SARATOGA SPRINGS/ ALBUQUERQUE, NM — On November 19 the EQUUS Film & Arts Fest announced the winners of their 2023 WINNIE Awards in Albuquerque, NM. Two local children’s books, “Upset, The Original Dark Horse”, and “Jim Dandy, A Dark Horse on a Dark Day” were both granted WINNIE awards. Written by local author Maddy Zanetti and illustrated by local artist Gretchen Tisch the children’s books have been a fan favorite in the area.

EQUUS Film & Arts Fest was founded in 2013 by Lisa Diersen to highlight and reward creative efforts in film, music, advertising, and literature that pay homage to the horse. 

Maddy Zanetti, co-owner of Impressions of Saratoga and The Dark Horse Mercantile with partner Marianne Barker own Upset, the miniature Dark Horse. Together they take him on the road and around Saratoga. The legend of Upset beating Man o’ War in 1919 is what inspired The Dark Horse brand and her stories.

Gretchen Louise Tisch is an Artist and owner of Feathered Antler, a boutique located on Broadway. Her shop is filled with her hand painted fashion and home decor that doubles as her Art Studio. 

The original book, “Upset” won the WINNIE Award in Children’s Book category while “Jim Dandy” received an Honorable mention. “Upset” is based on the infamous thoroughbred aptly named Upset who beat the previously undefeated Man o’War in Saratoga in 1919. “Jim Dandy” tells the story of the 100-1 longshot that ran in the 1930 Travers Stakes against Gallant Fox. Though he had never won a race he never gave up, and with a little motivation from his friend, Upset, Jim Dandy learns that it is not just luck that gets him across the finish line. Each page is filled with vibrant works of art and a twist on the real story of Upset. Some creative license was taken to tell the stories. Upset teaches everyone to believe in themselves even if they are the longshot or the “Dark Horse.”

For more on the EQUUS Film & Arts Fest visit www.equusfilmfestival.net.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — $30,000 in scholarships is up for grabs, thanks to the Saratoga Springs Lions Club.

Applications for the 2024 Scholarship Program are available from the guidance counselors at Saratoga Springs High School and Saratoga Catholic High School. All graduating high school students in the Saratoga school district are eligible to apply. 

There are several different categories of scholarships:

•$10,000 Lions Foundation Jack Berkowitz Memorial Award

•$5,000 and $2,500 Four-Year Academic Program Awards

•$2,500 Leos Club Member Scholarship Award

•$2,500 Two-Year Academic Program Award

•$2,500 Career Technology Education Award

Most of the scholarships pay out a portion of the award money on a yearly basis. The scholarships will be granted to students attending a two or four-year accredited institution or career technology education school. Applications are due by April 15, 2024.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Skidmore College will host its annual one-day-only Tang Bazaar on Friday, December 8 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

The market will feature student-made goods including clothing, jewelry, art, and pottery. Most vendors will accept payment via Venmo.

For additional information, email tang@skidmore.edu or call 518-580-8080. 

BALLSTON SPA —The Ballston Spa Central School District will host a series of free winter concerts featuring local students in December and January.

Two upcoming performances will be held at the High School Auditorium at 220 Ballston Ave: the JV Winter Concert on Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. (featuring choir, orchestra, and jazz band), as well as the 6th Grade Middle School Winter Concert on Dec. 19 at 7 p.m.

The district’s elementary schools will host their own concerts. The performances will occur at the follow locations and times:

•Milton TerraceElementary School — December 12 at 7 p.m. in the Cafetorium at 200 Wood Rd.

•Gordon Creek Elementary School — December 14 at 7 p.m. in the Gymatorium at 50 Wood Rd.

•Wood Road Elementary School — January 9 at 7 p.m. in the Cafetorium at 300 Wood Rd.

•Malta Avenue Elementary School — January 11 at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium at 70 Malta Ave. 

For additional information, check the events calendar at www.bscsd.org or call the school hosting the performance.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Local author, Fran Dingeman, releases her first book, called The Animal Menagerie. The book was officially launched last week at a celebration for contributors, family, and friends at Saratoga Arts. 

The Animal Menagerie, written by Francine Dingeman and illustrated by Marta Maszkiewicz, is an A to Z picture book for children ages 4-7. The characters are animals for each letter of the alphabet. The book is written to entertain and educate by introducing dozens of creative new words to a child’s vocabulary. The Animal Menagerie uses rhyme to help children remember animal names, learn new words, and teach their meanings through the use of imagery and animal tales. 

