BALLSTON SPA —The Ballston Spa Central School District’s partnership program has again received generous funding from the Ballston Spa Elks Lodge #2619. Representatives from the organization presented their annual donation and received recognition from the district during a recent Board of Education meeting. 

The Ballston Spa Elks Lodge continues to be a consistent supporter of the Scotties BackPack Program. For the 2022-23 school year, they have increased their annual support to $6,500 to assist with supplying weekend meals to students who may otherwise go without. 

In collaboration with the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, the district launched the Scotties BackPack Program in 2017, and currently serves students in all four elementary schools. The program provides easy-to-prepare food to selected students each week to consume throughout the weekend. 

Meeting nutritional needs helps ensure students are ready to learn when they return to school. The program originally provided weekend meals to 30 students and now serves more than 190 students in the district. 

The cost for one student for the school year has increased from $183 to $228 for the 2022-23 school year. This increase means an additional $9,000 will need to be raised to support the same number of students as last year. Revenue to support the program is raised by individual and corporate donations as well as through any available grant sources.

Schuylerville —The Schuylerville High School Art Club is hosting a paint night event to raise funds for the club on Dec. 16. Each attendant will complete a beautiful, finished painting to take home with them.

The event will run from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in room 257 at Schuylerville High School. It is $20 to attend, with the cost going toward canvas, paint supplies, food, and non-alcoholic beverages. 

Adults, faculty, and staff are welcome to attend. Faculty and staff can pre-register in Mr. Winslow’s room (room 257) or send in an order form and a $20 fee with a student to bring to room 257.

Pre-registration is due by Monday, Dec. 12. Every participant will have their name entered for a chance to win a raffle basket. The registration form can be found at schuylervilleschools.org.

GREENFIELD — The Town of Greenfield has a new opportunity for kids to get involved in the community with the recent establishment of the Town of Greenfield Leo Club.

The Leo Club is a community service organization for kids between the ages of 12 and 18, and is directly affiliated with Lions Club International, said Town of Greenfield Club Advisor Brittany Campbell. 

“It’s a really unique opportunity for Leos, because we have access to Lions’ network and resources, and we can deliver that to kids who are interested in getting involved in their communities,” said Campbell.

Campbell, who was a Leo Club member herself before joining the Lions Club as an adult, said the Leos often “piggyback” on goals from the Lions Club, but also stressed that the Leo Club can adapt to the interest of its members.

“If their school is having a food drive, and they want to get on board with that and bring Leo’s resources into that, that’s something that absolutely we can, at a certain point, let the kids take the reins and take over what they’re passionate about, and move the club in that direction,” Campbell said.

The Greenfield Leo Club held its first meetings in September, coinciding with the start of the school year. Campbell said many kids who join Leo Club eventually also join the Lions Club and mentioned that Leo Club can be a great opportunity for parents and children to participate in the community together.

“If you can get kids involved, not only as the kids age out of their Leo Club do they have a tendency to become Lions, but it’s an opportunity for parents and their children to participate in service projects together,” said Campbell. “I think the ultimate goal is to get kids involved in community service, and then it can be kind of like a bonding opportunity between them and their parents.”

The Greenfield Leo Club meets on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 6 p.m. at the Greenfield Community Center. There are annual dues of $10 for the club, which Campbell said mirrors the Lions Club’s model and can help teach kids responsibility.

“We like to do that because the Lions have dues,” Campbell said. “This kind of gives the kids, on obviously a smaller scale, a sense of responsibility and ownership in the club.”

The club name is an acronym, with Campbell saying that Leo stands for “Leadership, Experience, and Opportunity.”

“I think that’s important, because those are really three of the main goals we have for being able to benefit the participants of the club,” said Campbell. “Anyone who joins a Leo Club, or a Lions Club for that matter, the participants really get out of it what they put into it. 

“The more that we can give and do, the better we feel, because ultimately at the core of these service clubs, helping others really is its own reward.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Recent improvements to Skidmore College’s main entrance off North Broadway support the College’s guiding principles of sustainability, accessibility, and enhancing the campus experience for everyone.

The project emerged as an early priority in Skidmore College’s Campus Master Planning process and is a collaboration between Skidmore, the Saratoga Springs Department of Public Works, Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, and the College’s Sustainability Office.

“This project was made possible through the support of many who lent their expertise and assistance,” said Dan Rodecker, director of facilities at Skidmore. “At every step, we worked together to ensure that the project was, and continues to be, in accord with best practices in aesthetic design and sustainable planning.”

Improvements to the main front entrance include new campus signage, new crosswalks to allow for safe crossing, new lighting and sidewalks, and the forthcoming installation of over 50 trees to replace trees that have been removed.

“Skidmore College deserves accolades for not only beautifying, but also improving the infrastructure on North Broadway for the benefit of all city residents,” said Saratoga Springs DPW Commissioner Jason Golub. “DPW was happy to partner with the Skidmore team on this great project.”

