Yonkers' Best & Brightest: Gorton High School the $28M Question For
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
WESTCHESTER’S OLDEST AND MOST RESPECTED NEWSPAPERS PRESORT-STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID White Plains, NY Permit #7164 Vol 110 Number 15 www.RisingMediaGroup.com Friday, April 10, 2015 Yonkers’ Best & Brightest: The $28M Question for YPS By Dan Murphy revenue,” he continued. “Unfortunately, this has Gorton High School The recently passed state budget includes become a reality that only Gov. Cuomo can cor- $21.5 million in additional education aid for the rect. The City of Yonkers gave the governor his 27,000 students in Yonkers Public Schools, but requested model program for an IMA. It’s work- not nearly enough to restore basic staff and pro- ing. The governor disappointed me, as he did not grams throughout the district from cuts made in recognize that the $28 million is an essential part 2010. of our budget. Without the reoccurring revenue, One item not included in the budget is a $28 Yonkers children, once again, lose a sound basic million one-time payment made to the city for education that is their right and must be provided YPS last year to help close a gap made from a by the state.” budgetary blunder of overspending $55 million in Yarzulo warned that without the $28 million, funds over the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years. items to be cut at YPS include all sports, all ele- Superintendent Dr. Michael Yarzulo had an- mentary art and music instruction, library services ticipated the $28 million again in his $444 million in elementary and “middle year” programs, and budget for the school year starting in September. some staff positions such as administrators, teach- Without the $28 million, he notified Yonkers ers, safety officers and clerical and school aides. Board of Education trustees and Mayor Mike Yarzulo had requested an additional $89 mil- Spano that there is a $28 million shortfall for the lion in education funding from New York State board to provide a status quo budget for the 2015- in his budget proposal last month. That $89 mil- 16 school year. lion request was not provided in the state budget, “In every meeting and correspondence with but was replaced with the $21.5 million that state the governor’s staff from last fall through March, legislators from Yonkers were able to secure for Mayor Spano and I have made it perfectly clear YPS. that Yonkers must continue to receive the $28 The additional $21.5 million in state educa- Gorton High School Valedictorian Maurice Asare, left, and Salutatorian Ibrahim Haddad, right. million that the governor provided this year for tion aid for Yonkers comes from $11 million in Photo by Bayan Baker. the implementation of the Inter-Municipal Agree- aid based on the formula (an increase of more By Bayan Baker students before them, the two spoke about the ment with the City of Yonkers,” said Yarzulo. “I than 8 percent from last year), about $6 million Gorton High School Valedictorian Maurice encouragement they receive from their teachers informed them that the impact would be devastat- from a partial elimination of the Gap Elimination Asare and Salutatorian Ibrahim Haddad spoke to and the faculty and staff at Gorton High School, ing for our students. Adjustment, and $2 million in a “bullet aid one- Yonkers Rising about what it truly means to be a and how grateful they are to them. “The $28 million must become reoccurring Continued on Page 8 GHS student and upcoming graduate. Like many Continued on Page 7 Grand Opening of Science Kids Seek ‘Golden Eggs’ Barge Ushers in Spring At PAL Easter Egg Hunt Eco-friendly fun returns with the opening of the Yonkers Science Barge. Photo by Donna Davis. Cross the gangplank and say hello to spring bon cutting set for 2 p.m. The Easter Bunny with 4-year-old Dyland Alvarado of Yonkers, who captured the Golden Egg at the season opening of the Science Barge on Festivities include a super-high kite-flying for his age group. Photo by Ed Whitman. Saturday, April 11. demonstration with kite expert and nationally- The Science Barge, a sustainable urban recognized boomerang-er “Flyin’ Brian Caval- The Easter Bunny was busy in Yonkers over Parks Department. farm and environmental education center, is laro;” giant wearable puppets courtesy of Pup- the Easter Weekend, as the Yonkers PAL held its The overcast skies were not enough to celebrating its seventh year on the waterfront peteers’ Cooperative; hunting for glass eels; a 38th annual Easter egg hunt April 4 at Redmond dampen the enthusiasm of the large crowd that in downtown Yonkers with an afternoon of rev- ConEdison energy bike challenge; and live mu- (Cook) Field, under the chairmanship of Chris attended, looking for eggs. elry. The