Alumni News

  • Attention Hen Hud Alumni!  We would love to hear from you! Please send all alumni news to Beth Gruber, Resource Development Liaison, at beth.gruber@henhudschools.org.

    Alumni News

    2018

    K Cooke ceremony

    Photo credit:  Rick Pezzullo

    2003 Hendrick Hudson graduate and Army veteran Kevin Cooke was honored on October 25th in a ceremony at the Montrose Veterans Park by the Montose Business Association for his service in Iraq.  To read the full article, click here

     

    2016

    Henry Bethea, Class of 1967, a fallen Vietnam hero and Hen Hud star athlete, was honored by the Town of Cortlandt with the installation of a bench in his memory at Steamboat Riverfront Park in Verplanck in December.  For the full story as reported by The Examiner News, click here.

    2015

    3rd Annual Alumni Skills Game at Hen Hud
    Megan Boyle, Class of 2010, reports:  "Over Winter Break, the Hendrick Hudson Basketball program hosted its 3rd annual Alumni skills game. The skills game pits alumni of the Girls basketball program against the current varsity team in a contest of various skills and drills.

    This year’s contest consisted of a huge variety of alumni – from class of 2010 all the way to recent graduates of the class of 2015. For the student athletes, it is a great way to reunite with old players they used to play with or look up to. For the alumni, it is a great time to reminisce on the time on the team, reunite with old friends, and show that the program still has a special place in their heart. With over ten returning players, the alumni day shows how much of a lasting impact the Hendrick Hudson Girls basketball program has on athletes, even five or six years out. In the end, the alumni lost to the Varsity girls’ team, but everyone enjoyed themselves and being back in the Hendrick Hudson gymnasium to support an awesome Varsity program. "

    Alumna in attendance: Class of 2015 - Amber Feminella, Amy Glashoff, Jackie Reifenhauser; Class of 2014 - Cassidy Boyle; Class of 2013 - Kennedy Sherman, Meghan Jahoda, Angela Marriott; Class of 2010 - Megan Boyle, Kelsey Sherman, Chelsea Glashoff, Maggie Cole, Meghan Kiley.

    Hen Hud Alumna's Softball Success
    Sherry Jahoda, mother of Megan Jahoda, Class of 2013, reports: "She got a scholarship to play softball at a Division II college, California University of Pennsylvania. This has been such a great experience for her as softball has been the love of her life. The team that she is on had such an amazing year, with Megan being the starting catcher for the team. They won their Conference, Regionals, Super Regionals and went on to Nationals in Oklahoma City where they made it into the Final Four before they lost. This has always been a dream of hers to play in the World Series. Her college is now ranked 4th in the Nation."

    To read more about the Cal Vulcans at Nationals, click here.

    Alum Aids Earthquake Relief Efforts in Nepal
    Jamie Berndt, Class of 2005, went to Nepal in May 2015 with NYCMedics, a nonprofit organization, to aid in the earthquake relief effort. Click here to see the Journal News article and video segment on her experience there.

    2015 Grad Awarded Prestigious Davidson Fellowship

    Jazz Munitz, class of 2015, (now at Cornell University) received the highly acclaimed Davidson Fellowship for his work in the Science Research program at Hendrick Hudson High School. The Davidson Fellowship recognizes “extraordinary young people, 18 and under, who have completed a significant piece of work.”

    Jazz was recognized for his science research work, conducted within the Science Research Program at the high school, directed by Dr. Christine Rogers. He did his research work at Mount Sinai Medical Center, under the mentorship of Dr. Willem Mulder, Associate Professor in the Radiology Department, Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

    Jazz worked in the Nanomedicine group at the Translational and Molecular Imaging Institute. His research developed nanoparticles with the ability to destroy cancer cells, at a lower cost and lower dosage than traditional chemotherapy, thereby lessening side effects and increasing effectiveness. His research paper is currently in the process of being published in a professional peer-reviewed scientific journal. Jazz will continue exploring the use of nanoparticles to treat cancer at Cornell.

    Jazz had the opportunity to meet with Davidson Institute for Talent Development founder Bob Davidson. He additionally presented his project and stressed the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) and STEA(rts)M support to New York Senator Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand's office, and had a private meeting with Congresswoman Nita Lowey and her staff.

    Art Alumni Days Provide Opportunity to Reconnect and Share Experiences

    On April 8, Hendrick Hudson High School art teacher Jessica Nash held several “Art Alumni Days.” Visual arts alumni from the high school were invited to several gatherings which were designed, in part, to help current students learn more about what a career in art looks like at the college level and beyond.

    “I interviewed former students for and compiled their information to share with the Art Honor Society,” Nash explained. “I wanted to share some information on how our former students found appreciation for art in their lives.”

    Nash continued, "I have had the pleasure of working with some of our best and brightest in the AP and Advanced Art classes -- as well as supervising National Art Honor Society (NAHS) -- and I have been witness to the lasting impact these experiences have created for our students. For our “art Alumni Days” we invited to visit our club, discuss college life, and explain how the art program at Hen Hud shaped their time in school.