Improvements to stormwater management include the installation of approximately 2,500 feet of new 12-inch buried stormwater line, the installation of three catch basins on the eastern side of North Broadway, and the re-creation of surface drainage swales to manage excess stormwater run-off.

In addition, the College has made improvements to the entrance to Glen Mitchell Road, installing a landscaped cul-de-sac with a 100-foot turn radius that improves access and traffic flow and creates a better turn-around area for larger vehicles including fire trucks, snowplows, and delivery vehicles. 

The installation of a new sidewalk along the west side of North Broadway will extend pathways along the final 1,000 feet to the end of the street. 

Together, these projects advance Skidmore’s comprehensive approach to sustainable landscapes, stormwater management, and improved campus edges and are guided by the planning principles outlined in the Campus Master Plan, including belonging, humility, and stewardship.

“We’re especially proud of how the renovated entrance welcomes people to the college campus, while still being part of North Broadway and the Saratoga Springs community,” said Skidmore President Marc Conner. “It’s a great symbol of the ways the College and the City are connected.”

The majority of the main entrance and North Broadway work has been completed, but additional tree planting, sidewalk construction, and final landscaping will be done in the spring. The College anticipates a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held in spring 2023.

SCHUYLERVILLE — Students and staff at the Schuylerville Central School District recently teamed up to donate 350 pounds of Halloween candy to the Soldiers’ Angels Treats for Troops program.

Collection boxes for the candy were placed at the main entrances of each of the Schuylerville school buildings, and the contents were collected and weighted each day. Following the collection, the candy was shipped to the Shawn M. Farrell Reserve Center in Saugerties, where it will be repackaged and sent to troops across the United States and abroad.

Students of teacher Amy Jordan helped collect, weigh, and package the candy before it was mailed. PEP and Effective Schools provided the funds to mail the candy to the Treats for Troops warehouse. 

Soldier’s Angels is a national nonprofit organization that provides aid and comfort to the men and women in the military. The Treats for Troops program allows communities and schools to collect leftover candy from Halloween to be sent to those serving in the military, home and abroad.

BALLSTON SPA — This week, the Ballston Spa High School Troupe presents ‘All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten,’ based on Robert Fulghum’s book of the same name.

The performances will be held at 7 p.m. on Nov. 17, 18, and 19 at the Ballston Spa High School Auditorium. A matinee performance will also be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19. The show will take a humorous, heartwarming look at what is profound in everyday life, according to a release by the school. The show is a series of mini-stories, with colorful characters celebrating the whimsy of childhood to the wisdom of old age. 

The cast and crew consists of 25+ students includes Matthew Adams, Katie Benanto, Kara Bowens, Maddie Burns, Rachel Camilli, Michaela Chittenden, Mars Coffey, Keith Dubois, Zuzu Evans, Ben Ferrara, Ava Hamm, Amalia Hotstetter, Paige Loucks, Bel McCarthy, Cameron McKay, Gideon Parker, Mia Parks, Juanita Rust, Sofia Rust, Skar Perez, Brenna Walsh, Nicole Wooddell, and more.

Tickets will be available at the door, and cost $10 for adults. Students and seniors can buy a ticket for $5. Contact the Ballston Spa High School Office at 518-884-7150 for more information.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Central Catholic National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society capped off a successful food drive last week. All collected items will be donated to
St. Clement’s food pantry.

SCHUYLERVILLE — Schuylerville Middle School students in grades 6-8 will take the stage on Nov. 18 & Nov. 19 to present “Wizards & Wands,” a parody of the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise. The show, this year’s annual production by the Schuylerville Middle School Drama Club, will be directed by Ivy Rechak and Jodi Ogburn.

Shows begin at 7:00 p.m. both nights, with tickets on sale at the door. Tickets are $10 for adults, and $6 for seniors and students. For more information, visit schuylervilleschools.org.

BALLSTON SPA —The Saratoga County History Center in Ballston Spa announced a $10,000 grant on Wednesday from the New York State Council on the Arts Regrowth and Capacity Grants. The grant will increase staffing hours for the History Center education staff. The History Center offers a variety of educational programs, serving children and adults. 

The responsive funding of NYSCA is providing nearly 1000 organizations with over $13 million in recovery support in FY23, as part of their historic FY93 $90 million in grant making and $150 million in multi-year capital support. 

“This unprecedented funding continues our investment into the vital role that the arts contribute to the health of our economy, our communities and our citizens,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “As we continue our comeback, we applaud the strength and innovation of arts organizations across the state and are all the better for their hard work and dedication.” 

The History Center offers in-person and distance learning opportunities to help local schools, teachers, students, and families continue their educational journey. The History Center works with elementary, middle, high school, and college students to provide Social Studies, history, and some STEM content. 

“This grant helps the history center expand opportunities from providing professional development for teachers, such as a partnership with the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution, to working with elementary school students in Ballston Spa,” said Field Horne, president of the SCHC.

The History Center is dedicated to the preservation and sharing of the diverse histories of Saratoga County. In addition to the Brookside Museum, the History Center provides various educational programs online and in-person across the county.