GPS District Digest (v6, i17)

Those April showers sure did come late this year in Greenwich. Despite a wet May, the GPS District Digest continues to be your sunlight breaking through grey skies.

Would you believe us if we told you that the Digest has almost 95,000 views this school year so far? That is 1.5 times the population of Greenwich. After six years of sharing all good things GPS with you, we think we will keep this train chugging along. Tell a friend!

Thanks to Yamuna R. for the kind words. We usually write to entertain ourselves in the newsroom, but we love when you can come along for the ride.

Enjoy Issue No. 17 and thank you for your support.

GPS District Digest

Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones recently announced that 53 GPS employees had been named GPS’s “Difference Maker” award recipients for the month of April as staff members who have made an overwhelming impact on the lives of others inside and outside of our schools. Among those 53 honorees was Ms. Sharon Scofield, who recently announced her retirement after so many years of loyal service to the children of Greenwich.

“Seven months after the Difference Maker program was initiated, I am so pleased that the GPS community is recognizing the amazing depth of talent in our schools,” Dr. Jones said. “This program was imagined as an opportunity to acknowledge staff that may not have a light shined on their outstanding work on a daily basis, and I am certain that it is a rousing success.”

The Greenwich Public Schools “Difference Maker” award is presented monthly to full or part-time employees who, through their unique commitment and humanitarian spirit, have made exceptional and lasting contributions to the GPS community through one life-changing event, extraordinary long-lasting efforts, or making a difference in the lives of others every single day. Each building holds its individual celebrations to honor winners with certificate presentations and other recognitions.

GPS families, students, co-workers, or community members can nominate their difference maker online and is open to all employees of Greenwich Public Schools, full or part time, in good standing. It excludes contractors or employees of other town agencies.

Were you at Old Greenwich School's historical groundbreaking ceremony in late April? History was made!

Members of the Board of Education, Greenwich Public Schools senior administration, and the Old Greenwich School Building Committee were on hand to celebrate the much anticipated official start of the school's renovation.

The amazing work will transform a beloved neighborhood school building to meet all ADA compliance laws and safety standards, address sewer and drainage issues, build a new kindergarten addition, and install a new building-wide HVAC system. Once completed, Old Greenwich School will continue to have its historic appearance and local charm.

The administration and staff of Greenwich High School recently announced that co-founder and CEO of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, Ben Van Leeuwen, will be the 2025 Commencement Speaker. Mr. Van Leeuwen is a proud GHS alum, Class of 2002. GHS Commencement is scheduled for 5:00 PM on Tuesday, June 17 at Cardinal Stadium.

“The Greenwich High School graduation ceremony is an epic celebration for not only families of our graduates and our amazing staff, but those alumni that paved the way.” Greenwich HS Principal Mr. Ralph Mayo said. “Ben Van Leeuwen’s success story is rooted in his time as a Cardinal and all of us here on Hillside Road are tremendous admirers of everything he has accomplished.”

Mr. Van Leeuwen is co-founder and CEO of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, which began as a yellow scoop truck on the streets of New York City in 2008 with a mission to make good ice cream from good ingredients that makes you feel good. He never imagined that his high school summer job would inspire the business he would soon build alongside brother Pete Van Leeuwen, and Laura O’Neill. On his way out of an interview at a financial services company, Mr. Van Leeuwen had a chance encounter with a Mister Softee ice cream truck that sparked an idea - to create the world’s best ice cream using only the purest, highest quality ingredients, effectively reimagining the ice cream truck experience for the modern consumer. Van Leeuwen began from these humble roots, and has since grown to a true ice cream empire.

"I am honored to be the commencement keynote speaker for Greenwich High School - a place that played a meaningful role in shaping my journey,” Mr. Van Leeuwen said. “I look forward to sharing my story in a way that inspires and empowers. Drawing on my experiences that began right here, I hope to encourage everyone to discover their passion and pursue a path that leads to real happiness."