    We had a great turnout. The echoing sentiment among the alumni referred to the 'exceptional hands-on experience,' 'the great equipment', and the overall 'feeling of belonging' as artists." 

    Here are a few comments from former art students:

    Ben Toll (Class of 2012, currently a computer science major at the University of Michigan) “In high school, I learned that I can connect with people through art. You might be surprised by how many people share your interests, regardless of the path they take in life. My friends from high school art class are now at great universities studying disciplines ranging from architecture to biology. I'm pretty sure that all of them still love to draw. During the stressful college application process, I found solace in Mrs. Nash’s classroom, among the art props and student projects in the back. I welcomed the late afternoons with my friends, when we would work silently, listening to Mrs. Nash's music. These were the afternoons when I had the most inspired ideas for art projects of my own. Without a doubt, they are among the times I miss most.

    Erica Kleinbaum (Class of 2011, currently studying public health and medicine at Quinnipiac University) Leaving the art program at Hen Hud I developed skills in perception of size and depth which have helped improve my painting skill. Since I am not studying art, I paint in my spare time and have developed a passion for photography, which I practice frequently. Some of the things I miss about high school art classes are the designated time each day I had to focus on something I enjoy. It was a great stress reliever.

    Aisha Heisner (Class of 2010, graduated from SUNY Purchase with a Bachelor of Arts in Art History) Although I am not working in an art-based job I did fashion styling and I am now doing PR for a small accessories agency. My favorite part about high school was actually my art classes because it was the only thing I was really passionate about and I got to express myself.

    Elizabeth Connell (Class of 2011, studying Theater Arts at Vassar College) I work in a dance theater designing lighting and working on the electrics. The high school art program gave me room to explore a number of facets of the artistic world including, but also outside of, fine arts. I learned that I would be happiest with a creative job where I could still use my hands in my everyday work. Theatrical lighting design hinges on color theory and composition, but it also involves technical/engineering skills, such as wiring, weight calculations, and drafting. I miss having access to all of the equipment in the art rooms. There’s a lot of days when I think, “Wouldn't it be cool to etch this?” Or, “I could probably solder these things together to make something really cool.” And then all of the equipment's outside of a college student's budget. It was, and still is, nice that the art teachers in the high school go to the trouble of writing so many grants to get all that great equipment into the classrooms for everyone to use.

    Allyson Macci (Class of 2014, currently a Liberal Arts major with a minor in Studio Art at SUNY New Paltz) "I took a lot of valuable lessons away from Hen Hud's art programs. For example, I have a better understanding of shading and measuring objects for still life projects. I also understand the color wheel and have taken what I've learned from that and used them as building blocks here at New Paltz. The difference between high school and college is that in college you need to be consciously aware of what classes you are taking as you need to fulfill a certain number of credits for either your major, minor, or general ed. classes; so, for me, I miss being able to take all different art classes for fun or if I had room in my schedule. At college, I don't really have room to do that, so I miss having the opportunities that high school gave me as far as different art mediums. So, have fun in high school and take as many art classes as you can! It's great experience and exposure, and will help you in the long run. And sometimes you are able to take a course in HS that you may never get a chance to do again. Anything you learn in HS will benefit you in the art world, so never doubt what you are learning."

    Christopher Donato (Class of 2010, graduated from Siena College in 2014) "The summer before my senior year, I was Ginger Zee’s intern at Good Morning America and World News with David Muir. Senior year at Siena, I interned at ABC World News with Diane Sawyer and ABC World News with David Muir. I came down from Albany every weekend. When Ginger moved to weekday GMA to replace Sam Champion, she trained me to fill in as her producer at GMA, in addition to being at World News. Two weeks after graduation, I began full-time as a Digital News Associate. I never realized how much I liked art until I took the class in high school. I learned to continue to explore my interests. So to continue with my interest, in college I took several visual arts and art history classes. I miss being able to explore my creativity in drawing, painting, etc. and pushing myself outside my comfort zone."

    Nina Reichenberg (Class of 2010, graduated from Syracuse University as a computer art & animation major) "If I learned any valuable lesson from the HHHS Art program it is that if a project or piece of work is not to the quality that you would've liked, it's always worth it to go back and make it better. I miss the freedom we had to work on almost whatever we wanted. Because of the mix of my two majors I got the job that I had wanted from when I first applied to college: I now work as an Associate Art Director in advertising, I work in Manhattan in the New York office of DigitasLBi, the same agency I interned at the year before."

    Update from the Harris Family

    Alana Harris, Class of 2011, reports:  "I am graduating from Cornell University in May. I worked as a TA for Introduction to Psychology, spent six months abroad in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and am President of my dance troupe. I have recently accepted a full-tuition scholarship to the University of Virginia Law School, Class of 2018!

    I am the youngest of the three Harris daughters to graduate HHHS: Rachel ('05) is an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell, LLP in NYC, and Jessica ('07) is graduating from Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in May. We are 'forever sailors!'"