fun starts at noon, with the official rib- Continued on Page 8 Polandra and with support from the Yonkers Continued on Page 10 With More Photos Mayor Spano Honors Dedicated Yonkers Volunteers Mayor Mike Spano, center, with Council Minority Leader Michael Sabatino, left, and Volunteer NY Executive Director Alisa Kesten, with Yonkers’ Outstanding Volunteers. Mayor Mike Spano announced his selec- he said. “These volunteers give of themselves database coordinator. He goes above and beyond skills and teaching many of them Spanish. Mar- tion of Yonkers volunteers for the third annual to their communities and contribute to making program expectations and does an extraordinary tinez is truly dedicated to the children she serves nationwide Mayors’ Day of Recognition for Yonkers a more vibrant place to live. They don’t job assisting non-profit organizations. Ferraris is and treats all children as if they were her own. National Service on April 7, spotlighting the im- do it for the recognition or the awards, but rather, a retired, honorable mention, Navy veteran with * Sandra Little – Family Service Society pact of national service and honoring those who the knowledge that their efforts help our commu- 25 years of service. of Yonkers serve their communities. Spano honored nine nity is reward enough.” * Hilda Martinez – WESTCOP Foster Little is a dedicated advocate for the Grand- local volunteers from the Yonkers community, Spano recognized the following volunteers Grandparent Program Power Project of the Family Service Society of specifically who donate their time to a variety of for their years of service in Yonkers: Martinez has volunteered as a “foster grand- Yonkers, educating the public and elected offi- charitable organizations, sponsored by Volunteer * Steven Ferraris – Volunteer New York! parent” for three years at Cedar Place Elemen- cials about the needs of kinship caregivers and New York. Ferraris contributes to Volunteer New tary. During her years of service, she has made advocating for greater services to help caregiv- “Yonkers is a city of ordinary people who York’s signature program, RSVP of Westchester, tremendous strides with her students, assisting ers remain with their children. She also dedicates do extraordinary things each and every day,” volunteering more than 500 hours of his time as a them with sentence structure, building their math Continued on Page 8 PAGE 2 - YONKERS RISING - FRIDay, APRIL 10, 2015 Yonkers Roots for Caitlin Play Ball! Yonkers Style Caporale on ‘The Voice’ The Yonkers High School baseball team begins another season. By Phil Foley is part of Suffern’s annual tournament. Yonkers Yonkers Rising received the following won the game 6-3 in seven innings. email from Yonkers High School baseball coach “Camilo Burgos-Bye (Yonkers) got the win Scott Stampfl: and had 12 strikeouts. Joe Campiglia went 2 for “My name is Scott Stampfl and I am the 3 (single and double) and had two RBIs. Vinny head varsity baseball coach at ‘THE’ Yonkers Balzano made a great diving catch in center field High School. I heard that you are the man to re- and then doubled off a runner at first base (on One of the performers on NBC’s hit tele- most recent performance: “I thought that was port scores and invite to games to see us play. I the same play) during a crucial fifth inning rally. vision show “The Voice” is Caitlin Caporale, blanking amazing,” said Maroon 5 frontman am thrilled to hear this. Sometimes the boys in Bryan Alcala (Lincoln) pitched a great game in who has roots in Yonkers and calls the city her Adam Levine our district do not get the exposure they should the loss. He went six innings, but his defense second home. This week, Caitlin continued her “You are really starting to show yourself and could. I appreciate whatever you can do for made some errors behind him.” journey on the show by singing “Best Thing as a threat in this show,” added country star us this season, and I will frequently stay in touch. We encourage all athletic coaches to reach I Never Had” by Beyonce in the live playoff Blake Shelton. “The way you navigate a melo- “Recently my team, the Yonkers H.S. Bull- out to Phil so that we can report on the spring competition. dy was so different, but great.” dogs, squared off with the Lincoln H.S. Lanc- games in all Yonkers High Schools. Email pfol- From a young age, Caitlin used music as “Your high notes are so great and it’s so ers, in our first league game at Suffern H.S. This [email protected]. a way to express herself. She participated in easy for you,” said pop diva Christina Agu- choir and musical theater in school, has en- ilera. “You’re so awesome.” tered more than 50 talent competitions and “I’m very proud of you,” added hip- eventually started posting YouTube videos. hop/R&B artist Pharrell Williams.