Following his four years at Greenwich HS, Mr. Van Leeuwen earned a bachelor's degree in Management and Business from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Central Middle School recently hosted Professionals Day, with nearly 30 professionals across various industries from the greater Greenwich community sharing stories and insights with its students.

CMS teacher Ms. Maria Woodward, a 2023 Distinguished Teachers Award honoree, organized and partnered with parent volunteers, who signed up for this career day, to speak about their respective careers and the paths they took to get where they are today.

Guest mentors represented many careers, including physicians, attorneys, fashion/interior designers, TV announcers, and civil servants.

The Greenwich Botanical Center, in partnership with the Town of Greenwich, recently hosted Greenwich High School’s Advanced Placement Environmental Science students for a field trip focusing on soil science. The GHS PTA helped to fund this field trip, while science teacher, Mr. Richard Baxley, worked to make this a reality for his students.

The students visited stations where they learned about erosion, soil composition in forests versus wetlands, and where they drew conclusions on an experiment at the GBC’s horticultural building looking at how salinity effects seed germination rates in crops.

These students were not just learning hands on information to assist them in their upcoming AP exams, but they were also introduced to numerous professionals in the environmental field, including from the Town of Greenwich Parks and Recreation Department: Tree Warden Dr. Greg Kramer, Parks Operations Manager Jonathan Fasone, Director of Environmental Affairs Beth Evans, and Environmental Analysts Devan Healy and Rebecca Poirier. The entire Greenwich Botanical Center staff were hands on, especially Horticultural Education Director Tiana Santasiere.

Greenwich High School junior, Mariam Fahimi? You know about her? She can write.

She recently learned that she won the 2025 Greenwich Bar Association Law Day Scholarship Contest and will receive a $1,000 scholarship award for her written piece called, "A Shield and a Sword: In Defense of Imperfect Promises."

As the winner of the contest, she was invited with her family to attend the Greenwich Bar Association Law Day Luncheon this week.

Why did she participate to begin with?

"The Advanced Placement U.S. Government & Politics class inspired me," Mariam said, "so I entered a writing contest about the Constitution!"

Maybe reading her work will inspire you.

By Mariam Fahimi

The United States Constitution is often defined simply: as a blueprint for government or perhaps even a list of rights. However, to me, its power is far more complex. It is a document born out of contradiction- crafted by masterly minds who dreamed of liberty while enslaving others, who yearned for justice while denying it to so many. Nevertheless, despite its inception, the Constitution became both a shield and a sword: a shield that protects the freedoms that we have secured, and a sword to carve out the ones we have not yet achieved. It is not that the Constitution has always been fair- but that it holds within it the means to struggle toward being just, that tension, that vulnerability, is what makes it significant.

The First Amendment is a prime example of the Constitution’s shielding function. It protects what we perceive as fundamental rights: speech, religion, the press, and assembly from government interference.

The First Amendment is the clearest example of the Constitution’s protective function. It shields speech, religion, the press, and assembly from government interference. These liberties are not abstract. They are the unobtrusive assurances that enable a protestor to yell and scream in front of the Capitol, a teenager to critique the government online, or a minority religion to worship openly. They are imperfect in application, but the fact that they are promoted in the Constitution compels the state to answer for any overreach. They protect me from being silent when silence seems like the only course of action.

But where the Constitution acts as a shield, it must also act as a sword. The Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment have been the legal steel on which generations have fought back against exclusion and injustice. These are not fixed principles-these are active weapons, sharpened in the courts and by ordinary people transformed into plaintiffs, organizers, and dreamers. From Brown v. Board through Obergefell v. Hodges, the Constitution has been stretched, reinterpreted, and, at times, rescued from its own silence.

However, I will not stand here and pretend that the Constitution always works. It has failed to prevent injustice; it has been used to justify it. Its protections are too often unequal, and its promises are continuously postponed. That is why the Constitution matters to me--not as a static source of pride, but as a dynamic call to action, to challenge, and to complete what was left unfinished.