“Writing a book was something I talked about doing for years,” said Dingeman. “In 2021, I decided to act on it. The Animal Menagerie was created with a goal of elevating a child’s vocabulary while entertaining them in the process. Fabian the Fly takes the young reader on a learning adventure to meet new animal friends and hear of their tales. Parents will enjoy sharing this book with their children and may even learn something new in the process.”

Dingeman continued, “I am grateful to so many who offered their guidance through the self-publishing process, and in particular to Saratoga Arts, who helped make this project financially possible through the Community Arts Regrant Program, funded by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.”

The Animal Menagerie retails for $21.99 plus tax and is available for purchase locally at Celtic Treasures (shop.celtictreasures.com), G. Willikers Toys (www.gwillikerstoys.com), and Saratoga Outdoors (saratogaoutdoors.com) in downtown Saratoga Springs, as well as at Allerdice in Malta (www.allerdice.com). In addition, books can be purchased through the author’s website www.francinedingeman.com, designed by Brand Science NY. The website includes a list of local events where Dingeman will be in-person throughout the holiday season with books for purchase including a reading at the Saratoga Springs Public Library on Saturday, Dec. 9 from 10-10:45 a.m.; A Local Author Fair at the Saratoga Farmer’s Market at the Wilton Mall on Saturday, Dec. 16 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; Nacre’s performance of the Nutcracker at the Egg in Albany on Saturday, Dec. 16, prior to the 7:30 performance; and Saratoga Outdoors, 490 Broadway, on Sunday, Dec.17, from 12-3 p.m.

About the Author: Francine Dingeman is a first-time author who passionately enjoys the art of rhyme and has a deep appreciation for the creative use of words. Fran is the owner of the event development/marketing company, Network Saratoga (learn more at www.networksaratoga.com), and General Manager of Loud Media (Star Radio 93.3FM and Lake George Radio 93.5FM).

Visit francinedingeman.com for more information. Follow The Animal Menagerie on Facebook.

BALLSTON SPA — All students enrolled in the Ballston Spa Central School District will be eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch meals beginning December 1. No action is required for students to be eligible.

The cost-free meals are the result of the USDA’s expanded Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). CEP rules dictate that free breakfast and lunch offerings must be complete meals. A complete meal consists of protein, fruits, vegetables, milk, and grain.

Saratoga Springs City School District began offering the free meals on November 1.

SCHUYLERVILLE — Schuylerville’s Black Horse Stadium just got a facelift. The school’s arena officially re-opened on November 20 after a new synthetic turf field was installed.

In a statement, Superintendent Gregg Barthelmas said that the field’s preservation was important for both students and the community. “We look forward to the continued benefits the new turf field will provide,” he said.

The field cost $684,785 to install, according to the Schuylerville Central School District.

SCHUYLERVILLE — Schuylerville High School has had a robust agriculture program for decades. But now, after an 18-month process, the CTE (career and technical education) program has been approved by the state.

“Going through this certification process was almost seamless because of the high quality of the program currently,” said Sarah Battiste, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development. 

“The CTE endorsement that we have now allows our students to use that as a pathway to graduation,” said Principal James Ducharme. “If students go through this pathway, take these courses, these four courses prescribed over this timeline, that is the equivalent of them going to the Meyers Center and completing a CTE-certified program over there. We now have our own program in agriculture.”

“We’ve intensified our offerings, we’ve intensified our rigor in the classes,” said Mary Elizabeth Foote, an Agricultural Education teacher. “We really solidified that we are meeting state and national standards, and that our students are really pursuing a speciality here in-house.”

The program provides a diverse array of classes, according to Agricultural Education teacher Carlyn Miller. These classes range from business to plants to animals to food science. “We cover just about all of it at this point,” she said. 

“The diversity in the classes that our kids have the opportunity to take, you would not expect from a small school like us,” said Principal Ducharme.

As part of the program, students get a taste of what a career in agriculture might be like. One initiative allows students to take sap from maple trees and turn it into maple products such as syrup, candy, and cream. During this process, students learn about the maple industry, as well as the importance of conservation. 

While some graduates do immediately enter the workforce, most pursue higher education. Recent Schuylerville grads have continued their agricultural studies at institutions such as Cornell University, SUNY Cobleskill, and Delaware Valley University.

Schuylerville’s agriculture program is open to all students, and according to Foote, an estimated 65% of them are enrolled in at least one agricultural class. 

“This is not a gender-specific study area,” Miller said. 

“There’s not a mold of what anyone in agriculture could look like,” said Foote. “It’s just someone who has an interest that develops into a passion, and then the rest is going to be history from there.” 

For more details on the program, visit www.schuylervilleschools.org.