed?)

Fund for Teachers has just announced their 23rd cohort of grant recipients, bringing their total investment in teacher professional development up to nearly 10,000 Pre K - 12 teachers with $37 million since they started their philanthropic teacher mission 24 years ago. This year’s FFT Fellows represent their largest percentage of Teachers of Color. Grants were awarded to 365 public/private/charter school teachers from 36 states and the District of Columbia this year. Fund for Teachers grants support teachers as primary learners in their classrooms and trusts that they know best regarding their students' needs to advance academically and emotionally. Creativity, and passion has allowed each group of FFT Fellows to pursue their own new knowledge and skills, as well as foster new perspectives in 170 different countries on every continent including Antarctica.

“A curious teacher who recognizes students’ learning gaps, honors their lived experiences, and actively seeks innovative solutions will change the lives of those students and their families,” said Karen Eckhoff, Fund for Teachers’ executive director. 

“Our Fellows are models of what can happen when teachers are respected professionals and valued as agents of change.”

Stamford 2024 Fellows from SHS

Amanda Yannet - Stamford High School - Study diverse Peruvian ecosystems, concentrating on the Amazon Rainforest

Eric Keller - Stamford High School - Earth / Space and Environmental Science - Road Trip to US Four Corners / Grand Canyon area for geological soil studies. 

Here is a link to all 2024 Fellow Grant Descriptions, with more details including Stamford’s newest group of award winners. Please take a minute to look at their unique and individualized learning plans for summer professional development and wish them congratulations for their inspiring hard work for themselves and their (our) students.

Last week, Stamford’s School Readiness Program at William Pitt experienced an unforgettable day filled with excitement and music, all thanks to the incredible support of Stamford High School’s marching band!  Led by teacher Adam Jackson, the band joined us in celebrating the culmination of our annual parade event for the Week of the Young Child. It was a momentous occasion that brought together students, teachers, and the community in a spirit of joy and celebration.

Educators Rising is a national “Grow Your Own” teacher program. Five years ago, Daniel Lauture, the SPS Ed Rising teacher leader, introduced the teaching career path to 7 SPS high school students. This program and the after-school club is now 40 strong and highly recognized at Connecticut Educator Rising Conferences.

The CT ED Rising Professional Development Day was held at University of Bridgeport on December 5 where Stamford’s very own Jacquelyn Rybnick was appointed to be 2023 CT Student Cabinet Vice President of Service. This day was also monumental in that Jessica Nelson, a member of the first SPS Ed Rising cohort, presented as a now senior at University of Bridgeport nearing the commencement of her first teaching position!

SPS shone once more at CCSU on March 8 at The Connecticut Educators Rising 2023 State Conference. During this conference, SPS ED Rising Students, Morgan Comstock and Isabella Siciliano competed in the Children’s Literature Competition where they showcased a children’s book they wrote for elementary grade levels. SPS Is immensely proud of Daniel Lauture, our teacher leader for his dedication in planting the seeds for our SPS students to realize their vision of becoming a Connecticut teacher and of our junior and senior Ed Rising Students!!!!

In a break from Mamma Mia rehearsals, the Strawberry Hill Players were visited by Broadway star Robin De Jesús who led a workshop about performance through song. Together, Robin and members of the drama club broke down meaning and emotions in songs; a few students even got to perform a mock audition for one-on-one coaching from the Broadway actor! Robin also allowed time for the students to ask questions about his career and auditioning in general.  We were thrilled to have this opportunity and look forward to taking what Robin has taught us to the stage!

Robin De Jesús is a three-time Tony Award nominated actor. He received his first major role in the cult-classic 2003 film CAMP. Since then, he has gone on to perform in various Broadway productions, including RENT, IN THE HEIGHTS (for which he received his first Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical), LA CAGE AUX FOLLES (his second nomination), WICKED, and THE BOYS IN THE BAND (for which he just received his third nomination).

Stamford High School’s annual support for Breast Cancer Awareness month has had a special meaning this year.  Given the friends we have lost recently, this year’s dedication was a tribute to our friend and colleague Curtis Tinnin, who lost his battle with cancer after an eight-month struggle.  The annual “Pink Out” shirt was inspired by Curt’s message of hope in stating “Live a life of love, be part of something bigger than yourself, and cherish each day.”  

As we enter our 11th year of supporting this cause, Stamford High has raised over $100,000, primarily with the support of students, staff, and the SHS community through the purchase of our “Pink Out” gear!  SHS will be making another sizable donation this year!

On September 27th, SHS Art teacher Erika Arconti-Galassi was a recipient of an award as an honoree from Yale New Haven Children's Hospital Toy Closet Program.  For over 7 years, Erika's Adobe Photoshop classes have created custom digital art and paid it forward by making holiday greeting cards and attaching them to donated toys.

The toys were then given to the children staying in the care of the hospital and also shared with other Yale Hospitals to brighten a child's day. Hundreds of toys have been generously donated from our very own Stamford High students and the New Canaan Toy Store.

YNHH has given away over 235,000 toys just this year alone ranging from ages 0-18. SHS student volunteers, teams, and school groups volunteer and support The Toy Closet project throughout the year.