That is what I think we often overlook when talking about the Constitution. We speak of it either as sacred or flawed, however, we rarely admit that it is unfinished- and that it is ours to finish. Its authors didn’t solve democracy they left us with the pieces to build it. The Constitution gives structure, not perfection possibility; not determinism.

And that, to me, is its most radical property: that a work of writing from hundreds of years ago can still infuriate, provoke, and inspire. It can be the reason why injustice occurs and the reason why it’s remedied. That it can disillusion and redeem itself at the same time.

In the polarized climate of the present, it’s tempting to make the Constitution into a symbol of sides- liberal and conservative, originalist or activist. But I reject that binary. To me, the Constitution is not a weapon in a partisan fight. It is the air between us--the place where an argument is translated into progress, where dissent is protected, and where ideas meet responsibility. It is what allows someone like me, a young female who is not yet of age to vote, to still be part of the conversation.

So yes, the Constitution is a shield and a sword. But it is also a mirror. It shows us who we are and what we believe we deserve. If we turn away from it, we allow others to define its meaning, But if we face it--critically, courageously--we keep its promises alive.

And that, ultimately, is the role of our Constitution and what it means to me.

Late last month, in celebration of Earth Day, Old Greenwich School students participated in a series of workshops organized by ART06870 and the Developing Artist Program. The event sparked meaningful conversations about environmental issues, social impact, and the importance of collective action to create a better world for future generations, all while having fun and making art together.

Local and regional artists led creative stations focused on recycling and repurposing. Students collaborated to weave materials into a house-shaped sculpture made from found objects. They also worked on an outdoor installation using plastic debris collected that washed ashore from more than 60 countries around the world. Additionally, they crafted bubble tools from repurposed materials, creating ephemeral bubble forms that drifted into the clear blue sky.

The workshop tied into the exhibition at ART06870 where regional and national artists showcased works made from repurposed materials. The exhibition also featured some of the collaborative projects created by the OG students, and a collaborative community installation, incorporating items created and collected during the Earth Day event and the Live Like Luke Beach Cleanup Day where an art station was set up, honoring Luke and the Meyers family.

The Earth Day art event was made possible with support from the Greenwich Alliance for Education, the Old Greenwich School PTA, and funds raised at the ART06870 10 Squared exhibition and fundraiser.

More Ashley, please!

Late last month, we were alerted that the Greenwich High School senior and Digest stalwart, Ashley Malkin was selected as one of 621 semifinalists to advance to the final round of the 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholar program. In the coming months, the U.S. Department of Education will complete the final selection of who will be named Scholars.

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by executive order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors. In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields. Each year, up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students.

For more information on the program and a full list of semifinalists, head to the program's webpage.

Social studies teacher Mr. Ian Tiedemann alerted us that students in the Greenwich HS Economics Club recently participated in the Euro Challenge national semifinals. The semifinals included the top 25 teams that advanced from their respective regions. From there, five advance to the finals. Not only did the GHS team advance to the finals, they finished second overall.

1. Describe the current economic situation in the Euro Area.
2. Select one economic-related challenge topic confronting the Euro Area as a whole, and pick one of the 20 member countries of the Euro Area to illustrate that challenge.
3. Recommend a policy or policies for addressing the challenge identified in the country selected. Be sure to include in your recommendation a discussion of how having a single currency may or may not affect the policy choices for addressing the challenge.

By Gemma Hardwick

Special to the Digest

Kicking off the outdoor season, the Greenwich High School girls' track & field team had some significant successes. The team is looking to be very strong going into the championship season and will be very hard to beat at the FCIAC and State Championships.

The team has had three dual meets so far, including one invitational, and the girls are off to a very strong start.

At their first home meet of the season versus Stamford, freshman Samaya Dawkins won the 100m hurdles in 18.29. Gemma Hardwick won the 1600 in 5:22, and Eliana Daplyn won the 400m in 1:01.15. Senior captain Sophia Riche won the 300m hurdles in 48.22, Gemma Hardwick also won the 800m in 2:28.41, and captain Nina Silver won the 200 in 27.36. Freshman Sophie Passalacqua won the 3200m in 11:31, a new freshman school record. Also, most notably, Sophia Riche set a new school record by jumping 35-5 in the triple jump, which broke her own school record of last year, 34-8.75. The Greenwich girls team beat Stamford in this meet, winning by a landslide.

Next, some of the girls competed at the New York Relays. Freshman Adriana Bozza placed fifth in the 3000, setting a new freshman outdoor school record. Sophie placed fourth in the 1 mile, and the all freshman team of Adriana Bozza, Riley Barber, Ella Barber, and Sophie Passalacqua placed first in the sprint-medley relay, setting a new freshman school record.

Then, the girls team had another home meet versus Trumbull and another victory, scoring more than 116 points. Sophia Riche once again broke her own school record, bettering her personal best to 36-6.5. This is currently No. 3 in the state of Connecticut. Sophia also won the 100m hurdles in 15.65. Sophie won the 1600m in 5:20.69, and Nina Silver won the 400m with a new personal best of 1:00.86. Sophia also won the 300m hurdles in 47 flat. Gemma Hardwick won the 800 in a new personal best of 2:17.84, which is currently No. 4 in the state of Connecticut. Lastly, Sophie Passalacqua won the 3200m in 11:17.

The girls team had some fantastic performances so far and remains undefeated throughout the regular season.

Congratulations to Greenwich HS senior, Olivia Nguyen, who announced her intention to be a part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's women's crew team while continuing her formal educational.

The Greenwich HS cheerleading team was all smiles recently for this photo opportunity. Pictured front row (l to r): Captains Sierra Erensen, Siera Rollins, Jane Traget; middle row: Head Coach Julia Vyskocil, Lily Yardis, Leila Alza, Scarlotte Arlotti, Darby Kent, Assistant Coach Nicolette Capalbo; back row: State Representative Tina Courpas, Sadie Trager, Madeline Ambrogio, Gemma Elezaj, Ingrid Imp, Kendyl Inesta, Laura Colombo, Julia Petty, State Senator Ryan Fazio. Absent for photo: Claire Kilcullen and Hanalei Perrucci.

Just when you thought we acquired every postcard ever produced of the Havemeyer Building at 290 Greenwich Avenue, the home of the GPS District Digest, this beauty pops up in our mailbox. No. 13 in our collection!

The loyal Digest reader knows that this unused postcard cannot be our favorite because it never fulfilled its destiny, but it does have awesome colorful graphics that were embossed into the card, surrounding a classic black and white image of the monumental building that "sits gracefully atop a gently sloping hill at the corner of Arch Street and Greenwich Avenue."

The Havemeyer Building has been utilized by the people of Greenwich for educational purposes since 1892. Today, more than 100 GPS employees call it their "office" and is centrally located for all town residents.

Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Havemeyer!

We love hearing from our friends over at the Bruce Museum. They have more programs for your entire family than the Boss has hit songs:

• Birthday Parties at the Bruce
• Art Adventures: Pointillism (May 11)
• Bruce Beginnings: Spring Flowers (May 13-14)
• Bruce Beginnings, Junior: Spring Flowers (May 7)
• Museum Movers: Yoga for Kids (May 17)
• 40th Annual Outdoor Crafts Festival (May 17-18)
• Bruce Beginnings: Powerful Pollinators (May 20-21)
• Bruce Beginnings, Junior: Powerful Pollinators (May 21)
• Bruce Presents: Branching Out: Trees in Contemporary Art (May 21)
• Lifetime of Looking: Waterside Escapes (May 22)
• Seaside Centering (May 22)

Social media, when done responsibly, can be a great tool to share information. Here at GPS, we use social media to give you a behind the scenes look at what is happening in our buildings, celebrate staff and student achievement, and to break news.

Are you one of our 2,165 followers on X (formerly known as Twitter)? If not, why aren't you? We know the world can be a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. But here, it's all sunshine and rainbows.

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• Linda and Karen - lit.